Questions relating to any physical gear for engaging in those activities discussed in The Great Outdoors. Examples include packs, knives, bikes, kayaks, and climbing harnesses.
26
votes
5answers
3k views
Is it better to wear one pair or two pairs of socks while hiking?
From personal experience I tend to wear two pairs of socks, normally some running socks and then my hiking socks on top of that. It helps me avoid blisters. Quite a few of my friends thinks this is ...
23
votes
5answers
2k views
What is the best way to store my sleeping bag for long periods of time?
I've heard that storing a sleeping bag in its stuff for long periods of time sack will cause it to lose loft, and won't provide as much comfort or warmth when used again.
If so, how should I store my ...
22
votes
5answers
2k views
How does one dry clothes in humid weather?
What are some quick ways to dry clothes in moist weather?
22
votes
1answer
273 views
How are sleeping bag temperature ratings determined?
One things that has always troubled me when buying a sleeping bag is the temperature rating. When looking at a bag that claims to be a +15°F bag (for example) how do I know that it is really good ...
19
votes
6answers
4k views
What is the fastest method to 'break in' full leather boots?
After purchasing full leather boots (similar to these boots) I had many blisters for the first few hikes until I broke in my boots.
What are the fastest ways to age the boot so that when my foot ...
19
votes
1answer
216 views
Putting in contact lenses when outdoors
I am wearing contact lenses on a daily basis. Many times, when outdoors, I cannot put in my contact lenses (because of limited time or just no sterile conditions).
Is there any cleaner I could safely ...
18
votes
5answers
2k views
Tent and sleeping bag: pack inside or strap outside a backpack?
When I bought my pack, we were told to always pack the tent and sleeping bag in the pack. Since then I have seen a lot of articles and hikers doing the outside. What are the benefits on packing the ...
17
votes
6answers
265 views
When buying a backpack, what should I pay attention to?
I know one can compare backpacks by the following:
Content (in liters)
Number of external pockets (for quick accessable water bottles for example)
Hip belt available are not
Waterproof / Water ...
16
votes
5answers
511 views
Selecting backpacking cooking pot – teflon, aluminum, steel, titanium, or cast iron?
What are the relative advantages / dangers of different cooking wear? I'm a one-pot gourmet that has been using the same stainless steel pot for 15 years, but am considering an upgrade.
Some things I ...
14
votes
5answers
560 views
What is the difference between external and internal-frame packs?
I am starting backpacking and there are both internal and external-frame packs. What is the difference, and is one recommended over the other?
14
votes
3answers
525 views
What are some ways/devices that I can use to charge my batteries in the wilderness?
When backpacking, I might carry a MagLite flashlight or something similar that requires two AA batteries. I tend to favor rechargeable batteries for a variety of reasons.
How can I recharge my ...
14
votes
2answers
2k views
Climbing rope is rated to X UIAA falls. What is a UIAA fall?
When looking at buying climbing ropes, they are rated to a number of "UIAA falls".
What does that mean?
14
votes
3answers
280 views
Synthetic vs Down sleeping bags?
What are the best conditions to use a synthetic sleeping bag vs a down one? Can you always use a down sleeping bag as long as you keep it in a dry waterproof bag?
14
votes
3answers
582 views
Do polarized sunglasses protect against snow blindess?
Will regular polarized sunglasses protect me against snow blindness? And if not what type of glasses/goggles will protect me?
14
votes
3answers
166 views
How should I check climbing equipment to tell whether it is still safe to use?
I have, unfortunately, not had the opportunity to go climbing (and thus use my climbing equipment) for a couple years. I know that such equipment, especially the rope and webbing, can degrade over ...
14
votes
1answer
171 views
Things to consider when buying sunglasses
I am going to buy sunglasses. Here is how and where I am going to use them:
mountain trekking - with altitude mostly below 2000, however I will
use them in the following months on higher mountains ...
