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Should overweight people climb? If they want to, then yes of course they should.
I don't have any hard fact to back it up, but I do know a few climbers that are slightly overweight and have participated in guiding climbing days where some participants where seriously overweight (in some cases due to obvious medical reasons, in other cases I don't know why).
...
47
There are a few things that influence your body's ability to regulate heat. Nutrition, clothing, behavior, and practice are the big ones.
Nutrition is important as far as making sure you're properly hydrated and are replete with electrolytes. It's possible to become dehydrated even while drinking enough water. To fix this, make sure you consume salts such ...
43
Anybody who has severe allergies which could lead to anaphylaxic shock should carry appropriate medication with them. Typically, that would consist of:
An antihistamine (e.g. benadryll)
An epinephrine auto-injector (aka "Epi-Pen")
Benadryll is available over the counter and you should have it in your first aid kit. Epi is by prescription only (at least in ...
42
I don't think they ever do test bites.
If it looks anything like a dot surrounded by a ring, go see a doctor as you might have Lyme disease.
From the Centers for Disease Control
Tickborne diseases can result in mild symptoms treatable at home to severe infections requiring hospitalization. Although easily treated with antibiotics, these diseases can ...
40
How much sea water can I safely drink? = None
If you drink sea water, how much fresh water do you need to drink to off set the sea water you drank? = 2.8 units of distilled water per 1 unit of sea water (to neutralize without adding hydration)
The "scientific" answer to this question involves a lot of complex math, human physiology and significant ...
36
Until just a few years ago I would have said tweezers. I use a tick key these days because it removes without squeezing the tick.
I get between three and a dozen ticks a year (they like me), and I much prefer this to the tweezers. The big downside with tweezers is that you are compressing the tick's body and thus forcing liquid out of the tick and...
...
34
Use tweezers, grip as near to the head as you can, and pull gently and evenly but firmly - it should come off cleanly. If it doesn't then be sure to remove the head rather than just leave it in there. Then clean the area with alcohol and be sure to keep an eye on it in case any rashes or other untoward symptoms appear. The likelihood of this depends on the ...
34
Carrying less weight makes a big difference. My packing follows the "be prepared" style more than the ultralight one, but even I admit it's easy to carry too much.
Stepping cautiously especially on descents and trying to avoid dropping too much on one step are both important.
A pair of trekking poles is very helpful, and you might need to lengthen them ...
33
The short answer is, it varies. The three factors that most influence the UV transmission factor of clothing are kind of obvious:
Material: Some materials are better at absorbing UV than others; for example, the paper cited below suggests that polyester absorbs more UV light (particularly UVB) than cotton.
Weave: The thicker and more tightly woven a piece ...
33
I'm fat, and I climb.
Now to be fair I climb indoors and not up the side of a mountain, but some of the problems I face would tend to be the same. Also I climb for fun. It's a much better workout than a treadmill. But I am by no means a serious climber.
Safety gear is harder to find. I am a big dude, not just fat (though I am that too). Finding size 16 ...
32
The key is reducing friction. Duct tape can be a good preventative as long as you get it on before a blister forms. After the blister is there, it's harder to recommend as once you're ready to remove the duct tape, you might pull the blister along with it.
Other options are to make sure you're wearing dry non-cotton socks. If you find your feet sweat a lot ...
31
I've never succeed in "hardening" my feet against blisters, even when I was barefoot growing up.
However these things have worked for me
Vaseline or (preferably) diaper rash ointment before putting on socks
Injinji toe socks (If I double socks, these are always my base layer)
These worked on long hikes even when my feet got wet, and even in poorly ...
27
Yes it is possible to sunburn through clothing. Clothing does block some of the Ultraviloet radiation but not 100%. A lot of outdoor recreation clothing is now marketed with treatments that gives additional UV protection.
26
You could ask the similar question "Most runners I see aren't fat, so is it wrong to start running as a massive guy?"
Of course the good and really good climbers are most likely on the thinner side because of obvious and already denoted reasons. Besides that, as for runners, do the sport but don't start over-motivated. Often people who like to get 20kg off ...
