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(This question is related to How can I improve my footwork while rock-climbing?) What are common rock-climbing footwork mistakes and how can I spot them? More specifically: When I started climbin...
I was recently browsing around a well known outdoor shop when I noticed a confusing array of insole products. They seemed to be a very confusing array of entirely different looking insoles all co...
Warm-up routines are very important for most of the activities that involve rapid and/or vigorous body movements. Trekking too is not an exception to that. I am planning for a trek which goes thro...
I was reading this question and the first thing that popped into my head is what do you use to mark the middle of the rope? I was taught not to use any kind of marker on the rope (because there's ...
I've seen people using a ropes "alpine style" in the past but I'm not sure on the specifics. By alpine style I mean where the rope is coiled around the body and attached to a second of third perso...
So the UIAA sets a major fall (fall after which to retire your gear) to be a fall factor of 1.77. Now I was wondering what would count as a major load (load after which to retire your gear) ? 50 k...
My story I like to hike and pack light. Lately I have been experimenting with various setups for making a 2-3 day trek along the Appalachian Trail. I have tried a few different methods of carrying...
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...
On the spur of the moment I bought a flint and steel. This was mainly because it seems manly and cool. My main problem is I really struggle to light a fire with the thing and normally give up and u...
Sometimes I read articles about climbers having freed a route. For example: "Lynn Hill freed the Nose". What does this exactly mean in terms of how they climbed it? Specifically: Are they not al...
How to cross a Crevasse when its absolutely unavoidable? What gear/equipment is/are required? What are the things that one should look for when choosing where to cross? Is it the hard ice from whe...
In climbing what do the terms Redpoint, Pinkpoint, Flash and Onsight mean? Where does it come from?
There has been handful discussions about How to fix a bolt on a climbing route. But there seldom any point made about How the one should go about when removing/replacing the bolts. When to decide...
I am looking at the things that I should have with me when I am climbing higher altitudes. I came across this meds one should always have along: Dexamethasone. Dexamethasone is used in the treat...
I'm taking a handful (5) work colleagues up a mountain this weekend (Tryfan in Snowdonia). The mountain is a Grade 1 scramble route so it's not overly simple. The group is very inexperienced. I...
I've heard this is possible but I'm not sure on the details. Can someone elaborate?
What if it's night and you want to find north? How do you locate the North Star in the night sky?
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? ...
If I'm abseiling with a double rope what's the common way to add a safety knot? Is it a prusik knot around the 2 ropes instead of 1 or something like 2 prusiks?
Recently, I've started drinking more and more tap water instead of buying bottles all the time (which is usually absolutely no issue in Germany). I like to use a bottle for that not fill a glass a...
When doing a multi-pitch and you reach a belay station (the top of a pitch) you can choose between belaying the lead climber from the body (like you do e.g. indoors where you aren't doing multi-pit...
Overhangs are a weak point in rock climbing for me currently. I think I know the theory: the goal is to use the legs to push yourself up, keep straight arms as much as possible and avoid pulling, a...
I just bumped into this page at the Bicycles at StackExchange, which talks about how shaving limbs can help a cyclist. Does the same apply to climbers?
Having read this question on drop bears. I have been wondering what other fictitious animals are there in other parts of the world that have been invented to amuse/confuse tourists. Has anyone co...
My compass has become increasingly untrustworthy. Over the past couple years I had noticed that it often pointed pretty close to magnetic South, but it corrected after a light tap. In two recent t...
I can lash a mini tripod ($2 on eBay) to the top of a quad-sected tent pole with 4 equal sections with internal elastic to make a tripod. This gets me about 2' off the ground. I can lash a mini t...
How to make ice axe protectors yourself? I have few ideas from using duck tape to 3D printing, but it would be nice to hear about methods proven to work. The reason I want to add protectors is a ...
I was trying to make a sling the other day to entertain my kids (yes this is a terrible idea) and although the finished product worked (sort of) it occurred to me that this, like all ancient handi-...
I went kayaking for the first time this weekend, and it was a blast! Unfortunately, I also ended up with some abraded skin on my hands, where the paddle shaft had chaffed the skin. I've done other ...
I saw an ad today for a pressurized hydration pack. My first thought was "why?". I can't imagine a scenario where this would not lead to (a) more weight, or (b) greater risk of failure... neither...
I am office bound for 10 hours a day working at a computer. As I am off skiing this season, are there any exercises that will help my leg muscles I can do whilst sitting at my desk?
I have a pair of winter /climbing gloves. Each glove has a small loop on the ring finger, top of the glove. Why? What's it for?
I would like to prepare for a long route (700 m altitude gain, 12-16 hours, including descent, with alpine start), one like which I have never [successfully] climbed before. It involves many sectio...
My hiking poles have started making an odd, springy noise with every step. The noise sounds like the poles themselves are vibrating each time I plant them into the ground, and it starts about an mi...
If you want to walk on a glacier you usually do this roped together as a team. How to walk as a roped party on a glacier? What I have to pay attention to when knotting the rope? Related ques...
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...
Commonly when setting SARENE-SA trad anchors on multi pitch routes the only protection available are nuts/wires. Additionally, there is very rarely an option to place a nut to protect against an u...
From which bouldering and climbing grades do you start using Campus Boards, Hang Boards and Peg Boards for training?
Being a techie, I once came across this hilarious post on StackOVerflow: What is the best comment in the source code you have ever encountered? In the similar bar of questions, which one or many a...
A lot of runners use calf and leg compression sleeves, as these are supposed to improve blood flow. It would seem a logical extension to use compression sleeves on your forearms during climbing, es...
The obvious answer is find a proper fitting boot, but what about those of us that are unfortunate enough to have improper fitting feet? I feel like a mutant sometimes because I have wide feet, huge...
My favourite backcountry ski area has a really long approach along a groomed trail. I started putting a bit of kick wax on the base of my skis so I could make better time on the flat instead of ski...
I am considering a trek in August/September in the Mealy Mountains and English Mountains in Labrador (Canada's newest National Park; for info see 1, 2, 3). However, I am worried by the prospect of...
I'm currently planning my autumn (August/September) trek somewhere in Canadian mountains. Canada is vast and there are many very spectacular places, but some are very popular; for example, Jasper ...
The Canadian national parks in the Rocky Mountains are very popular (and for good reasons). Banff National Park had 3.3 million visitors in 2012-2013, and Jasper National Park had almost 2 million...
In Jasper National Park, when I am hiking on trails, must I camp on designated backcountry campsites, or can I camp anywhere I want? According to this forum post on tripadvisor: Yes, random ca...
This is not a shopping question just to preface that issue. I'm not looking for a specific brand or model of trekking pole. Also to add some background information, I have borrowed trekking poles o...
It's a geocacher's nightmare, when you do a nice urbex cache, and then, when leaving, find the entrance blocked by angry homeless, that seem to live there and are not happy from unexpected visitor ...
Is there any special effective technique (parkour or something similar) for crossing very high and dense mountain pine? Those ones can be really dense, and sometimes the only possibility to cross t...
During some Urbex explorations sometimes I'll encounter a building with an asbestos warning. Is there any way that I can safely explore these buildings? Would Just something like a surgical mask an...
