General Q&A about the great outdoors and outdoor pursuits.
Filters (None)
I have a pair of water shoes with a thick rubber sole and a neoprene upper. They provide good protection from coral cuts, stonefish etc. In the past I've used these in the Ontario wilderness (f...
The other day the strap on my helmet snapped. It's not the main strap but the one that sits across the back of you head and has a tightening dial. So the helmet doesn't fall off but it also doesn't...
Whenever I see clothing articles geared toward hiking and backpacking that discuss layering (base layer for wicking, mid layer for insulation, etc.), they always seem to discuss these things in ter...
I often see 100% nylon pants a lot in stores. What properties does it have that make it effective when hiking? Is it effective in all seasons or just under certain conditions?
I've been looking for a rain pants for myself. My attention was caught by Outdoor Research Paladin Pants. These have side zips which are really great. The problem is: it comes in regular fit only a...
I find that little attention is paid to lower body backpacking clothing. What type of pants would be a appropriate for a multi day excursion with 6'' to 1' (15 to 30 cm) of snowfall and 10 to 32 °F...
What are the most common plants that can cause rashes when touched in North America? What are the most important ones to be aware of and avoid? Before coming to the US I was only familiar with th...
How rare is it to be resistant to poison ivy, or become resistant. I ask only because when younger I was very allergic, but now I can pull it out with bare hands or roll around in it without even a...
I have a very bad reaction to poison ivy. I take extraordinary measures to avoid any and all contact with it. I wear long socks and full pants in the middle of summer but I still end up getting i...
I have heard that the oils from poison oak, poison ivy, or poison sumac can remain on clothes even through a wash cycle. After hiking through an area with poison ivy (or poison oak/poison sumac), h...
Possible Duplicate: How can you navigate without a compass or GPS Obviously we all carry a compass and a map when we go trekking, but if I lose them but know I need to get back to my car...
It's always been a dream to thru-hike the A.T. but life is looking like I will not be able to tackle that until retirement. The doesn't mean that I cannot do sections of it as a day/weekend/week he...
I have seen a tool that helps drain the last of the fuel out of your isobutane fuel canister, and then pierce it to make it easy to crush. It's a simple little gadget that looks like a can opener. ...
I have just pulled my old Molle rucksack (5.11 Rush 72) out of storage and it is has a white/grey mould running through the fabric. What is the best way to make this rucksack suitable for use ag...
A month ago while hiking my 60 liter bag packs main Shoulder strap got broken at the very first hour of 4 day high altitude trek in a dense forest. I have tied a knot in that area and because of th...
A recent question asks about disassembling a multi tool pictured below. We have an existing question How do you fashion a spear with a fixed blade. All of the blades pictured are long handled an...
I am starting backpacking and there are both internal and external-frame packs. What is the difference, and is one recommended over the other?
I've had a 60 L backpack for almost seven years now. Nothing on it is broken and it fits my needs, so right now I don't have any thoughts about replacing it (Getting a light pack might be the only ...
I went on a hike with my wife the other day in Norcal. This place had a creek that led into a cave that you can swim in. We both left our backpacks at the cave entrance and then swam through it to ...
I would like to add a bit more space (any way is acceptable) to my Deuter ACT Trail 32. http://www.deuter.com/US/us/hiking/act-trail-32-34432-119.html I do understand it will not be a permament so...
I was hiking with some friends and we concluded that most/all our bags have ridiculously long waist straps that leave lots of extra strap that is annoying or must be tidied away. Additionally, some...
I've often thought about if there is a thumb rule how to wear a backpack comfy and safe. Where should it sit on the back to be ergonomic etc.? How do I adjust the shoulder, hip and chest straps to ...
I've often thought about if there is a thumb rule how to wear a backpack comfy and safe. Where should it sit on the back to be ergonomic etc.? How do I adjust the shoulder, hip and chest straps to ...
We all know this typical Hollywood hiking backpack with an attached sleeping bag and a dangling camping mug. As I currently build a custom backpack, I wondered if there is any good reason to le...
We all know this typical Hollywood hiking backpack with an attached sleeping bag and a dangling camping mug. As I currently build a custom backpack, I wondered if there is any good reason to le...
