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1500 questions
13
votes
2 answers
When should a belay device be replaced?
I'm about to purchase my first belay device, and am wondering how long I might expect it to last. What signs should I be looking at to determine when a belay device eventually needs to be replaced?
nhinkle
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13
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1 answer
The re-hydration time for deydrated foods
I've got a lot of backpacking trips lined up this summer, including one multi-week one. I'm considering picking up a dehydrator because:
It probably would be more cost effective than buying freeze dried food.
I get more (total, in fact) control…
Eric
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13
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How much fuel to carry for melting snow?
I'm using a multi fuel stove (MSR Dragonfly) for a 10 day ski tour, how much fuel should I allow to provide sufficient water for cooking and drinking. Meals will be mostly dehydrated just-add-water types. I'm not expecting to need much (any) for…
Simon Hodgson
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6 answers
Leave no Trace: Are campfires unethical?
According to the Centre for Outdoor Ethics:
"The use of campfires, once a necessity for cooking and warmth, is
steeped in history and tradition [...] the natural appearance of many areas has been degraded by the overuse of fires and an increasing…
ShemSeger
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13
votes
2 answers
Is there a tool that can calculate the time of sunrise?
From time to time I enjoy taking hikes in the mountains to see a beautiful sunrise and sunset. When doing this, I always guess when the sun will rise that day and then I plan my tour accordingly. But this is not always that easy, especially in the…
RoflcoptrException
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13
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1 answer
How to tandem rappel/abseil with a child?
So my toddler just barely fits the smallest child's harness on the market, which of course means she's big enough to go climbing and rappelling with daddy ;)
I've been playing around with different techniques of tandem rappelling with her (both…
ShemSeger
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13
votes
4 answers
How to unlock walking poles that have not been used for a while
I have some walking poles that have not been used for some time. They have become stuck.
How do I unlock the sticks which have not been used in a while?
Nola Coleman
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13
votes
4 answers
Stove/fuel setup for harsh conditions
We already have topics on fuels here and here which give quite an overview. Also REI gives some info how to choose your stove and fuel properly.
Still I would like to know what are the best options for my stove/fuel setup if I want to melt snow for…
Wills
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13
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2 answers
Reliability of snow bollards
I just discovered there is a way to rapell (e.g. for crevasse rescue) without any equipment building a snow bollard:
How is this done in the best possible manner?
What do I have to look for in terms of (snow) conditions?
How can I check the…
Wills
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13
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2 answers
Headlamp with open flame
I just saw a documentary where they investigated lakes inside of glaciers. They rapelled in big crevasses and even dived in those sometimes huge water reservoirs.
The scientist had a regular looking headlamp but on top of it there seemed to be an…
Wills
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13
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3 answers
Avoiding 4WD-areas in Iceland
High on my list of places I want to visit one day in my life is Iceland, but I am worried by a warning I heard. One of two people who talked to me about Iceland experiences told me she was rather disappointed, because in many areas where they went,…
gerrit
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13
votes
2 answers
Is there a more practical type of cord to carry than "550 paracord"?
Paracord is widely considered a must-have for wilderness survival, and there are hundreds of tutorials for making bracelets out of it, etc. With this popularity has come a glut of people selling "paracord" that doesn't actually have the strength and…
nhinkle
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13
votes
3 answers
What are practical uses of paracord survival bracelets?
So I was gifted two of those survival paracord bracelets.
I untied one so to check the resistance of the cord.
It holded my whole body weight (75kg) hanging from the ceiling, and I also bounced on it a bit.
But, given that the lenght of such a…
Dakatine
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13
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1 answer
V-threads (Abalakov): How many holes are too many?
V-threads, or Abalakov threads (after the inventor Vitaly Abalakov), can be tricky to make (especially left handed in the dark...), but when you miss the mark on your first attempt, or second attempt, or third... at what point do you abandon your…
ShemSeger
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2 answers
Why all the different accessory cord diameters?
It's easy to get overwhelmed with all the different types and diameters of accessory cords. I usually always get 7mm for making my prusiks and cordalettes, but I've often wondered who uses the smaller diameter stuff?
I naturally assume smaller cord…
ShemSeger
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