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1500 questions
66
votes
22 answers
How do you take field notes at below 0 °C, without freezing fingers?
I'm taking inventory on my tree farm. The temperature today is -7 °C with a light breeze. Windchill of -10 °C.
I figure that there are lots of people who have this problem. Writing a journal, describing observations, and so on.
How do people who…
Sherwood Botsford
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65
votes
8 answers
What are good knots to know for camping and backpacking?
I once tied a bear bag with a haphazard bundle of knots, and despite being seemingly impossible to untie, it came loose when lowering the bear bag and nearly smoked my friend standing under it. What are some good knots to learn for most stuff…
whatsisname
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64
votes
13 answers
How do you determine how long a hike will take?
Is there a general rule of thumb for converting miles to hours when looking at a potential hike? For example, how long does it take an average person walking at an average speed to walk a mile on the following types of trails:
a mostly flat, easy…
jrdioko
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63
votes
15 answers
What are some common mistakes to avoid when trying winter camping for the first time?
I would like to try winter camping. What are some common mistakes first-timers make when trying to camp in the cold?
I would be camping in temperatures between 0 and 32 Fahrenheit (-17 to 0 degrees Celsius). The climate would tend to be dry and…
birch
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62
votes
8 answers
Is it OK to throw pebbles and stones in streams, waterfalls, ponds, etc.?
I love the outdoors, but I'm not really an experienced outdoorsman, hiker or camper. I have little to no education in outdoor etiquette, beyond the really obvious stuff (pick up your trash, etc.).
Last week I took my family on a road trip through a…
TypeIA
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62
votes
7 answers
Can I safely eat grass?
A recent comment
Cows eat grass, doesn't mean you can!
got me thinking. Corn, wheat, rice, etc are all grass that we eat regularly. I am not sure the human race could survive on the planet without eating grass.
But in all fairness, for the…
James Jenkins
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61
votes
10 answers
What is the safest way to purify water?
There are a number of ways to purify water, off the top of my head we have filters, iodine, and boiling. Clearly each has some advantage/disadvantage (iodine tastes terrible, boiling takes time). Which of these is the safest? Is there another…
Kevin
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61
votes
15 answers
How can I take keys with me while swimming?
I was recently crossing a lake that is commonly used for swimming and recreation. When I was swimming back to the shore, I was constantly nervous that my bag would be stolen, along with the keys in it. The lake spans several hundred metres, so there…
Bruder Lustig
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59
votes
11 answers
A list of suitable foods for a long hike
In my opinion the priorities when selecting trekking food are:
max calories* per kilogram
not easily spoilable, especially in hot weather
reasonably priced
variety throughout the trip
I'm posting to help build a wider variety of ideas. I would…
Vorac
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58
votes
12 answers
Is it warmer to sleep in a car or in a tent?
Is it warmer to sleep in a car or in a tent?
Suppose that our old internal-combustion-engine car breaks down in a remote place at -30°C, -40°C, or -50°C, and the engine won't run at all. Suppose we're travelling with a single car, but we did bring…
gerrit
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58
votes
10 answers
How does water depth affect swimming safety? Why do signs, especially in the UK, say "DANGER: deep water"?
In many UK lakes, I see signs prohibiting swimming with the explanation DANGER: Deep water. This link contains an example. I don't understand those signs. Why is a 30 metre deep lake more dangerous to swimmers than a shallow 3 metre deep lake?
Is…
gerrit
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57
votes
8 answers
Does eating snow help dehydration?
I have heard many people say that eating snow actually can increase dehydration since the energy required for the body to heat up and melt the snow is greater than the benefits received from the moisture in the snow.
Truth or fiction? And please…
Lost
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57
votes
6 answers
How should I prepare my body for prolonged exposure to heat?
Today I hiked for about 4 hours, and I ended up with sun stroke (terrible headache, trembling etc.). The heat was moderate (about 30°C, 86°F in shade), and the way was half in forest. I had a baseball cap on my head and I drank a lot (about 2.5…
Danubian Sailor
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57
votes
11 answers
How should I remove a tick?
If I find a tick on myself or a friend, what is the best way of removing it?
I've heard some people say that singeing the tick with a match makes the tick detach and fall off. However I've also heard that the fire method makes the tick essentially…
whatsisname
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57
votes
8 answers
Why is it prohibited to sleep in a tent?
In many European countries like Germany, it's prohibited to sleep in the great outdoors with a tent.
While I understand that downright camps are a problem due to littering, fire etc., I don't get why a tent is a problem. Like what's the difference…
OddDeer
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