General Q&A about the great outdoors and outdoor pursuits.
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My friend wants to do an overnight on the grand canyon this summer. We are experienced hikers in pretty good shape. However we've NEVER hiked out west, much less the Grand Canyon. What are the k...
As I started indoor climbing this year I would like to know what distinguishes it from outdoor sport climbing, especially when you are lead climbing. I know that there are huge differences in safe...
I'm a new Kayak enthusiast with limited molded plastic boat experience, in the midwest (Michigan). As a newbie that is desiring a "Better than Average" 12-14' unit I am considering the "HURRICANE" ...
When abseiling from an anchor during rock climbing, I like to use a backup prusik as a potential lifesaver in case I screw up. However, I have heard different advice on where to put it, both for w...
In European campgrounds, it is common that there is a kitchen shelter with a freezer, where people who camp without electricity can freeze their ice packs, in order to subsequently use those with c...
I like to be alone in the wild. I know it's not the wisest thing to do, but I do it anyway (and I'm not the only one). Today I learned that some routes in Canadian national parks may enforce mini...
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...
I've always liked the idea of canyoning, but it seems that there's few places where it can be done in England. Does anyone know of any such places?
Under the assumption that I'm far enough out that I need to hike out on my own, and that I have someone who can help... what is the best way to immobilize a dislocated shoulder for a long hike out ...
I have never used a Mummy type sleeping bag, rather I have hardly used a sleeping bag. I am afraid, I am more of a carry-mat, sleeping-pad and a blanket guy. It never occurred to my mind that What...
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...
I recently made a sport climbing course mainly to give it a try and also to learn something about belaying in general. It's fun, challenging and I got hooked quite a bit. Overall I was around 10 ti...
I just bought a new sleeping bag online and it came in a large draw cord bag and there was also a small stuff sack in the package. What is the point of the large draw cord bag?
A couple of friends and I are going on a road trip this summer, and we're planning on hiking the Grand Canyon, Half Dome, Observation Point at Zion, Bryce Canyon, and Longs Peak. I've been trying t...
I recently purchased some collapsible trekking poles (Komperdell Ridgehiker, made in Austria) and found them quite useful in terms of being able to extend or retract them slightly for going up and ...
I've got a pretty good understanding of how GoreTex works. I understand that the outside chemical coating effectivly holds water off the outer layer (using little chemical spikes). But I can't q...
Is having color vision deficiency a problem for mountaineering ? Can one so, pursue mountaineering as a career ? Do professional mountaineering schools and expeditions accept climbers with color vi...
I currently use La Sportiva WildCat Trail Running Shoes size 43 for trail running/light hiking and Nepal EVO's size 44 for Ice Climbing and Alpine adventures. The Nepal EVO's fit me perfectly with...
We all know that due to age-related deterioration, ropes, harnesses, slings and other "software" should be replaced after a certain period even if thay have not been damaged or been involved in hig...
When setting up a tent and staking it out, what is the proper tension for the lines? I generally just make them arbitrarily tight, but have no idea how that would perform in high wind or other con...
About a year ago I was given a three person dual skin popup tent. Almost new but possibly a factory second. (It's made by "Vango" and I think it could be a "reject" because one of the four guy rop...
Aside from risk of fire (which for this question we will assume has been fully mitigated) what is the real risk of suffocation if one were to use a stove, lantern, or candle lantern in a tent? The...
I have been living in the US for some time and I was surprised to see that these kinds of tents are pretty common now I was skeptical about the effectiveness of this "partial" rain fly in case o...
I'm thinking of buying Garmin Etrex 20 (or 30) for geocaching purposes. I've read reviews in internet, and after that the issues with ergonomics and stability makes me worry, if that device will be...
I've been geocaching using Android smartphone, but it slowly becomes unsatisfying. The battery time of Android smartphones is too low, I need to minimize time I'm walking with device on, because ba...
I decided to kill some time today and look at pictures of wooden kayaks online. I kept seeing the phrase "stitch-and-glue" with respect to some of the kayaks. What does this term mean?
