General Q&A about the great outdoors and outdoor pursuits.
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I love the idea of ski touring. However, I wonder what would be the best way to learn it. Should I focus on learning alpine and cross-country skiing and then combine the two, or should I rather jus...
Avalanche shovels come equipped with holes in the blades for use as rescue sleds and making anchors. I've got plenty of my own ideas, but I'm looking for any documentation provided by manufacturers...
Until now, all my skiing has been during the (local) winter. I recently had a spare day while in Switzerland, and found that one of the nearby resorts was still open, so for the first time I tried ...
Propane is naturally odorless, the smell we associate with it is the result of adding ethyl mercaptan. Is it possible for the ethyl mercaptan to deteriorate, bind with something in the tank or s...
The local climbing gym has several TRUBLUE auto belays but one can soon tire of the same routes. Will the auto belay work if one climbs a route next to it? At what angles does it still arrest a fal...
REI's web page for the Gregory Whitney backpack lists its volume as 87 / 95 / 103 liter What do you think this exactly mean? Does the backpack have three different ways to use with these diff...
I often use Google earth to plan trips. One part of that is marking paths and seeing how steep they are. However Google Earth severely underestimated the steepness of slopes. For instance here i...
I am a first-time knife buyer. What should I look for in an all-purpose, lightweight backpacking knife? I aim to use it for cutting trail plants and fish. My top priority is a knife that doesn't ...
Stu Miller's Dynamic Spine Calculator asks the user for the "strike plate position". How do I measure and add it correctly to the calculator?
Stu Miller's Dynamic Spine Calculator asks the user for the "strike plate position". How do I measure and add it correctly to the calculator?
While navigating or orienteering with a map or compass one of the essential skills is the ability to find your position on the map with the aid of the compass. This can be important if you need to...
Is it true that a tarp shouldn't be covering the entrance of a snow-cave while sleeping in one? What's the reasoning to that? Is using a sleeping bag in them just fine?
There is a significant proportion of individuals who enjoy the Great Outdoors that also travel to the wilderness in vehicles converted for camping (RV, Vans, some boats etc). For those living an o...
This is not an opinion-based question. For example, if someone were shown doing a quintuple axel on figure skates, anyone who knew anything about skating would point out that a "mere" quadruple ax...
What is the effect of sharpening ski edges at different angles (85-90) and with different grit diamond stones (150-1200+) or regular files? How does this relate to the level of the skier and the t...
Leeches have been known to fall and attach on the eyeballs of hapless hikers. Where I'm from, if a leech attaches itself to you, you just spray it with alcohol and it will shrink and fall off. Obvi...
When navigating in the backcountry, you'll usually bring a topographic map that shows the terrain so you can tell if there will be steep slopes or cliffs that might make the route difficult. A sa...
Every time I go walking or hiking, I generally spend most of my time looking down to make sure I don't step on a snake or hole or dog poop. I don't do it consciously, it just happens. Obviously, I ...
I'm researching winter skills courses for the new year. Most cover all the basics: Self arrest Using crampons and ice axes Avalanche awareness Route planning Is there anything else I should be ...
I'm confused as to what separates "Vintage Ski Sweaters" from other sweaters. My initial thought was that is would be ski themed or that it would be designed to be light weight with good thermal...
Which are the better trekking routes in the himalayan region? Also, how safe are the routes? If any of you guys have been around in the region, I would like to know your personal experiences as w...
Climbing route grades in Yosemite Decimal System can be suffixed with an "R" to notify a runout. The Wikipedia entry for a runout is A lengthy distance between two points of protection which in...
I bought some nikwax Down Wash to wash my sudden coat. Out of interest I compared it to a bottle of Nikwax Tech Wash. They appear to contain identical ingredients : contains among over ingred...
I've recently retired a rope (dynamic) and a harness. They're both in very good shape, but just over 8 years old. Common sense dictates I throw them away, but I wonder if there are other uses I can...
I'm looking to buy a flashlight/torch (or build my own even if that works out cheaper), and am looking to take the following into consideration: Good battery life (LEDs would probably suit best i...
