Posts tagged gear
The motivation for this question is the impalement question. The impalement question asked what to do in a particular catastrophic accident if Phones are dead, you don't have a PLB, and if yo...
I just got this backpack but noticed that the waistband can't be concealed when not being used. It is the one with a large buckle in the bottom of the picture below. Since I plan to use it snowb...
There are two shafts from Easton. The "Axis" and its younger brother the "Axis Traditional". Both of them are full featured carbon arrows but the latter one has a wooden design. I've heard that...
What important features should I pay attention to when buying paracord for hiking (such as different types, load limit, etc)? I just use it for bear bags, tarp lines, etc.
I am evaluating the acquisition of a backpack with an avalanche airbag. I have a good overview of the different technologies and of the products on the market. However, I find no information from...
Aiders/Etriers are standard equipment for aid climbing, what qualities should I look for when purchasing a pair? I have used them before, but they were always borrowed from other people and I am l...
Which types of vendors sell multi-mode (adjustable-brightness) flashlights? Both online and offline vendors. Both sellers of new flashlights and used ones. I know that outdoors stores sell them, b...
I'm looking for a decent head lamp, with a bright light and good battery life. Most on the market these days seem to be LED based, but aside from those three (perhaps obvious) considerations are th...
I often carry around a couple of reusable hand warmers when hiking or just around the outdoors when it's cold. They don't take up much space, they're easy to reuse (just boil) and they provide a fa...
Obviously, I can't just buy it, push the button and expect a helicopter to show up. Are there monthly or registration fees? Do I need to get a permit or register with someone? How does it all work...
I'd like to purchase a tarp as some point, both to put up over a small camp at some point, and to use over a hammock. When I've camped with my uncle he's used a folded over builders tarp, which ha...
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 like to go camping in the forest, mostly in summer, sometimes also when temperatures drop to about 0°C/32°F during the night. I have a three-season sleeping bag (T-comf: -2°C, T-lim: -8°C, T-ext...
You can easily find the temperatures at the surface of the sea. However, to choose the correct diving suit, I would like to know the temperatures that can be expected at a depth of about 30 meters...
I have never camped using a tarp (and just a sleeping bag under), and I am wondering about it. I am thinking about camping in Canada, and the animals around there are apparently mostly bears and ot...
As an outdoor beginner, I was interested in some possible tool combinations for shorter outdoor hiking trips, say, 2-5 days. From what little experience I have, I reckon that the most common tasks...
On a recent run which crosses the Humber Bridge my GPS watch seems quite confused by my altitude as I crossed the bridge, as if there is an 8m shear drop half way with the south side being lower. ...
For diving in the UK in colder weather the water temperature can easily be below 10C. Warm water regulators seem to be 10C +, and then cold water regulators for below that as they need to be able t...
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...
I was going through anchoring techniques and I came across this well-received question: Anchor without cordelette? How should one decide when to go for a Cordelette or an Equalette?
I have a belay device that looks like: which I used when I am belaying someone who is top roping or leading. However, my rope only goes through one of those slots. What is the purpose of the oth...
After learning to climb indoors on top rope and learning to lead sport climbs outdoors I will be progressing into Trad climbing by taking an instruction course as well as climbing with other experi...
I read in an old tourist guide (from the beginning of the 20th century) that during mountain walks on sunny days one should wear a red headscarf or a hat with red lining to avoid heat stroke, becau...
Tyvek is labeled as "water resistant" and not "water proof", but I'd really love to know how much is the fabric resistant to water in practice. Some people built tarps or even tents out of it, but...
Is there any way I can balance out drinking water when taking a trek, or simply taking a hike to one of the local peaks around here? Even if I come stocked, I tend to end up run out of water close ...
How can you verify that a water filter still works? I've had one for several years and I suspect it may not be working. Is there a way to test and make sure that it still filters to the factory s...
When scuba diving I use a weight belt for my weight system - my BCD does have an integrated weight system, but I am still working on my weight distribution for trim, and total amount for buoyancy. ...
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 looking to buy an axe for processing firewood. I don't require a head larger than a hatchet but, for safety, I would rather have a handle long enough to comfortably grip with both hands -- as ...
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...
For years I used a product called Polar Pure for water purification when weekend backpacking. It was an iodine based solution, so not great for a thru-hike, but fine for a week or less. Specificall...
Is it feasible to tie the rope and bucket to the well and therefore keep it outside or do the rope and bucket have to be kept inside to protect them from harmful weather? Or does the well, bucket ...
I was looking for some good windproof matches - not for any specific use, but just because I considered they may come in useful in some environments. Has anyone any experience with any particular ...
Suppose I am trying to teach a class of 12 children how to build campfires. I would like each pupil to have a flint and steel for the lesson. As it turns out ferrocerium rods can be acquired cheapl...
I have created a bow-drill for the purpose of starting fires. The wooden shaft's diameter is about the diameter of a typical male thumb, and is approximately 11 inches in length. The bow string ...
Fire steels, ferrocerium rods -- oversized versions of the "flint" in a lighter or torch starter, are an apparently popular survival/backwoods fire starting method. Why would one want one of thes...
What are the advantages and disadvantages of carbon fiber vs. aluminium when buying trekking poles? Are carbon fiber really lighter, do they break easier if jammed wrong, etc.?
I seem to have accumulated a good number of carabiners that, while probably still safe, I won't climb on anymore. They might be worn, of questionable origin, or just plain made obsolete by an upgra...
There are many surfing fin designs available for modern surf boards. What are the criteria for selecting: Tri-fin Bi-fin Mono-fin No fins And why would I want to have larger or smaller surfing ...
There are numerous compact and travel guitars that exist, some of which are designed specifically for outdoor pursuits like backpacking. This is one I've been considering. Being a musician, music...
I have used several different products and none of them work that well. Bottom line, is there a product that will subdue the offending groover? So a groover is a river toilet. On multiple day rive...
I've been getting into making maps with compass and a ruler and just triangulating positions of objects. I would like to start making topographical maps but how? How did they make them before the m...
Recently someone mentioned a piece of equipment to measure distances. They stated that it was used in military. I think it was called "pace counter". What exactly is it and how does it work?
Last Weekend I made a hiking trip. The coordinates and lakes we crossed I can piont on a map and now I am looking for a good onlinetool to put in the points I remember connect them and calculate th...
While car camping this past weekend, I bought some firewood from the park headquarters but unfortunately, it was split into very large pieces that obviously wouldn't light very well. I tried splitt...
A couple years ago I have traveled to rather remote areas alone on multi-day hikes and the cell phone coverage was poor. During my hike I wanted to let someone know about my progress (the tracking ...
I have decided that I would like to hike. I have read a bit on hiking, and bought some gear and a backpack to get started. I want to start with backpacking through mostly flat forests, and later a...
I've read that in the western US, backpackers need bear canisters or bear bags, for bears or for other animals. For example, a post comparing different methods is here. I must admit I'm a bit dau...
I know dry bags come in different sizes and materials, some being soft and some being rigid and tough. However I've noticed there are items in the market that are exactly the same as a soft dry bag...