I am looking to buy a rucksack. I want to move quickly and pack minimally on a week-10 day long trip so I"m tempted by packs around the 45-55L range. However, I want to get a pack that is also vers...
I'm going on a week long hike in Southern Spain. I envisage myself being away from civilisation max 3 days. What kind of food should I take at any one time? There are infrequent farm houses and out...
I hike quite a bit in Vibram Fivefinger Kimodo Sports. Like the KSO, they are covered and don't have a problem with rocks getting in. I strongly prefer them to boots for marked trails, and would ...
Recently a friend suggested using gelled fuel in a cat can stove instead of liquid alcohol. Since a cat can stove works by using pressurization to create the "jets" it seems flawed, but has anyone...
What should I do to increase the lifetime of my crampons, maintain them properly, and check whether they can still be used safely?
I am planning to do the Kangchenjunga base camp trek (in Nepal) in the coming months. I read that a tent is a must for this trek as it is not a tea house trek. I am thinking of buying a tent for my...
What is the difference between the two Gore-Tex technologies in real world usage? Specific factors: Which one packs down smaller? Which one is more breathable? Which one is likely to last long...
If I understand wind-chill (which I probably don't), the air feels colder because your body doesn't have as much time to heat the air as it passes by. But in that case it seems like there should b...
I generally pack my cordage in little bundles like Unfortunately for any significant length (100' for instance) it just turns into a wadded mess when I try and use it. How can I pack this stuff...
We are looking at purchasing a campervan for our family (2 adults - 3 boys) and are trying to balance the merits of a larger van vs a smaller van. We are keen to understand what practical consid...
Have people been able to bring their (folding) trekking poles onto planes? We're flying without checked-in baggage (on Wizz Air, from Europe to Israel). We've paid for "two large cabin bags", and t...
I'm planning to sew my own double-layer hammock. I found a simple pattern here: http://diygearsupply.com/diy-guides/hammock-guide/ I was thinking about modifying it a bit, to have the bottom layer...
I want to tie a hair band around a bracelet, so it's easy to store and remove. It's too short to put it around my wrist, so I tried a cow hitch, but I'd like something more compact/secure. Any idea...
Is it safe to drink water found from natural resources on the Volcanic Mountains? Considering Chemistry part of it, What could go wrong if I have no way to boil it, at the most I can filter it with...
Now that I've been using my khukri for a couple of months, the surface is getting rather stained by plant sap. I've tried rubbing it with a piece of cloth and ash but the stains just refuse to disa...
Weather forecasters often give two tempertures, the actual air temperature and a 'feel like' temperture that takes into account wind speed. Is there a rule of thumb for calcualting the 'feels like ...
I'm planning a mountain hiking trip and one of the issues is that the trails that we're following will almost certainly be covered in ice. There are two of us and we'll both be wearing shoe tractio...
In the comments to my answer on Can you use a rope that has been in storage for a few years? the question arose if one could have some expert check a used rope whether it is still safe to use. As a...
Where can I find topographic maps of South Korea? If those don't exist, where can I find good hiking maps? Specifically, I'm looking for maps suitable to hike the Jeju Olle Trail. For topographi...
I bought a forest axe and its manufacturer says to oil the axe head before storing to prevent rusting. What type of oil should I use?
Generally when doing multi-pitch climbs, I prefer to just climb with a light pack. However, sometimes that's just not possible and the pack(s) must be hauled instead. What are some good ways to ha...
You shouldn't place a cache on someone's property without permission, that's for sure. But when the property belongs to me, I can hide cache on my own backyard. However, what should I do to assur...
When hiding something in the forest on the surface, there's a great practice called UPS (Unusual Pile of Sticks, the German version is very sweet: Hasengrill). They prevent people from boaring a fe...
Are there any trekking maps of Svanetia available abroad? I'd like to purchase the maps before arriving to Georgia. The preferred map scale is at least 1:50.000, however 1:100.000 would also fit ...
