Activity for Chris Johns‭

Type	On...	Excerpt	Status	Date
Answer	—	A: Does cotton make you colder or hotter? The problem with cotton for base and insulating layers is the fact that it tends to absorb moisture this can be a problem in both cold and hot conditions. In cold conditions it greatly decreases the insulation provided by your clothing as water has high thermal conductivity and it fills up the air ... (more)	—	about 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: Can you attach a non-load bearing hip/waist belt to an existing bag? If you just want extra load carrying space then you can buy suitable belts from military suppliers. you can either get plain belt and separate padding which you can slip onto the belt, which is best if you want to use simple loops or you can get complete units which often have MOLLE type strips on... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to sharpen a peculiar looking knife There are two options. First you can sharpen it with a single bevel (per side), this requires sharpening with the wide bevel flat to the stone. Alternatively you can sharpen with a small second 'micro bevel' at a slightly steeper angle than the primary bevel. this makes it much easier to give th... (more)	—	almost 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: Should overweight people ever climb? I see no reason why not. I have no idea whether climbing is an optimal way to loose wight or not but an form or exercise which you enjoy and actually do is definitely better than one you don't. Equally what you don't want to do is try too hard and injure yourself. Having said that climbing a fai... (more)	—	about 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: Why don't we apply the principles of layering when it comes to pants? There are a few reasons. This first is that legs are mostly bone and muscle, which if you're walking is doing fairly constant work. Compared to the head and torso your legs are much less bothered about being a bit too hot or cold. Secondly it is generally much more hassle to put on and take off le... (more)	—	over 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: Camper van conversion sleeping width wise Typically the widest part of a van is about a third of the way up (although this is usually only very slightly wider than at floor level) and they usually narrow a bit towards the roof. I happen to have the floor dimensions of a Renault Master (similar size to a Transit). The floor is a little over... (more)	—	over 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: Fisherman rescue, what gear is required? Unless you are properly trained in rope rescue techniques I would not advise attempting a rescue unless it is pretty clear that the casualty is in immediate danger. The issue here is that a sprained ankle is not going to immediately kill anyone however a botched attempt to winch them up a cliff ve... (more)	—	over 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: Why does suspension trauma happen? Most climbing harnesses support the majority of your weight, if freely suspended, around the tops of the thighs. While the waist belt may be designed to take the brunt of loads in a fall once you are suspended the weight will tend to settle onto the leg loops, depending of course on the position tha... (more)	—	over 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: How effective is survival trapping? Trapping can be effective with very simple equipment and a properly designed and constructed trap should either kill the animal outright (preferable) or not be easy to escape from. Also bear in mind that in many cases improvised traps may be illegal (in a non-emergency situation) so it may not be p... (more)	—	over 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: What are the pros and cons of air pads vs foam pads for backpacking? Fully inflatable mattresses don't provide a great deal of insulation from the ground and tend to be fairly heavy plus they take a bit of effort to inflate and deflate which can become a nuisance if you are moving camp every day, especially in bad weather. A closed cell foam pad is inexpensive, rugg... (more)	—	over 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to process iron in the wilderness? The simplest way of smelting iron is a bloomery furnace. This is essentially a beehive shaped structure, covered in clay and containing alternating layers of charcoal and iron ore with openings top and bottom to allow a controlled airflow through the stack. Iron ore comes in several forms but is es... (more)	—	almost 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to choose a fire steel and use it most effectively? Why would one want one of these rather than a Storm Lighter? The advantage of a ferro rod is that it is simple, reliable and lasts a long time. There are no moving parts to break or fuel to run out. They will gradually wear down but they last a very long time for their weight and you can see how muc... (more)	—	almost 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Why do I always wake up freezing? When you say an 'inflatable sleeping mat' is this a sealed foam type one or an inflatable airbed. If it is an air mattress then that could be part of the problem. Because they contain a large volume of air which can move about they don't provide very good insulation compared to a closed-cell or sel... (more)	—	almost 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Buying a Backpacking Knife If you are concerned about sharpening I would suggest that the best advice is to find a knife which is easy to sharpen rather than one which doesn't need sharpening. A lot of cheap consumer knives are fairly poor quality stainless steel which is heat treated somewhat on the hard side. These tend to... (more)	—	almost 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: What are the measurable prerequisites of strength and/or flexiblity for starting to climb in a climbing gym? Often absolute strength isn't that important and it's certainly not just a case of dragging yourself up with your arms and really it is more about technique than brute force. Equally many people will find that finger strength (and abrasion resistance) is the first limiting factor and it's fairly h... (more)	—	almost 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: How do you make a stone axe? There are two principal techniques for making stone tools, depending on the properties of the material you have available. The first and probably best known is knapping. This is used with glassy rocks like flint and obsidian which can form sharp fracture surfaces when struck or pressed. This proces... (more)	—	almost 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Have mainstream knife steels improved in the last generation? This is debatable. In the last few decades there have certainly been a steady stream of new steels