Activity for Chris H‭

Type	On...	Excerpt	Status	Date
Answer	—	A: Will a laser pointer work for pointing at whitewater? You might just get away with highlighting white water itself and rocks. Clear water wouldn't reflect the light in the right direction. But you'd need a very bright, possibly illegal and/or dangerous laser pointer. My waterproof video camera has a 1mW approx red laser as an aiming guide. Even in a r... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Where does uncommon litter come from? There are two ways stuff can get into the wilds. People and nature. Nature is simpler so I'll get that out of the way first. Once heavy debris ends up in the woods it's likely to stay there if it doesn't degrade. The only natural processes that can shift big things are wind and water. Your examples... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: White-water (slalom) kayak in calm waters (lake)? I wouldn't take the boat you've pictured out on a fast-flowing river. I would use it on flat water, if there's no damage to the hull. For moving water I'd expect a seat that you wouldn't slide around in with a back rest (ideally adjustable but not necessary on an entry-level boat). Does that boat e... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Swift, Swallow or House Martin? Swifts tend to fly higher than swallow and house martins, but the biggest giveaway is the noise they make. From almost the same page you linked you can listen to the audio file. A swift call is a screech, even a scream. You can quite often hear them before you see them (they tend to occur in decen... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: What are the non-obvious pros and cons of an "Instant Tent" vs. a tent with shock cord poles When these first came out, they had a tendency to fail at the hinges, especially in the wind. While the leading makes have probably dealt with this to some extent, not all makes will have. And this can mean more failures than you carry spare hinges, in one go. A permanent repair can be easy or hard d... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Am I packing too much for a 2-3 day hike in the forests? I suggest you don't need a tent and a tarp, unless the latter is also to be worn as a poncho (unless I've missed them you don't mention waterproofs). Similarly you don't need a head torch and a torch, or a lighter and matches and a flint. But neither of these will make much difference. That load is... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is it safe to feed swans in the United Kingdom? The "swans can break your arm" concept is rather lacking in evidence, though one once caused a kayaker to drown. They are a nuisance on the water, especially if you get between adults and their cygnets. Most of what they do, even when they're agitated, is an attempt to drive away a perceived threat, ... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Are the birds that snatch bread out of the air "more citified" (tamer) than those who let it drop? No, gulls (of some species at least) steal food from other birds by moving them until they drop it. They must then be adept at snatching the falling food in mid air. There's material of interest in the Wikipedia article on seabirds - search for kleptoparasitism, reference 23 looks particularly inte... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Did I see an Osprey? It's certainly possible in North Wales, one was reported near Mold a couple of weeks ago and they're quite mobile at this time of year. I don't think you can rule out common buzzard for several reasons: The colouring of buzzards (buteo buteo) is highly variable. They can easily look as black-and-wh... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is it too soon to go family hiking with an infant? Packing tips? Carrying all the gear won't be easy. Whoever has the baby will probably only be able to carry one day's worth of baby stuff and nothing else. Either you get a rucksack carrier as Russell suggested (I recommend this as well, a Deuter kid comfort fitted me and was still usable over age 2), or you wear ... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Why do so many people hike with such light footwear? The hiking shoe/waterproof trainer style is comfortable for casual strolls on easy trails, in good weather. This "light outdoors" (or fair-weather hiking) market is huge in comparison to serious hiking. The shoes can be made quite cheaply and don't last all that long. That's not a big deal - eithe... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: What is the best type of shoe to wear for crossing deep rivers? Any kayaking shop will have a selection of both shoes and boots designed for this. While you can get them with thin soles, I recommend thicker soles if you're mainly wearing them on rocky river beds and banks. You'll get a range of weights and prices. Neoprene dive boots are also an option though t... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Why not use a cotton base layer? If you carry the right layers and adjust them well, you can often get away with cotton with no discomfort let alone danger in benign conditions. But we shouldn't plan for only benign conditions and nothing going wrong. An example: If you're delayed and the weather changes for the worse, you could e... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Protection while working with acetone If it stings your eyes you're probably working too close, but glasses wouldn't help (goggles might). If you're using it a lot you may find it dries your skin so you could choose to wear gloves (or avoid getting so much on your hands). From using acetone a lot in industry and academia I can tell you... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Can a 'Flameless ration heater' be used to safely start a fire? Hydrogen gas doesn't spontaneously ignite, but does burn in air over a wide range of concentrations. It's also ready to ignite with a spark. So although you may be able to start a fire with one, the source you quote is almost irrelevant on that fact. Hydrogen can also be given off when charging lead ... