General Q&A about the great outdoors and outdoor pursuits.
Filters (None)
I know its rather ironic but I'm a big guy that enjoys open water swimming. I'd like to do more of it in order to help myself with my waistline. I swim in the Pacific so I need a wetsuit. I'm looki...
Say, I want to tie a rope between two trees, and I want it to have as little sag as possible. I have attached the rope to one tree and I'm trying to tie it to the other tree while pulling it to cre...
I've been going climbing (indoor bouldering) for about six months, using shoes I rented at the gym, and wearing socks (and everything was fine). I've recently got a pair of climbing shoes, and want...
I have a pair of leather boots that are a couple of years old. They were fairly expensive and I'm not a big fan of discarding and replacing things so I'm hoping they can still be of use to me. The ...
Why do climbing professional use less than 5 fingers on some holds? From https://www.lagrimpe.com/abc/le-mono-ou-bi-doigt/ I mean, why don't they put the other fingers, even if they don't quite...
I came across this knot when it was used to tie a guy wire to a newly purchased light weight tent. I am reasonably knot savvy but have never come across it. It forms a non-slip loop when pulled u...
I've got a comfy pair of runners that I primarily use for walking. I've put them through the wash a few times and they come out spotless. The only ware is on sole, which appears to be 1/2 cm thic...
We have a question about the cost of through-hiking the AT and another about the cost of through hiking the CDT but not one about the PCT which is the other big trail in the United States. What is...
I'm starting to get my first surfboard lessons and wanted to get my own. Should I start off with a soft board or a hardboard?
I have a pair of Ray-Ban polarized sunglasses (so not some cheap drugstore sunglasses, and they are made in Italy not China) that I got two years ago. I just got back from a vacation, and I notice...
If you have full stuffed bag full of laundry with two handles, how would you tie the handles?
When preparing for a trad climb, I usually divide my rack into separate groups where each group is connected to a single carabiner. So for example all the small nuts go into carabiner 1, middle ran...
Me and a group of about twenty of my friends were passing through the ranch of my neighbor. There is a large prairie with his horses. Suddenly, a group of about 10 horses charged us. All of a sudde...
From slivers caused by chopping wood, thorns from plants, or bee stings there have been times when out in the woods when a pair of tweezers would come in handy and none where on hand. Are there ar...
I am looking to replace my NRS creeking gloves that I use for kayaking "bony" rivers and creeks where rock contact is a real possibility. The problem that I have with them is that the seams are no...
The textbook "Fundamentals of Search and Rescue" in Chapter 6 describes the priorities of needs in survival situations. The priorities listed are Air Shelter Rest Signals/Communication Water Food...
Went on a snow trip this weekend at Fall Creeks(VIC), it was my first time in snow and first time skiing (cross-country) , the only problem I had was my feet started getting cold occasionally and f...
I've hammock camped twice in below freezing weather, between 10 F and 25 F (-12C and -4C). The first time using a closed-cell foam (CCF) pad and the second time using a full size underquilt. I'm h...
I recently was bitten several times by a spider or spiders during an outing in southern Virginia, USA. The bites looked really nasty for a couple of days, but are now subsiding and have stopped it...
Inspired by several questions and answers here and also one at Biology SE, I have been looking around to try to find out whether this idea I heard constantly as a youth has any merit, or it just fo...
When climbing multipitch, what is the cycle of things you do when climbing each pitch, and what are the associated voice signals?
I'm planning on hiking the PCT next summer (April 2020-August 2020). I have nearly eleven months to prepare, physically and mentally, and nearly eleven months to read up on the PCT. I have a lot ...
I just got back from a guided walking trip to high mountains. There was one day when we encountered a thunderstorm - and the guide advised we are OK to proceed with the day's walking, instead of tu...
I'm looking at extending a strip of LED lighting into another of the tents rooms. Dividing the rooms is mozzie mesh. I could run a 3m extension wire down and back up again, however, I was wondering...
