General Q&A about the great outdoors and outdoor pursuits.
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I live in the Arizona desert, and during the summer, despite my best intentions, I always seem to end up doing some hiking in the summer heat. What is a good formula to figure out how much water ...
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'm looking to get some B2 boots, but am having difficulty getting a good fit. I tried Scarpa Manta's but my heel kept lifting. I think the issue is that my ankles are quite narrow. Does anyone hav...
I'm reading a very good novel, called "Smilla's sense of snow". A minor figure tells this story from the time he was a frogman with the marines: Going down, I glide through a cold belt [...] I...
Me and my partner will be spending a week in February in the Lake District, UK (Monday to Friday). We want to get as much walking in as possible and attempt a number of the peaks / ridges. We are...
When doing my PADI open water course, including all the stuff around pressure groups and calculating maximum depth times by hand, I was told that I should always do my deepest dive first, and go sh...
Obviously, my best chance of survival is in not being buried, but if I am unfortunate enough to become buried in an avalanche what are my chances of surviving it?
At an online shop I found a great deal for an avalanche shovel (14€). It's not a no-name brand, indeed it is a trustworthy German label. Still there are users complaining about the robustness of th...
I am planning for a trek in Northern and Eastern parts of England. I am planning to cover the Hull to Liverpool section of the Trans Pennine Trail, which is roughly 290 km or 180 miles. I have man...
I have a hennessy hammock which is great, but so far I have always taken my tent along too... as it is rare that campsites have trees the correct distance apart, or let you pick a pitch with the fe...
So I know very little about skiing and have only skied about 3-4 times. I would like to ski more this winter. I want to purchase a ski set, but I don't know which one to get. Here is what I wanna...
I live in Felixstowe in East Anglia. It's rather flat around here - and we enjoy hill walking. We've not been for a good walking holiday for some time, mainly due to having children. Whilst we c...
For years I've seen high-tech cuben fiber gear and drooled over how incredibly lightweight it is, and longed to buy or make some of my own equipment with it. (Then upon seeing the price tag, well, ...
I really enjoyed hiking in green, grass covered mountains in Scotland, especially Dalveen Pass. Are there any mountains like that to hike in the US, especially in parks? The Dalveen Pass
Is there a knot that can be used to hitch a rope to a pole without access to any of the rope's ends OR the pole's ends? I know of hitches that work in the one case or the other but not both.
At my local Costco, I see a Kirkland brand 100% merino wool quarter-zip sweater being sold for $25. On EMS, I see a SmartWool 100% merino wool half-zip sweater costing $140. Would I be potentiall...
So, when I go to this lake I can usually catch table size catfish and I want to take some home, however due to the rough terrain and long trails to get to this secluded lake, it would be a hassle t...
I am reading this highly-rated book about avalanches and I was impressed by this sentence, in its beginning. Over 25 percent of avalanche victims in the U.S. die from trauma from hitting trees ...
Despite searching the various online databases I cannot find any documented routes, reports of guides to ascending Mount Othrys / Gerakovouni. Any help appreciated from people who have made the as...
Has anyone practical experience with the light, soft version of Tyvek used as footprint / groundsheet or tent bottom? I like the material, used it once so far as a ground sheet (footpint) on grass...
If you were attempting a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail, starting roughly now (being mid to late March) and going northbound, how many sleeping bags and of what types would you need, assuming c...
Googling seems to show that the conventional wisdom is that it's not a good idea to chain carabiners together: Another thing to avoid is chaining carabiners together to lengthen a connection in...
I have no Water Purification tablets and wanted to know if there was a substitute.
I've recently learned about tree tents such as Tentsile and while they certainly look interesting and fun, they seem to combine the drawbacks of hammocks (heat loss due to wind and need for trees) ...
I've been reading this book about mountain scrambling in Washington State, U.S., and at some points it mentions the idea of using a hand line on some more exposed routes to give something to hold o...
