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What I've learned in half-a-century of camping... First, don't get too stressed out - in most developed countries theft is rare. Don't let your concerns spoil your holiday! (But be sensible - the...
My vehicle has broken down in the middle of a desert, I have some tools but I am out of water. I have the ability to make a fire. I know that drinking antifreeze is fatal, but I am wondering i...
What you are probably going to want to do is to build your own shelter out of rocks. Basically, you are going to want to pile them up into a wall a couple of feet high and get down behind that. If ...
I'm interested in how Viking era1) hikers carried their gear and provisions while out and about on foot. My focus here would be longer walks in civilian life, e.g. to get from farm A to farm B. I.e...
In addition to Felix's excellent answer of what should be done it practice, it is well worth knowing how to pass a knot in the rope (whether while rappelling or hauling). This will generally be mor...
I take public transportation to my work and the climbing gym. This means my climbing gear stays in my office all day with me. My climbing shoes stink and are really offensive to have in my office. ...
What are your options? As someone who makes their own shelters I've given a great deal of thought to the pros and cons of different architectures. But like most things involving gear choice, the r...
The picture in the answer to that question you referred to here doesn't have a source listed for attribution. To me, however, it does look like the same picture as the one in the answer to the ques...
Fleece dries fast, and fleece is relatively warm while wet. It's probably the best you're going to get in normal clothing materials. But it's not an alternative to a wetsuit or drysuit, more of a "...
I've used Boot Bananas sourced from my local bouldering gym after complaints by my better half about stenchy climbing shoes. Since using them the complaints have completely dried up. They are still...
Some things you can try to hold the boot in place that work for me: Strap the toe, then the heel. Strap the rest of the foot straps. Then, re-tighten the toe & top straps so they are really t...
Before rubber soles, mountaineers (and others) used hobnailed boots "have been used since antiquity for inexpensive durable footwear". There is a nice note here about Vibram soles replacing hobnail...
Either small leaks or changes in atmospheric pressure. However if the bubble is less than 1/4 inch across it won't affect accuracy. Bubbles can form from high elevation or exposure to cold temp...
I'm from Munich, Germany. There is a German highest mountain Zugspitze (2.962m) close to the city (2 hours with a train), and I want to climb it in spring. Base camp is 700m high. There are a coup...
When travelling on extremely remote roads, you need to prepare for the worst. This is even more true if you are travelling in a climate where the weather might kill you within days, such as in ext...
First, if you go somewhere in a car, take along the clothes necessary to be outside for an extended period. 406 MHz PLB (Personal Locator Beacon) All the tragedies have one thing in common: the...
Any amount of insulation helps. There are 3 main areas of heat loss. Head, sides of chest, and groin area. Any form of fabric will work. Yes, even cotton. (Cotton's problem is when it's in the...
Is it warmer to sleep in a car or in a tent? Suppose that our old internal-combustion-engine car breaks down in a remote place at -30°C, -40°C, or -50°C, and the engine won't run at all. Suppose ...
Bogs on my Lemmenjoki and Hammastunturi map are marked as either easy or hard to traverse. What conditions should I expect from both terrain types in summer (mid August)? Does easy mean one can wal...
An article in the Spokesman Review claims that the best solution for biting flies is a combination of Permethrin to treat clothing with Picaridin to treat skin and gear. Supposedly the Picaridin ...
Most backpacking backpacks have both a big main compartment and a "brain" which goes over the top of the main compartment. Image source When packing, which gear should go into the brain?
You have a leg up as far as canoeing experience is concerned, but there's a definite risk of getting lost, especially the first time you're doing swamp canoeing. The terrain is different from other...
Often times it makes sense to ask the locals by asking at gun shops or outdoor gear shops like for example Sportsman's Warehouse or Cabela's. The other good resource would be the managers of publ...
Late to the show, but I'm not entirely convinced by the current answers. First, we can't really talk about 4-season tents without considering the activity and conditions The term "4-season" can m...
I will answer in reverse order: (2) the least impact to the stream ecosystem, presuming you intend to cross, is to use the preexisting track. First, this restricts disturbance to an already distu...
