The Great Outdoors Stack Exchange
The Great Outdoors Stack Exchange

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1500 questions
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Does bottle color affect mold growth?

I'm currently looking at using colored see-through water bottles. Mold is green because it reflects green light, so I have a theory that a green bottle would grow the least amount of mold because it only allows green light through which the mold…
Quicksilver
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Uses of a rabbit in a survival situation?

Let's say your plane crashes and you end up in a forest in a cold Russian winter miles away from civilization. You have lost all your clothing; completely butt naked. You manage to get fire and make somewhat of a shelter from the elements. You have…
Edgar Politto
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What are these red, air-filled, pod-shaped pieces of vintage outdoor gear?

I recently visited a local outfitter upon whose walls hang various pieces of vintage outdoor equipment. I was unable to identify these, or even guess which outdoor activity they might have been relevant to. None of the store employees knew for sure,…
Peter Schilling
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How can one find the difficult to find geocaches?

I've recently been getting into the hobby of Geocaching. However, I'm finding there are many, particularly in cities, that I just cannot find no matter how hard I look for them. They tend to be very small, and often have camouflage of some kind.…
PearsonArtPhoto
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Specific Chinese carabiner QA?

Several offshore sailors are considering the use of specific Chinese locking carabiners with personal tethers, to keep us attached in violent conditions.…
wil bailey
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14
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Why is traditional marine advice to stay still, rather than swim vigorously, if fallen in cold water?

Traditional marine advice says that, if one falls into cold water, it is better to stay still rather than try to swim (unless the shore is so close that you are absolutely able to make it) to extend the survival time because heat loss is greater…
Michael Tsang
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How real is the danger of suffocation in an Igloo?

Last weekend I spent a night in an igloo. The event was organised by professionals (it was a company retreat) and during the night there was always one of the guides awake making rounds and checking on the people in the igloos. They also made sure…
fgysin
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Do emergency space blankets actually work?

Inspired by a space blanket being included in emergency winter kits, I wonder if there's any rigorous study about whether these things actually work and in what ways to best use them. In my own experience, they do make nice reflectors. For example,…
cr0
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Is there a universal patch that signifies Food/Rations?

I have a medical bag together, which has a red cross velcro patch on the front of it. Anyone who looks at it will immediately know that the bag contains medical supplies. However, I'm making an additional bag for hiking/bugout which will hold spare…
Krythic
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How is elevation gain and change measured for hiking trails?

If a trail is listed as 1500m of elevation change, what exactly does that mean? For example, if the trail goes up 500m, then down 200m, then up 100m, then down 300m, then up 400m, is that considered a 1500m (500+200+100+300+400) elevation change…
Amazon Dies In Darkness
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Is there a difference between a hiking trail and a backpacking trail, including if it's the same piece of land?

I saw an article about the Long Trail, a 272-mile trail through the Green Mountain range in Vermont, USA. It's famous for being the oldest hiking trail in the United States, having been built between 1910 and 1930. According to the Green Mountain…
Sue Saddest Farewell TGO GL
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Is there a simple at-home test to objectively measure the insulating value of a sleeping pad?

Does anyone know of a reasonably simple means of using household items to objectively measure the insulating value of a sleeping pad, in a way that accurately predicts that aspect of performance in the field? I would imagine that this would…
mmcc
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Is it safe to drink rain water from a stream after a long drought?

I was hiking in Switzerland yesterday and came across a small river which holds very little water on most days (or even none) and grows a lot after rainfall. The day before yesterday it rained for the first time in weeks, so the river held a lot of…
user15372
14
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How dangerous is it to rummage the ground in the mountains of Nevada desert with venomous creatures out there?

I made plans to do some hiking in the mountains of Nevada this weekend. I'll have someone there nearby and a hospital is an hour drive away. We thought it would be fun to uncover rocks and even dig the soil to try and see if we can get lucky finding…
Michael d
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How to estimate the volume a person sweats?

I'm pretty comfortable with my technique to stay hydrated, but I am curious about estimating how much liquid is actually involved. I generally am just concerned with getting rid of it, but occasionally (especially when drips become a steady trickle)…
user8348
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