How To Glue Cracked GoPro Case and Mounts with Bison Power Adhesive

Here's a fact: If you use your GoPro HD camera heavily (as it's supposed to be used), you will get your case cracked and your mounts destroyed. It's just a matter of time until this will happen.

Actually this post completes my GoPro HD review and I'm here to tell you about glue...

Yes. You need to repair the micro cracks that your camera case and mounts will get from all the vibrations, crashes, drops and what not. And the answer is a strong polyurethane glue such as Bison Power Adhesive. It's basically a resin type glue that you get by mixing the two pastes (glue and hardener).

The glue is supposed to be used for the most difficult bonds (it says that on the package). Other things I used it for were telescopic trekking poles (I attached the hard rubber tip which has the Widia tip on the aluminum pole) and to glue the rear view mirror on the windshield of my last car.

The cracks occur not only due to shocks taken by the camera but also because of poor constructions of elements and  weak materials. I believe they could have used a stronger plastic for an action camera...

For instance, when you attach your GoPro Hero to the two piece arm, there's a tiny gap between the case elements (teeth) and the mount elements (see pictures above), which make the mount teeth bend and crack. And if you're going downhill with your bike at 40 miles per hour and loose your camera... Well, you can guess how happy you'll be.

So my solution to buy some time and extend the life of your GoPro case, clamp (that locks the back door of the case) and mounts is to observe if there are any micro cracks and fix the problem with a strong glue.

How to repair your mounts & GoPro case

1. Mix the two pastes until you get a homogeneous color and consistence. Use a spatula and/or a paper clip.
2. Take the mount (element you want to repair) and add some pressure as to open the micro cracks.
3. Add some glue in the cracks. Press the glue in with your finger.
4. Add extra glue on a larger surface on the crack and around the crack. It will look ugly but it will hold better.

Notice the crack in the lens rim (above picture - click for larger view). Gotta fix that as well as I don't want the case to leak when shooting underwater footage.

The clamp - first element that got broken (almost broke in half). I think they could make this out of aluminum since it's a part subjected to constant pressure and frequent maneuvering. Each time you come home from your shooting sessions (climbing and cliff jumping, doing bike stunts, etc.) you wanna download all your action clips, right? So you open your case, hence the wear and tear the clamp is subjected to.

Take care while you're out there. Happy video shooting!

PS - At some point I'm gonna have to buy a new two arm piece...and maybe a new case.

Overnight ATV Trips and Camping Tips - What You’ll Need and Other Considerations

Taking an overnight ATV camping trip is a fun way to explore new trails and experience the great outdoors. Whether you’re planning a trip with some buddies or riding solo, the more prepared you are beforehand, the less you’ll have to worry about during your excursion.

So don't get too excited to load your precious lifestyle toy on the back of your truck (Go to this site to see an award-winning ATV loading ramp) and here are some important considerations to make before setting out on overnight ATV trip.

Wear the Right Gear and Equipment

Protective Gear
All ATV riders must wear protective gear including helmets, gloves, goggles, boots, protection jackets, protective knee and elbow pads and the like to ensure full riding safety.

A helmet light can come in very handy for camping or evening riding. You can find ones that can be mounted both on the helmet or your handlebars.

Hydration Packs
Find a comfortable pack big enough to carry various items such as your extra clothing, food, mobile phone, walkie talkie and of course Water. Don’t forget to throw in a few tools (3 way pack wrench, pump, spare tube) that you might need along the way.

Repair Kit
Some ATVs come with a basic repair kit for changing things such as spark plugs and replacing fuses so make sure you take yours with you. Carry a tire air pump and tire patch kit with you on the ATV at all times. The rough terrain can be hard on your tires. In addition, don’t forget to carry a working tire pressure gauge with you on the ATV.

First Aid Kit & Survival Kit
Have a first aid kit with any personal medication, adhesive tape, antiseptic wipes, sterile gauze pads and make sure that all the contents inside are clean and in good condition.

Know Where You’re Going

As far as the campsite goes, make sure you pick a spot that you have researched to avoid getting lost or winding up somewhere dangerous.

