General Q&A about the great outdoors and outdoor pursuits.
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I am preparing to make a purchase of all-terrain touring XC skis (sidecut 83-62-70 mm), with which I will use SNS XA boots and bindings. I know that the rule of thumb for regular XC skis is to go ...
When you have both ski crampons and boot crampons, in what cases should either be used? This is the type of ski crampon I have in mind. Thanks to @imsodin for providing the link to the picture.
Why is a coconut palm so valuable for a person in a survival situation?
So we were out looking for some new ice to climb today and discovered this short pitch of ice: There's only one problem: The ice is on the wrong side of a rather wide creek. The nearest cross...
I am looking for good protocol on waxing my cross country skis (Salomon Equipe 8 Classic skis). I have: cork block stiff nylon brush wax removing fluid & paper scraper ski*go waxes; blue (...
If in a survival situation, how can one preserve the hide of an animal with a minimum amount of tools and skill in order to make clothing or bedding? I am not asking how to make things with the hi...
I'm curious how one could get/make some glue when in the wilderness. How did the Native Americans do it?
Today I learned about the existence of the "gyrocompass". A gyrocompass is a type of non-magnetic compass which is based on a fast-spinning disc and rotation of the Earth (or another planetary bod...
One of the surest ways of purifying water is distillation water is boiled and only things that evaporate at or below 100C are captured. This does lead to the potential issue of things like petrole...
I may have reacted without thinking to the question about dealing with lice because I have never worried about getting lice on a wilderness trip. Upon reflection, I find I am genuinely interested...
Sulfur has been used for centuries to get ride of nasty little bugs that infest the warm places we like to sleep. Assuming I have found natural sulfur sources can they be used to effectively and s...
Background I bought my compass in the US last year. Next week I'm going to travel to Australia. Question Is my US-compass compatible with Australia? or do I need a special compass? Do I need an...
What is the best time of year and conditions required to pick Sloes, in the UK, for gin and jellies?
According to a google search sulfur is widely available in nature. Volcanic regions and hot springs are common sources of it in elemental state. Less obvious sources are iron pyrites (iron sulfide...
I'm trying to plan a night trip around the New Moon to have my first go at Astrophotography, so I'm looking at Moongiant. I'm trying to learn what date a moon phase guide represents. For example, ...
It has been a number of months since I last went scuba diving - short enough that I can still remember everything, but long enough for any diving specific exercise related things to have worn off. ...
I have a bicycle helmet that fits well. Can it be used effectively as a rock climbing helmet? Most climbing helmets have a hard shell that the bicycle helmet does not. However, one of the more e...
Railbiking is so much fun for those of us who are not limited physically in one form or another. Are there any Draisines-Railbike Companies that have wheelchair accessibility options for the disabl...
In an English climbing guidebook about a French region, I read the term spit anchor in the general description of the equipment of the (multi-pitch) routes of some crags. I never heard that term b...
Assuming a lack of signage indicating the legalities, is it legal to light a bonfire on a beach in the UK? I haven't been able to find an authoritative source on this either way, hence the question...
The scenario My climbing partner and I are at the top of a pitch and we drop a belay plate to the ground. There is no safe descent, we were planning on rappelling down off safe anchors. What do w...
I just looked at our sleeping bags, which we bought in 1972. They are in pretty good condition, with only a few small patches. Is it unusual for a down sleeping bag to give service for 45 years a...
A snow saw is useful for building snow shelters and for avalanche danger testing. Some models are said to be easily attached to ski/trek poles in order to increase the handle length. Under what cir...
There is a long trail in the mountains near where I live. It requires one to walk through a Railway tunnel which is roughly 1.2 miles long and is not straight. Usually, there is a margin between t...
There's many different kinds of "down" filling: "100% down" must legally be only down, while "down" can be any mixture containing down. Then there's "fill power" ranging from about 400 to 1200, wh...
