Adventure-Crew.com

A first aid kit, much like car insurance, is one of those things that we buy and hope we never have to use. It's one of those 10 essential items that we should always have in our pack when we head out on the trail, and yet, it's one of the items that gets the least attention. We stuff a few band aids in a box, maybe some ibuprofen and thats about it. Well, I"m here to tell you that the first aid kit is one item that you shouldn't scrimp on, but fortunately Adventure Medical Kits is here to make it easy on us all.

As their name implies, Adventure Medical Kits provides top notch, pre-made med kits that are ready to go in our backpacks and stay there until we need them. The kits come in a variety of sizes and specialities, for what ever your outdoor pursuits happen to be. For instance, their Paddler Series comes with everything a kayaker would need out on the water, and it's all sealed up in a nice drybag, while the Mountain Series is designed for longer alpine expeditions.

My AMK comes from the Ultralight line, which is specifically marketed for multisport athletes such as adventure racers. The kits are perfect for races where a med kit is standard equipment, and any race above a sprint probably does require one, because they are small, compact, and light weight, yet still carry everything you'll need and more. For instance, I have an Ultralight .9 which comes pre-packed with several varieties of bandages in different shapes and sizes, trauma pads, gloves, moleskin, duct tape, safety pins, splinter packs, antihistamines, ibuprofen, a plethora of wound care items, and a lot more. All of that is packed into a waterproof pack, and it all sits nicely inside a backpack.

In addition to all the great stuff that comes in each of the medical kits, the AMK website has some great supplemental gear that you can add to your kit to enhance its usefulness in the backcountry. For instance, they have a variety of insect repellants, hygiene products, blister protection, and other essentials. There are even repair kits that allow you to fix your broken gear, even while on the go. Put all this stuff together, and you have everything you ever need to cover medical issues no matter where you are.

I have to say that I am throughly impressed with the Ultralight .9 pack that I have. It lives up to its name, barely adding any weight to your pack and despite its size, the kit remains very versatile and useful. While AMK recommends it for adventure racers and other outdoor athletes, I believe that it is equally useful for backpackers, long distance trekkers, and even travelers in general. It really is a nice piece of gear that will fill most people's needs right out of the box. Add in a few extra items that may be essential to you specifically, and you have the perfect customized med kit that is always ready to go when you are.

All of the kits from Adventure Medical are also very affordable, which means that we don't have any excuses to not have one with us in the backcountry. Select one of the kits that works best for you, and you won't want to ever leave it behind either. You might even think that it's essential.

Text by Christian Camerota Bionic human pin cushion Lance Armstrong is no stranger to needles. The 37-year-old's seen his fair share during cancerous trials, doping probes, and post-crash repair jobs (to busted limbs and bikes, alike). Apparently the only scars left from having his body and mettle tested as if he were a military prototype, though, are the ones he's seered and continues to scald into the French countryside. There's no getting around it: You put this man on a bicycle and he makes just about anything else in the world seem possible. Rick Reilly's got a poignant, succinct look into Armstrong's chase for his 8th Tour title here and his clever turns of phrase (he refers to Armstrong as "cycling's Dorian Gray") coupled with a tale of impending triumph that's hard to muck up make for a great read. ADVENTURE will continue to post updates on the Armstrong Comeback...

Text by Christian Camerota Surprise, surprise. It looks as if Lance Armstrong's charity ride has turned into something more: like, say, a legitimate run at his 8th Tour De France victory. Armstrong's Team Astana, favored to win today's 39-kilometer time trial in Montpellier, lived up to the hype, finishing the 4th stage in 46 minutes and 29 seconds. Their 40-second margin of victory over Team Saxo Bank means Lance Armstrong is now essentially tied for the race's lead, just milliseconds behind official leader Fabian Cancellara. Tomorrow's 196.5-kilometer stage 5 stretches from Le Cap d'Agde to Perpignan and is dedicated to surrealist painter Salvador Dali, who penned the 1959 Tour's official postcard. Read previous Tour De France posts >>

Text by Christian Camerota Far from the fanfare of years past, Lance Armstrong is not even considered the leader of his Astana team in this Tour De France. But the leaderboard would tell you otherwise. Though he has contended his motivation for riding this time around is largely charitable in nature, there's no avoiding that if Lance Armstrong is riding in a race, he's always going to be a favorite. Today's results appear to show Armstrong arriving at that conclusion, as well, just as he arrived at La Grande-Motte. About 30 kilometers from the third stage finish, Team Columbia took advantage of strong crosswinds and split the peloton with a late surge. Armstrong was paying attention and managed to stay with the lead pack, ultimately resulting in a rise into third place in the overall standings, just 40 seconds behind Swiss leader Fabian Cancellara of the Saxo Bank team. Armstrong's...

Cliffhanger, one of the top outdoor events in Europe, and the U.K.'s biggest adventure festival, returns to Sheffield on the weekend of July 11th and 12th. With more than 100 exhibitors and dozens of events, Cliffhanger has become a major event, attracting more than 15,000 visitors last year, and 2009 looks to be even bigger and better.

Attendees this year can expect a wide range of activities, including demonstrations and instruction in rock climbing, kayaking, mountain biking, orienteering and more. There will also be an assault course to challenge anyone feeling up to it, 11 climbing walls, plenty of food stands and bargain shops for gear, rides for the kids, and even live music throughout the weekend. Cliffhanger will once again serve as the venue for the British Boulder Championships, in which more than 200 boulderers will competing for top honors. This year they've added an adventure race and a unique orienteering competition on mountain bikes.

You can checkout a full schedule of events on the Cliffhanger website, which also has the latest news about additions to the adventure festival. There are also directions on how to get to Millhouses Park by road or rail, and a complete list of exhibitors that will be on hand for the event.

Looks like another great outdoor festival with some fun activities for everyone.

Update: In an effort to more inclusive, I wanted to point out, as Shane has noted in the comments section, that there will be some Parkour/Free Running demonstrations going on at Cliffhanger all weekend as well. The local Sheffield group will be bouncing off trees, walls, fences, buildings, and just about anything else they can use to shop off their abilities. If you're not familiar with Parkour, you're in for a treat, and my failure to mention them earlier wasn't an intentional slight. I'm way jealous of your abilities Shane, and wish I could keep up! ;)