zoul‭

There’s a special “winter” gas mix available for gas stoves. How is it different from the usual propane/butane mix and why does it work better in low temperatures? (Does it work better in lower tem...

2 answers  ·  posted 12y ago by zoul‭  ·  edited 4y ago by Charlie Brumbaugh‭

We have recently hiked in Slovakian mountains where bears live. I’m not too concerned about the bears during the day, as we make enough noise to avoid an encounter. But I am not sure about sleeping...

4 answers  ·  posted 11y ago by zoul‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

When you put the bag into a compressing sack, the insulation fibers take some damage. (Synthetic fibers are less resistant in this regard than down.) The longer and harder you compress the insulati...

posted 13y ago by zoul‭

Can you always use a down sleeping bag as long as you keep it in a dry waterproof bag? This appears to be a slight misunderstanding. The problem is not keeping the bag dry when transporting ...

posted 13y ago by zoul‭

I bought a BlocVent bivy sack. What’s a good way to store it for a long time? Obviously I’ll dry it after a hike, but is it okay to roll it up and put it into a small stuff sack afterwards? Or shou...

1 answer  ·  posted 13y ago by zoul‭  ·  last activity 7y ago by System‭

The first commandment of leather care is to never let your boots dry too quickly, for example on direct sun or next to a source of heat. The leather could crack or shrink. You have to let them dry ...

posted 12y ago by zoul‭

I like being out alone. Generally you have more time for introspection, for getting calm and enjoying what’s around you and inside of you. Of course there’s times when you have to deal with yourse...

posted 12y ago by zoul‭  ·  last activity 12y ago by System‭

I have quite a lot of items with built-in magnets in my backpack, like a mobile phone, an iPod or headphones. How easy is it to destroy my compass by putting it too close to these items?

2 answers  ·  posted 12y ago by zoul‭  ·  last activity 7y ago by System‭

I don't mean to use a tent, just a mat + a sleeping bag, or possibly a bivy sack if the weather is foul.

2 answers  ·  posted 12y ago by zoul‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

I would buy a headlamp, it’s so much more convenient to have your hands free and the light always pointing where you look. I would go for two/four AA bateries. My current headlamp uses three AAA’s...

posted 12y ago by zoul‭

All self-inflating mats I have seen are self-inflating in the sense that you’re supposed to inflate them yourself. [That is, the mat self-inflates a bit, but mostly you have to breathe the air in.]...

2 answers  ·  posted 12y ago by zoul‭  ·  last activity 11y ago by System‭

People who work with children are usually very happy to take any old ropes for non-climbing purposes (marking playing fields, tug of war, anything really). Even an old rope totally unfit for climbi...

posted 11y ago by zoul‭

I usually take just a bar of plain soap. It’s universal, can be used to wash hands or hair, shave, or wash the clothes. And plain soap is friendly to the environment. I guess that a special desinfe...

posted 11y ago by zoul‭

The hardshell/softshell distinction doesn’t mean pretty much anything today. It used to be that hardshell was completely waterproof and windproof, implying limited breathability, and softshell was ...

posted 11y ago by zoul‭

I would love to spend a few winter nights with my friends in a winterraum (winter room) in the Alps; officially, with the owner’s permission. Are all the winterraums meant for emergency only, or ar...

1 answer  ·  posted 8y ago by zoul‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