All Questions
9
votes
1answer
266 views
Tent floor waterproof rating
I'm currently looking to buy a new tent. The old one had a floor that was said to withstand a hydrostatic head of 10000 mm, but the tents I find in the stores here go to at most 3000 mm for the floor, ...
9
votes
3answers
113 views
How to find objective reviews of outdoors gear? [closed]
It is often difficult to know what to look for when shopping for outdoors gear. Is there some magazine, website, or other resource that does Consumer Reports style objective evaluation of outdoors ...
9
votes
1answer
123 views
May hiking in Eastern California
In May this year (6–8 May) I will have a workshop in Mammoth Lakes, California. I would like to do some hiking in addition to this workshop (roughly one week). I have never been to the United States, ...
9
votes
1answer
71 views
Dealing with a campsite that is full of rocks or not flat terrain?
What do you do before setting up your tent when the your camping site is either:
full of rocks ?
not flat ?
9
votes
2answers
57 views
How to store fuel tablets for travel
I'm looking into using some fuel tablets for cooking with a stove like this esbit as a backup/emergency stove when rafting. However I have heard that the fuel can easily foul food, clothing, etc. ...
9
votes
1answer
3k views
How should you wash clothes after exposure to poison oak/ivy/sumac?
I have heard that the oils from poison oak, poison ivy, or poison sumac can remain on clothes even through a wash cycle. After hiking through an area with poison ivy (or poison oak/poison sumac), how ...
9
votes
1answer
432 views
What is the difference between Gore-Tex and Mountain Hardwears DryQ?
They both are waterproof but what are the differences and is one better?
9
votes
2answers
80 views
What to look out for when buying used backpacks
I'm looking to buy a used backpack in the near future. What are the key things I should look out for/avoid when inspecting used paks?
9
votes
2answers
355 views
How do I tie a slackline with only carabiners and webbing?
Commercial slackline solutions seem bulky, heavy, overpriced, and a little too industrial for my liking. I have 6 carabiners and 50m of tubular webbing. What knots do you recommend for building, ...
9
votes
1answer
104 views
How do you sharpen a hand chain saw?
For group hikes where we plan on having a fire, I carry a hand chain saw for dead wood. We've used ours for a while now and it is definitely getting dull. How do you sharpen this?
9
votes
1answer
175 views
What are the tradeoffs for a Tomahawk over an Axe
I've watched a few videos on cutting tools and the use of axes. However I'm not clear on what the advantage (or disadvantage) is of a tomahawk style axe over a typical belt or hand axe, such as this ...
9
votes
1answer
249 views
How to sail a packraft
I would like to use the wind to propel my packraft on passages over lakes. Are there any lightweight and/or improvised sail systems?
Especially: how do I erect a mast on the packraft without it ...
9
votes
1answer
361 views
Are barberries edible?
Barberries are so common around here that there would be enough for a fruit serving a day for quite a while. But there is a problem: I do not know whether or not they are edible. Are they edible in ...
8
votes
3answers
155 views
What is considered a water source, and why is it recommended to camp so far from them?
I've read one one of the US national forest or wilderness websites that when camping in the wild, one should camp at a certain distance from a water source. Should I understand a water source to mean ...
8
votes
3answers
144 views
Does whiskey help keep you warm in winter?
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 fiery ...
8
votes
3answers
507 views
Will a tent provide some protection from bears?
When camping in a bear country, will a tent provide an additional protection from bears, as opposed to just sleeping outside or in a hammock? Provided I take the usual precautions of keeping any ...
8
votes
5answers
567 views
How do I treat a blister? How can I prevent getting them in the first place?
When hiking with a new pair of boots or if I haven't been hiking in a while, my feet might get blisters.
How can I treat a blister and keep hiking? Are there things I can do to prevent getting ...
8
votes
3answers
160 views
How far is a reasonable distance for someone to hike on their first trip?
How far is a reasonable distance for someone to hike on their first trip?
I understand this depends on a lot of variables, such as the person's fitness, the route they are planning to do, etc, but ...
8
votes
6answers
872 views
What is the proper way to tarp tent to avoid condensation?
I tried pitching a tarp instead of a tent this weekend. In worked well, kept off the rain etc, except for the condensation. It was far worse than any condensation I've ever had in a tent. We had ...
8
votes
4answers
9k views
How do I tie a sleeping bag to my backpack?
I recently upgraded to a modern backpack and I'm stumped as to how to tie accessories down to it. My previous backpack had tie-down points on the bottom of the pack that I could attach long straps ...
8
votes
2answers
557 views
Thinking about a road trip out West
My wife and I are thinking of taking a road trip from northwest Ohio to "out west" - Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Montana, etc. I've never been farther west than Indiana, so it's a whole new ...
8
votes
3answers
406 views
What type of mosquito repellent is most effective?
There are many different kinds of insect repellents and bug sprays on the market: sprays and lotions, chemical and natural, huge percentages of DEET and lower percentages, etc.
What type of bug ...
8
votes
2answers
212 views
Will boiling be enough to decontaminate standing water from pathogens and toxins?
Will the boiling of the water itself be enough to decontaminate water taken from such standing water reservoir as that:
This water looks horrible, and probably drinking it raw would cause serial ...
8
votes
5answers
660 views
Is it safe to eat poison ivy berries since I don't react to the leaves?
Is it safe for someone who doesn't react to poison ivy to eat the berries? I am not going to try it without authority from someone who knows. Is it like smoke from burning vines, that can affect even ...
8
votes
2answers
427 views
How do I desalinate seawater?
I know I shouldn't drink seawater (because of the salt it contains), but how can I desalinate it?
8
votes
2answers
105 views
Safest months to hike in Colorado
I've read that the summer months (June, July, and August) are the safest months to hike in Colorado because these are the least-likely times to run into ice patches that can't be crossed with normal ...
8
votes
3answers
157 views
What is the true risk of suffocation from different combustion sources in a tent? (CO2, CO)
Aside from risk of fire (which for this question we will assume has been fully mitigated) what is the real risk of suffocation if one were to use a stove, lantern, or candle lantern in a tent?
There ...
8
votes
3answers
274 views
Would a tampon be a good addition to a survival kit
Jezebel magazine suggests a tampon for your survival kit.
I don't question that, if you just happen to have a tampon, you can use it. But at the end of the article they suggest even guys carry one ...
8
votes
2answers
83 views
What is Geocaching?
There are questions on this site tagged geocaching.
This appears to be some kind of GPS game. How is it played?
(This is an easy question to Google but I'd like the StackExchange version, thank ...
8
votes
3answers
824 views
How do I remove mildew from a tent?
Similar to this question, but mildew tends to be very resistant to removal. I sadly failed to keep my tent dry enough, and now it has a couple of mildew spots. They're not bad, but I would rather ...
8
votes
3answers
119 views
How do you know if smaller brands of climbing equipment are safe?
There is a local shop that sells small brand name gear for pretty good prices. I am looking at their harnesses and quickdraws and would like to know:
1) Whether the equipment is safe - say compared ...
8
votes
2answers
67 views
Is it better to camp in a disturbed area, or pick a new spot and let the first rest?
When practicing Leave No Trace camping (which I am sure we all do), which camp spot should I choose, assuming there is not an obvious well-impacted "sacrifice site" nearby to concentrate my impact in:
...
8
votes
3answers
414 views
How do I catch fish with fish hooks but no bait?
As most survival kits come with fish hooks, I am wondering how do I catch fish without any bait?
8
votes
1answer
81 views
What kinds of things are the “defensive driving” equivalent to handling campfires?
In What do you do if the fire does get "out of control"?, someone asked a legitimate question, and @berry120 wrote detailed response, and ended with a "tl;dr" saying, " but if the proper ...
