Activity for berry120
| Type | On... | Excerpt | Status | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Question | — |
Does the solar powered fridge work as advertised whilst hiking? I stumbled across this link the other day which seems rather ingenious and was wondering if anyone has tried such a contraption whilst hiking? If not, do you think it would be effective? I'm tempted to try to make one and then see how it performs in various temperatures. (more) |
— | about 12 years ago |
| Question | — |
What are some good games to play with children on hikes? Sometimes children find long hikes boring and tiring, but if you can turn it around to play some games along the way they can find things a lot more interesting. What are some good games to play in this regard? The obvious classic is I-spy, but are there any other gems out there? (more) |
— | about 12 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: Is it safe to eat poison ivy berries since I don't react to the leaves? Yes, they may be fatal! Is that a risk you're willing to take? As pointed out already even if you eat them once and you're ok, that may not be the case the next time. If you're unsure of eating anything in particular in the wild I'd stay well away. With something that's known to be poisonous to a la... (more) |
— | about 12 years ago |
| Question | — |
When does a geocached area become "saturated"? The 161m (0.1mile) rule in Geocaching is a pretty infamous one. However, the rules also state this: Please don't hide a cache every 600 feet just because you can. The two main goals of the saturation guideline are to encourage you to seek out new places to hide caches rather than putting them in ... (more) |
— | about 12 years ago |
| Question | — |
What's a good, secure way to attach neodymium magnets to a geocache? I've grabbed some neodymium magnets as a cheap way of attaching small geocaches to metallic objects such as road signs and poles. However, I'm not sure of the best way of attaching the magnets - tape tends to wear away, and over time with people constantly detaching / reattaching the cache I would i... (more) |
— | about 12 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: How should I put out a campfire while away from civilization? A large part of this falls down to planning as to where you build the fire in the first place. If you have got a natural water source nearby then build close to there which will give you an ample source of water to make sure the fire is doused. As an added measure, it also provides an easy source of ... (more) |
— | about 12 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: Good books to learn survival? Check out the SAS Survival Handbook. It's clear, concise, to the point, and contains a lot of good survival information. (more) |
— | about 12 years ago |
| Question | — |
Is it legal to light bonfires on UK beaches? Assuming a lack of signage indicating the legalities, is it legal to light a bonfire on a beach in the UK? I haven't been able to find an authoritative source on this either way, hence the question. In my experience it hasn't ever been an issue after dusk when beaches are mostly empty, but I was wond... (more) |
— | about 12 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: How long does mayonnaise last unrefrigerated in the back-country? The problem is this is highly dependant on the environment. If I was on a trek in the middle of winter then I'd feel pretty comfortable taking it out for a few days and being cautious, but in the height of summer I doubt it'd safely last more than a few hours at most. The other main issue is that wh... (more) |
— | about 12 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: Is it normal for an Evenk/Siberian hitch knot to become loose? In short, yes. It's not the most secure of knots, it'll do in many situations but I wouldn't want to trust my life with it under any circumstances! You might want to try the Slipped Buntline as a more secure alternative. (more) |
— | about 12 years ago |
| Question | — |
Where to find hiking shorts that last more than a few months? I'm one of these crazy people that tend to wear cargo shorts all year round, and do a lot of hiking and general outdoor activities in them. However, because of this they tend to wear out relatively quickly, and I haven't yet found some that last beyond a few months. Has anyone any recommendations? I... (more) |
— | about 12 years ago |
| Question | — |
Falling into an ice cold body of water I've never been hiking in such extreme situations, but if in the situation in the question, i.e. you're hiking in very cold weather and someone falls in (let's say so pretty much their whole body is under, and it's a lake not a river, so no current) what's the best course of action? Specifically, ho... (more) |
— | about 12 years ago |
| Question | — |
What are the advantages and disadvantages between gas, liquid and solid fuel? It seems you can get fuel for stoves in either gas form (butane, propane, etc.) liquid (methylated spirit) or solid fuel tablets. What are the particular advantages and disadvantages with each format, and when might you use one over the other? (more) |
— | about 12 years ago |
| Question | — |
Driving tent pegs into rocky ground Sometimes you can't help but set up camp in an area where the soil is very rocky / stony or firm, especially when wild camping. This can make it incredibly difficult to drive the tent pegs into the ground. Are there any good solutions to this? My approach thus far has either been to bring a mallet (... (more) |
— | about 12 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: How can you prevent kids getting lost at night while camping? Pleased to see no-one's mentioned locking the door in some way - just to reinforce for anyone that may come across this question, that's definitely what not to do, since in an emergency you want to be able to get out as quickly as you can. My first instinct is to ask if it's even a risk that's worth... (more) |
— | about 12 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: Where can I find help identifying an owl by its call? If you're after a certain, one-off dead set answer then you might want to try looking up departments / experts in this area in academia and then send them a polite email saying you'd be very grateful of their help. I'm sure many would be willing to answer since as experts in their field it'd probably... (more) |
— | about 12 years ago |
| Question | — |
How long does water need to be boiled for to kill all bacteria / viruses? This has come up a few times in a few other questions, but I've heard varying opinions from different people in a number of answers and comments on here - some saying that just boiling for a moment is enough, others saying that to be sure you should boil for around 10 minutes, and others saying it do... (more) |
— | about 12 years ago |
| Question | — |
What qualities to look for in a good emergency whistle? I've always been taught to keep a whistle on me in case of emergencies - it makes sense since it's small and lightweight but could really help in an emergency. However, something I've never really thought about much is, are they pretty much all the same, or are some more desirable than others for va... (more) |
— | about 12 years ago |
| Question | — |
Are there any specific techniques that should be used when starting a fire in the rain? Starting a fire can sometimes be hard enough when it's dry, let alone when it's tipping it down. But when it is, what steps should you follow to try to ensure the fire gets going successfully? I'm talking about the process of gathering firewood when it may be damp, to start a fire in the rain - assu... (more) |
— | about 12 years ago |
| Question | — |
Best way to illuminate a tent? Usually when I require light inside the tent I just prop a torch (flashlight) up somewhere, if it's bright enough then up at the roof of the tent the reflected light gives a nice ambient glow. Has anyone got a preferred / better way of doing this? I'm curious both in terms of utilising existing comm... (more) |
— | over 12 years ago |
| Question | — |
How do I choose a good quality carabiner? If I was looking to purchase some carabiners, what sort of things should I look out for to ensure they're good quality? I'm not planning on using them for climbing, more in the way of general use so they don't have to hold life critical heavy loads - but if the cost is similar for a decent general u... (more) |
— | over 12 years ago |
| Question | — |
Are carabiners useful tools to have in the wilderness? If so, what would they be used for? Carabiners are obviously essential in certain circumstances, such as with any type of climbing / rappelling. But are they a good tool to have generally as well, and if so what might be some example uses other than the obvious? They're generally small and lightweight, so was wondering if they had any ... (more) |
— | over 12 years ago |
| Question | — |
What makes a good head lamp? I'm looking for a decent head lamp, with a bright light and good battery life. Most on the market these days seem to be LED based, but aside from those three (perhaps obvious) considerations are there other things to look out for when selecting a purchase? It's really for general hiking use - so set... (more) |
— | over 12 years ago |
| Question | — |
Is it legal to collect firewood (to take away) from woods and forests in the UK? I've seen lots of people do this, and unless it was clearly stealing en-masse for profit I doubt there'd be a problem, but is it legal to pick up dead logs, kindling etc. and take them away to use elsewhere as firewood? (more) |
— | over 12 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: How to reduce pain of wasp stings? There are several things that supposedly reduce the pain - if you have any baking soda with you (sounds silly but if you frequently get stung it may be a good idea for this reason) then mixing some in with water and applying it can reduce the sting. Note that a common misconception is that all wasp s... (more) |
— | over 12 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: Is the "Rule of 3" proven for food? I'd say none of those rules are "proven" - they're very, very rough estimates based on a very rough description of average. Some people will fall unconscious a lot sooner than 3 minutes with no air, some can last a lot longer. In terms of food, David Blaine lasted 44 days suspended in a transparent ... (more) |