Both my fiancee and myself bought some climbing gear recently and we're planning our first trip to an indoor rock gym this weekend. We decided to practice our knots and belay technique before we we...
If I wanted to use fire to cut down a tree how would I accomplish this safely? Clearly if I build a big bonfire at the base of the tree it will burn down and possibly cause a forest fire.
I love hiking but there is a serious problem - I find it disgusting to be sweaty or dirty. I am literally unable to function properly if I do not get a thorough and warm shower every morning. This...
I'm always struggling with how edge bevel and side bevel affect my ski's behavior, and accurately grinding those bevels. What are the effects of various edge and side bevels on the ski behavior, a...
This question is not as simple as it seems, and a few minutes of googling did not drop the answer in my lap. A comment at I never adjust for true north. Is this bad practice? suggesting that: ...
I recently moved to Germany and am planning to do a hike in the Harz mountains. The weather is expected to be around -18°C. Most of the trail will be sheltered by forest, but the mountaintop is e...
I'm currently in the process of getting together a winter walking kit. I've got B2 boots and I'm buying suitable crampons. Ice Axes though seems more...confusing. What kind of features should I b...
I visited my local forest preserve recently (in a suburb of Chicago, IL) and found new signs every mile or so that read something to the effect of Please stay on the trail so as to preserve th...
Tourist from Australia so bit clueless about these things, going to Canada and wondering if it's worth getting the snow shoe chains/springs/spikes that go over your shoe or boot ? Can't really aff...
Since batteries (for cameras, cell phones, etc) will lose charge in cold weather, what can I do to prevent loss of charge, or at least extend the battery life as long as possible?
This answer recommends topographic maps as downloadable from the USGS. A comment holds that those are definitely the best thing for the US. An except for the San Joaquin river near Mammoth Lakes ...
First let me set the stage: Location: Outside of Tokyo (Lake Sagami or something similar) Time: End of April Temperature: The temperature at night is above 9 °C Weather: It's dry (not raining or...
I'm going on a one day hike, and I want to cook an egg whilst on it. I'd like to avoid carrying excess water, and the route goes past a couple of waterfalls and several streams, so there is no prob...
I would like to get into hiking, and would like some ideas on gear.training to start. I have always enjoyed nature walks and even did some hiking when I was a kid in boy scouts, but that was years ...
When you are in a sailboat, and you start getting gusts and choppy water, how do you describe what's happening to your boat? Can you say that it starts to "flounder," or is there a better word?
I was out ice climbing with a group today and they were using three-point anchors using two vertical v-threads (abalakovs) with one backup ice-bolt. They said the vertical v-threads (one hole over ...
I have a lot of knives that are 20-30 years old, and I've never spent more than $100 on any knife. Have there been appreciable advances in the steels or treatments applied to mainstream knives ove...
Ferrata harnesses (FH) can be probably safely used also for climbing, as stated in another post. However, I am not sure how to use the reverso with FH. This is because in a usual FH, the belay ...
I saw the following - Filson Hats: Navy USA-Made 60198 NA Merino Wool Cuff Water-Resistant Cap The cap/hat is described as Filson hat. Is this a brand-name or the type of hat ? If it's not the...
Hiking in winter near urban areas, it’s difficult to avoid getting salty snow/slush on one’s boots. Of course, the first rule is to rinse it off immediately, and not to let it soak in. But someti...
I have a Mammut jacket that's made with their DRYtech 2-layer material. It's been used quite a bit but still appears to have a lot of life left in it. However it's acquired a weird smell, not unlik...
I'm going to start mountaineering. Is there a recommended size per height/weight for ice axes for general mountaineering?
After answering this question, I am wondering when it would be useful to cook with a solar stove. It certainly wouldn't make sense in an area that is constantly overcast or when speed is of the es...
We have a bird feeder in the garden and fail to attract Blue Tits. Which food should we put in there?
Dealing with water rescue, it is valuable to have an easily thrown rope nearby. There are specific items made for this, such as this throw bag with 50 ft. of high visibility MFP rope by Scotty. Ho...
