Posts by Chris H
You may want to wash them because they stink too much for where you need to keep them. If it's just about mud, just brush them. Mine tend to get smellier if I've run through puddles or heavy rain, ...
I'm not a climber so this is a non-expert thought that was nearly just a comment. Could something have changed affecting your ability to hold awkward positions, perhaps a loss of suppleness if you...
I'm not much use with a needle and thread, and would be worried about piercing a breathable membrane, so what I'd do is get some light webbing of the same width (this might be tricky to find) and u...
If the devices are fully turned off, sensible amounts of insulation won't keep them warm overnight as they won't give off any heat. If they're turned on and giving off heat, too much insulation can...
The first thing to consider is where you're going to be carrying it, and under what circumstances. The (optically) best scopes are heavy and bulky and need a solid tripod; they're not ideal if you'...
In the UK many petrol stations (which, BTW have some of the longest opening hours of any retailers, especially on Sundays) say minimum 2 litres, some minimum 5. There are rules about the type of co...
I've had trouble finding kayaking gloves with adequate grip on my paddle (unless they grip too much to rotate the shaft in my left hand). So you may have trouble. However I'm looking for warmth and...
In the UK this has been required for some years. I'm not saying you'll never find an old installation that isn't, but I haven't seen one since converting my campervan nearly 10 years ago. Usually w...
I grew up car-camping in a frame tent (slept 4 in about 1/4 of the floor area). Those things are heavy. Seriously heavy. Lifting the fabric onto the central pole with that half-extended was hard...
Considering I will always have my phone turned on while hiking There's a lot of variability in this, even given that you've specified airplane mode. Why is it on? Track logging with the scr...
A dark coloured water bottle strapped on top of your pack would absorb quite a lot of solar heat on a sunny day. Getting the snow in would be easier with a wide neck, like a bike bottle or Nalgene....
There are several uses, but regular strenuous outdoor leisure activities aren't really among them. Breathable gear only goes so far - there comes a point when the best gear you can afford will re...
Just because it's customary to jump in a cold lake straight after getting out of a sauna doesn't make it a good idea if you're not used to it (or even if you are). Wild swimmers are more cautious a...
Approaching this from a slightly different direction, and assuming you're on your own or with one other person and therefore fit in either: Once you're in your sleeping bag you'll be almost immedi...
I've done it with a broken arm in plaster, but that was nearly 30 years ago when I was a similar age to your character. We always used figure of 8 descenders in those days and had a safety belayer ...
Compared to even the most basic climbing rig, shoes are small and light so not carrying them doesn't really help with your load. Climbing kit is expensive, with or without shoes, but shoes are much...
A downside of your plan is that emergency stuff doesn't have to be comfortable while your planned base camp probably is. If you're spending a safe but miserable night a short walk from your camp, d...
It depends on context as well as more objective criteria. Example: If your first mountain is 1270m but you got the bus to 800m where the road ends, you've still climbed your first mountain (not me ...
I finished the job last night, using "Black Witch" glue and reinforcing tape. It looks good so far - the join is like a less tidy version of the seam in my first picture, as I erred on the side of...
First: buddies. Solo activities are inherently riskier. Not that's out of the way, what kit is practical? Extra insulation and extra wind/waterproofing. This may be just one item, but it's more...
Vacuum insulation adds significant weight and bulk. Compared to a stainless steel water bottle, already a heavy option, it will weigh almost twice as much (because of the double wall, and probably ...
Ice Either obtain ice, or freeze ice packs (the latter are common in the UK, and many campsites will freeze them for you, often for a fee). Larger ice packs will keep partially frozen for 24 hours...
Emergency food is tricky because it should keep really well,though in your case it's not so important. For planned consumption I make a savoury flapjack - oats, cheese, a little egg, spring onion...
I'm tall but rather small-boned, and my XL drysuit has always been marginal on the wrist and neck seals, which are neoprene with a smooth lining, rather than the more common latex. This is much mo...
Very indoors, shut up tight, and at a suitable time of day. If you live in a house (as opposed to a flat), and it has reasonably good insulation and tight-fitting windows, the high-pitched sound o...
