General Q&A about the great outdoors and outdoor pursuits.
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I am visiting Nepal for the first time this year most probably in the month of September. I am planning to trek Everest base camp starting from namacha bazaar till khumbhu icefall. Please let me kn...
I am brand new to the activity tracker watch world and can't figure out for the life of me how to transfer an activity from the log on my watch to movescount. I have everything connected and my mov...
Where I walk weekly (Del Monte Beach in Monterey, California), I beachcomb for shells, glass, and particularly stones. Most of what gets cast up is rather dull and uninteresting - gray and black ro...
Some questions about rope swings similar in size to the the corona arch swing which has an accompanying setup video. Assuming you can avoid rope abrasion, do swings like this damage climbing rope...
I am planning a 7 day trip in Scotland. I am considering some possible cheap options for accommodation, and I have read wild camping is permitted. Are there any rules that need to be respected? Doe...
When going to Goose Lake, WA is there any worsened chance that the car will not be able to "take" ?
DEET seems to be the main insect repellent that works for pretty much all of the bug world. I just don't care for it, it feels weird, smells weird, and likes to melt stuff. Most the alternatives ...
Per the recommendation of ppl, I'm breaking this question out into separate posts, so here goes: Is it feasible for me to plot my own route through the Andes, as opposed to keeping to established ...
I'll travel to the Planneralm next summer to shoot a little 3D. However, we've a person in the group which is a little bit concerned about the height (she has a shortness of breath if she goes too ...
I'll travel to the Planneralm next summer to shoot a little 3D. However, we've a person in the group which is a little bit concerned about the height (she has a shortness of breath if she goes too ...
I would like to have bullet points for 3D archery. I just think that they look better than combo/field tips. However, I was suggested that I shouldn't use them for 3D archery. What are the disadva...
I would like to have bullet points for 3D archery. I just think that they look better than combo/field tips. However, I was suggested that I shouldn't use them for 3D archery. What are the disadva...
Looking for trails that are open in mid-March for a multi-day hike. I believe Laugavegur is closed, and I haven't found much in the way of marked trails.
This will be my first tent camping trip in my life. And I don't know what to wear to the showers. I usually sleep naked in the summer so my preference is for just wrapping a towel around my waist a...
While searching for a sleeping bag I was told that goose down is clearly superior to duck down in terms of quality. I guess that means e.g. the fill power (measured in cuin). What exactly are the d...
I really love wearing an altimeter watch while in the mountains. I know that it's affected by weather, but unfortunately I don't actually know how it is affected. This usually causes me to ignore t...
My dad and I are planning to hike the Lapland UKK from Aittajarvi to Kiilopää in late-May (22-30).We are planning to drive from Helsinki to Saariselkä, about 12 hours drive. Is it possible to dri...
I use paracord for a lot of stuff but looking for something stronger, for holding up a hammock. I'm thinking it would need to be 1000lb strength or stronger. Would type IV paracord (850lb strength...
Will the de-fogging agent for snorkeling/scuba goggles prevent or mitigate steaming up of safety glasses worn outside on a hot, humid day?
So you know how when you're belaying you clip in to the belaying loop, and when your climbing you tie in to the two loops the belay loop is stiched through... When you're climbing, what part would ...
Outdoor instructions in Lapland often recommend to always use a wading staff for river crossings, and not a trekking pole. Ever since I purchased my Folding Wading Staff in a Swedish outdoor store...
When you're walking in a roped party over a glacier, how can the leader detect crevasses? Sometimes it's possible to walk existing tracks, but even then it's possible to have a crevasse fall. W...
We're a family of 4 - two adults, one toddler and one infant (5 months) recently moved to the US for a year. We'd like to go camping for a few long weekends this month and next on the East coast (a...
On a recent question that was closed as a duplicate (correctly) one of the comments was to use a foil blanket as a ground sheet instead of a tarpaulin in a bid to reduce the overall pack weight. Is...
Some time back I was on a very narrow mountain trail with a cliff rising to my right and a steep gorge dropping to my left. The trail was blocked by by the viper below (with the gorge just out of s...
