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The type of oil surely matters. Within petroleum products, thick, waxy Cosmoline has proven to be effective, but it's not nice to remove. (I've never personally used it for this reason.) I have r...
As @xpda says, bouldering doesn't require much equipment at all. I found it much easier to start bouldering than climbing with a rope; I went a couple of times to a non-bouldering place and though ...
As Rory says, low power consumption is vital, but that's likely not determined by the software, but rather by the hardware and - more importantly - how you use it. The three key things for me in S...
As said, prevention is better than cure. But, most importantly, don't attempt to thaw frostbitten areas if there's any chance of them re-freezing. This typically means don't try to treat it yoursel...
Never tried them but I've heard Crocs often mentioned as a good and reasonably lightweight solution.
The Scottish 'code' mentions specific rights on the 'foreshore' What about public rights on the foreshore? 2.18 Public rights on the foreshore and in tidal waters will continue to exist. T...
Boots and Crampons have ratings that give you an idea of compatibility. Boots are rated B0 (three season boots, or basically, bedroom slippers!) to B3 (rigid shell mountaineering boots), and cramp...
The big plus with a firesteel is that you can pretty much do what you want to it, including soaking the thing in ice cold water, and it'll still work as well as before. The big downside is it's jus...
Take an external rechargeable powerpack like one of these:- http://www.amazon.com/PowerGen-External-Blackberry-Sensation-Thunderbolt/dp/B005VBNYDS/ref=dp_cp_ob_hpc_title_1 Choose the size of powe...
When water evaporates, it cools the surrounding surface. This is primarily why we sweat - our body is using this process to cool itself down. So, a buff (or mitts) dipped in water can act as prett...
To add a data point to the curve, I'm 6'3", and after much deliberation bought a 65cm DMM Cirque as a general winter hillwalking axe. While I'm generally very happy with it, I'd definitely switch...
On a backpack, you'd have the quick-release buckle, but no clasp. The clasp is really doing two things - stopping the buckle loosening, and making it look tidy. If the buckle is decent quality and...
I've never had a pack failure 'in the wild' but I think my usual repair kit of duct tape, tie wraps and a bit of paracord should be able to handle most things. Minor strap and buckle failures aren...
It's vital to get them off ASAP as the risk of infection from Lyme Disease increases after the first 24 hours, but the list of ways NOT to do this is probably more important ;-) Don't burn it, sq...
Solitude isn't for everyone - some people love it, others not so much - personally I prefer enjoying it with others, and there's other advantages to this too (such as from a safety aspect.) If you ...
One thing that should be obvious, but still is worth repeating: If you’re out alone, make sure you can get help when you need it. I recently went on a solo trip into the mountains in the winter and...
The best I've found for this sort of thing is normal household bleach - you can dilute it to start with and try it on a small area if you're scared of wrecking the tent. In many cases, working dilu...
Slightly different take here: prevention You should regularly inspect the pack The joining of straps to seams. Can you see stitching? Can the strap move independently of the seam (even a litt...
This book, How to stay alive in the Woods, is an older book but contains lots of valuable information on how to keep from getting hungry, and other useful things, while away from civilization.
Some of the Mammut headlamps can be fitted with an optional diffuser for ambient lighting. Haven't tried it, but it looks like it could be a neat solution. Mammut TR1 Headlamp
If you're staying out overnight, consider digging a snowhole instead of using a tent. A snowhole can be much warmer than a tent and give significantly better protection. And, as Andy Kirkpatrick wr...
Generally speaking, straps and buckles don't just fail one day, you can see signs of wear a while in advance. Of course there are exceptions and you should arguably be prepared for these too, but g...
Although some of the articles there appear to require payment, BackpackingLight have lots of gear lists for different conditions, including both long and short trips. (This list specifically refer...
To Dispose: Vent all the fuel, then puncture the sidewall. Once you have done this, it can be dumped in the appropriate recycling bin. Jetboil makes a tool to help with this, for which they've ma...
I use these from REI. I can attest that they work in both wind and rain, though needless to say you do need dry fuel. Nothing will start sodden wood ;)