This weekend I am going to do one of my favorite things: winter hiking in the Sierras. When I say "hiking", I mean that though we might be trodding up a mountain in the snow, it is not real mountai...
I was recently reading a article: Scottish Winter: Ten Must-do Routes at II and III. When it occurred to me that I had no idea how winter grades work? I understand British trad grades, etc. But w...
I follow Andy Kirkpatrick(Hull's second best climber) on instagram. He rencently posted this photo: with the comment: Teaching self rescue...(how to belay with a broken arm) It looks like ...
I'm looking to get a tarp, and considering when I want to go out with it. My three season tent with the rain fly has pretty good heat retention, and while it doesn't get toasty, it does stay warme...
I have planned a smaller lake trip for me, my girlfriend and our two dogs(10 year Labrador, 5 month Eurasier). What I didn't think of is the fact that the puppy might need to be carried for a part ...
I follow an outdoor group on facebook and one of the guys on it asked about these crampons on ebay They look very suspicious, they're a little too cheap and don't seem to fit very well, etc. The...
I currently use All Purpose Krazy Glue to repair pinch flats on my road bike inner tubes. All it takes is one drop over the bite and it seals it perfectly, works every time and holds 95 PSI for we...
Most sleeping bags have a rating with several temperatures, one for the upper temperature limit, one for the average woman to sleep in a comfortable position ("Comfort"), one third for an average m...
I covered quite a lot of ground, but approaching 36 my knees are starting to give me troubles. Should I expect trekking poles to restore my previous stamina and walking durability? Or are they just...
Is there too great a chance of accidentally setting your only pair of undies on fire? What about putting the undies on a hot rock? Or would the rock explode ...
I was thinking of heading to some of the northern California national forests, but I wasn't sure which to pick. I've read all the relevant links in each fs.udsa.gov website, including attractions, ...
It's been a dream of mine to thru-hike the AT ever since I first discovered it. I'm hoping to plan a trip one of these days, but honestly don't even know where to start as far cost. I imagine it co...
I'm joining a rock climbing club that requires an evaluation test in order to become a member. (I think this is a great idea.) They have a detailed handout listing exactly what you need to know for...
Is there any special etiquette or "good things to know" for hiking a section of the Appalachian Trail (AT) during AT, or peak, season (for that section)?
I am searching for a sleeping bag that would allow me to comfortably sleep in the snow eventually at a significant altitude (2800 meters - 9000+ feet), but also (and likely most often) at lower alt...
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...
Reading up on a hiking boot size question, I came across this review from Silver Spring, Maryland for a wide hiking boot. This boot has a "lifespan" of 400 miles. Is that typical of a hiking boot...
The other day we were waiting in line for a popular 200 foot single pitch climb in the valley and the party in front of us was using two 70 meter ropes they had joined together with a double fisher...
What is recommended after finishing a sport climb--lowering off from the anchors or rappelling ? Rappelling preserves the hardware better, but is usually thought to be more dangerous since you take...
I'm learning to lead climbs, and I'm terrified of big falls. Part of this is learning to trust my gear placements, but a large portion is because I don't know how to fall - I've only taken small fa...
I was checking these small hand powered or electric powered washing machines, such as this one, and I was wondering if they are actually effective. Do they wash properly? Are they worth the price?
This question has been eating my head for quite some time now. I trek often and most of the treks involve climbing up to a peak or something similar. I usually carry heavy loads of around 13-15kgs...
Have you used portable folding solar panels (5-20W) like Anker or GoalZero with much success? It seems like they would really only work well on a pack trip if you have a day off periodically to re...
Sometimes I go to a secluded lake and want to take some table size Catfish home. However, the lake is particularly muddy and dirty, the water is actually brown. Is there a problem with bleeding fis...
If I don't have much with me and I want to catch a rabbit for food, What is the easiest way to prepare a snare? What kind of knot should I use and where should I put the snare?