— | over 12 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: How to deal with condensation in a tent? Unfortunately, if you're in really humid territory then it's inevitable that some condensation will form, though there are steps you can take to reduce it: Leave all the vents you can open - there's not really anything "cleverer" to do with them, it's just a case of them letting the moist air out. ... (more) |
— | over 12 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: How to find objective reviews of outdoors gear? I tend to look on the livefortheoutdoors site - it has a fair few reviews, not loads, but those it does have are pretty comprehensive and (in my eyes) well written and balanced. (more) |
— | over 12 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: How to store fuel tablets for travel They can easily foul food and clothing when they come into contact with it - but keep them separate and you should be fine. I tend to wrap up individually in foil, then in a big foil layer to make a "pack" of fuel cells, then wrap them in a bag. Unless you're really bashing your pack about, there sho... (more) |
— | over 12 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: What levels of 'waterproofness' and 'breathability' should I be looking for in a ski jacket? As a rough guide to waterproofness - 5000mm is generally rainproof but won't necessarily stand up well to torrential rain. Around 15000 should be fine in that context. If you go higher than that then you're looking at fabric that can be immersed in water and still stay waterproof for a while, but sho... (more) |
— | over 12 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: What is the proper tension for a tent line There's no hard and fast rule for specific tensions that I know of, mainly because that will vary slightly depending on the conditions. As an average rule I tend to make them taught, but not to the point where they're pulling on the pegs. There's a couple of scenarios where I tend to slacken them of... (more) |
— | over 12 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: Should I always take a hard hat if I go scrambling? Personally I would - unless perhaps you definitely know that for the particular area and route you're taking the risk is minimal. Just because others may not be as cautious doesn't necessarily make it ok! Yes, there are practical disadvantages with carrying the thing and having to wear it, but it on... (more) |
— | over 12 years ago |
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A: What is a buff? I know a few people who say they're useful - and they are certainly very versatile. There's nothing very complex about them, it's just a section of stretchy material that you can wear however you like. They can be used wet for cooling, or dry underneath a hat for a bit of extra warmth, or as a scarf... (more) |
— | over 12 years ago |
| Question | — |
Do reusable "hand coolers" exist? I often carry around a couple of reusable hand warmers when hiking or just around the outdoors when it's cold. They don't take up much space, they're easy to reuse (just boil) and they provide a fair bit of heat for a while. However, try as I might I can't find any equivalent reusable packs that wor... (more) |
— | over 12 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: How to get started skiing? Have a look to see if there's a dry slope skiing centre near you - that might be your best option (especially if, like here, the amount of snow you get on a regular basis varies from none to none!) They'll be able to give you advise on lessons and you should be able to rent all your equipment to sta... (more) |
— | over 12 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: What are some ways/devices that I can use to charge my batteries in the wilderness? Probably as expected, advice varies wildly depending on whether you're talking about relying on charging the batteries for a life / death situation or it'd just be a "nice to have" if such an option was available. If it's for emergency purposes then just bring a spare set of batteries - or more spec... (more) |
— | over 12 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: How can I identify edible berries/fruit from poisonous? In general, worldwide this is very hard to predict unless you're an expert in the subject (and therefore likely wouldn't be looking for advice on this page!) There are some clues, like plants with milky sap tend to be poisonous - but applying these in a general context is almost always a bad idea sin... (more) |
— | over 12 years ago |
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A: Is there a protective substance, like an epoxy, I can use on my feet so I can backpack barefoot? If you're going to walk outside barefoot then my advice is to just go with it - build up the strength on short distances and eventually you shouldn't have an issue with hiking long distances just barefoot. This article claims someone who hiked around South Island barefoot, so it's definitely possible... (more) |
