Activity for Systemâ€
| Type | On... | Excerpt | Status | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Answer | — |
A: Are cushioned socks necessary for hiking boots? Advise such as this is aim at the less informed and suits the majority of people most of the time. You have a solution that works for you, don't feel compelled to change it because someone who you never met, who has never put your feet into your boots tells you its better. It sounds like you boot a... (more) |
— | about 8 years ago |
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How can I prevent my binoculars from steaming up? I went for a walk last night in my local woods. I took a pair of binoculars with me. It was quite a cool evening (not that cold). Every time I put the binoculars to my face though to look at something they started to steam up! When I removed them they'd clear only to fog up again after a few seconds ... (more) |
— | about 8 years ago |
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A: Preparing rice and mashed potatoes with warm instead of cooking water Your main problem I'd say is that keeping cooked rice unrefrigerated and then not heating rice adequately can potentially cause you to become very unwell! There is even specific guidance about the reheating of rice on the NHS web site: Can reheating rice cause food poisoning? Yes. You can ge... (more) |
— | about 8 years ago |
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A: What's the best way to self-arrest on a sandy slope? You can use a snow self arrest technique (one that you use if you don't have an axe). Basically you want to dig your hands and feet into the "surface" as much as possible, thus concentrating your body weight into as small an area as possible: Image source (more) |
— | about 8 years ago |
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A: Keeping the things interesting in a small climbing gym Climb the easy route repeatedly. By this I mean, see how many ascents of x route you can do in y time. So climb the route Drop off Immediately climb it again Repeat until out of time or exhausted (whichever happens first!) Keep notes and try and beat your number of ascents (next time or after a ... (more) |
— | about 8 years ago |
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A: What happens when someone dies on Mount Everest? Above about 7500-8000meters, currently they are left there. One opinion based answer is because Everest climbers are selfish. Given many people who climb Everest won't abandon a summit attempt to save a life, do you really think they care enough to risk their life to bring a body off the mountain? ... (more) |
— | about 8 years ago |
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A: How can I tell if a plant is poisonous? I would think the best way to be safe would to know the plants of the area you plan to explore. Being dumped in an unknown wilderness like a plane crash or something catastrophic then I would still be very cautious of the environment I am in, local libraries and searching online for your area of expl... (more) |
— | about 8 years ago |
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Should you store a compass flat? My girlfriend keeps hanging my compass on the wall. Is this doing it any harm? (more) |
— | about 8 years ago |
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A: Where is a good introduction to snow chain usage? Best thing you can do is find a video on the internet of someone putting them on – same make and model of chains as yours if possible, then practice several times, ideally when it's warm an sunny or in your garage. Its OK to go for a short drive (100meter or so) up and down a quiet street ... (more) |
— | about 8 years ago |
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A: How unpleasant is Hypothermia? I have had mild hypothermia (on a mountain bike race when I was a teenager) During this I'd describe the symptoms as flu like. I was quickly whisked down the mountain by mountain rescue to warm up and suffered no long/medium term ill affects. I've never had "proper" hypothermia though (thank god) bu... (more) |
— | about 8 years ago |
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A: What are the easiest methods to carry a backpack when cycling? You want to keep your centre of gravity quite low, so it depends on how heavy the stuff your carrying is. If it's light wear it on your back, if it's heavy put it on the carrier. (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: How do Plover sentinels give the "move out" signal? What your describing is flocking. It's an extremely complex behaviour where individuals react to their immediate neighbours giving the sense that the whole flock moves as a whole. Birds naturally flock (in the air or on the ground) as a defensive mechanism against predators, etc. Though complex there... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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How to differentiate between a Hobby and a Kestrel? I often see Kestrel's in the countryside around my house (Hobby & Kestrel). I live outside of the range of hobby's so I don't really see them. But if I did, how do you differentiate between them? They seem very similar birds. They're both small raptors with similar colouring and both "hover". Of... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: How safe are stoppers/rocks when threaded through rock tunnels? Your main concern here is going to be shock loading. Nuts are typically tested to resist static compression load. Any shock is typically adsorbed by the rope and other equipment, so they get the mimimum shock load when/if you fall. If they don't fit well and are loose (or are just passed though a hol... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: Where and when do I use these lures [new fisher] The first picture is of spinners. you tow them though the water and they spin and sparkle, attracting the attention of predatory fish. Use these where you have good visibility in the water. The different sizes colours will depend on what fish you want to catch. The second set are lures. Again desig... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: How to safely train for and grip pockets? I can offer some basic advice on two of your points but I've never experienced the injury nor do I know a great deal about it unfortunately. Do most good climbers hold back the dropped fingers as in the penultimate image, or do they flex them down as in the last one? You should attempt to ke... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: How does drying stuff in your sleeping bag work? The water will either absorb into the sleeping bag materials, and or evaporate, or absorb then evaporate. The rate of evaporation is determined by the humidity inside the sleeping bag, and this is determined by the rate water vapor escapes into the outside air. The latent heat of evaporation of wat... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: Roof-top tents vs conventional tents? These are common in Australia, where snakes (9 out of the 10 most poisonous in the world) and spiders (another insane number of highly poisonous variety) along with other wild life (Crocodiles?, Bullsharks :) ) make tenting on the ground something for the more adventurous or short term residents of t... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: Does a pound on your foot equal 5 pounds on your back? The factor of 5 maybe an exaggeration, but the physics is certainly worth examining. Consider what is happening as you walk. Backpack Take easy ground to begin with - your pack moves at a fairly constant speed and velocity - essentially the only energy needed from you is holding the weight in the... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: Why are eye friction hitches not commonly used in rock climbing? A climber and aborist should be superbly proficient in a knot or technique before relying on it. An Arborist will spend 100's of hours a year climbing - much more than average climbers, and has more time to become proficient in complex techniques, and uses them enough the advantages are worth the eff... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: How can I recuperate between two long walks Your goals should be to: Recuperate as fast as possible and prevent injury Replenish your energy reserves as best you can Rest So stretch and stretch well (even if your exhausted). I recently did a long distance walk and I was too tired to stretch in the evening. Worst decision I've ever made. I ... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: Will drinking lots of water in the day(s) prior to a long trek mean I will need less water on the trek? Your body does not store significant amounts of water (most of the, usable, water in our body is in blood plasma). Unlike energy which can be stored as fat or carbohydrates, water has no real storage mechanism. This is why you will die of thirst long before you die of hunger. As such, once your body... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: How do I disinfect my wool hiking socks? Hot Water - needs to be very hot - 140 F (60C) - reported to kill all, but is not good for wool. UV Light - hang out to dry in direct sunshine. Products exist that claim to sterilize shoes using UV light and can be used for socks. Chemicals - Anti fungal Laundry rinse (e.g. Canestan) is effective... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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Repair a GoreTex jacket's zip? My trusty North Face Goretex failed yesterday. The coat itself is in fine working order but the zip is totally broken. Just came apart. I'm loathed to trash a £200 jacket simply because the zip has failed but I'm not sure what other option I have. I checked the north face web site and this kind ... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: Small mushroom in Massachusetts Identification? It seems to me that it is a Lepiota, a genus of gilled mushrooms in the family Agaricaceae. It could be an Inocybe, a genus of mushroom. (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: How to get weather information in the backcountry Some areas of the world have a radio service (usually HF) that broadcasts weather on a schedule and allows you to check in daily. If close proximity to a marine area you may be able to pick up a scheduled marine VHF forecast (although it will be marine so the focus is different), Alternately, you cou... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: Is it safe to drink snow? From a water purity point of view the same rules apply for drinking water. What is important though is the temperature. If you drink large amounts of snow at a low temperature (i.e. you don't heat it adequately and just drink it as it melts in your hand) then you may need to be careful. Basically i... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: What's the best way to remove layers of bottom paint from a sailboat hull? Here is a Youtube link for "Fast bottom Paint Removal using Walnut Blasting". You could also try the following steps: There are several ways to take off many paint layers, and what you ultimately decide on will depend on your budget, the boatyard’s rules and your boat’s current condi... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: How much does body fat actually insulate you against the cold? In humans not a lot. There are significant differences between blubber and fat. Though blubber is mostly made of fat it has very different composition to human fat. An animal with blubber also uses it in very different ways to the way a human uses fat. Fat in a human is an energy source, not insulati... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: What are the key differences between Mountaineering and Rock Climbing? Mountaineering is one of them terms that means different things to different people. To me mountaineering is spending time ascending mountains, simples. I would argue that rock climbing is a skill you may or may not use in the process of mountaineering. For example ascending the north face of the ... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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Is it feasible to use Zakopane as a base to climb the Tatra mountains? I'm planning a trip climbing in the Tatras this summer. I was planning on basing myself at Zakopane (seem's the be a good availability of accommodation, etc.). I mentioned this on a climbing forum I participate on and I was told: There are lot's of good climbing huts in the area Which got me th... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: How can I ascertain the proper harvesting/extraction period for birch syrup for a particular region? Sap flow in trees is a result of sap pressure accumulated in the roots during a frost, which is then released when the temperature thaws during the day. Many tree species cannot be harvested because they do not develop high enough sap pressure to bleed (according to Venerable Trees, Inc.). One farm ... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: What is the most efficient DIY alcohol stove for narrow pots? The original Penny Stove has been popular for over a decade as a DIY alcohol stove designed for ultralight backpackers. Its trademark is the use of a penny as a fuel regulator. Independent tests document that it heats faster, uses less fuel, simmers longer, and packs lighter than any commercial... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: What food is good to take trekking for acid reflux? If I had to bring one thing for acid reflux, it'd be a bottle of citric acid powder. Hopefully this doesn't come off as crackpot-ish, but it's solved the bulk of my acid reflux problem. Any evening I ate pizza or legumes, like clockwork I'd be lying awake half the night from extreme acid reflux, th... