Posts by Ryley
Trekking poles can telescope down and pack away. If you happen to have a shelter that uses trekking poles to hold it up, sometimes you need to be able to set your poles to a different height. ...
Your best bet may be to take along a set of titanium shepherd-hook-type stakes (Vargo makes a decent set). Their advantage is that they are very narrow, so less likely to hit underground rocks. ...
I have suffered pretty badly from these on a couple long hikes. Here's my best suggestions from my experience: If at all possible stop hiking for a week (I know the scenario you set up precludes...
There are a few common measures that I've seen: Full Skin Out - we're talking everything you're wearing, everything in your pack, food, water, fuel Base Weight - everything in your pack, minus "c...
If it's not actually raining, leave as many vestibule doors/tent doors as possible completely open. Within reason, setup somewhere that will have breezes but hopefully not so exposed that a big wi...
If you are into ultralight/lightweight backpacking, nothing tops BackpackingLight. They do a lot of scientific testing, and the articles are very thorough. It is a pay site, but it's something li...
The only meaningful thing I can think of is that the R-value of a pad is crucial to being warm in colder conditions. If the manufacturer of the foam padding you are buying provides the R-value (or...
The options: Smooth oval rocks (from river beds if possible) Snowball Rounded sticks Leaves (as said elsewhere, be careful of which kinds) soft pine cones (relatively rare, but plentiful where th...
Keep the inside of your poles clean. If they get soaked or sandy or muddy, clean them out after your trip and let them air dry. Clean the actual lock mechanism occasionally. Depending on the pol...
It's a trick! Don't use it! Rappelling/Abseiling is the answer though. Some people use it for belaying twin or double ropes too.
Mosquitoes love me, so I've had opportunity to try many variations of repellent. Most of the things you mentioned are effective immediately after application. For me, the difference is how effect...
Rinse your socks and undies out with water, rub them on rocks then re-rinse and wring dry. Put them on damp in the morning. I can't think of a lighter weight solution than that :) I've done plen...
I hiked all of the Pacific Crest Trail (~4000km) and the Continental Divide Trail (~4200km) wearing shoes 1.5 sizes too large and 2-4 widths too wide (i.e. normally size 11.5D but wore 12.5EEEE). ...
Here is my magic blister treatment method. You need to have this stuff in your kit: Lanolin: Yes, otherwise known as sheep grease. Sold in pharmacies as an aid for breastfeeding mothers. It i...
If you are in bear country, I agree 100% with everyone - cook somewhere else. 100m away minimum. In winter, not in bear country, getting out of your tent to cook sucks. Fortunately, many mountai...
I would say you need things in this order. Only #1 is required: A harness. You can't climb with a rope unless you have one. Shoes. You can get by with runners, but climbing shoes make a world o...
Hiking boots excel in a few situations: Extended side-hilling/traversing. Good boots take the stress off your ankles People with bad ankles. The ankle support of a good boot is hard to argue wi...
The key to keeping your back happy is to drive as much pack weight to your hips as possible. A side note on weight is that the lighter your pack overall, the happier your back. A lot of the packi...
Warning This is pure conjecture! Test this information with your gear in a safe place before using! That being said, the basic warmth of a sleeping bag is determined by the amount of loft the fil...
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