introduced into knifemaking, however there are very few steels which are designed specifically for this job and most have some other primary industrial purpose, knifemakers just have to evaluate which... (more)	—	almost 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: What should one look for in a bivy sack? There are a whole range of options from simple plastic tubes to something more like a small tent. Ones which have no real supporting structure at all, essentially waterproof sleeping bag covers need to be more waterproof than those which are supported a they will have folds and hollows which can tr... (more)	—	almost 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: What are ways to reduce swinging momentum when climbing? You could also try releasing your feet first and using the resulting swing to drive the move to the next hold that way you can start use your existing hand holds as a stable base to resist the initial acceleration and transfer your right hand to the next hold at the last moment. However as other an... (more)	—	almost 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: How do you remove a fishhook from a human? Often the best solution is to get some fine nosed pliers and push the point of the hook out and through, making an 'exit wound'. This is often preferable to trying to pull a barbed hook back the way it went in. Obviously some common sense needs to be employed here... I'm really talking about a small ... (more)	—	almost 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: In cold conditions, will you freeze faster wearing wet clothes than not wearing any? It depends a bit on the circumstances. If you have just fallen in freezing water than stripping off will probably get you warm faster as wet clothing will usually conduct heat away from your body faster than just cold air next to your skin. However, in cold conditions, being naked is not good fo... (more)	—	almost 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Baking with backpacking stoves The problem is that baking generally requires heating a large volume of air to a fairly high temperature and so is not very fuel efficient if you aren't already using a wood fire for other purposes (ie heating and boiling water) If you really want baked-ish food on the trail with a stove then thin... (more)	—	almost 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Dangers of solo hiking (in Ontario) The biggest danger in hiking alone is that any sort of injury or illness can very quickly put you in a situation where your life is at risk. anything which immobilises you in the wilderness is potentially quite dangerous. This is exacerbate in winter where hypothermia can very easily kill you overn... (more)	—	almost 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: What's the difference between water-resistant and waterproof? Water resistant is often used where water resistance is quantified usually in terms of static pressure head. An obvious example is watches which have long been classified by water depth in metres of pressure in bars or atmospheres. Also fabrics for jackets, tents etc will be specified by the head o... (more)	—	almost 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Gear for climbing a building There is a whole industry of commercial rope access for maintenance etc and the techniques used are related but not identical to recreational climbing and mountaineering. There are also a few individuals who climb buildings for recreation/self promotion. In the commercial case it is usually more a... (more)	—	about 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: First skills to learn for mountaineering One of the most important skills is to make friends with skilled mountaineers and have the social skills to make them want to take you along on their next expedition. While this may sound flippant what it really means is find a club with people you get on with and integrate yourself into it. Obviou... (more)	—	about 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Applying enough heat (120 ° C) to shrinking tube without damaging the fletching A direct flame isn't a good way to set heat shrink tube as the flame is much too hot, making it very difficult to apply heat evenly without just melting the tube. The ideal thing is a hot air gun. You can get smaller more precise ones for fiddly electronics applications etc but for arrows a standar... (more)	—	about 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to become a falconer at a young age? In the US you probably won't be able to become an apprentice in the traditional sense at the age of 14 as you will be legally obliged to be in school or at least educated by someone with parental responsibility. Similarly it is not usually possible to employ minors except for casual work with very fe... (more)	—	about 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: How can I boost morale on long backpacking trips? Food When you're backpacking meals can be an important highlight of the day so if you find that morale is an issue it may be that having better food helps. This may involve carrying a bit of extra weight but even simple tings like sauces and spices can help a lot. It can also be that people aren't ... (more)	—	about 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Camping stove with plane allowed fuel Fuels tend to be prohibited on commercial flights, by definition. There are a variety of solid fuel stoves which are popular with bushcrafters and day campers although these tend to be relatively heavy and bulky and rely on you being able to find suitable fuel at your campsite. Their major downside... (more)	—	about 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is it possible to use a flint and steel with wet tinder? It depends : A ferrocerium rod will produce more, hotter, larger sparks than a traditional flint and steel and with care you can shave off a small pile of material from the rod without sparking it which can act as an igniter. Ideally you should carry a reasonable quantity of tinder with you in a ... (more)	—	about 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is "scat" used to describe the droppings of any animal? It is specifically used in the context of tracking and similar to when you are using it to identify and track the animal in question. As such it also comes under the general heading of 'spoor' which can include any signs left by an animal including hair, foot/paw/hoof prints, evidence of feeding and ... (more)	—	about 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: How safe is a chest harness when used without a sit harness? In this sort of situation a chest harness is reasonable because its main purpose is to keep you attached to the route via a short sling as protection against slips as opposed to actual climbing where long, high energy falls might be expected. So it should not be loaded with much more than you body we... (more)	—	about 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to cook meat with no equipment? There are a few distinct methods which require few or no tools. 