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is Gaia GPS inaccurate for distances? There are two main things that can go wrong with gps accuracy. The first is the quality of the signal, which can be less than for a dedicated gps unit (less space for an antenna and other design compromises). Of course the question of how you carry it comes into play here (a low pocket isn't very ... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: How can I prevent my binoculars from steaming up? I tend to tuck mine inside my outer layer of clothing if it's cold but dry. This keeps the lenses warm so avoids condensation. It helps with camera battery life too. (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Are cushioned socks necessary for hiking boots? The most important things are: Do what works for you. Try boots with the type of socks you intend to wear them with. Sock weight can be used for fine tuning even once you've bought the boots but these two points are critical. You may find that the "better" socks (with padded weight-bearing se... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is there a type of binoculars to view both nature reserves (birds, etc.) at a distance, and airplanes? You can definitely go for one pair. I've actually been pleasantly surprised at the quality of the optics at almost the bottom end of the market, if you go for something common like 8x20. We've got 8x, 10x and 12x for wildlife (mainly). None were expensive. The 12x50s are great at dusk but lack the... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to stop rain from entering at the cuffs of my rain jacket? I've never had too much trouble with a double cuff - a velcro or (better) elastic inner cuff and a loose outer. In the worst conditions, an elasticated inner cuff under a goretex glove with long elasticated wrist seals was good for anything short of immersion. In the worst case a watersports dry ca... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Any reason to carry a mug outside of the backpack? If your mug is wet, why would you put it inside? If you like a hot drink while packing up, you might have a wet (or even dirty) mug after you've packed anything on which you might dry it. If you do dry it, you might have a damp towel to carry. Many people don't carry anything to dry mugs/cooking e... (more)	—	almost 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: Nice forest 'around' London for a 2 days hike You won't find enough continuous forest for what you want in southern England. But (about 20 years ago) I walked and wild camped (actually bright orange bivvy bags) a fair stretch of the south downs way. It was late December but colder than the weather we've been having recently. I got there by re... (more)	—	almost 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: Hiking in SE France I agree that the sources on the internet for the GRs (grandes randonnées, the main long-distance trails in France) are a bit old-fashioned, and not ideal for finding routes. However here are some pointers to get you started -- I've linked to pages that might help you but the parent websites are... (more)	—	almost 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: Suggestions for a winter lifestyle Here are a few things most of which I don't think have been mentioned already: Walk faster: exert the sort of effort you'd exert hiking with a day pack and it will keep you much warmer than strolling. Don't stop unnecessarily (you'd get colder waiting for a bus). Put what you're carrying in a backp... (more)	—	almost 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: Why do Sandpipers and Plovers "hang out" together? This is really just a hypothesis, but here in the UK we also get mixed wader flocks. A significant reason for large/mixed flocks to occur is predation. Watch out for what happens when a large flock of waders (almost by definition very exposed on the ground) spots a falcon. They scatter in every direc... (more)	—	almost 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: Repair broken plastic buckle in the middle of hiking or alternative way to fix it Do you have 2 split rings (keyrings) with you? If so, here's how to make a buckle like that (or rather its D-ring predecessor): Attach both split rings to the upper strap, where the old buckle is/was. Pass the lower strap up through both split rings and back through the first. Here's an ASCII-ar... (more)	—	almost 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: Any reasons to prefer braces over belts? If you're carrying a large rucksack the hip belt can cause a trouser belt to rub, or even to pinch skin. I no longer go trekking but my baby-carrying rucksack certainly does this. Braces may or may not have the same problem depending on how/where they attach, leading to a personal preference. Braces... (more)	—	almost 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to keep my legs warm in winter? Long thick socks will help in 2 ways -- they'll reduce heat loss through your feet/lower calves and reduce draughts up your legs. Even 2 pairs of normal socks would be better than nothing. There are special thermal socks (sold as heat-holders for example) but they may not fit in your shoes. This co... (more)	—	about 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: How do you repair a plastic kayak? It's quite common to melt in some plastic - but be sure to get the same as the boat is made of. Most are PE so try to get some of that -- avoid ABS. Kits are available (random web example). The general recommendation among people I know who've done this is to use a hot air gun rather than a naked ... (more)	—	over 10 years ago

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