14
votes
1answer
228 views
Chalk: pure, plus drying agent, liquid?
Having only used pure chalk without added substances so far, I wondered how the other types perform. Most of the information I could find online is either somebody ranting against a certain type, or ...
13
votes
3answers
239 views
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 ...
13
votes
4answers
528 views
What equipment do I need as a beginner outdoor rock climber?
What are the bare essentials that I need in terms of equipment when it comes to rock climbing? I've done indoor rock climbing but always rented my equipment from the rock-climbing gym.
(For the ...
13
votes
3answers
177 views
What are the key features to look for in mobile device apps for hiking/camping?
I've used EveryTrail and was satisfied but am looking for something better... What are the features I should focus on for selecting an app? What bells and whistles are really useful on the trail?
13
votes
2answers
169 views
How much gear will the AT eat?
We're planning on hiking the AT, and this question prompted me to ask:
What gear should we expect to replace, and how often, on the Appalachian Trail?
Assume that we know basic gear maintenance and ...
13
votes
3answers
505 views
The best solution for carrying a D-SLR when hiking
I am planning a multi-day hike in the Drakensberg area of South Africa. This is a beautiful landscape with interesting flora and fauna. Consequently I want to have my Digital SLR close to hand. I ...
13
votes
2answers
213 views
How can I prevent my sun glasses from fogging up when skiing?
When I'm cross-country skiing, I usually wear glacier glasses to protect from the intense glare off the snow. When I'm moving, they usually stay clear . Whenever I stop though, my glasses seem to fog ...
12
votes
2answers
512 views
Why don't we apply the principles of layering when it comes to pants?
Whenever I see clothing articles geared toward hiking and backpacking that discuss layering (base layer for wicking, mid layer for insulation, etc.), they always seem to discuss these things in terms ...
12
votes
5answers
177 views
Are Ice grips worth buying
The cold weather has finally hit the UK and once again I am tempted to buy something like https://www.yaktrax.co.uk/shop/yaktrax-pro. For those of you not in the UK we get some snow each year (enough ...
12
votes
2answers
158 views
Is it practical to get a satellite phone for communication from remote areas?
When going into remote areas, it would be great to be able to communicate with the outside world, for emergency purposes or just to be able to call home on long trips. Is it practical for an average ...
12
votes
4answers
204 views
Taking care of hiking backpack
I've had a 60 L backpack for almost seven years now. Nothing on it is broken and it fits my needs, so right now I don't have any thoughts about replacing it (Getting a light pack might be the only ...
12
votes
1answer
149 views
Will Iodine Tablets Ruin My CamelBak?
In the past, I have gone backpacking with some fairly expensive, heavy water purification tools. But the more I read about water safety in California's Sierras (here and here), the less I think these ...
12
votes
1answer
326 views
How to carry dslr camera when rock-climbing
I am interested in hearing how people take their dslrs onto multi-pitch-rock-climbs. I have carried mine up in a small pack, but I end up taking hardly any pictures, since it is so cumbersome to get ...
12
votes
1answer
368 views
Kilimanjaro expedition - trousers - softshell vs. gore-tex
I am going on an expedition to Kilimanjaro and I'm going to buy new trousers specifically for this purpose. Some agencies recommend to take soft shell trousers and I'm not sure if it would be the best ...
12
votes
1answer
152 views
What is a good material to patch holes in backpack?
I have a backpack with rip-stop material that is quite beaten up from scrambling over granite boulders. What are some good materials for patching the holes, what kind of thread should I use, and how ...
11
votes
2answers
765 views
How do you safely cut wood with a knife?
Several people have talked about having single edge knife so that you can cut down small trees. What is the proper way to cut or carve wood with a knife?
11
votes
2answers
302 views
What is a buff?
What is a "buff", how is it used, and why should I have one?
I've seen them advocated in numerous places, but I'm not sure why a tube of cloth is better around my neck than a scarf, etc.
