much more basic than I expected, may be useful for beginners but not much for me. also the diversity of activities represented I think hurt the book more than helped. cold see this instead being a series where they went more in depth in different activities and seperated sports from outdoors recc, ect

Outdoor Life Lists is a unique introduction of a book, because — well, it’s made up almost exclusively of lists. This simple & accessible format is perfect for beginners of any outdoor sport, recreation, or activity.

The major downside that I see with this book is that it’s perhaps not very useful to OWN. I would imagine that most individuals will only be interested in some of the activities included within these pages. Personally, I skimmed over many sections, focusing mostly on the lists for relatively low-key nature hobbies like hiking, camping, orienteering, etc. (How could I judge the helpfulness or accuracy of lists for golf, ice climbing, or an archaeology dig when I know nothing about these topics?)

Even when interested in the topic at hand... the lists feel like something you could very easily find online. At most, I think this book would be a good reference material to check out from your local library when you are initially curious about a new outdoor activity. Browse the information and use those tips to help you locate your gaps in knowledge — but make sure to seek out a more in-depth resource before getting out there.

This need was perhaps most noticeable within the sections for safety and first aid. Having taken a couple of Wilderness First Aid courses and recently finishing the NOLS Wilderness Medicine book, I was pretty disappointed with the information in Outdoor Life Lists. (For example: The old 15:2 CPR ratio was included instead of the updated 30:2 ratio for adults. And there were instructions for suctioning a snakebite; advice that is no longer recommended because it can lead to even more tissue damage.) I specifically dropped my rating by one star because I did not feel that these very important sections were trustworthy enough.

Overall, I think this book has important but quite limited uses. Reference it to develop a checklist when packing or collecting your gear. Take some quick tips from the informational sections interspersed throughout (such as Leave No Trace principles or how to use the bathroom in the woods). And then… continue your education from some trusted experts in the field!

Outdoor Life Lists : A List-by-List Guide to Enjoying the Great Outdoors. This quirky book includes 73 checklists covering the essentials needed and potential extras to consider for enjoying a variety of outdoor sports and activities. It includes equipment, clothing and useful extras. Some items not relevant to most places in the world such as bear repellent spray ! It is a great book for a library or school to have, as I am not sure you would purchase it for just one activity. It is a bit quirky and of limited use to most people but an interesting reference book all the same.

As a second year small Library Director I am pulling ideas from every place I can and I am glad I ran across this book.
The pages and pages of lists keep thing easy to hand out to folks who are interested in teaching classes but don't feel confident in starting on their own.
It is a great starting point to a wide variety of activities, but more detail is nice too.