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I would throw some type of foliage over the tent, to "break" the fall of the rain... so long as your tent is strong enough to support the weight!
The VERY FIRST thing you need to do is to not panic. Sit down for a minute or two and let your mind catch up to the fact you are lost. Now, take out your map, compass, gps, or whatever and try to...
Assuming you told people where you were going and you don't have PLB with you, you should start building camp. Construct distress signal discussed here: How can I signal for help in the wilderness?...
I would say it depends on what other materials you have and how cold the water is. So if the water is cold, it's really important to stay out of it. If not, you can maybe endure having your feet ha...
What ages a rope most is use, so if you have stored it for a couple of years it should not have degraded measurably. Have a look at the UIAA's document on ageing of climbing ropes for some guidanc...
As Hartley Brody suggests, I would carry a few metres of para-cord, as this is a very tough and versatile rope which can be used for a lot of things in survival situations. However, if you are hea...
To answer the question directly, the three areas that lose heat the fastest are actually: The Head The Groin The Armpits This is why those are the areas that naturally grow the most hair on hum...
I did wonder whether there were any long standing letterboxers whose experience would put me to shame lurking around here, but since the question is now more generalised I feel more qualified to an...
In a lot of places it will be quite difficult finding two trees the right distance apart to hang it. When it's late and you've been walking all day, all you want to do is lie down and rest, you mig...
Hammocks are great for hot weather. I have backpacked with a hammock in the Virginia summer, when the nights were 85°F-95°. There are certainly enough trees here, and in any densely forested area...
Pack-Buying Priorities: Comfort Comfort Comfort Workmanship quality Everything else Best Materials: Dyneema (which is the same thing as Spectra): Ultra high-end fiber stronger than Kevlar. P...
As already stressed by others, the backpack has to be comfortable. If the back system does not fit you, other features won’t make a difference. But there are plenty of good back systems and therefo...
As with any wild animals, different species and different individuals are going to respond differently in different situations. Some snakes are extra-ordinarily docile, and no amount of heavy-sto...
As yucky as it sounds, if you dont have ANY water or anything to clean the wound, assuming your healthy and dont have any "plumbing problems"(instructions from an ER doctor / paramedic) urine is 1...
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has topographical maps arranged in the typical 7.5 minute quadrangle format, available for free viewing & download online for all of the US. Links: ...
Check this link out: FREE topographic maps and research tools. It contains this and many more countries: UNITED STATES TOPOZONE.COM If all sites could be just like topozone. Topozone has a seaml...
There is really only one way to determine this, and that is experience. Do a few hikes in different terrain, different settings (dayhike vs overnight), different weather and different group sizes, ...
There's no general rule of thumb that I know of... I lied, there is Naismith's formula as correctly cited in another answer. I just tend to stay away from it because more often than not I find it ...
In the UK your best bet is to use the Ordanance Survey website where you can purchase maps: Ordnance Survey. I've used the getamap feature which is great at creating your own maps! Which is useful...
There are many folk and wild remedies you could learn, depending on what you're carrying & where you're hiking. Some examples: Honey will protect from infection. Spider webs will stop bleedin...
Chemically, if you can use it, I see no reason why it wouldn't work on any similar animals - though practically it may not be as effective. In terms of cougars for instance, this seems to imply it'...
You don't say what area specifically you're looking at, or what your budget is - but Anquet seems to do a number of electronic copies of standard OS maps for prices I wouldn't consider unreasonable...
Here is a thermogram pictorial answer to try and figure this out! I believe this is a un-clothed male under a thermal camera (SFW)
Back away calmly. Be SURE not to separate a mother from her cubs. Other than that, the bear probably won't be too interested in you. (Except a polar bear, which may consider you food.) If you see ...
My original answer to this question sparked a surprisingly intense debate, so I'm rewriting it to clarify a few points and offer a more holistic answer. Let me start by saying that every square in...