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: Toothpaste in the back-country and the principle of leave no trace Stefansson proved once and for all that diet affects teeth more than brushing. His experiences with the Arctic Inuit were published in Harper's Magazine in 1935, but are also available here in three parts: I, II, III. It's arguably the upside-down food pyramid that is responsible for lining dentists... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: How to react to a shark attack Common advise is to punch the shark in the nose and/or eyes with your closed fist or a weapon (surf board). These are sensitive areas, and a shark that has mistaken you for a seal, or is just investigating, will usually be frightened away. Reading reviews of people who have been attacked (and surv... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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What should I do if I disturb a bird of prey with a kill? A friend of mine disturbed a bird of prey (I think it was a kestrel or sparrow hawk) that had just killed a pigeon in her back garden. The pigeon was still alive when she found it but died soon after. If she leaves the pigeon out will the bird of prey return or is it too late now? (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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I never adjust for true north. Is this bad practice? This question (Calculate true north with a compass and map) got me thinking. I rarely bother adjusting compass bearings for magnetic north. Is this bad? I understand the theory but I just rarely bother. It's never seemed to have caused me any problems. I mostly navigate in mountainous areas, I wond... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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How do I know when to choose between a Klemheist or prussik knot? Both effectively do the same job, grip a rope as an auto bloc or an ascender. What are the pros and cons of each? Why/when would I choose one over the other? (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: How do I rescue someone out of a crevasse? This is a varied and complex subject. As a good thorough example of a crevasse rescue done well check out This video. Even with this thorough example, there are things that could be improved or argued that x should be done differently. As with many mountaineering techniques, practice and experience... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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How do I rescue someone out of a crevasse? What is the technique involved in crevasse rescues? Presuming a group are all moving together on a glacier and the leader of the party has fallen into a crevasse (collapsed snow bridge, etc.). The fall was held so all other members of the party are secure. How do the other members of the team go ab... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: Is wax waterproofing more effective than spray for fabric coat? It's hard to tell without all the details. As a rule of thumb I'd apply whatever was applied to the coat originally. If it didn't have a coating at all then the waterproof spray is likely the best option. The spray is likely going to produce the best result. Wax can discolour and make a jacket stif... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: What are some heavy-duty alternatives to a long line for walking a dog on rugged terrain? I wouldn't use climbing rope, anyone that's ever caught a climbing rope that's running out will tell you it's not pleasant. It burns! Very painful. A lunge line would be much better. It should easily cope with the demands of rocks, etc. Climbing ropes are engineered to catch a falling human. Dogs ar... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: Have attacks on humans by raptors other than owls been documented, excluding cases where they were defending their nests? New Zealand falcon - Wikipedia claims they have attacked people, and I have been fortunate enough to have been 'challenged' by one in the wild. I changed my planned route preference to finding out if this one was bluffing. Its well known to be an aggressive bird but one you are so privileged if you ... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: How to remove a tent pole cord from a pole tip? Typically these are not meant to be messed with. Even if you could get to the knot I'd imagine you would struggle to get it un-done. Basically, in my experience, cutting it is often the best/only solution. Just try and save as much cord as you can. FYI tent pole repair companies will often sell extr... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: Distinguish iced snow from powder I am unfortunate in that our weather is warm and wet with a lot of melt/freeze cycles, and have lots of experience dealing with skiing on sheets of ice. here I am using "Ice" loosely to mean anything from true ice to hard packed snow you need razor sharp edges to stay upright and in control. Ice an... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: Protection from rain - running vs. walking You should walk. I have seen (and had) many 'accidents' from running in the rain - who hasn't? Although in theory running will keep you drier, there are more important things that staying dry. Running for the sake of staying drier is often done with little thought to the surroundings and potenti... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: How to create a cast or splint to aid a broken bone? Having had to splint my own broken wrist in the wild, I do not suggest wasting time going for "natural" solutions to the problem. Sure, if something natural is there and better than what you have, go for it. Depending how far way, and how mobile the patient needs to be, will depend how much time y... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: Does it look like these boots are too long for my foot? The main issue with boot fit around the toe area is your toes pressing against the ends or the top. Typically you want the "toe box" to be quite roomy to allow free movement of your toes when your foot lifts and you apply pressure though your toes. So the main problem most people have is their toes... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: Prohibited to walk through/over historical significant areas? This pretty much boils down to access. If you have the right to access the area, the fact that it is a historical site means little. So if there is a footpath you can walk along the footpath. If it's open access area, common land or right to roam then again no issues. If it's owned then you must obey... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |