The Great Outdoors Stack Exchange
The Great Outdoors Stack Exchange

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1500 questions
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6 answers

How do I get a stuck gas canister (for hiking/camping) out of a stainless steel mug?

I nested my 110g gas canister inside my stainless steel mug for a hike. I used it about halfway through for lunch, and when I was done put it back in the way I had packed it (upside down). Now it is stuck. My guess is that the canister was at the…
Michael
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Why is oilcloth made with linseed oil?

I've been looking into making an oilcloth tarp. All the sources I have read so far seem to consider linseed oil the only oil to use, and I'm wondering why that is. So, what, if anything, is it about linseed oil that makes it a good oil for oilcloth?
Haem
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Does an ice chest packed full of frozen food need ice?

If the cooler is packed full of frozen food, does it need ice to stay frozen for 3 weeks or does ice somehow stay colder longer than frozen steak, sausage, hamburger etc.? I'm going on a 18 day Grand Canyon rafting trip.
Woodstockaz
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1 answer

What is this sharp, curved notch on my knife for?

I recently bought a knife that near the handle end of the blade has a sharp, curved part: I don’t think it’s a choil because it’s sharp. What is its use? I thought something to do with stripping sinew from bones maybe? It is a PBK Brute Lock Knife…
Darren
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3 answers

Where can I test an emergency whistle?

I've just 3d-printed what's supposed to be an ear-shatteringly loud emergency whistle (120 dB at one meter). However, it's apparently somewhat sensitive to printing conditions, because some people report their whistle doesn't make any sound at all…
Mark
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5 answers

What are the benefits of saving bats?

I'm fascinated by bats. I love to watch them fly around, although I've never seen more than a few at a time where I live in a suburban area in Massachusetts, Northeastern Unites States. I'd love to see them in large numbers in their natural…
Sue Saddest Farewell TGO GL
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3 answers

Two kids sharing a sleeping bag

We are heading out on our first family camping. We tested out our sleeping bags in the living room. The two kids ( ~2 & ~5 yo) wanted to share one adult sleeping bag. I'm expecting that it will end in a fight before long, but if it doesn't: Is it a…
Simppa
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3 answers

Can microspikes replace crampons when crossing ice in summer?

When hiking in early summer I often come across patches of old snow. Till now I have managed to cross those by cutting my steps in the snow or walking around. And whenever I had my hiking sticks with me I was really happy. I believe microspikes…
april rain
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How can I locate wilderness maps for specific countries or regions?

The Norwegian directorate for nature management publishes a map of wilderness showing how far away a particular area is from heavy technical interventions, such as roads, electricity lines, hydro lakes, etc. This provides a quick overview as to…
gerrit
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Crevasse rescue with knots in the rope

This has been bugging me for a while. A party is traveling on a glacier and adds braking knots evenly to the length of the rope as seen in this answer. The person leading the rope falls into a crevasse and the knots do not stop the fall. How does…
llama
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4 answers

How do I use these "guy line runners" to adjust the tension on my tent's lines?

I was given my current tent and I have to admit to being pretty ignorant of tents, having not done much camping since I was a kid some decades ago. Now when it came time to use the guy ropes I noticed there are plastic "things" on the ropes, that I…
hippietrail
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6 answers

Diet for Long-Term Camping

I will be camping and commuting to work for some undetermined number of months. During this time, I plan to do a lot of working out as well, and I'm wondering what healthy camp-friendly mostly non-perishables are there for this kind of lifestyle. A…
TQM
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Long or short sleeves on a hike in the Desert?

I have heard different things from different people, but here in the South West we do a decent amount of desert hiking. Protection from bugs is usually little concern because most of the time in the summer day it is too hot for them. So mainly my…
MaskedPlant
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1 answer

When stranded at sea, should I not ask for a tow?

I've been told that you should never ask for a tow when you are stranded at sea. The reason given is that the person towing can claim a huge share of the stranded boat, potentially all of it if it's abandoned. Is this really codified somewhere? …
Stefano Borini
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Are all Ants and Termites edible?

Watching wildlife shows you frequently see omnivores (i.e. bears) eating ants and termites. We have the existing Q&A Eating ants/termites on outdoor expeditions explaining that some ants and termites are very good for people to eat. I am wondering…
James Jenkins
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