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First of all, DO NOT bring anything smelly into your tent. This includes food, tooth paste, deodorant, or anything else that has a smell. Also, keep fires away from the tent. I recommend setting u...
I have a similar extreme reaction, so this is what I have learned: Tecnu works pretty well after you have been exposed, but before the rash develops (I realize that is a pretty short window of opp...
I have researched this occasionally over the years. Ivy Block, Tecnu, and Ivarest all have preventative lotions. The oil may still spread, but it is a good first step. As an alternative, the fore...
There are many, many ways to make a fire. Some require more skill, while others depend on carefully prepared equipment. The closest thing to "rubbing two sticks together" is the hand-drill. You w...
If you put a sleeping bag on the outside of the pack, you should have it in a stuff sack or something similar that is strong, waterproof, and has loops for straps. A sleeping bag is something you d...
If you use your current tent, you should make sure the rain fly (outer layer) covers the entire tent. Otherwise you will have a healthy layer of frost on the inside of the tent (in the uncovered ar...
It's allowed in Sweden. It's called Allemansrätten.
When you meet a bear, keep several things in mind: Never make eye contact with a bear. Make yourself as large as possible - do this by standing on a stump or rock. take your coat and raise it abo...
When treating mild to medium hypothermia, you should: Stop. Create a heat source, such as a fire and get the patient warm. take wet clothing off. The best way to do this if you don't have other...
Here are the basic signs of Hypothermia Shivering. May start off mildly and go severe General apathy and sudden exhaustion Losing coordination (can't tie a knot, etc) Loss of concentration Sudden...
If you're really above the treeline you don't have a lot of options. However the best thing is to make yourself as small as possible. This means you should squat down. (The same way you use a squat...
I would not recommend staying and hoping that others find you. Except you have a cell phone or another communication device to report that you're lost. Or of course if you can't move because you're...
If you're completely lost but not in an emergency that requires immediate action you should stay where you are to 1) not getting even more lost 2) not getting into dangerous situations. For exampl...
In cities, an issue with geocaching is the accuracy of the GPS - you need to assume a greater margin for error than when you are in the open countryside as tall buildings do affect the signal. As ...
I don't think there can be a definitive general answer as you will need to assess the situation depending on the level of emergency, the dangers around you and the likelihood and ease of rescue. Y...
When I bought my leather boots they told me that modern walking boots should not need breaking in if they fit properly. I followed their advice and bought well-fitting boots and did not break them ...
In Scotland, it is allowed, with conditions. Wild camping in Scotland One restriction that I know of is that camping is not allowed on the eastern shore of Loch Lomond. There are likely to be res...
I found this PDF from UNESCO It would seem ethanol (denatured alcohol) is top of the list, but petrol is pretty good and probably more cost-effective. The both have similar densities (about 0.7 kg...
Some helpful points from someone who lives in the western US... Altitude: is a big factor in hikes, often in the West, especially around the Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevadas, you will experien...
There is also the question of heat exchange. How much of the generated heat will end up in the water/food, and how much will go into the surrounding air. I use a Jetboil for this reason. It has a h...
Urine is normally sterile (barring urinary tract infections) - so, from bacteriological stance, fresh urine isn't going to hurt. The problem is - urine is a waste product, and so is full of stuff ...
Assuming you don't have a genitourinary tract infection, fresh urine should be sterile, the problem is that it is a waste product which, apart from making it not taste very nice, means that consumi...
While this is by far not a universal truth, in general, women tend to have more slender feet than men. Then again - some women have wide, plate-like feet, and some men have thin feet. Also, I've n...
It's always best to back off and walk around it. Rattlesnakes can strike very fast and far. I find that the bigger problem with snakes in common is that you step close to one unexpectedly. Most of...
The best advice is not to unless you are very, very sure. Having said that, and just for fun, assuming you are in a chronic survival situation with no choice, this article describes how to test if...