I have heard the argument that red light is better because it helps preserve your night vision, however it is less bright than white light. Are there other pros and cons that I am missing or circu...
I have been doing whitewater kayaking for some time now, and still have a great deal to learn. For difficult places, it is normal for me to stand outside and talk about which lines are good and whi...
Today I was out in the canoe on Monongahela River I started out paddling up river, and there was a head wind. I noticed that when I got with in about 100 feet of a bridge the wind picked up. The ...
I just heard of an incident where a group of people were caught unprepared by a flood. It is known as the "Bulacan State University Field Trip", Looking at the images online, I couldn't help but po...
I am planning a canoe trip, and will be bringing a kerosene lamp for light. As a backup fire lighting option I am planning on bringing flint & steel and possible a magnifying glass. Can eith...
I have noticed a few people are using blue light bulbs for the front porch and/or walk way. The light is not very bright and does not cast what I would call sufficient lighting. On some streets ha...
I have a propane lantern that the glass measures 3.25 X 3.25 and on the glass it has borosil with an r in a circle beside it, but no numbers so that we can get a new globe because it has broken. A...
Some time ago, while driving on a snowy road, someone told me a kind of horror story. It involved a guy who was driving alone with an old car on an overland road in Siberia during winter, so the t...
I'm looking for a Keb 52 backpack but can only find the women's model where I am (and I'm a 190cm-tall man). Here are the specs for the men's and women's models on Fjällräven's website: Men model...
Based on comments on this question. If the moving cam on a Gri-Gri is prevented from engaging (perhaps by a belayer firmly holding onto the device), can you still brake effectively? By "brake eff...
My new head torch has a mode that produces a red light. I've seen this several times and I have no idea when our why you would use it?
I run often at night in the mountain. For that I use a headlamp that works very well, allowing me to keep my path illuminated and my arms free. However, when it is cold my breath creates some stea...
Suppose I want to play a 10-people outdoor ultimate frisbee game at night, with no power outlets available at the field. I expect it to last no more than 2 hours. What kind of portable power supp...
When going into remote areas, it would be great to be able to communicate with the outside world, for emergency purposes or just to be able to call home on long trips. Is it practical for an averag...
We are in the great outdoors and a massive thunderstorm will be over us soon. What steps should we take to be safe from a lightning strike? This question is not "am I safe in my tent" etc. You ar...
After reviewing many backpacks, both online and in person, Iv'e decided that I want the Osprey exos 48. Unfortunately, the only Osprey dealer in my area carries only the exos 58, and they had it on...
If a lightning storm is coming, and you had a tent and a hammock/tarp with you, which would you choose, based only on relative safety from lightning?
Do flashlights (torches) with multi-color capabilities (white, red, blue and green) have any outdoor applications for usage in the forest or while hiking at night? I have several flashlight that h...
There are several different manufacturers producing so called "lumen nocks". They provide a small light at the end of the arrow. But why? Why would I need a tiny light on my nock?
I have a candle lantern housed inside what I think is an aluminum frame. I'm concerned it will get hot enough to melt fabrics. How can I safely use it inside a tent? Should I suspend it from the...
I have been fishing in a small lake in Southern Indiana. We’ve caught many Bluegill in the same place and caught this small, I’m assuming young Sunfish today. Is this just a Bluegill that happens t...
Twice now I have been summitting peaks in Rocky Mountain National Park while getting really early starts to avoid the afternoon thunderstorms. However in both cases I could still see lighting in t...
Recently I was camping in the local mountains and while showering a storm blew in so I took a shower in a thunderstorm. Some people said it was very dangerous. The showers were basic structures out...
If I'm hiking in the wilderness and my shoelace breaks, what's the best way to go about fixing it assuming I have no spare?
I use a regular hydration pack. I had given to a friend of mine to use it as she had her pack leaking. I guess she filled it with some sort of refreshment/flavored sports drink, and that has caused...
I'm a beginning climber and am trying to resolve conflicting instruction related to tying into my harness. During a recent outing a friend (an experienced climber, but not an instructor) was show...
