The Great Outdoors Stack Exchange
The Great Outdoors Stack Exchange

Most Popular

more tags
1500 questions
16
votes
2 answers

What belay systems would work for beginning climbers who can only use one arm?

A friend would like to start climbing but he can only use one arm. I've read about a few people climbing with one arm, but I haven't found advice on which gear to use. We are only at the beginning of researching options, any tips and experiences…
Nana
  • 161
  • 2
15
votes
2 answers

Climbing: fear/panic on boulder wall

I am wondering if anyone else has experienced fear/panic that gets in the way of bouldering, and what their tips are for dealing with this. (There is a prior question on fear in lead climbing, but my issue is specific to bouldering. I climb…
Mary
  • 151
  • 4
15
votes
4 answers

Does a bird really abandon the nest? Will similar birds re-use it?

This may appear a bit opinion-based. Birds take a while and a lot of effort to build a nest. Is it okay to take that pretty nest as a sample or a show-piece to put in a personal balcony or a garden? I don't know if they or the same kind of bird…
WedaPashi
  • 31,857
  • 22
  • 114
  • 276
15
votes
1 answer

Can fish sense a person's heartbeat from vibrations through the line?

Fishing is 95% waiting and 5% action, well at least that's how it is for me. During the down time, I contemplate deeply on some obscure and inane things. For a while I've wondered if an angler is holding his or her rod when the line is in still…
zer00ne
  • 687
  • 5
  • 14
15
votes
1 answer

How do I repair the "Fishscale" side of a cross country ski?

I have a 20cm long, 2mm wide, 1mm deep gouge in the Fishscale portion of a cross country ski. How would I repair this scratch? Some have suggested Ptex will just burn into it too aggressively, others say that I would be best just getting a new ski.…
Clickflashwhir
  • 151
  • 3
15
votes
4 answers

Rappelling from tree

My friend and I were on a tough sport climb and couldn't make it to the chains. Thus, we had one quickdraw still on a bolt and we didn't want to leave this behind, (a quickdraw on this same project had been stolen only 2 days prior when I left it…
maxwell
  • 376
  • 2
  • 11
15
votes
4 answers

What trees/bushes are best suited for a simple bow?

This question is about the simple type of bow often (but not exclusively :) ) made by children that consists of a branch of wood with a cord tied to both its ends. Obviously such a branch should be straight and uniformly thick. Furthermore there is…
imsodin
  • 21,759
  • 4
  • 80
  • 133
15
votes
1 answer

How much experience is needed with llamas to hike with a llama, on one's own?

I've seen people on multi-day hikes with a llama, and the llama seems docile and easily led. It seems too good to be true. I would never go out with a mule or a horse on my own. If my husband and I went on a short (two or three day) trip with a…
ab2
  • 24,716
  • 9
  • 71
  • 168
15
votes
9 answers

Cleaning the plastic residue of the inside of my old backpack

I have a very old backpack (10-15 years old) that is perfect for one day or weekend hikes. The problem is that the inside material has started to peel off and it leaves small bits of yellowish plastic on anything that I put in there. This is…
Paul Irofti
  • 1,549
  • 1
  • 12
  • 28
15
votes
2 answers

Why bring a multitool on long treks?

I have been trekking for years now, mostly in Scandinavia, Canada and Peru. For most of treks we had to be sustainable and carry food for 10-14 days at a time - so weight is always a big issue. Obviously this requires very optimized equipment, and…
fgysin
  • 13,424
  • 1
  • 43
  • 74
15
votes
6 answers

How can I avoid or lessen sweating in a rain jacket?

I have a nylon rain jacket that I wear to walk my dogs when it rains. It seems that no matter what clothes I wear underneath, I always end up very sweaty. I've tried long sleeves, short sleeves, quick-dry and cotton shirts, but it just happens after…
Chris Mendez
  • 7,240
  • 5
  • 38
  • 81
15
votes
6 answers

Back country solution to itchy insect bites

On a recent walk I got bitten to death by midgies. I was itching all day until I got home and put some antihistamine cream on them. Is there anything available (plants, etc.) that I could of applied to stop (or help with) the itching?
user2766
15
votes
2 answers

What is a good tarp setup for very high winds above the tree line?

Assuming it's very impractical to get down to reach the tree line; and that the wind is changing direction very often - so a setup with several sides closed would be preferred - what would be a good tarp setup for very strong, direction changing…
Dakatine
  • 4,585
  • 4
  • 26
  • 53
15
votes
3 answers

How do I protect my book(s) while backpacking?

I recently started backpacking in the Olympic Mountains. While camping, I usually bring along a trade paperback for light reading before bed or during a lunch break on a day-long hike. Up until now, the only protection my books have had has been a…
Zach L
  • 1,221
  • 1
  • 8
  • 24
15
votes
4 answers

What's the difference between frontcountry camping and backcountry camping?

I know what camping is, but what are frontcountry and backcountry camping?
Sparkler
  • 299
  • 1
  • 2
  • 6
1 2 3
…
99 100