If you are putting together a survival package for a prolonged period, should a sling make the short list of your hunting tools, and if so, why? By prolonged, I mean a year to decades, during whic...
One of the recommendations for sleeping warm is to empty your bladder before bed, When your bladder is full, your body is expending energy keeping that liquid warm. If you empty it out, your bo...
All manufacturers that I can find offering adjustable crampons with smallest size 35 EU. I need crampons for a boots 30-32 EU size. Is it possible to find such crampons? I am looking for glacier ...
I believe, many of us may have set this theme of mountains on gmail. Did anybody care to know what mountain is it?
I had a campfire discussion not long ago with a man that got pulmonary edema while attempting the summit of Aconcagua, and we got into the discussion of the effects of high elevation. I had always ...
I am looking for my first skitour skis. I have main focus 90% on ascent, and 10% on descent (mostly on piste). I am 184 cm heigh, and weight is 87kg. What should I consider? my weight? inclusive...
This was actually something new I came across recently. A Czech bed roll. I've never seen a set up like this before. I was also intrigued by the name. Has anyone used one of these? Advantages/dis...
It is said that a semi-static rope should be submerged for 24 hours before first use. Why is this, and is this before every first use ?
Title says it all really. I am looking to buy a diving torch as I am taking up diving next year. What am I looking for? They seem to range from 100lm to 2500lm. Realistically how many lumens are ...
When I go to the beach, I love to look at sea shells. I never take them with me because they're vital to the eco-system. I just gently pick them up, have a close look and sometimes take pictures, t...
If I'm alone in a survival situation and I have to cross a very cold river that's still flowing, how should I accomplish this safely?
How do I process the fruit of the wild service tree? I know the berries need to be subjected to frost before they can be dried and consumed. Can I harvest them early and stick them in the freez...
This question lists the principles of Leave No Trace, taken from the Center for Outdoor Ethics website. While the general principals apply to many types of outdoor activities, this particular set ...
If I do a certain hike or run, it's going to cost a certain amount of effort, which could be measured by how many calories I burn. How does this effort depend on the amount of climbing? Is there a ...
I have often checked into the Ahwahnee in Yosemite Valley after emerging, filthy and undernourished, from the backcounty. A hot shower in one of the cottages, an Ahwahnee Burger, a glass (or three...
I've always footprinted outside of my tent but found water inside my tent after really heavy rainfall. This has led me to wonder whether an additional liner inside of the tent would serve useful a...
It accompanies me for quite a while. I see a lot of outdoor-people wearing braces ("suspenders" in USA/Canada) instead of belts. Also, a lot of outdoor brands have braces in their range, such as th...
A recent question Walking through an active railway tunnel during a long distance walk brought up the topic of pedestrian access on train-track right of ways. In many areas of the world train trac...
Is it possible (read, can I spend a restful night sleeping?) By using a quilt, bivi bag and ground sheet? Quilt I'm looking at is here, the idea being that I can take an ultralight bivi bag and gr...
I have a relatively new pair of NNN cross-country ski boots and noticed the plastic sole is much more slippery than previous boots I've owned (older SNS and SNS Profil). A quick look at the selecti...
Do folding (or telescoping) cross-country skis exist and if so are they useable? Update: Or are there small cross-country skis that are short enough for easy transport, yet still capable of provid...
My crossbow has a 50LB draw. It has no mechanism to decrease the amount of strength you use to cock it (you literally just grab the string and pull it back). So my question is: "If the draw is 50LB...
In climbing competitions there are usually the familiar competitor categories of beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Sometimes there are categories for youth or older climbers too. At bigger comp...
So 1/4" bolts, although not suitable for free climbing protection, are apparently still used for aid climbing to hold body weight, and for alpine rappels. What I want to know is, what do you use ...
If I were a couple of decades younger, I would seriously consider trying climbing in a climbing gym, but I doubt I have enough flexibility, and I would feel horribly out of place. The thing that a...
