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Q&A

General Q&A about the great outdoors and outdoor pursuits.

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What should I look for in my first pair of snowboard boots?

I'm looking at buying my first pair of snowboard boots. I'm heading to Scotland and the Alps (Portes Du Soleil) this winter. I ride about "Red" level runs with my girlfriend (who'c onsideribly be...

2 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by System‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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How can I clear spiderwebs in my path while hiking?

I went hiking this weekend in a national forest on trails that see little use. In parts there were many spiderwebs crossing the trail - sometimes full webs (which I could usually, but not always, c...

7 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by user812786‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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Using Gri Gri 2's Carabiner with Another Belay Device?

I've been using an AustriAlpin autolock carabiner with my Gri Gri 2 for around 9 months, a few times a week (1 to 3 times). It's a very solid, robust and big carabiner, which means that's not too s...

1 answer  ·  posted 8y ago by Neeku‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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Is it possible to develop immunity against mosquitos?

For me, every bite by mosquito results in heavy itching and the blister, which size is dependent on how long the mosquito was sucking the blood, in worst cases even 1 cm in diameter. If I would sta...

4 answers  ·  posted 11y ago by Danubian Sailor‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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What Suction Cups Were Used To Climb Trump Tower?

There is a video here. Basically I won't say I'm planning to do the same thing but would like to find out more behind how he did it. Someone told me the suction cups were intended for construct...

3 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by William‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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Camping stove with plane allowed fuel

Is there a camping stove that works with fuel you are allowed to take on a plane? Often I fly somewhere without possibility to buy any fuel for my stove after landing. In those cases I take an Esb...

4 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by Some wandering yeti‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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How do you determine current trail conditions before going on a hike?

In addition to getting the current weather report on the day of a hike, how does one find out if the trails are currently in good shape and what kind of gear may be necessary that day (i.e. crampon...

3 answers  ·  posted 12y ago by Ryan Jarvis‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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How can I re-fit a hiking pole that came apart?

My Coleman anti-shock hiking pole came apart in two pieces, and I can't get the two pieces back together so they don't slide apart again. Any suggestions how they can be stabilized so it can be used?

2 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by Luke‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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What are suitable strength exercise for archers?

If one doesn't have much opportunity to go shoot over the winter, how can they maintain their muscles? Which exercises are suitable? What equipment might be handy?

3 answers  ·  posted 9y ago by OddDeer‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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Is it safe to cut a climbing rope in half?

I recently bought a 70 meter climbing rope from REI because it was a great price on the outlet. Last weekend I used it for the first time in the Texas hill country, where 99% of routes need a rope ...

4 answers  ·  posted 10y ago by Chris Mendez‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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Dealing with rashes between thighs and around the groin

This, I believe, most of outdoor people once in a while do have to deal with: Rashes between thighs, around the groin. This may really screw the entire trip and make it annoyingly miserable to walk...

11 answers  ·  posted 11y ago by WedaPashi‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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Why are plastic vanes used instead of feathers?

A lot of manufacturer (and archers) state that feathers are better in all respects. For example a quote from Trueflight: Using feathers results in higher arrow velocities, greater stability, ...

2 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by OddDeer‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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How to keep small rocks and stones out of hiking boots?

I keep encountering this issue during summer, when wearing short trousers or a skirt while hiking: my boots get filled up with small rocks and stones, and I must stop from time to time to empty the...

4 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by Akabelle‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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Dropping gear: Where did the hairline/micro fracture urban legend come from?

In an answer given to this question: Micro-Fractures in Climbing Equipments, it's stated that dropping gear causing micro fractures is a persistent myth, quoting Black Diamond's statement: Q. I...

3 answers  ·  posted 10y ago by ShemSeger‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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I filled my Primus Powerlighter with the wrong kind of fuel. How to correct?

I accidentally filled my Primus Powerlighter with the liquid lighter fuel rather than gas lighter fuel. (How) can I correct this mistake, or is my lighter now ruined? It was about 30–40% full and...

1 answer  ·  posted 8y ago by gerrit‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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Belaying directly off a ground anchor?

I recently visited a new climbing gym and was instructed to belay directly off a ground anchor without any attachment to my harness. I've been to other gyms that belay with ground anchors but with ...

3 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by Chris Mendez‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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What's the policy and cost regarding picnic area in US regional parks?

I've been to US regional parks a few times and managed to get a grill and picnic table for free, without reservation. At the same time, when I look up park websites, for example Cabin John Regiona...

