Posts by Graham
Another option is to keep your water bottle inside your jacket and use your body heat to prevent the water from freezing. Many mountaineering jackets have internal elasticated mesh pockets for this...
Basic celestial navigation: In the northern hemisphere, the star Polaris indicates north. In the southern hemisphere, you can use the Southern Cross, see Finding the south celestial pole.
The obvious thing to consider would be how loud the whistle is. The loudest I've found is the Lifesystems survival whistle which, at 122dB, claims to be "the world's most powerful whistle." I'm no...
This article (*) gives a good summary of the efficiency of boiling as a method for making water safe for consumption. In particular, Table 2 provides a summary of the temperature and time required ...
The key advantage of a geodesic design is the pole configuration can support a greater static load. This means they are favoured for mountaineering expeditions because they can withstand a heavy sn...
This article (*) gives a good summary of the efficiency of boiling as a method for making water safe for consumption. In particular, Table 2 provides a summary of the temperature and time required ...
Use a biodegradable (e.g. cornstarch-based) bag to pick up waste and then pack it in a airtight container. For obvious reasons the container should only be used for that purpose and disinfected whe...
The rule of three may be a useful mnemonic to help prioritise or plan in a survival situation, but it is not necessarily going to be accurate. Survival without food is going to depend on many facto...
Instant ice packs, like this one, which are usually used for treating sprains and strains sound a bit like what you are looking for. They use a chemical reaction to cool, but, they are single use o...
Personally, I would use a wind chill chart, e.g this keyring compass includes a wind chill chart that would be easy to carry. It's still not going to be accurate, but it would provide a guide when ...
Ask specific questions here, or browse the other questions and answers! For your first time, try and make sure you have fun. The following may help: Check the weather forecast, avoid cold, wet, ...
The instructions I've always heard are unequivocal - always wear a life vest. By all means make sure it fits well and lose straps are tucked away to minimise entanglement, but, when in a sport wher...
Heat loss can occur from anywhere on the body through a number of processes: Conduction e.g. when sitting on the ground. Convection e.g. due to wind chill. Radiation i.e. heat loss direct to the ...
What you describe sounds like the early symptoms of blisters, a few things you could try are: Are your shoes laced too tightly? If they are too tight over the instep, movement in your foot as you...
The loop allows the gloves to be hung, on a carabiner for example, such that the fingers point up preventing the gloves filling with rain or snow. For example, see the manufacturer's description o...
I am assuming that, as you moved out of the snow field you were also descending, therefore, I think it is more likely you were experiencing altitude sickness and your symptoms reversed as you desce...
These products may be what you are looking for, they are hip-height waterproof waders: NEOS River Trekker Overshoe Wiggy's Light Weight Waders
Given that the basis for defining time is based on the Earth's rotation and where the Sun is relative to a point on the Earth, it's going to be difficult to estimate the time without knowing where ...
When using lead climbing techniques the lead climber is belayed by his partner and as he climbs he places protection (e.g. camming devices). Once at the top of the pitch, the lead climber then bela...
I appreciate the preference to use natural protection, however, I think it is important to point out that using insect repellent should not be the only method of defence against malaria that you em...
As Cryptosporidium is passed in the faeces of animals, the more heavily the land is used by animals, the greater the risk of Cryptosporidium contamination in water sourced from that land. This art...
All land in the UK is owned by somebody, therefore, all trees and their produce (including firewood) are owned by somebody. You could be charged with theft if you take logs, kindling etc. without p...
If it's raining or very humid you are probably going to have to put up with some condensation, but to try and reduce it, look for ways to minimise water vapour and increase ventilation. The followi...
If it doesn't need to be pretty, a cost effective option is spinnaker repair tape (nylon cloth tape, for example, see products on this page). It is designed for repairs to yacht sails so it is dura...
To be honest I was dubious about getting something that I thought was gimmicky, but my son’s Scout troop was selling custom Buffs to raise group funds so I ended up buying one. A Buff is just a tu...
