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This summer I will be taking a rather inherently dangerous multi-day hike by myself. I was considering buying a flare gun since I will be out of cellular range unless there is something more moder...
Sometimes while backpacking you have to cross streams, and from a weight point of view, it would be nicer to just cross in your bare feet, instead of bringing an extra pair of shoes along. These ...
I was out camping recently, and found that the bottom foot or so of my sleeping bag had gotten wet ( in part due to one of the stakes for my rain fly coming loose, but that's another story). As no...
I recently picked up bouldering and bought my first pair of shoes as well as chalk and a bag. I've only been climbing in the gym for now and handled the equipment like any other gym-sports-equipme...
Recently we visited the alps in Bavaria. We hiked near a lake which had a lot of foam swimming on it. It was not spray from the water but rather a really dense dirty foam. Comparable to shaving foa...
The "Lech Fall" in Austria is a huge waterfall with a small peninsula on its inflow. This picture gives a nice overview: From Wikimedia I was standing on that peninsula and experienced extremel...
We visited Neuschwanstein lately and since we were with kids, picked the common tourist path up to the castle. The hike is extremely stressful (for me at least) because you wander on a tarred way w...
We use Coghlan's Camp Soap when camping, it is available in handy containers at most stores that have any amount of outdoor supplies. But we can only find it in the 4oz bottle, we would like to ...
Climbing ropes are UIAA rated for so many falls of an 80kg weight. After that number of falls–or a specific period of time based on amount of use–you are supposed to retire the rope. But what if ...
I have a short climbing rope and two carabiners. I want to use it as a strap to carry something (it is not intended for climbing). As the rope is too long, I fold it once. At one "end" I make a fig...
To drive through a couple hundred kilometers of sandy landscape like the Simpson Desert (central Australia), do you have to have a 4WD? If so, what are the primary concerns?
I have a pair of leather Vasque St. Elias GTX which are a bit narrow across the toe box and I want to see if I can get some more room there. A local shoe repair place said they could do it (for $6...
I took my first lake swim recently and found my lake has a fair amount algae, which bothered me more than I expected it too. After some limited research, I found someone saying that it's Eurasian ...
Lyme disease, Lyme borreliosis, has been reported by the Centers for Disease Control as existing, or probably existing, in many of the United States. The Lyme Disease Association also reports it in...
I am planning to do a 5 days journey on a kayak with a friend. I have a 4.9m plastic sit on top kayak and we were planning to start from Tropea on the so called "costa degli dei" ("Coast of the God...
I bought a sport harness and a rescue harness. I'm just wondering if i can use them interchangeably.
What are these fungi I found on a dead birch? Initially, I thought perhaps artist's bracket or southern bracket, but now I think they might be horses hoof fungus? I'm not very knowledgeable about t...
My 15 y/o son has expressed an interest in fishing. He tried it recently using borrowed equipment and would like to get his own. I fished as a teenager and liked it well enough to do it again. T...
It's rather warm outside (32.6°C or 91 F) and I'd like to go for a swim. Having lived in The Netherlands and Sweden, I'm used to living near lakes and the fact that any surface water is by default...
In many UK lakes, I see signs prohibiting swimming with the explanation DANGER: Deep water. This link contains an example. I don't understand those signs. Why is a 30 metre deep lake more danger...
Suppose you need to cover a fairly long distance (e.g. 30 km) in a moderately difficult hiking terrain (no climbing), in 1 day. You can either go alone or with someone, or with a group. I think (f...
If I cook a hot dinner on a canister stove and plan on cooking a hot breakfast in the morning, can I leave the stove on the canister overnight or would it be better to take it off and reattach in t...
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 am looking for a machine washable sleeping cot (metal/aluminum frame off the ground). I have seen that most cots are made out of a water resistant material (nylon/polyester/canvas) 600D. I have s...
I'm looking at buying my first pair of snowboard boots. I'm heading to Scotland and the Alps (Portes Du Soleil) this winter. I ride about "Red" level runs with my girlfriend (who'c onsideribly be...