Bring Appropriate Gear
Before you leave for your excursion, check what the weather will be like and make sure you have appropriate gear for both wet and dry climate conditions.

Basic camping gear includes:

• Tent
• Ground cloth/tarp
• Sleeping bag
• Pillow
• Coolers/ice
• Socks/extra socks
• Thermos
• Matches/lighter
• Trash bags

If you eat any meals or snacks at the campsite, do not keep the food around for very long. You do not want attract any dangerous animals and food is the number one way to draw them in.

Have a fun ride and respect the outdoors!

About the author: This article is written by the team over at ATV Course which provides state-specific information regarding ATV licenses and safety. For more information, please contact info@atvcourse.com.

GoPro Mounting on Bike Fork - Improvisation - or How You Can Shoot Bike Tricks Videos Like a Pro (read: Respected Amateur)

Everything I know about building a DIY steadicam is now is in this new guide. Learn how to get amazing cinematic video with this cool gadget that you can build using parts from your local hardware store.

If you don't like the material, no worries. I'll give your money back and you get to keep the guide. Guaranteed!

	Printable PDF document Instant Digital Download 60 Days Money Back Guarantee  Prompt Refunds No Questions Asked One Time Payment/No BS 2 FREE Bonuses: How To Build a DIY Camera Slider 3 Ways To Get Clients as a Videographer (you'll be surprised to find out what the first method is...)

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This post adds to the previously published article that teaches you how to improvise GoPro mounts for your mountain bike using just the helmet mount.

I've been asked how I shot certain scenes in the above bike tricks video and I decided to publish some pictures with my GoPro mount improvisation for the bike fork. I hope this explains it better than words.

You only need your helmet mount, which comes bundled with GoPro HD Hero Helmet.

What you do is wrap the straps around one of the fork tubes and clip in the camera (quick release buckle). Use the two piece arm (goose neck) with the buckle and point the camera in as many directions as possible:

• you want to capture the biker who's pulling the stunts
• shoot only the wheels, pedals and feet of the biker
• shoot forward to capture the obstacles
• etc.

Mix all the scenes to make your clip interesting to watch.

The rest of the scenes were shot with a DIY steadicam, which I use for most of my outdoor and adventure videos.

Cheers!

Disclaimer: I'm an amateur filmmaker and I share as little as I know with you. You're invited to a conversation in the comments. There's always something new I can learn from you and I'd love to hear your opinion. Thanks!

What To Eat as an Athlete - Shrimp & Crab Claws with Vegetables Salad

Food... Oh boy!

I love it but I hate cooking. This doesn't mean a good and healthy meal is something to skip but if it takes you hours of your day to make it... well, then you should reconsider what's more important to you: food or the rest of the things you could be doing...?

So if you're like me and don't particularly enjoy cooking but you do like to prepare something fast that's filled with vitamins, fiber and protein, here it is:

Vegetable salad and shrimps in oil (or crab claws)

Or, I guess you can call it shrimp salad if you like.

What you need and how to prepare it

1. Buy the shrimps or crab claws from your local supermarket or from a specialized sea food market. You may wanna choose them pre-cooked and preserved in oil - that saves precious time. (Are they organic or not...? - that's not our business with this article. This is for the regular guy who's not fussy about supermarket food). Cost: $ 2.7 per pack (200 grams) - for the reference this was in May 2011 - Romania (Europe).
2. Get your fresh vegetables from peasants if you can. This is possible in Romania in most of the cities and towns as peasants here are also small farmers who sell such produce. What vegetables? All sorts: radish, lettuce, spring onion, dill, cucumber, green pepper, hot red pepper, tomatoes, ramsons (wild garlic leaves) red onion, etc. Cost: $ 5.
3. Other things to make it more interesting would be: lemon and extra virgin olive oil. Cost: $ 5 for the cheapest olive oil (500 ml) and the cost of a lemon is negligible.  
4. You know how to do a salad, don't you? I guess you also know how to open a pack of shrimps. Se pictures below for a suggestion on serving and portioning. :-)

There you have it. An easy meal for the outdoor athlete. Food like this is good to have especially during the warm season when you want to be energetic and light. And eating lots of vegetables is never a bad thing for your nutrition in general.

