Hot answers tagged

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 ...
imsodin's user avatar
  • 21.7k
46 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 ...
rhrgrt's user avatar
  • 576
44 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 ...
nhinkle's user avatar
  • 8,710
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 ...
James Jenkins's user avatar
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 ...
HTDutchy's user avatar
  • 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 ...
Chris H's user avatar
  • 26.1k
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 ...
Dave X's user avatar
  • 1,124
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 ...
coteyr's user avatar
  • 2,810
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 ...
Wills's user avatar
  • 12.2k
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 ...
Thunderbuck's user avatar
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 ...
nhinkle's user avatar
  • 8,710
25 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 ...
Jan's user avatar
  • 1,329
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 ...
J Bergen's user avatar
  • 2,040
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 ...
csk's user avatar
  • 4,384
20 votes

When do you put on long underwear?

There is some merit to acclimatisation, but you have to be careful if you're out in the cold for prolonged periods. It's also unclear to what extent you acclimatise in terms of just comfort, and in ...
Chris H's user avatar
  • 26.1k
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 ...
Karen's user avatar
  • 4,219
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: ...
ab2's user avatar
  • 23.4k
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.
T-coder's user avatar
  • 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 ...
ShemSeger's user avatar
  • 53.5k
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 ...
imsodin's user avatar
  • 21.7k
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 ...
Ricketyship's user avatar
  • 7,815
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 ...
Philipp's user avatar
  • 983
15 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 ...
Rob's user avatar
  • 366
15 votes

How can I cover the upper part of my nose to avoid UV radiations?

As skin cancer is such a major issue in Australia, there is a huge range of products that shield the nose. From the Australian Cancer Council, see this one which clips onto your sunglasses as an ...
Rory Alsop's user avatar
  • 24.9k
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 ...
Charles E. Grant's user avatar
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 / ...
renesis's user avatar
  • 1,668
14 votes

Other than good shoes and a stick, what are some ways to preserve your knees on long hikes?

Make sure you are using your knees correctly. Body mechanics is a big deal. My doctor was on the road to a knee replacement 25 years ago, and decided he really did not want that. So he learned Tai ...
Harper - Reinstate Monica's user avatar
14 votes

How can I cover the upper part of my nose to avoid UV radiations?

Zinc Oxide Paste Surfers use zinc oxide for the most burnable areas of the face, and it might work for you too. It's an opaque white paste that totally blocks harmful UV. It's not greasy like ...
Robert's user avatar
  • 243

Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible