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1500 questions
14
votes
3 answers
Training to prepare for oxygen deficiency in the high mountains
I would like to prepare myself for the climb in the high mountains (for now by "high mountains" I mean elevation 4000 m and more, but eventually eight-thousanders).
What can I do to improve my general physical condition specifically for this…
syntagma
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14
votes
1 answer
Kilimanjaro expedition - trousers - softshell vs. gore-tex
I am going on an expedition to Kilimanjaro and I'm going to buy new trousers specifically for this purpose. Some agencies recommend to take soft shell trousers and I'm not sure if it would be the best choice. I know that gore-tex is a…
syntagma
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14
votes
3 answers
What can I do to prevent getting poison ivy?
I have a very bad reaction to poison ivy. I take extraordinary measures to avoid any and all contact with it. I wear long socks and full pants in the middle of summer but I still end up getting it on my hands.
Is there a spray or cream that I can…
Deac Karns
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14
votes
2 answers
Legal liabilities of non-profit guiding in adventure sports
I am a whitewater kayaker and I often show people down rivers I'm familiar with on their first time down. I take special joy in doing so and consider it community service. The only compensation is maybe a few cold ones at the end of the day, of…
amphibient
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14
votes
5 answers
How can I tell a “trail shoe” from a regular sport shoe?
On a day-to-day basis, I wear regular light-weight sport shoes, such as these:
The footwear I saw people using in serious terrain in the USA looked similar, but this answer to my related question points out those are trail shoes.
The concept of…
gerrit
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14
votes
2 answers
How to treat shin splints while backpacking
It's been a couple of years since I last had bad shin splits but I can still recall how painful they can be. I was able to heal them before mostly with a couple weeks rest.
If the pain came back when backpacking, a day or so away from…
Justin C
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14
votes
3 answers
What is this belay/descender device called and how is it used?
Or may be it is an ascending device...
There are two movable part, both on one axis.
I tried searching about various descending devices, but I find mostly descriptions of Petzl things. This may be some old thing from USSR.
Vi.
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14
votes
1 answer
Precautions when walking through area of crocodiles
Unlike other places, in India, the region where I stay and trek, we don't have warning boards stating the crocodile threats/warnings.
I have been wandering in the region for almost a decade now and after such a long I have just come across there…
WedaPashi
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14
votes
3 answers
How quickly do Oxygen Absorbers "spoil"?
I was recently packing my own dehydrated meals for hiking using mylar bags and oxygen absorper packs. The oxygen absorbers come in packs of 10. Generally the process is to prep all your bags and move quickly once the absorbers are opened, but I…
Russell Steen
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14
votes
2 answers
How do you pitch a tarp so that you will not get wet in a heavy rain?
A noted authority (Ben Crowell) stated in a comment on What sleep quality do you get in the outdoors?
A properly pitched tarp works fine in a heavy rain. It just requires
practice to set it up properly. I've sat out a very intense storm
under a…
ab2
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14
votes
1 answer
What is the process of winterizing a boat?
What is the process for boats becoming "winterized"? Do all boats need to become winterized and is this a one-time process?
Tom
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14
votes
3 answers
Is a single strand of webbing unacceptable for climbing anchors?
While browsing the DumbAnchors blog, I came across a post which points out the poor use of a single strand (not a loop) of webbing for building top rope anchors.
The blogger doesn't say why these are unacceptable to use, he only points out the…
Chris Mendez
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14
votes
1 answer
Is there statistical backing for asserting the wilderness is safer than the highway?
My brother once told a concerned parent (whose son he was taking hiking in the "wilderness" (John Muir trail) for a few days) that the most dangerous part of the trip would be the drive there and back.
All joking aside about a person's driving…
B. Clay Shannon-B. Crow Raven
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14
votes
2 answers
Men using a women's trekking backpack
I'm planning a trekking in Torres del Paine (Chile) and El Chaten (Argentina) and my actual backpack has 50l and I'm afraid 50l isn't enough for a 20 day trip with 10 days trekking.
A friend of mine is selling a women's Aircontact PRO 55 + 15…
Rodrigo Menezes
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14
votes
1 answer
Why does abseiling become easier gradually?
When I am abseiling, the rope is initially hard to feed through my braking device - if I take my hands away from the rope, I get stuck in mid-air.
However, as I am getting lower, it gradually gets easier, until at some point the rope starts running…
anatolyg
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