The Great Outdoors Stack Exchange
The Great Outdoors Stack Exchange

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1500 questions
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5 answers

How can I keep my backpack safe?

I went on a hike with my wife the other day in Norcal. This place had a creek that led into a cave that you can swim in. We both left our backpacks at the cave entrance and then swam through it to the other side to explore, trusting that no one…
daniellopez46
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Should a carabiner ever be clipped to the tie-in loops and should anything other than a carabiner ever attach to the belay loop?

I'm a beginning climber and am trying to resolve conflicting instruction related to tying into my harness. During a recent outing a friend (an experienced climber, but not an instructor) was showing me the basics of switching from climbing to…
STW
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Is there a difference in performance between a fishing kayak and touring kayak?

Last year my wife and I rented a couple of SOT kayaks and used them to paddle around our local lake. We enjoyed it so much we have decided to purchase our own this year. We are looking at some entry level kayaks to use at the lakes and rivers here…
Larry
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Does whiskey help keep you warm in winter?

It is a rare day that I head out into the winter wilds without a flask of sumpt'n-sumpt'n in my pocket. A nip helps one to relax, can mildly embolden timid skiers in my group, and gives one that fiery radiating warmth upon imbibing. Its this latter…
Lost
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What alternative topographic maps exist in the USA?

This answer recommends topographic maps as downloadable from the USGS. A comment holds that those are definitely the best thing for the US. An except for the San Joaquin river near Mammoth Lakes looks like this: When I look at the same place with…
gerrit
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What should you do if you are bitten by a rattlesnake?

You should obviously avoid rattlesnakes if at all possible. But if you do get bitten by one, what should you do? What supplies can be brought ahead of time to allow for the best treatment, and what should you do if you have nothing other than…
jrdioko
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What temperature to prepare for on Everest base camp trek?

I'm doing the popular tourist trek from Lukla to Everest base camp in late April / early May. I know the minimum temperature is on average -1 Celsius (30.2 Fahrenheit) in the Khumbu region at this time but am wondering what temperature to prepare…
Simon Gibbs
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What is the fastest style of sled?

Winter is here and, like every year, I am still thrilled when the extended family rounds up all the little kids and we go sledding. This year we compared our sleds and found that some were significantly faster. What is the fastest style of…
john_science
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What is the difference between single and double wall tents?

Tents are described being either single or double wall. What is the difference and when is one preferred over the other?
Reverend Gonzo
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What natural (non-synthetic) fabrics are good for the winter?

Which natural (non-synthetic) fabrics are good for hiking winter weather? I know cotton will generally trap moisture and invite hypothermia, while wool is warm but heavy. What other natural fabrics will work well in winter conditions?
Russell Steen
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Can I heat a shelter with fire?

So I built my survival shelter and I decide a nice fire would really warm things up. Is there a way I can build a fire that would heat the shelter without too much smoke? I know I could make the shelter better and warmer, and I would need to sit and…
MaskedPlant
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7 answers

Power for devices in cold and dark?

First post here -- and not an electronics expert at all. I really hope, though, that someone might give me an idea about best practice for this: I haven't found a similar question using search. What is the most efficient (in terms of…
Henrik
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3 answers

Mortality statistics: Ski touring vs rock climbing

In Switzerland, where I live, the communities of rock climbers and ski tourers are quite overlapping. I often rock climb in sport setups (single or multi-pitch and bouldering) but almost never go ski touring because I feel it's too dangerous in a…
G. Gare
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How do I tell if this single climbing rope is still safe for use?

I've lent my friend a five year old single climbing rope for a garden project. It was in meticulous condition until then. Instead of a weekend it took him more like six weeks to complete his project to fix a leaking roof of a hut in a…
Andreas Schwab
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Sailing an age-of-sail sloop with 2-man crew

For writing a story, I'm trying to figure out if 2 people could crew an age-of-sail (15th/16th-19th century) sloop and sail it effectively. Various sources give various crew numbers for various types of vessels and estimating where the ship in…
JANXOL
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