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1500 questions
13
votes
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
votes
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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13
votes
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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13
votes
1 answer

Why are backpack waist straps so long?

I was hiking with some friends and we concluded that most/all our bags have ridiculously long waist straps that leave lots of extra strap that is annoying or must be tidied away. Additionally, some of us have to have the strap as tight as it will go…
nivag
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13
votes
2 answers

Which month would be, on probability, the best month to trek on the Isle of Skye, Scotland?

I am an experienced hiker/hillwalker and plan to tackle the Trotternish Ridge on Skye , possibly a few other coastal walks, whilst also taking a reconnaissance look at The Cuillin. My plan is to spent 4-5 days on the island with wild camping for 3…
Venture2099
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13
votes
5 answers

If my depth varies +- 2m when breathing in and out, what's going wrong?

This week, when diving mostly with people more experienced than myself, I noticed something about my buoyancy compared to theirs. I'm wondering how to fix it. Before setting off, we all selected what seemed an appropriate amount of weights. Everyone…
Gagravarr
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13
votes
3 answers

Are there any sunglasses with prescription insert that does not alter depth sense?

I own a pair of Adidas Elevation Climacool eyeglasses which served me quite well for about ten years and whose sun lenses now need replacement. Those glasses allow to use a visual defect correction insert. Please notice it in the bottom left of this…
Dakatine
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13
votes
1 answer

Is this "dry suit cutting wrists" story realistic?

I'm reading a very good novel, called "Smilla's sense of snow". A minor figure tells this story from the time he was a frogman with the marines: Going down, I glide through a cold belt [...] I panic. I lose my safety rope. [...] They told me later…
rumtscho
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13
votes
2 answers

How to make a signal fire that can be seen miles away

If I were lost in the North American woods, how could I make a signal fire that would attract attention many miles away ?
wyocalboy
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13
votes
3 answers

Avoiding building a belay anchor too low down

Sometimes when I'm trad climbing it seems really tough to avoid an awkward belay, and a common type of awkwardness is when the belay device ends up too low. Below is a drawing of a situation I was in recently. The tree was small, and I didn't want…
user2169
13
votes
1 answer

What are the navigation considerations on the Monongahela and Youghiogheny Rivers between Ohiopyle State Park (PA) and Pittsburgh PA?

I want to travel by canoe from Ohiopyle State Park to Pittsburgh Pa on the Monongahela and Youghiogheny Rivers What are the navigation considerations? Also I will have a bike and trailer for the canoe, will be interested in bike trails paralleling…
James Jenkins
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13
votes
2 answers

How can I avoid an encounter with a tiger?

I'm backpacking through a national park in India, which also happens to be a tiger reserve. I understand that chances of even spotting a Bengal tiger are slim, but still, what precautionary measures can I take to avoid an encounter with the largest…
13
votes
2 answers

What this instrument is used for?

Just like everyday, I was at the climbing wall this morning, when I reached, there was a group (I have not seen anyone of them there, ever, it being a local place, I know almost everyone who comes there in my time slot) who had finished their…
WedaPashi
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