26
As excellent as the previous responses have been (and they all have great advice), I'd add that you want to be FLEXIBLE. Stretching is crucial, and not just for your knees. Hip flexors are a very important part of the equation too.
Stretch all the muscle groups in your lower body. Your knees will be affected primarily by your quad (thigh) muscles, but all ...
25
If you want a natural solution, try lemon eucalyptus oil.
Considering that B1 does not deter mosquitos, any dose you like will be comparable to 75mg (zero effect). However, if we wish to assume it works, you'll want the patch. Eating B1 won't help much. Since B1 is principally excreted in your urine, eating a lot of it would only really help if you ...
25
IMO the best solution right now is not to go. I live in the PNW, and I'm simply avoiding strenuous exercise until air quality improves. I wouldn't enjoy hiking with a mask on, and it's unhealthy to exert oneself with these air quality levels. I had a hike planned for this weekend which I called off due to the fire and air quality situation, and that same day ...
24
It takes about 2 years to fully get used to heat.
A ball cap is not good. Get a vented brim hat. The old straw hats are very good, they absorb moisture, and cool by evaporation. The woven reed cone Asian style hats are good.
Wear light colors. Cotton wicks moisture away to help cool. Tropical wool is the best there is. I recommend a 60% cotton 40% wool mix.
...
24
Theoretically, it might be possible to survive on fish, rainwater and desalinated seawater. In one 1930 experiment, two men survived for a year eating exclusively meat without experiencing any health issues. This indirectly suggests that meat (and therefore possibly also fish) contain all the essential nutrients, but this was a small and relatively short ...
23
Talked to my doc today during a visit for something else. It's Iliotibial Band Syndrome. The band of connective tissue that runs along the outside of the knee becomes irritated and inflamed. It's often caused by over-pronation and poor gait which is exacerbated on the weight bearing leg (not the landing leg) when going downhill. Once injured, the only ...
21
There are three criteria to be balanced in my thinking on the situation of when and if to activate a call for help to a rescue service:
Do you have the skills and training to extract yourself safely from the current situation? Equally important is your assessment of what other means of communications are likely to be available in the timeframe your current ...
20
That definitely sounds like a tick bite from a lyme disease infested tick. Get to the doctor ASAP and they can give you an antibiotic that can kill the disease before it becomes a long term problem.
19
Are you going to be hiking that high, or in a car for a small bit? Going to 15,000 feet without ever having broken 10,000 feet sounds a bit haphazard, especially if you're unsure of the dangers/how to deal with them.
There are several things you can do to help yourself out before your trip.
First, acclimate. Don't just run up to 15,000 feet. Try to spend ...
19
Okay just broke out my kit. Here's what we carry. This may seem like a long list, but it's small. It fits in a ziploc bag (almost). Also, please note that you should pack for your skill set and first aid training. If you don't know how to use a splint, it's wasted and will tempt you to do things you shouldn't. Same goes for sutures. Know how benedryl ...
19
If it is clean, fresh snow, it is safe to drink. This is basically drinking rain water. It hasn't had time to pick up pollutants when it is newly fallen. I live in New England, and kids do this all the time. You get taught early to only do this with white snow.
Make sure that the snow is actually clean: the longer it sits, and the more urbanized an area is, ...
18
It depends on precisely how big the kit is. A couple other answers have covered bigger packs, so I'll mention what could be in a much thinner pack.
If it needs to be flat and relatively small:
Bandages.
Alcohol wipes.
Gauze pads.
A flat pad of athletic tape*.
One or a couple small packs of Benadryl
Antibiotic ointment (the small, flat packs of stuff like ...
18
It would say it varies to a high degree since the source of the meat and the cut of the meat will be the primary factors in determining how many bacteria (and which type) will be on the surface of the meat. I wouldn't want to trust hamburger or mass market ground meat for even a few hours not refrigerated - so any meats that are mechanically tenderized or ...
18
I traveled in Cambodia with a doctor who has decades of experience in tropical medicine. On his recommendation, our group:
Wore long sleeves and pants at all times, despite the heat. We chose the the lightest materials we could find, but kept our skin covered.
Soaked those clothes in permetherin before going. After it dries, it continues to repel or kill ...
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