8
votes
3answers
319 views
What natural (non-synthetic) fabrics are good for the winter?
Which natural (non-synthetic) fabrics are good for hiking winter weather? I know cotton will generally trap moisture and invite hypothermia, while wool is warm but heavy. What other natural fabrics ...
8
votes
2answers
156 views
Does wash in waterproofing work on a non-waterproof shell?
I'm considering an ultralight (non-waterproof) shell and Nikwax wash-in waterproofing as a rain layer. I'd like it to be waterproof through several wearings (a week or more).
Does this result in ...
8
votes
2answers
176 views
What good options are there for wine transport?
Large glass bottles just don't strike me as a "good idea" for hiking.
What options are there for carrying wine and preserving the flavor for a couple of days while hiking?
8
votes
2answers
81 views
Do bag liners add the same warmth value to all sleeping bags?
I have a bag liner that claims to add 15 degrees to the "range" of a sleeping bag. Is it reasonable to assume that it would work the same for all bags? For instance, would it extend a 40 degree bag ...
8
votes
2answers
86 views
Is it necessary to carry a knife sharpener?
Under the assumption that an emergency kit like the ones listed here are for the emergency of getting lost and being stranded for days, how necessary is a knife sharpener?
8
votes
1answer
160 views
What causes an avalanche and can I predict one?
Avalanches are extremely dangerous when mountaineering, winter backpacking/camping, or backcountry skiing/snowboarding.
What causes them and is there any way I can predict when an avalanche is about ...
8
votes
4answers
130 views
What are the key factors when choosing a sleeping bag for backpacking?
I'm preparing to go on my first ever backpacking trip and do not have a suitable sleeping bag. What are the factors I should consider when choosing one?
Personally I'm looking for the best value I ...
8
votes
4answers
257 views
How could I treat scrapes outdoors without a first aid kit?
Say I'm hiking outdoors and I get a scrape. I've forgotten my first aid pack, or already used up the appropriate supplies. Is there anything in the wilderness I can use to sterilize and perhaps cover ...
8
votes
2answers
349 views
How should I treat hypothermia?
When I recognize the symptoms of hypothermia, how should I treat it? And what are the dangers if the symptoms are ignored?
8
votes
2answers
83 views
I put a big gouge in the bow of my canoe going across rocks. How can I fix it?
While going through some rapids, we slid across a jagged rock and it put a huge gouge in the bow of my fiberglass canoe. What method and process is best for repairing it, so that next time I hit some ...
8
votes
1answer
260 views
How do I mount a hangboard in an apartment?
The last few months I have come to the conclusion that I need to have a fingerboard at home if my rock climbing outdoors is to get to the next level.
But the problem is that I live in an apartment. ...
8
votes
2answers
192 views
How can I improve my footwork while rock-climbing?
When I'm rock climbing, I feel like I've got hand holds down as far as where to grab on and understand that the hands are mainly for balance. However, I can't seem to figure out my feet. There are ...
8
votes
3answers
153 views
Group protocol should the group become separated
A small group (2-10 people total) is travelling in a wilderness area. For whatever reason a person or a couple get separated. What is the best strategy for the lost ones? What is the best strategy to ...
8
votes
2answers
297 views
What are the best ways to increase your draw weight?
What exercises exist for increasing your strength in order to increase the amount of draw weight you can pull back on your bow? I was told just push-ups but, is there anything more that can be done?
8
votes
3answers
107 views
How should I remove a leech?
Once a leech is attached, what is the proper way to remove it?
(I'm assuming that the method would generic for all leeches, but if there are special kinds, please note that).
8
votes
1answer
144 views
Are there boots made for a longer 2nd toe?
I have a longer 2nd toe than the big toe (Morton's toe or royal toe). The major problem is finding boots or sports shoes that fit properly. If I didn't have this longer toe I would wear a 9 or 9.5 ...