I'm planning to use a butane "canister stove". The only canisters I can find locally are Butane/Propane mixes. My understanding is that Propane canisters are extra heavy b/c Propane is under highe...
On a recent walk I got bitten to death by midgies. I was itching all day until I got home and put some antihistamine cream on them. Is there anything available (plants, etc.) that I could of applie...
I have seen a few documentaries where the high altitude mountaineers constantly keep the hand-gloves ON. Is it really because handling the metallic equipment with bare hands can cause a Frostbite? ...
Can you always eat raw meat (wild) as long as it is fresh?
Peanut butter and tahini sauce are very high in calories and I am searching for a lightweight but safe way to carry some while backpacking. They are soft and oily, so of course I really don't want ...
My last trip was just a hiking trip, so I stayed at a hotel. For $35, the hotel offered 20 min at their "oxygen bar". I was tempted, but did not succumb. I didn't have a headache, or feel nausea...
What is a good emergency-overnight-sleeping-setup when every ounce counts, like on long technical routes (grade V or VI) where the goal is to do it in one day (without hauling), but one wants to pr...
I've heard to never leave a knot in a climbing rope for an extended period of time as it can deform and weaken the core of the rope. I'm unclear if the same is true for static cord and rope as wel...
A few years ago I got a 2-person tent for backpacking. At some point, I let the rain fly get too hot. It became sticky and its waterproof coating peeled. I tried to buy a replacement rain fly, but...
I am searching for a down sleeping bag and found two alternatives. They are from one manufacturer so data should be comparable. bag ("A"): T_limit = -13°C weight = 1000g filled with 600g of 85...
I am a 'newbie' in hiking, and I will be doing this trail in July. Following more or less this plan: -> Milngavie to Carbeth (8km) -> Carbeth - Drymen (11.2km) -> Drymen to Rowardennan ...
I have a camper (tow behind RV) with an awning. Every time I unroll the awning/canopy it stinks. I have scrubbed it with soapy water, and left it open to air dry several time. But it always get ...
Rock climbing and canyoning/canyoneering are very different. However, it seems like the two disciplines would also have significant overlap in skills and gear-- knots, rappel techniques, harness, r...
Sometimes I have to go through a herd of cows on a pasture when hiking in mountains. Cows are generally very peaceful creatures and there is no problem usually. However, I missed this "Danger! Bul...
I'm currently using a double fisherman's bend to tie my kit together but it's a bit fiddly to take apart. Is there a better knot for the task?
So my toddler just barely fits the smallest child's harness on the market, which of course means she's big enough to go climbing and rappelling with daddy ;) I've been playing around with differe...
How do you bypass the overhang, mid-rappel? --. <-- Start of rappel | | __| <-- Overhang | | Do you go to your knees and then step one foot over at a time trying not to squash yo...
Probably common question, but: What slings do you use to build anchors for belaying the 2nd in rock climbing? Dyneema or nylon? I had discussed this problem with my friend and he said that Dyneema...
I've heard it referred to as a cross between running and hiking, but what does that end up looking like? What type of milage/hour are people doing, there chafing issues, and is this the type of act...
I'm an enthusiastic mountaineer and hiked up several 4000m - 6000m peaks till today. Now I'm faced to a problem I think many mountaineers are faced to: Which type of cooker do I use above the 6000...
I have a perfectly good motorcycle helmet (one that encompasses the whole head, including the chin) that I never use (I bought it for lessons, but never bought a motorcycle). However, I do not have...
When sailing, can the passengers of the yacht safely go swimming while in the open seas? That is, when some miles away from the coast-line.
Some newer tents have integrated pole systems where the poles collapse quickly but stay attached to the tent body. The obvious pro of this design is that setup and takedown is faster and can be do...
My Wife and I are looking into getting into recreational kayaking, no rapids or anything. Trying to find a good reliable Kayak that we both can get. We are looking for a sit in and ideally with som...
One things that has always troubled me when buying a sleeping bag is the temperature rating. When looking at a bag that claims to be a +15°F bag (for example) how do I know that it is really good ...