2 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by Heisenberg‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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When sailing, how do I rescue a man overboard?

If someone falls overboard from a sailboat, it is firstly imperative not to lose sight of the person since finding a man in water, especially when there's waves, can be very difficult. What techn...

5 answers  ·  posted 13y ago by Reverend Gonzo‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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Is it safe to cook food during a hike (on trail) when bears are possibly around?

I'm going to the Rockies (trails in Jasper and Banff). Would it be safe for me to cook food while on the trail? Won't bears be attracted towards the smell of the food?

3 answers  ·  posted 9y ago by shorea2‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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What are some of the winter hiking trails rated difficult in Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park that don't require technical climbing?

Headed to Denver,CO (mid-february) for a couple of weeks and looking to shed some fat through a weekend trip to Rocky Mountain National Park. I am looking for a hike with an elevation gain of 4000-...

1 answer  ·  posted 9y ago by user1266515‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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How safe is a chest harness when used without a sit harness?

How safe is it to use a chest harness without a sit harness? I ask this question because of an experience I had while on holiday. A couple of years ago I was in China and hiked/climbed HuaShan (se...

3 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by S. Catterall Reinstate Monica‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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Should I be using Dyneema slings for lead climbing anchors?

I've seen a few of these comparisons around but I've always struggled to make sense of them. At the moment I do quite a lot of Alpine style routes (lowish grade (HS), long multi pitch routes, typ...

3 answers  ·  posted 10y ago by System‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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What is an equalette anchor?

When setting up belay there are many ways to connect the anchors. One way is called equalette and is supposed to adapt to a certain extent to the direction of pull. How is such an equalette constr...

1 answer  ·  posted 9y ago by imsodin‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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Is it ok to use rolled aluminum descending rings in permanent anchors?

Rolled aluminum descending rings like the SMC Descending ring are light (11g) and cheap ($3) which makes them great for carrying and leaving behind on long descents, but in my mind they are disposa...

2 answers  ·  posted 10y ago by ShemSeger‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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V-threads (Abalakov): How many holes are too many?

V-threads, or Abalakov threads (after the inventor Vitaly Abalakov), can be tricky to make (especially left handed in the dark...), but when you miss the mark on your first attempt, or second attem...

1 answer  ·  posted 10y ago by ShemSeger‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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Anchor without cordelette?

I have the John Long book on climbing anchors and also a couple of others that describe the subject more briefly (Pesterfield, Traditional Lead Climbing, and Freedom of the Hills). When it comes to...

4 answers  ·  posted 11y ago by Ben Crowell‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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Why should I carry a snow anchor?

I regularly see online that on expeditions snow anchors are strapped to the side of the backpacks. This is typically an item like the upper on following pic: I never saw this in the Alps by myse...

3 answers  ·  posted 10y ago by Wills‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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Learning Anchors - How is single cordelette loop anchor redundant?

I have climbed for a long time, but I want to switch to cordelette anchors for speed on multipitch. My main concern is in redundancy with the cordelette. I mentally check the anchor for any proble...

4 answers  ·  posted 9y ago by SwimBikeRun‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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How can I transfer my weight to a toprope anchor at the bolts?

I'm going to the crag with some friends in a few days and I plan to lead the first route, clip into a quickdraw on one of the anchor bolts and build a top rope anchor on the bolts. I've been practi...

2 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by CanadaIT‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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Is this anchor set up right?

I was just looking at an article about an expedition on Eiger. I came across this picture. Is this setup right? For more info on the expedition: http://www.markseaton.com/stories/eiger.htm Ku...

2 answers  ·  posted 9y ago by WedaPashi‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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Why are unequalised anchors acceptable for fixed-point belay systems used while ice climbing?

The Association of Canadian Mountain Guides demonstrate Fixed-Point belay systems in this video. Fixed-point belay systems as demonstrated make no effort to equalise the loading on the two anchor...

1 answer  ·  posted 10y ago by simont‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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Avoiding building a belay anchor too low down

Sometimes when I'm trad climbing it seems really tough to avoid an awkward belay, and a common type of awkwardness is when the belay device ends up too low. Below is a drawing of a situation I was ...

3 answers  ·  posted 10y ago by Ben Crowell‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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Bolting Canyons, can your bolt be under water?

So I've been thinking about developing some canyons around here for canyoneering, but while scrambling up Red Rocks Canyon in Waterton and looking at all the large logs jammed rather high up in the...