11
votes
2answers
73 views
Apart from down, is there any outdoor material that should not be stored stuffed?
Down sleeping bags and down jackets should not be stored in the stuffbag, but as loose as possible. Tents, as far as I know, can be stored stuffed as long as they are dry. Are there any other ...
11
votes
5answers
554 views
How do I know what size ice axe I should get?
I'm going to start mountaineering. Is there a recommended size per height/weight for ice axes for general mountaineering?
11
votes
2answers
499 views
What things should I look for when buying a compass?
Compasses seem to come in all shapes, sizes and (especially) prices! What sets a good compass apart from a bad one and what are some good characteristics to look for when making a purchase?
10
votes
6answers
199 views
What can I do to keep my hands warm while using touchscreens in the winter?
Now that it is starting to get cold it is more difficult to use touchscreens while outdoors. I use both an iPhone and a Garmin GPS to geocache and both have touchscreens that require me to take my ...
10
votes
3answers
273 views
How effective are portable electric fences?
I am worried about bears and wolves when camping so I'm looking at portable electric fences.
Are they effective and more importantly just how dangerous are they?
10
votes
2answers
112 views
Starting cross-country skiing off trails
I've done a bit of crosscountry skiing on trails at local mountains, but I'm more interested in getting off the trails and out into the woods. The terrain around here is pretty steep in general with ...
10
votes
1answer
266 views
What should you look for when buying hiking socks?
A quick search online shows there are dozens of different types of hiking socks, with different materials, thicknesses, and properties. In general, what should you look for when shopping for hiking ...
10
votes
2answers
305 views
Why does my belay device have two holes?
I have a belay device that looks like:
which I used when I am belaying someone who is top roping or leading. However, my rope only goes through one of those slots. What is the purpose of the other ...
10
votes
2answers
194 views
Staying dry in severe weather
I've been in pretty big storms before on campouts, but only two were big enough that the water would seep in through the sides of the tent. One of those times I used a tarp, rope, trees, and ...
10
votes
2answers
147 views
Features to look for when buying a stove (for car camping)
We (wife, 5 year old and me) are planning to go camping next summer (UK). It will be car camping - i.e. drive, set up tent and, knowing the UK, sit in the tent as it rains.
I'm looking at equipment ...
10
votes
3answers
232 views
What to look for in a quality tarp?
I'd like to purchase a tarp as some point, both to put up over a small camp at some point, and to use over a hammock.
When I've camped with my uncle he's used a folded over builders tarp, which has ...
10
votes
1answer
335 views
Minimum equipment recommendations for hammock camping
I'm looking to try out some hammock camping on our next trip to the wilderness, but I don't have any of the gear yet. I could buy it all, but as it's a trial run it might not make sense to pour a ton ...
10
votes
1answer
454 views
Plastic or fiberglass for a kayak?
I'm an intermediate level kayaker but have only paddled plastic boats. I'm looking for a kayak to do multi-day trips in on the ocean. What are the differences between plastic and fiberglass?
9
votes
6answers
5k views
What is the ultimate car camping bed solution — for two people?
I've been camping since I was a teenager in the scouts, and I've never really had a very comfortable night out. As an adult with a girlfriend, 20 years later, I'd like to just throw some money at the ...
9
votes
5answers
329 views
How to reduce the annoying sound of falling raindrops on a tent?
Every time I go camping and it starts to rain, I can't sleep anymore because the raindrops that fall on the tent causes a really loud and annoying sound. Is there any technique or tool to avoid or at ...
9
votes
6answers
151 views
How to avoid the layer of ice inside a water bottle during winter activities?
Is there a special way to avoid the layer of ice that forms inside a water bottle during winter activities?
9
votes
2answers
192 views
How can I make/improvise a rope on a trip?
If I'm out in the wilderness and find myself in need of a rope I don't have with me (forgotten, not enough, another snapped), how can I make one? Are there any natural ropes I could use with minimal ...
