General Q&A about the great outdoors and outdoor pursuits.
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A few times I've been out walking or backpacking and have no moleskin with me. Sure enough, my boots start giving me blisters. How can I prevent or treat hotspots and blisters without using moles...
What are the higher heat loss areas of the body and how can I reduce heat loss in those areas?
As seen in the picture, this sail boat is sliding over ice rather than sailing through water. If I were to try this ice sailing, would I need to follow boating regulations? This might not be th...
What should the crew and passengers do on a long voyage? If they do nothing, their attention is scattered and may become remiss. You can begin to wash the boat, but I do not think that is the best...
There is a massive alligator in Florida that lives near a golf course, and he is estimated to be the largest alligator in Florida history assuming the estimations of his size are correct. Estimati...
In my garage, and when it is parked around town, I lock my bike to a rack via a U-lock or at least a cable lock. How should I similarly secure my kayak? I realize that a determined thief can break ...
Ocean water has about 35 Grams of salt per liter. For the human body salt content in body fluids is about 9 Grams per liter. See related question How much sea water can I safely drink? While it ...
This morning when out on one of my usual walks I discovered an Amphibian / Lizard on the path - I did not take a picture as it had clearly been attacked at some point, it was not alive at this time...
I have heard people suggesting to drink water when you are seated after a tiresome activity. They usually ask to avoid drinking water while standing upright. Does that have an actual scientific re...
I was backcountry camping recently in the Canadian Rockies and there was a sign that said “please don’t urinate around the campsite, it is attracting bears”. Of course, following LNT principles, I ...
In a survival situation is it actually efficient to eat edible plants? Assume late spring to early fall in a temperate climate. We have plenty of questions about where to find edible plants and h...
If I am required to transport my diving equipment (in the UK and Abroad) what are the best practices of transporting my diving knife / shears? If on a plane this can just go in the hold luggage sa...
Recently I moved to NY and I am finding hard time to get accustomed with the weather. I have never experienced temperature below 15℃ back home! So, its quite a challenge. Expectedly, the winter wea...
My question is prompted by the answer of @Aaron to this question; his answer referenced Geraldine's Largay's death on the Appalachian Trail. Ms. Largay was hiking alone on the AT in Maine. She g...
Most hearing muffs/earplugs have a noise reduction rating of between 22 to 35 NRR. OSHA says, Impulse Noise: The standard states that exposure to impulsive or impact noise should not exceed 14...
DEET is an effective mosquito deterrent, but there are many reasons it cannot be used. Per the CDC, cuts, eczema, and being a kid are all problems if you want to use DEET. What proven alternative...
Many questions (and answers) about lightning seem to focus on avoiding being hit directly by lightning but don't consider being close to where it hits the ground. Granted, it may be intentional (ie...
In late September 2015, I hiked part of the trail in the incredibly beautiful Lónsöræfi in southwestern Iceland, near Vatnajökull. The easternmost segment of the trail requires fording Hnappadals...
Where can I find an elevation profile of the Cohos trail?
I find myself in possession of an extra set of everything Sunfish minus the hull. I was wondering if any of this gear would fit any other models of small craft, or if I absolutely need a bona fide...
I've been using an old lure with great success and I'd like to know more about it. what is this type typically called? what are the proper uses? what fish will likely take this lure? It dives...
I have more than a decade of experience in outdoor recreation, environmental education, and backpacking. I am now thinking about starting a small business offering backpacking guide service to peop...
I know that a pocket of still air is an excellent insulator. Would placing a tent inside of another tent provide any substantive benefits to warmth? For a concrete example, consider placing a sma...
I'm very new to camping. In fact..I'm trying to prepare for my first camping. One thing that I can't find answer even after googling and searching this site is..how people travel with camping stove...
My old boots are dying. Sadly it took me quite some time to find them, and the particular brand is not made anymore. I have wide feet, like 4E wide, but some 2E boots will fit fine. Unfortunatel...