— | over 12 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: How to cheaply introduce someone to backpacking Ask the newcomer if they can ask around their friends to see if they have anything like a tent or sleeping bag they can borrow - I tend to find quite a few people have things like that lying around from festivals if nothing else, and are usually more than happy to lend them out to people they trust (... (more) |
— | over 12 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: Wild camping in subsaharan Africa - madness, blasphemy, or bearable? Disclaimer - this is purely based on a bit of prior knowledge and augmented with some more research, I've never been to subsaharan Africa and don't really plan to ever wild camp there! Wild camping around that area verges along the more extreme side of wild camping - some may say it's madness, and t... (more) |
— | over 12 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: Do iodine water treatment tablets have negative effects? Pretty much all water tablets I've seen have been chlorine based here in the UK - I've used them on a number of occasions. In normal doses they don't affect the taste that much, and they have the advantage for people who don't know what they're doing that if they really overdose on the tablets the wa... (more) |
— | over 12 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: How to avoid exploding rocks There's two main things that generally cause this, the first being the moisture content in the rock and the second being the type of rock. If the rock is wet and you heat it rapidly, any water will turn to steam and put pressure on the rock, forcing shards of it to break off rapidly. Secondly the typ... (more) |
— | over 12 years ago |
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A: Is there a tool that can calculate the time of sunrise? This web page should do the job, and also has a draggable map and list of cities if you want to select one of those rather than entering in manual co-ordinates. http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/grad/solcalc/ (more) |
— | over 12 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: What are some natural glues found in North American nature? Conifers are your friend here - they have a sticky sap which can be used as the base ingredient for a natural glue. It hardens relatively quickly on exposure to air and in its solid form is quite easy to store without sticking to everything, so if you have this in mind it's a good idea to collect som... (more) |
— | over 12 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: How bad do circumstances need to be before activating a PLB? Taking each one in turn: If the trailhead is several hours away you're not feasibly going to be able to get there on your own with broken bones, and may seriously injure yourself further doing so. Several hours away normally could turn into a lot longer if you're bitten by a rattlesnake, and again ... (more) |
— | over 12 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: Backpacking or hiking in areas open to hunting In short - be sensible. Make yourself easily seen and heard, don't walk near somewhere you hear gunfire, and where possible stick to open areas on clear, marked paths. Of course, I'd also question the wisdom of hiking somewhere when hunting is happening; if there's a sensible alternative that seems ... (more) |
— | over 12 years ago |
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A: How to carry water in freezing temperatures? Personally I'd recommend soft plastic type water bottles if they'll be frozen (though still check that this is ok with the manufacturer.) I've heard some people recommend Nalgene bottles for this, but have heard stories from more than one other source about them splitting when left to completely free... (more) |
— | over 12 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: What kind of canteen material will have the least effect on the taste of water? If you wash the canteen thoroughly before using it then it shouldn't affect the taste too much regardless of what material its made from - I'd recommend this anyway just as a matter of course. Wash once, soak overnight in hot, soapy water then wash again. Where this might come into play more is your... (more) |
— | over 12 years ago |
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A: How to keep water cold in hot weather? Mix the water in with lots of crushed ice - or even just use crushed ice to start with rather than water. I prefer this approach over just freezing the bottle outright because I find it easier to get the water out when I want to. Other than that, I'd try wrapping cloth and then foil round the bottle... (more) |
— | over 12 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: Should you pop a blister? I wouldn't burst it, especially if I was going to be hiking for a few more days - if it does end up getting infected then this could end up making things a lot worse - and it's more likely to happen in the wild! Instead, I'd advise reducing the irritation as much as possible by wearing multiple / th... (more) |
— | over 12 years ago |
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