I am looking to get a new Day/Weekend Pack. I have been looking at few in the 32-35L range but I a noticed that at least with Osprey packs I am right in between their S/M and their M/L. I have a 1...
I'm looking to do some hiking and wild camping before the end of the British summer, I'm happy with the contents of my kit and the items I'm taking but I'm not sure how realistic it is to be carryi...
When I go trail-clearing I generally carry two machetes and a felling ax, but I haven't found a practical way to sling them so I can work with one without taking off the other tools. The machetes ...
My spouse and I are going for 3-weeks vacation on the southern island of New Zealand. We intend to go for one multi-day trek (the Kepler Track), and a few more day treks. Do we need water-resistan...
I've been using the same Evolv shoes for bouldering that I bought for top-roping. It seems like they're worn enough to start considering a new pair of shoes. Since I'm doing bouldering almost exclu...
I wonder about the breathe ability of low (=ankle high) versus high (=20cm above the ankle) hiking shoes. Do high shoes breathe less in the area of the foot (and not the shin)? What are the mecha...
I will go to a wet territory (Jotunheimen) next week and would like to prepare my full leather shoes for that. I have read a lot of articles about shoe care and they are either about impregnation (...
I want to buy some comfortable shoes to wear while going to work. I have to walk 4 km every day. I want to use these shoes on rainy (not too heavy) days too. I am looking for shoes for all weather ...
Skaters commonly wearing special kind of shoes. However, from my point of view they just look like a pair of sneakers. In most cases these are very expensive and I asked myself if they're reall...
Tents are described being either single or double wall. What is the difference and when is one preferred over the other?
When I bought my pack, we were told to always pack the tent and sleeping bag in the pack. Since then I have seen a lot of articles and hikers doing the outside. What are the benefits on packing t...
I was given my current tent and I have to admit to being pretty ignorant of tents, having not done much camping since I was a kid some decades ago. Now when it came time to use the guy ropes I not...
I have bought a North Face RoadRunner 3 tent 10 years ago. It is a great tent, and it served me well during a 9-month trip to South America. The problem is that the transparent part of the rain ...
My tent has a rainfly, but I'm wondering if I need to carry a tarp for the extra rain protection. I don't want to pack a wet tent because that would damage the fabric, but I don't know if that is w...
My husband and I will be retiring soon and will spend 5 months of the year in a bricks and mortar house. The other 7 months, we'll be gypsying. We don't want to deal with the complexities and exp...
I am planning on camping on the beach in Florida. Since I will be on an island I have to pack what I can carry. I do not have a tent yet, and was wondering what I should look for in a tent for a Fl...
When packing a tent, is it best to stuff it in its sack or roll/fold it? I always stuff my sleeping bag so I wasn't sure if it was the same for tents.
I've been researching tents to replace some low-quality dome tents that each have had a partial rainfly. Every tent I've owned that has had a partial rainfly has performed horribly in the rain (I p...
We have an REI half dome 2 plus tent, but during our last trip it rained quite a bit. While this tent has two vestibules, they are low and were mostly filled with gear, so that when we unzipped to ...
I noticed that there is a lot of (quite expensive) Fjällräven outdoors gear for sale here in Germany and am curious whether this is a brand worth looking into, or whether their products are more tr...
What is a "buff", how is it used, and why should I have one? I've seen them advocated in numerous places, but I'm not sure why a tube of cloth is better around my neck than a scarf, etc.
When looking at items like jackets and ski trousers and other clothing, I see stats on the garments similar to the following: Waterproofness - 10000mm Breathability - 15000g/m Lining - 100% Polyes...
I'm considering an ultralight (non-waterproof) shell and Nikwax wash-in waterproofing as a rain layer. I'd like it to be waterproof through several wearings (a week or more). Does this result...
I have a Columbia 100% PVC rain jacket. It has a nylon lining. Can PVC material be used as an effective windbreaker? Are there any side effects (such as making me sweat a lot more) that could ...
I'm going on a trip to Alaska in September, including a guided camping/trekking trip in Denali. In the packing list I received from the company, they recommend having an "expedition-weight" top and...
