57
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What are some common mistakes to avoid when trying winter camping for the first time?
Common mistakes, some of which I've made:
Unfamiliarity with equipment - this isn't specific to winter camping of course, but if you've used all the gear before in milder conditions, then there's ...
- 4,662
45
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Are there any situations while backpacking that would require a watch?
I don't backpack, but I canoe camp and I used to do it with small children. We took a watch and used it for three things:
we need to have all the work done and food eaten by the time it's dark, say ...
- 12.1k
45
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Is sleeping on the ground in cold weather better than on an air mattress?
Effectively, it isn't much better to sleep on an air mattress that isn't specifically made to insulate from the ground than on the ground itself although it does make a slight difference.
The main ...
- 5,007
43
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Are there any situations while backpacking that would require a watch?
While doing the West Coast Trail in Vancouver, Canada I had to buy a watch for the first time.
I had a table with the tides for that week and I needed the watch to tell if high tide was going to get ...
- 1,569
40
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What are some common mistakes to avoid when trying winter camping for the first time?
Some common mistakes, definitely nothing close to exhaustive, so feel free to edit (I'll make it a community wiki if appropriate). If the point is about what you should do, the mistake is not doing it ...
- 21.7k
39
votes
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As a tall female should I be looking at male or female backpacks?
I've hiked a lot with a lot of female trekkers. And I've never seen women trekkers having any problem with any unisex/male backpacks. Most of the manufacturers keep the chest straps adjustable so that ...
- 7,815
39
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What is the purpose of this D-shaped ring at the base of the tongue on my hiking boots?
That is a loop for the hook on gaiters. The gaiters will cover the upper foot and laces on the boot, which helps prevent snow and mud build-up on the boot as well as prevent stones/sand/etc getting ...
- 9,504
38
votes
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At what angle should an ice screw be screwed into the ice?
All of the resources that I can find say that it should be done with the screw tip pointing up and the hanger below with up to a twenty-degree angle from horizontal.
Contrary to what you ...
- 69.2k
37
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Overtreated a backpacking outfit with permethrin. Safe to wear?
I am almost certain that you will be safe.
Permethrin is not particularly toxic to humans, and exposures of notably higher concentrations than what you used for the clothing treatment have been found ...
- 2,510
35
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Are there any situations while backpacking that would require a watch?
I'd argue that a watch is a fairly important device for backpacking and I generally never leave without one.
Monitor progress
If you do multi-day hikes you generally have a plan or schedule you ...
- 12.6k
35
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What are some common mistakes to avoid when trying winter camping for the first time?
To add to the already-good other contributions:
Wearing cotton clothing is a common mistake. When cotton gets wet (from sweat or external sources), it doesn't quickly get dry, and that cold moisture ...
- 740
33
votes
Why do I always wake up freezing?
As to why you're still cold with those specs: it happens to me as well, and I think the specs are for the 'average' person meaning not only average amount of body fat but also average temperature ...
- 871
33
votes
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Titanium Carabiner: what is its ideal use case?
The important specification is how strong it is and this information seems to be missing. This is included on all climbing rated carabiners for both proper loading (along the long axis) and when it ...
- 1,280
33
votes
First aid: alternatives to hydrogen peroxide
Water.
The American Red Cross Wilderness First Aid courses in 2021 recommend irrigating wounds with at least a liter of potable water, using an irrigation syringe. If you don't have enough potable ...
- 1,124
32
votes
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What is the point of belay glasses?
Like it says in the other comment, these glasses are to be used when belaying so that you don't have to tilt your head up. The lenses are made of a prism-shaped glass that bends the light in such a ...
- 3,474
30
votes
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Am I packing too much for a 2-3 day hike in the forests?
You're bringing all the right things... (the only thing I would question is why a flashlight as well as a headlamp? - though if it's just a small flashlight, no big deal- I sometimes bring a spare ...
- 324
30
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Am I packing too much for a 2-3 day hike in the forests?
Trying to cut pack weight is all about leaving "extra" things out and then replacing needed things with light versions. Some things that jump out at me as "extra":
Tent for 2 people
If there is ...
- 10.7k
29
votes
How to keep contact lenses from freezing during backpacking in cold temps?
Just sleep with the solution in your sleeping bag. Same with drinking water.
During the day you may need to carry it next to your body.
- 7,156
27
votes
How to instruct someone how to take off a climbing harness?
Been there, done that, it's far more worrisome when you have to show them how to put the harness on and then have them test that it's tight enough. And like you said, you really don't want to touch ...
- 69.2k
26
votes
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Why are climbing hangers/anchors that thin?
They are that thin because there isn't really a need or desire for them to be thicker. Having them thin makes them lighter and cheaper to manufacture (meaning more people willing to pay for them and ...
- 3,998
25
votes
Why do I always wake up freezing?
If you're consistently cold in your sleeping system, then you need to change your system.
An adequate sleep system for cold weather constitutes two sleeping pads: a solid foam sleeping pad underneath ...
- 53.4k
25
votes
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Do electronics interfere with avalanche beacons?
Yes it does, especially mobile phones.
I attended an avalanche course last year. The guide did a very simple demonstration. He powered his avalanche beacon on "send" mode, and put it on his ...
- 920
24
votes
As a tall female should I be looking at male or female backpacks?
To me the first and foremost concern would be comfort and carrying capacity. Everything else is only considered after those 2.
I recently went shopping for backpacks with my girlfriend and we noticed ...
- 341
24
votes
Are there any GPS devices with no transmission capability?
All GPS navigators on the market work as you’ve described. Two way communication is very battery intensive and costs money, so it’s only included in PLB beacons or devices like Spot, not your average ...
- 2,837
23
votes
Are there any situations while backpacking that would require a watch?
Scheduled Transport
If you are catching scheduled transport (e.g. bus or ferry) then you need a watch.
There might only be one trip a day. If you miss it, you are stuck for an extra night. You might ...
- 2,132
22
votes
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Are there any GPS devices with no transmission capability?
You are probably best looking at older and cheaper models to achieve this lack of functionality. Therefore you should look for models that don't advertise bluetooth connectivity, app integration or ...
- 396
20
votes
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Why are these acceptable and safe anchors?
I happen to know for a fact that the steel ring in those anchor set ups is rated to 50kN. That's as much as both hangers combined, they're only rated to 25kN each, which is still double the force any ...
- 53.4k
20
votes
Accepted
Where does the name Deadman come from in mountaineering gear?
imsodin's explanation (it's a heavy object you bury in the ground, like a dead body) seems very plausible. Just to add some history to it, here's the earliest use of the term listed in the Oxford ...
- 3,752
20
votes
How to keep paper from being damaged by water in the outdoors?
At the risk of stating the obvious...
... just not letting your paper get wet in the first place is by far the easiest and cheapest solution.
How you might ask? These solutions worked well for me in ...
- 12.6k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible