Posts by Lost
Blisters are caused by friction. Your skin is not very slippery. Applying moleskin and duct-tape over a "hot-spot" adds a protective layer between your skin and shoe. Thus as your shoe slides, it r...
It's less about the type of shoe, but how your run in it. Minimalist running shoes should not "wear out" in the traditional sense since they have little or no padding to compress. Because many are...
Anecdotally - yes. I've heard it is possible, read it is possible, and have successfully done so myself while working in Wyoming's Wind River Range (on par with Alaska for its mosquitoes). Cavea...
Good hygiene is a highly subjective benchmark. Clean enough for comfort might be different than clean enough for company. Ocean water, albeit salty, is water. You can bathe with it, wash clothes w...
Reliability: So far so good - no mass returns of skis due to breakage. Since the binding plate is integrated into the ski, there is more even distribution of force, where as five screws create five...
The first part of your question: "why non SNS bindings for NIS plates" seems to be purely a matter of proprietary systems and corporate competition. SNS is Solomon's baby, NIS is a collaborative be...
Inflatable pillows blow. (Get it? Ha ha! I kill me.) Seriously though - after years of battling inflatables (sticky in hot climes, slippery, hard to breathe when you are face down in them) I've fo...
Should I understand a water source to mean a spring/well, or any place where hikers may collect water (streams, lakes, etc.)? Yes. Any source of water - no matter how large or small - should...
The two biggest risks from gouges: Core Shot: This is when the gouge cuts through the base material* to the core layers of the ski (usually wood or composite material). If moisture gets in betwee...
There are two types of water-based concerns while doing strenuous activity in the desert: dehydration and hyponatremia. Dehydration occurs when your body is not getting enough water, and is the mo...
Just grab and pull. Seriously, after years living in the leach-infested tropics where I would find 20 or so on me just from walking up to base-camp for breakfast, the only wrong way to remove a le...
You definitely need to be concerned if you are using waxless XC skis with fish scales under foot. Skiing over hard dead sticks can break off the edges of these scales (or wear them down over time) ...
To answer the original question: At no point is the cord so small that you need to seriously worry about it cutting through the attachment points. Unless you pulling it through at high speed under ...
Camping regulations will vary according to area and land designation (wilderness, travel restricted, winter closures, etc...). Always check with the local Ranger District to get the details. That ...
First, lets dispel a common myth: Rock fire rings do absolutely nothing to contain, corral, or control a fire. That being said, a fire needs 3 things: air, fuel, and heat. An overabundance of one ...
Adding to Steeds self-answer. Other ways to warm up fingers and toes: Wiggle your fingers and toes vigorously (while walking, while sitting) - circulation is aided by muscle movement. Sprint (if ...
Other tidbits I've heard from local** guides: Wearing red increases your risk of being struck by lightning Burning egg shells will anger forest spirits and cause nightmares and illness The quicke...
I would wager that such a thing does not exist. Of the attachments you mention, only one (sharp spear) seems practical. Issues with the others: Camera mount: as rory-alsop mentions, it would make...
I was skinning into a yurt last weekend with my regular downhill (telemark) skis. On the way back out, I noticed a lot more snow sticking to my skis... Granted, the weather was hot, and snow was st...
It is a rare day that I head out into the winter wilds without a flask of sumpt'n-sumpt'n in my pocket. A nip helps one to relax, can mildly embolden timid skiers in my group, and gives one that fi...
Our dog loves winter sports - but after a few miles on the trails in soft snow, he often develops snowballs between his paw pads - usually one big one right in the middle. Are there ways to minimi...
I have found sleeping with my boots inside the bag is the ONLY way to go when it is really cold out. Moderately cold, sure you can tough out the re-thaw in the morning - but real cold... forget it....
I doubt there is an "industry standard" of what each of those mean, but in general I have noticed: Sleeping bag liners tend to be narrower, and come in mummy-bag and regular: mummy bag style ten...
By engaging in winter sports (where there is significant snow on the ground) you are already greatly reducing your impact. The biggest impacts to back-country areas from non-motorized recreation co...
Original Poofiness (or OP as they call it in the 'wood) will always be illusive. No matter how you care for your bag, it is on a steady decline toward compression from the moment you buy it. To at...
