General Q&A about the great outdoors and outdoor pursuits.
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I know that this isn't the best stack exchange site for this question but was the best I could think of, if you think there is a better one please move the question / notify me. We are 2 friends w...
One of the genera of dinosaurs is the Tyrannosaurus, which includes the famous T-Rex. What do the tracks of this type of dinosaur look like?
We have long carried a backpacker's solar water heater on our trips. The bliss of warm -- nearly hot -- water in quantity for washing one's filthy self is worth the small extra weight -- especiall...
I lost out on the Mt Whitney lottery--dates I was looking for now say R--does that mean I am out of luck or will some slots be available later, like in the April 1 access date?
In some of the Horatio Hornblower novels, when they want to get the last bit of speed out of a sailing ship, the crew will wet the sails down in order to go faster. For a real example consider, ...
What's the best or easiest way to attach a loop tag onto a canvas tent? A loop tag is a loop of canvas so that I can tie a guy string to the loop tag and then down to a stake so that I can implem...
I have been reading some "make your own gear" forums, and making waxed canvas bags seems to be a popular craft. I recently did a little research into ripstop nylon (for another SE, here), and it s...
I'd like to buy a kodiac canvas tent but they don't come with stove jacks. Not being handy at all, is there any company or store type where I could take the tent to and they could put the stove ja...
We have a pop-up camper that has seen better days. Last summer the canvas covering the bed ends began to leak in a few critical places, and we are looking for a solution that stops short of buying...
I'm looking for some input to determine which type to camping tent I should purchase specifically for car camping. I really like canvas tents as many of their features are very appealing but I kno...
I was reading this question about how to identify mountain lion tracks just now, and noticed the remark at the end of the accepted answer about the lack of claw marks. I am a cat owner, so the lack...
What does moose scat/poop look like and how can one distinguish it from the other similar scats namely deer and elk?
I would like to hike part of the Alps that go from France to Slovenia, but I'm not sure what type of equipment I'll need. I'm wondering if I need to bring crampons; I have Icetrekkers (Diamond Grip...
I have a friend who lives in Orlando, Florida. She and her husband are avid sailors and travelers. They also hunt lighthouses, and have seen over 100 different ones. They're currently on a trip fro...
Of the dinosaur tracks that people find in the outdoors, there are two main types, true tracks and natural casts (there are also undertracks and infills but these are harder to see). What exactly...
With some friends, I saw some dinosaur tracks in Wyoming that looked like this, Can anyone identify what type of dinosaur made these tracks?
So this is my local pond that I like to bring my kayak down to and fish off of. If I get some worms: What hook setup should I put them on? Where should I look to fish with the worms in this pon...
I am going to use live worms for fishing in a local pond, but i don't know where to put the bobber on the line. I have a regular ball shaped bobber and a taller, skinnier one. Where/how to i put ...
What should I do if an elephant is annoyed by my presence and if I can't outrun it?
Say you are in the middle of a desert where there is lots of sunshine, and you are trying to signal for help with a signal mirror. Either in the distance there is a person, or there is an airplane...
Sometimes, people go into nature and go missing. A big search party is set up but they may be never found again. A morbid version of “leave no trace”. We probably all know examples: Joe Keller, ...
I have a nylon rain jacket that I wear to walk my dogs when it rains. It seems that no matter what clothes I wear underneath, I always end up very sweaty. I've tried long sleeves, short sleeves, qu...
I've got a coleman Peak 2 stove. I tried pure gasoline (which is supports) and a lot of gas spilled out onto the stove and burned black, leaving soot all over it. Now the stove won't light. I'm...
I love free climbing but have never climbed with ropes. While reading through this question, I realized I would never have thought of these scenarios, but due to the answers on that post, the physi...
I have an old Swiss Army Knife on which I can only open one blade; the rest are locked in place. How should I clean this, and is there anything else I should do to refurbish it, like oiling, after...
I'm currently planning to bare shaft tune a bow. The problem is that I don't have a cutting machine for arrows. These are rather expensive and so it doesn't quite make sense to obtain one for priva...
I'm currently planning to bare shaft tune a bow. The problem is that I don't have a cutting machine for arrows. These are rather expensive and so it doesn't quite make sense to obtain one for priva...
Mountain lions are rarely seen by humans, but their tracks can be much easier to find. How would one find and identify mountain lion tracks?
I have a 12ft 1963 V bottom starcraft boat that is a little tippy. I would like to add folding pontoons to stop the feeling of tipping. Yes I'm talking about making outriggers. Homemade that will ...
I'm interested in doing multi-day hikes (i.e. backpacking) in the desert where water sources are not readily available, thus requiring one to carry in enough water for the duration of the trip. On...
When I'm cross-country skiing, I usually wear glacier glasses to protect from the intense glare off the snow. When I'm moving, they usually stay clear . Whenever I stop though, my glasses seem to ...
What is the difference between Sport Climbing and Traditional (Trad) Climbing? Is it just that Sport Climbing uses bolts?
I have these hiking shoes that have metal hook type of eyelets. Since I frequently go to the leech infested areas of the western ghats in India, I'm forced to use salt on my shoes to prevent leeche...
A couple of years ago, we hiked up to a place in the western ghats during the month of December (end of it). Which is actually the end of winter in the Indian subcontinent. The biggest problem we f...
In an episode in the tv series "I shouldn't be alive", crew members of a yacht racing team got caught in a violent storm and found themselves stranded in the Gulf of Mexico after their boat capsize...
DEET is very toxic to dogs. How can I use DEET-based sprays and not poison my dogs? (my dogs often lick me, and they can get poisoned)
I am not sure if 'pre-hydrating' is a valid term to use for this, please correct me if you know the term. While walking down a tiring route, I was so tired and low on water. All I could think of w...
I am looking for a telescopic surf fishing rod of about 14 feet length & lure weight up to 250grams/8oz. Is it better if a telescopic surf rod has less segments or does it not matter ? This o...
On some of my Himalayan treks I've seen people who wear shorts or wear single layer of clothing and shiver due to the cold weather (most of these people live in a tropical climate). When I've asked...
Inspired by this question, how dangerous are alligators to people out canoeing in say the Everglades in Florida? I am sure there is some danger because from time time you here about people winning...
I was recently watching the IFSC world cup held in Meiringen. One of the interesting observations that came across (made by the commentators) in the semis was that the routes were much easier for a...
I have read a few blogs about people and their solo trekking experiences. At the first glance at it, 'whether to trek solo or not' sounds like an opinion based thing, but I wonder if there are any ...
Does anybody know whether it is mandatory to have a guide for the Milam Glacier trek in Uttarakhand, India? What about permits?
I am a complete noob when it comes to ropes and knots. It's high time I start practicing. Which rope, most preferably easily available and portable, should I use for practice? Should it be of par...
I will go hiking in 2 weeks. Are there any exercises for preparing for it, as last time I carried my pack on a hike for the whole day, my back started to hurt.
When buying stuff I have never cared whether a specific thing is a female or a male model. All I care about is the fit. Since I am tall, a lot of female oriented equipment, e.g. skis, wouldn't even...
I just passed the pond where the geese in this question are, and it turns out that while some of the geese are sleeping ontop of the ice, there is a section right there, about 20ft by 80 that is op...
I am in USA and I am looking for "high end" ($100 or more) telescopic fishing rods for surf/beach fishing. The specs I need are : - 12 ft (or more), - Lure weight up to 8oz/250 grams (or more), ...
