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1500 questions
14
votes
4 answers
What are the key factors when choosing a sleeping bag for backpacking?
I'm preparing to go on my first ever backpacking trip and do not have a suitable sleeping bag. What are the factors I should consider when choosing one?
Personally I'm looking for the best value I can find and don't plan to do any extreme trips with…
Mike Deck
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14
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2 answers
What dried vegetarian foods have the highest ratio of calories to volume?
I mostly hike in bear country, which limits how much food I can take to the volume of my bear canister. This excellent question dealt with foods that are great on a trip where food-selection criteria do not include limited space or a vegetarian…
DudeOnRock
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14
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1 answer
What is a good material to patch holes in backpack?
I have a backpack with rip-stop material that is quite beaten up from scrambling over granite boulders. What are some good materials for patching the holes, what kind of thread should I use, and how should I sew the patches to the holes? I am…
DudeOnRock
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14
votes
1 answer
How do I tie a Prusik knot?
Prusik knots are useful in emergency situations as they can be used for both climbing up a rope (out of a canyon) or down a rope (rappelling) without someone else providing a fireman's belay.
How would I go about properly tying a Prusik knot?
Reverend Gonzo
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14
votes
2 answers
Is it safe to use a motorcycle helmet instead of a skiing helmet for skiing?
I have a perfectly good motorcycle helmet (one that encompasses the whole head, including the chin) that I never use (I bought it for lessons, but never bought a motorcycle). However, I do not have a skiing helmet and have to borrow one each time…
bitmask
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14
votes
3 answers
What is the true risk of suffocation from different combustion sources in a tent? (CO2, CO)
Aside from risk of fire (which for this question we will assume has been fully mitigated) what is the real risk of suffocation if one were to use a stove, lantern, or candle lantern in a tent?
There have been some reports of death from this (whether…
Lost
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14
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2 answers
When is it too cold for Tarping?
I'm looking to get a tarp, and considering when I want to go out with it. My three season tent with the rain fly has pretty good heat retention, and while it doesn't get toasty, it does stay warmer than the surrounding outdoors. Tarps from my…
Russell Steen
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14
votes
2 answers
Jerky or Freeze-dried food : Is the salt they contain a concern?
Almost all outdoors activities require having a certain quantity of water to prevent dehydration.
Many types of jerky or Freeze-dried foods contain high amounts of salt. Should that be considered?
If yes, do people desalinate those foods before…
Amine
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14
votes
1 answer
How can I go camping in Nepal and Northern Pakistan?
A group of friends would like to go camping in Northern Pakistan on their own. The only problem is to know some locals who can help us with food and a place to find where we can put up our camps. How can we do that (we don't want to pay thousands of…
amjad
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14
votes
6 answers
What characteristics should I look for in a good torch/flashlight?
I'm looking to buy a flashlight/torch (or build my own even if that works out cheaper), and am looking to take the following into consideration:
Good battery life (LEDs would probably suit best in this regard)
Takes rechargeable batteries of common…
berry120
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14
votes
2 answers
How to be safe on lake and river ice and what should I do when I fall through?
It's late October and in cold, northern hemisphere climates, winter has arrived, and moderate northern hemisphere climates will follow soon. In my area, small lakes are already frozen and people have been ice-skating already. The rivers and large…
gerrit
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14
votes
4 answers
How do I find known and documented trails for trail running in New England?
In my past experiences running on trails, the paths are demarcated for hikers and bikers and I learned about these running-appropriate paths through word of mouth and in person park information. After moving to New England and the New York area, I…
Seth Rogers
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14
votes
4 answers
What are the advantages of learning to ski on a trip? (as opposed to beforehand)
I'm a non-skier right now but am thinking of going on a ski trip. As far as I can tell there are two options for learning.
On a dry ski slope before I go
Start my trip with learning
What the the advantages of either option?
Matt
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14
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4 answers
Is buying an expensive sleeping bag better?
I went camping a week ago and when I was sick, it was so cold. I woke up many times at night shaking because of it. I have a cheap and old Wal-Mart sleeping bag, and I am thinking about buying one of these $150 good Mountain Hardwear sleeping bags…
Conrad C
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14
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2 answers
Seeking advice on getting a wild bird out an open window or door, alone, with no help. (Location, Virginia)
When my husband was alive, we did not have inordinate difficulty in guiding small mammals and birds out of the house. Open the windows, open the doors, employ a coordinated pincer movement wielding brooms or (for birds) light fabric, and after the…
ab2
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