59
votes
Accepted
Should overweight people ever climb?
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 ...
- 21.5k
47
votes
Accepted
How should I prepare my body for prolonged exposure to heat?
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 ...
- 586
43
votes
Accepted
How to treat a severe allergic reaction while hiking?
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 ...
- 8,600
42
votes
Accepted
How much sea water can I safely drink?
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 ...
- 30k
42
votes
Could a tick make several test bites in a circle?
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 ...
- 1,970
34
votes
Other than good shoes and a stick, what are some ways to preserve your knees on long hikes?
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 ...
- 22.5k
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 ...
- 949
32
votes
Should overweight people ever climb?
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 ...
- 2,820
26
votes
Should overweight people ever climb?
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 ...
- 12.1k
26
votes
Accepted
Other than good shoes and a stick, what are some ways to preserve your knees on long hikes?
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 ...
- 376
25
votes
Hiking and climbing in smoky areas
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 ...
- 8,600
24
votes
How should I prepare my body for prolonged exposure to heat?
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 ...
- 1,980
24
votes
Accepted
Is it possible to 'live off the sea'
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 ...
- 1,309
20
votes
Had to drink untreated water: Any immediate action to avoid getting sick?
The best thing you can do to both ward off illness, and catch any illness so it can be treated early, is to schedule an appointment with your doctor, soon. When you request the appointment, make sure ...
- 4,354
19
votes
Accepted
Is it safe to drink snow?
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 ...
- 4,199
19
votes
Accepted
Why did people rub snow on frozen feet?
Was there any logic behind this practice (rubbing frostbite with snow)? Is this method encouraged /
discouraged by modern medicine?
According to Hypothermia, Frostbite and Other Cold Injuries: ...
- 22.2k
19
votes
Could a tick make several test bites in a circle?
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.
- 299
18
votes
Accepted
What is the most effective means of melting snow with body heat for drinking?
The best way to melt snow is to put it in a bottle inside your jacket under your mid layers while you're on the move and let your body heat melt it. Do not place it against the skin, leave a layer or ...
- 53k
16
votes
Accepted
Knee pain when descending a mountain
I'll be sticking to the "Descent and Knee pain" part of the discussion here.
Yeah, there is no doubt that a descent definitely makes knee-pain worse. (I am strictly sticking to the point that it's ...
- 31.5k
16
votes
Accepted
What are the different stages of frostbite?
First I will describe the stages of frostbite focusing on how to detect them and what are the implications of each. Secondly I will address handling frostbite.
Classification
Stages of frostbite are ...
- 21.5k
16
votes
Can I use ear plugs while ascending or descending a mountain?
Ear popping is due to the difference in the pressure between the outer and the middle ear. Popping of ear occurs at high altitude to allow for the two pressures to equalize.
Now, there's no ...
- 7,785
16
votes
First aid: alternatives to hydrogen peroxide
When someone is so badly injured that they need immediate professional medical treatment, and you are able to get them that treatment within a day, then wound disinfection isn't a priority. Infections ...
- 927
14
votes
What is this knee pain when going downhill?
In addition to the suggestions above, regular use of walking or trekking poles are a great help in alleviating knee and hip problems.
- 5,862
14
votes
Accepted
Is saltwater antiseptic?
Seawater is not itself sterile, in fact, it has all kinds of organisms. Salt in a wound is likely to hurt, and saltwater won't be a particularly effective antiseptic.
With wound cleaning, it's ...
- 8,600
14
votes
Are Rhododendron and Mountain Laurel truly toxic to burn in a campfire?
Poisonous plants are typically more dangerous when you burn them, at least that's true with plants that have oily toxins (poison ivy/oak). Toxins in plants aren't necessarily vaporized when burned. ...
- 53k
14
votes
Accepted
Using Camphor (Icy Hot) in the winter for warmth
While a shot of liquor or an applications of camphor may make you feel warmer, neither is actually providing heat. They are chemically stimulating nerve endings and "tricking" your body into dilating ...
- 2,902
14
votes
Is it possible to 'live off the sea'
... can someone gather/hunt/farm all of the nutrients required to be healthy whilst never having to land again?
Nutrients yes, healthy not likely.
A 1000 days is a grueling journey.
Reid Stowe, whom ...
- 356
14
votes
Other than good shoes and a stick, what are some ways to preserve your knees on long hikes?
Assuming you are not opposed to it, preemptively taking an anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen before your knees start hurting and then re-dosing later if it is a long hike can help to keep swelling / ...
- 1,658
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible