Search
I appreciate the preference to use natural protection, however, I think it is important to point out that using insect repellent should not be the only method of defence against malaria that you em...
In addition to Graham's answer, if you can't reach the top but have to descend again you have two options: Descend and unclip along the way (this will take time and can be very tiring, and you wi...
As Cryptosporidium is passed in the faeces of animals, the more heavily the land is used by animals, the greater the risk of Cryptosporidium contamination in water sourced from that land. This art...
Here's my attempt to make a truly thorough answer to the question of cold-weather clothing. Honestly many chapters of books have been written about this subject, so it is hard to give a specific an...
Beam spread -- Wide, narrow, adjustable? (depending on what you want) Angle (generally up/down) -= Can you direct it where you want? Ease of turning on/off and changing settings -- I personally ha...
This question has been answered already, but this problem interested me and I thought I'd share for future readers what I found by playing around with it. The North American Wind Chill Index as pr...
To expand a bit on the good answer already given: Slope - 25-45 degrees is a good broad suggestion, but your region of the country will have a big impact on this. Maritime snow is wetter and stic...
I generally sleep naked in my sleeping bag. Ive slept nights where I went to sleep in my clothes, and then woke up because my feet were freezing in the middle of the night, so I took off my clothes...
As Dangeranger stated, water is 24.5 times more conductive than air The idea is that water will conduct heat energy throughout the cooler much more effectively than air. This means that wate...
There are 2 things that you need to watch out for: Wind chill and getting wet due to sweating. You need to follow a 3 layer system. Layer 1 next to skin to transport moisture away from the body....
If you know the stars, look at the constellation in the Zodiac. For example, according to astrology, now the sun is in Aquarius. In reality, it is one constellation backwards, so it is in Capricorn...
You can use a fine sandstone with a little water on it. Sandstone works the best because of its fine grain and good abrasive quality. Using water smooths the sandstone surface. Drag the stone sli...
Most climbers use a re-threaded figure 8. The knot is not that important, though. In reading many accident reports, I have never seen one where the knot came untied or where there was a rope failur...
I'm afraid studiohack's advices are too cautious to be useful in practice. For example in Spain or Austria, almost every piece of land is private and/or behind fence, so you'd have to sleep on the ...
If you want a natural solution, try lemon eucalyptus oil. Considering that B1 does not deter mosquitos, any dose you like will be comparable to 75mg (zero effect). However, if we wish to assume i...
0 minutes. “According to the Wilderness Medical Society, water temperatures above 160° F (70° C) kill all pathogens within 30 minutes and above 185° F (85° C) within a few minutes. So in the ti...
According to one study of one species of mosquito, "attractiveness was found to vary inversely with their reflectivity or brightness, although the different textures represented in the series tende...
First, consider if you have the right backpack. If you're considering chopping off all sorts of parts, you might be using a pack that isn't designed for you. You could sell it off and buy a more mi...
The best whistle is one you don't forget. The last two packs I've had included whistles built right into the chest strap clip.
While it can be useful if you are really out in the wilds, say in the Amazon jungle, and using a machete to clear every step, I wouldn't expect to carry a knife sharpener for a trip under a week. ...
Another way to find the time is to use well known stars. In the northern hemisphere, you can use the Pole Star and the Big Dipper to tell the time fairly accurately. A good explanation of the pro...
There are a few common measures that I've seen: Full Skin Out - we're talking everything you're wearing, everything in your pack, food, water, fuel Base Weight - everything in your pack, minus "c...
Pea vs. Pealess -- In very cold temperatures, pea whistles don't work Volumn -- Louder is better... to a point. My safety whistle has a health warning to not be within 10ft or risk hearing loss. ...
An astronomer with a protractor and pocket-calculator can figure almost anything. Unfortunately, though, astronomers don't fit very well in survival kits (and grumble when you try to stuff them in...
We (Kent and Deny) did an experiment in order to shed some light on this debate. We found that keeping the water in the cooler along with the ice kept the overall temperature of the cooler below 5 ...
