CCM Foot Pump

The CCM foot pump is a rather cheap model. The biggest problem it has is its cheap construction the frame of it isn't sturdy enough to withstand pumping on uneven or slanted ground so when you do pump on the terrain the pump has a habit of bending rather then pumping. This leads to some serious problems of course if you want use this  pump while camping or generally outdoors.
Also we found that the connection between the connector and the hose was so shoddy that it actually started leaking after a few uses at 30-40PSI.
This leak wasn't minor flow of air while pumping but rather it was actually draining the air from items we were trying to inflate. That incident finally concluded that the pump was completely useless and we stopped bothering with it.
We did check the new version in stores and found that the overall design was the same but they seem to have swapped the connector out so that may mean the resolved the leak problem. However the bending and lack of stability should still be there as the pump itself did not change.

The leak occurred under the metal crimp of hose to connector.

Some Albums

Here are some Picasa Albums with pictures taken on and around Vancouver Island.

These are a little dated but we are currently working on a couple new routes and some reviews and wanted to give everyone a few how nice it is here.

I hope you enjoy them.
Mackenzie Bite Dive
2010 Fleet Review
Friendly Cove (Pacific Side)
Prince Rupert
Morning Pictures

Twitter RSS Feed

We have added a Twitter RSS Feed to this blog to allow easy following of the blog.

UV Protection

While we are out and about we have to always remember to maintain sun protection. Now while driving or riding this can mainly takes the form of sun glasses.
And especially while moving quickly the value of good sun glasses is not to be underestimated. Good sunglasses have anti-glare coatings that let you see past the reflection of light on water or other surfaces.
This of course has two benefits while on the road instead of being blinded you are also able to read or see past the surface that would normally blind you.
Also higher end sun glasses are more reliable as to the UV protection rating which can easily be skewed and has often be cast in doubt by consumer protection groups.
Remember sunglasses are not protecting your eyes with shade but with a specific coating that is made to reduce the harmful UV rays that damage our eyes. In eyes the UV rays cause cataracts which can in their most severe form cause blindness. So wearing sunglasses when in high brightness settings such as skiing, sailing, or any outdoor summer activity should prompt you to wear sunglasses.
Now the cheap sunglasses will reduce UV rays as well but they wont do so as reliably as the more expensive ones. As always in those cases you do get what you pay for. So if you are unwilling to buy the better sunglasses you will get less protection but it is still better then no protection at all.
Beware of scratches though, there is very little in terms of wear and tear information on sunglasses however they are made UV shielding by a anti-UV coating so if they get scratched I would suspect that the UV protection has to eventually suffer from that.

We use Ray Bands and Maui Jims both make excellent sunglasses and there are many other good companies out there. But if there is one thing not cheap out on its health. After all you only got one body.

 

Don't forget to wear your SPF 30 or higher when the UV rating is above 6 as well as your sunglasses.

Please follow the UVI advisement which was established by the WHO.

All weather services do report your local UV rating which you should use as guide.