• Shrimp are high in protein and low in calories. They also contain omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, vitamin D (good for your bones - climbers know they need this) and selenium (gives you energy boost). Source: Peertrainer.com

Eat well and go cycling, climbing or trekking. Cheers!

One Place You Should Visit in Baile Herculane Hot Springs Resort - La Vanturatoare Waterfall

One thing you don't have to miss if you ever come to Baile Herculane, thermal water/hot spings resort in Romania, is the "La Vanturatoare" waterfall.

Of course the main attraction of the resort are the springs but if you're looking for peace and beautiful scenery, you won't find that at the springs... The hot (and sulphurous) water is the same as ever but the small pools in which you can bathe are rather ugly - made of concrete during the former communist regime. I believe the last time someone attended to them properly was before 1989.

That's sad since the spa had notable guests (kings and queens from all over Europe) since it was founded by Trajan Emperor.

Lots of architecturally beautiful buildings are in decay and while some parts of the resort look forgotten, one can tell that the place used to be a busy resort where the elite came for treatment and leisure.

Anyway - as an outdoor lover you may be more interested into climbing and trekking than in the resort as a city.

Speaking of that - the are is home to one of the most popular rock climbing contests in Romania - Herculane Climbing Open (HCO), developed by Alternative extreme sport club in Timisoara. There are tons of limestone crags all over the place, hence a great concentration of sport climbing routes (bolted).

⇩Click the Play Button to see the cool waterfall (min. 5:00) ⇩


Climbing and Trekking Video shot in Baile Herculane - April 2011


How to get to the waterfall

If you get to the resort by train, and don't have a car, then you have to walk about 11 km North on DN67 D road until reach a bridge (at the tail of the accumulation lake). Carrying a GPS device may help you so here are the approximate GPS coordinates of this point: 44°57'50.53'' N    22°29'03.22'' E    elevation 241 m.

From the bridge you have a 45 minutes light hike up to the waterfall on a marked footpath (red cross mark I guess...). Approximate coordinates of destination ("Vanturatoarea"): 44°57'59.27'' N    22°28'24.42'' E    elevation 693 m. See pictures below for location details on Google map.

Beware of vipers

Baile Herculane is also known to be teeming with vipers - especially during hot days. The climate is sub Mediterranean and this enables creatures as vipers and small scorpions to live here.

You can recognize them by the zig-zag line on their back and the triangle shaped head. Some of them have a small horn as well. Wear boots and long pants and watch your step to avoid any unpleasant contact with them. The emergency phone number to call in Romania is 112.

For more pictures with reptiles from Herculane area visit this link (the guys holding vipers in their hands seemed to know what they were doing but don't try to do it yourself...).

Happy trekking! (Boy, does this sound evil after all the viper talk...) :-)

How To Choose Your Climbing Pants - Infographic and Video

You may have noticed that there's a trend to wear more and more fashionable clothing when climbing.

Just go into a mountain store and you'll find a piece of climbing clothing for everything: bouldering, alpine climbing, whatever.

While I'm not particularly a fashionable guy, I do enjoy a good pair of pants to wear during my redpoint attempts. So I figured to share with you this cool infographic and video made by Tristan Higbee on his Daily Climbing Tips blog.

He discuses how to choose the perfect climbing pants:

• Pay attention to fabric - synthetic light fabrics that wick moisture are preferable (even though there's a tendency to wear cotton as well - especially among bouldering enthusiasts)
• Choose zipper pockets if possible - you may wanna carry small important items with you (such as a printed top or a candy bar
• Get the right fit - that's something each of us should decide for ourselves what it means. The point is you don't wanna trade your ability to move for looking good.

If you're also a blogger and wanna learn how to blog like a rock star, you should also check out Tristan's main blog - BloggingBookshelf.com where he teaches blogging tips for smart people. He's got incredible quality content - that's my vote for him!

Cheers! And if you get pumped during your ascent, shake, chalk and hope a jug will follow!