1 answer  ·  posted 9y ago by ShemSeger‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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Why are these acceptable and safe anchors?

Everyone knows redundancy is chief when building climbing anchors. However, I have seen several types of anchors that don't appear to be fully redundant due to a single ring providing the master po...

1 answer  ·  posted 9y ago by Chris Mendez‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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Extending a two bolt anchor with one sling?

I took some kids out climbing last night at a small crag popular for top roping, but I wasn't too impressed with their choice of anchor placements, or lack of additional hardware considering their ...

5 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by ShemSeger‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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Top Rope Anchors - is a figure-8 on a bight stronger or just easier to untie than an overhand knot?

I've been learning to build basic TR anchors; a sling clipped to two bolts with a master point in the loop of a figure-eight on a bight. While learning this I struggled to get a tidy figure-eight ...

3 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by STW‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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Alternatives for sealing Mylar food packs?

We are making our own dehydrated meals with mylar bags and oxygen absorbers. This is very cost effective, but less so if you need to spend lots of money for one of the specialty tools for sealing ...

1 answer  ·  posted 8y ago by Russell Steen‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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Is titanium cookware safe?

There are one or two other posts on cookware, which covers those made of titanium, but this post is in regards to its interactions with the human body. I haven't been able to find any academic/peer...

2 answers  ·  posted 11y ago by MarkE‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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How to rappel with a dog?

My wife and I are planning a camping and climbing trip and we would likely need to rappel with our medium-sized (45lbs/20kg) dog. Holding the dog is obviously unacceptable, and using the dog's back...

1 answer  ·  posted 8y ago by Chris Mendez‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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Fishing/ Kayaking/ hiking in Acadia Maine

I am heading to Acadia, Maine this week for a one week camping, fishing, kayaking and hiking. I've been there once but just for couple hours. Any recommendations for fishing spots in the island? I ...

0 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by IndieTech Solutions‭

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Why use a Dakota fire pit?

While reading this answer I ended up watching a couple of youtube videos and heard this guy mentioning a "Dakota fire pit". I hadn't heard about it before, but could easily find a few images by se...

1 answer  ·  posted 8y ago by Roflo‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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Can pregnant women parasail?

My wife and I, are going to a a location full of beaches. My wife is 4 months pregnant and she wants to do a para-sailing session. They take off from the beach, fly over the sea for 5 minutes and...

2 answers  ·  posted 11y ago by arahant‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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What types of boots are good for caving?

Considering the following options: watertight: because caves are often wet or muddy stiff sole: to provide more grip and protection from the rocky bottom. durability What is better, a rubber bo...

2 answers  ·  posted 12y ago by FLY‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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How fast can a snakebite kill?

I have been looking around and I see some claims of 15 to 30 minutes. Googling 'snake bite fastest time to death' brings back many different answers. In one place I see Black Mamba with 30 minute...

1 answer  ·  posted 8y ago by James Jenkins‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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Homemade top quilt with variable stuffing

Reading the instructions here about making my own sleeping bag/top quilt and it got me thinking, if I can make a temporary seal on one end (Velcro, buttons, zips, etc) I could vary the amount of st...

1 answer  ·  posted 8y ago by Chris J‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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Why are trees marked purple in the state of Texas?

I've recognized this a few times in Texas. Trees were more or less "professionally" painted purple. It appeared totally random to me but was too frequent to just take it as a plain tag from the own...

1 answer  ·  posted 8y ago by OddDeer‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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What might cause a massive blood stream from a lethally hit moose's mouth?

I've recently watched a commercial videos for a broadhead model. A guy brought down a massive moose bull with a compound bow. Despite going down really fast, the bull does something which I've neve...

1 answer  ·  posted 8y ago by OddDeer‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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Are corpses on Mount Everest used as way-points?

A friend of mine loves to brag about his Mount Everest experiences. He's a great climber and adventurer but sometimes I think he might exaggerate his stories a little ;). However, lately he came up...

1 answer  ·  posted 8y ago by OddDeer‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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GPS unit for road cycling and mountaineering

I am looking for a GPS device for road cycling (road navigation and gpx tracking) and mountaineering (topo maps, compass, barometric elevation / pressure). I am finding no products explicitly marke...

0 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by Bennet‭

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Is a compound and cross bow really not "qualitative" shooting?

As I've read through this page, I stumbled across this quote: Notice: This type of target is intended for so called qualitative shooting, it is not intended for shooting with composite bows an...

1 answer  ·  posted 8y ago by OddDeer‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