Last fall I bought a sunfish, best I can tell is built in about 1974 (43 years ago) and has all original sails, sail rings (hold the sail to the spars), tiller, etc. Everything but the lines seem ...
I recently read Everest climbers worried about oxygen bottle theft which says: What can you do when thieves break the locks of the tent and take away oxygen bottles, food and even cooking gas...
I need to run a hose from a tap to my campsite. I have a drinking water rated hose, but I'd like to know whether brass splitters and hose fittings (sold as gardening items) are safe -- I believe br...
Related to this question, there are people advocating that most of the Grand Canyon National park be designated as Wilderness. What exactly would change in the allowed activities (some say it woul...
Following on from this question: How many calories does hiking burn? So in the same journey my girlfriends tracking app said we'd travelled 20km. Now this was based on us travelling on the flat, b...
One great problem with fire in the wild is that it may not be completely out. What is the recommended procedure to prevent accidental forest fire?
When on slightly peaty ground, (i.e loamy forest rather than very peaty heath) is there any possible safe way to light and tend a small fire? I'd envisaged scraping away the top soil, dousing below...
As a fair-weather walker I frequently find myself on routes that have suffered from erosion due to the large numbers of people hiking along them. I wish to cause the least possible amount of furthe...
Assume I am completely naïve about boating concerns, that I know the following: There are things that float and carry stuff across the water called boats. A boat needs something to make it move. ...
I enjoy hiking, but I'm not very well-versed with the general expectations other people have about noise, especially serious hikers. I generally do trails that take between 3-6 hours, usually up hi...
I've noticed that there is a moth on the outside of my apartment door that has been just sitting there for two days now: There is a light outside my apartment door that likely is what attracted ...
We found a few things which we think are cocoons on a tree at Mass. Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary, on Mt. Wachusett, in Princeton, Central Massachusetts, USA. It was last week, mid-August. The tree st...
What products and process should be used to clean a climbing rope when it gets sufficiently dirty? How would I remove as much dirt and grime as possible without negatively affecting the strength o...
The little pocket-knife multi-tools sometimes come with tiny saws on them. Those saws are somewhat useful but extremely limited in the size wood they can be used for. Are there any multi-tools ava...
I have an older coleman two burner camp stove, and I am having problems keeping it burning. It will generally light right up, but the flame seems low and it won't stay burning beyound a couple min...
Roughly 10 years ago I hiked up Lassen Peak in Northern California, and there was a huge (hundreds of thousands) butterfly migration going right over the top of the peak around this time of year. I...
I was recently told that there are organizations, at least in the United States, that study migration of monarch butterflies by tagging them. The purpose, as in most animal migration monitoring, is...
We found this beauty in our yard: It was 10 cm long and it was crawling pretty fast. What made it even more spectacular were the little turquoise spots on it. I suppose it will be a butterfly (...
Peanut butter can be good source of protein or useful for emergency rations, but it can be sticky and not finger friendly, how can you make it less sticky?
I thought I knew every pest in our woods and on the trail to Great Falls National Park, and had been bitten by all of them, but I have never encountered chiggers. Not in our woods, not on hikes to ...
Would anyone know how to identify a good location to catch Cray Fish at the River Don? I live in Doncaster (UK) and so the River Don would be ideal to catch the American Signal Crayfish. Looking ...
Everesting is an activity where the goal is altitude gain of 8848 m or more by repeatedly going up and down a selected route. This is most often attempted by biking; however, hiking/running is pra...
There are large areas of the ocean that are essentially lifeless, often called ocean deserts. If I am traveling the ocean, and not familiar with potential sea life in the area, can I tell from clu...
If you are fishing in the ocean off the United States Coast. At what distance from shore do US fishing laws no longer apply? The US Coast Guard listes, boundaries at 12, 24 and 200 Miles. Ma...
Sometimes there are sources of water which are slightly contaminated with salt, such as coastal wells or pools of rainwater in rocks near the coast, or water containers with pinhole leaks which hav...