1) Skewers : good for fish and small pieces of meat, especially more tender cuts which don;t require long cooking. simply thread the meat onto a sharpened green stick and support over the fire. Here a fire of hot embers with little or... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Will a laser pointer work for pointing at whitewater? An alternative you might want to consider is taking a model/diorama making kit. This is a technique widely used by the military, especially for infantry and SF platoon and section commanders. Although it is a bit of extra faff it makes explaining complex plans on real geography much much easier an... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Method to test if wood is suitable to start a friction fire The most critical consideration is that it is absolutely bone dry which can be a challenge in temperate climates. Usually the best bet is to look for dead wood which is standing or at least off the ground. Ideally you are looking for something which is obviously long dead but still sound i.e. not rot... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is there a breathing technique to conserve bottled oxygen? It depends a bit on the system used. If you are being supplied with air or oxygen via demand valve then your consumption will depend on your rate or breathing rather than the amount of oxygen biologically needed by your body. So clearly in this situation being able to control your breathing rate w... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Can oiling keep tools from rusting? Ordinary vegetable oils of the type used for cooking will work but are not ideal. Over time they will gradually oxidise and may be colonised by bacteria, both of which can cause them to become acidic which can itself cause corrosion of the metal. Also vegetable oils can become gummy and sticky in qu... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Does rain harm a bow From the sales material you quote it sounds like the 'wood' in question has been vacuum stabilised. This involves completely saturating the wood with a polymer resin so it is in effect more like a plastic composite than natural wood but retains the grain and appearance of wood. As long as the proce... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Am I packing too much for a 2-3 day hike in the forests? In terms of the items on the list it all seems entirely reasonable and an overall pack weight is not by any means ridiculous, although it is in the regions where shaving a few kg is likely to make quite a big difference in overall comfort. It is fairly likely that your tent is the heaviest single i... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: What is the difference between a rifle and a shotgun? The term 'rifle' comes from the fact that the barrel of a rifle has spiral grooves (called rifling) cut into the inside. When the bullet is fired it is forced into these grooves which in turn cause it to spin as it travels down the barrel. This spin around its long axis creates a gyroscopic effect ... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Avoiding leaks from stove and fuel bottles? Automotive gasoline has a very strong smell which is almost impossible to eliminate entirely, even it it doesn't actually leak as the persistent smell comes from heavier hydrocarbons and other additives which don't evaporate quickly. Many fuels also contain chemicals specifically intended to give an ... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: How can you prevent kids getting lost at night while camping? Any system which relies on preventing kids form exploring while outdoors seems to be both self-defeating and unlikely to work. My advice is to talk to them about what they should do if they do get lost so they can help in their own rescue. Similarity putting too strong a prohibition on wandering of... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Why do people who backpack sleep in tents instead of tarps? As others have mentioned there is a whole spectrum of fabric shelters. A few decades ago the difference was much more pronounced between a tent and a tarp. My first tent was a Vango Force 10 which my Dad had used before me and is built something along the lines of an air raid shelter in cotton canv... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is it offensive to "just hike" on a pilgrim's path? There is a fair argument that the general experience of hiking is part of the religious experience of a pilgrimage , for example, solitude, relaxtion , physical exercise and exploring the natural world. So it would seem unreasonable for anybody to take offense that you want to experience those things... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: What is this miniature backpack called? Something like this is probably more likely to be marketed as a 'pouch' than a 'mini-backpack'. A search for 'belt pouch' or 'utility pouch' on ebay will get you what you want. (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: What's the best way to store/carry olive oil for hiking? Depending on how much you need you can get a variety of food grade plastic bottles for carrying liquids. To avoid drips probably the best option is a squeeze type bottle with both a nozzle and a screw top lid. The combination of a screw top and insert squirt nozzle gives a good combination of ease ... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Legal liabilities of non-profit guiding in adventure sports There is a big difference between a 'non-profit' organisation and just doing something on a casual basis without asking for payment. Obviously if you are advertising your services in any way then there is a good chance that you would be considered to be a business regardless of whether you ask for ... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: What is the best type of shoe to wear for crossing deep rivers? For the UK in spring where you expect river crossings there is an argument for just using boots which dry fast eg unlined fabric and leather construction as these also have the advantage of being more breathable in general. If that is not to your taste then the traditional canvas and rubber plims... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: What should a rescue team be equipped with? In addition to personal equipment appropriate to the terrain and conditions there are some rescue specific basics which should be easy to provide, this is more geared to providing support to the main search and rescue effort than actually going out at the sharp end yourself. Obviously a lot of search... (more)	—	over 8 years ago

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