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1500 questions
24
votes
7 answers
Tent inside of a tent - any improvement in warmth?
I know that a pocket of still air is an excellent insulator.
Would placing a tent inside of another tent provide any substantive benefits to warmth? For a concrete example, consider placing a small two person dome tent inside of a much larger 6 or…
J Kimball
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24
votes
2 answers
Leave-no-trace-exception for tissues?
I'm absolutely harsh when it comes to littering in the woods. After a break I take an extra turn to check if everything was picked up. Someone accidentally left a tissue on the last tour and I put it in my pocket. As we randomly chatted about this…
OddDeer
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24
votes
3 answers
What happens to cams after climbing?
What do people do with their cams after they've reached the top of the rock? Is there some special way of getting them down again? Seeing the prices of around 50 € per piece they can hardly just leave them up there.
David
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23
votes
2 answers
How to "spot" someone who is bouldering?
We have discussed a lot and at length about how to climb and other climbing techniques. I haven't come across a single post that talks about Spotting techniques.
What are the duties of a Spotter? What is the best a spotter can do to ensure that the…
WedaPashi
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23
votes
5 answers
What is a buff?
What is a "buff", how is it used, and why should I have one?
I've seen them advocated in numerous places, but I'm not sure why a tube of cloth is better around my neck than a scarf, etc.
Russell Steen
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23
votes
5 answers
Can you eat pine needles in an emergency?
If you are in a survival situation in the woods and really hungry, and you are unsure about which plants are edible, can you eat pine needles?
wyocalboy
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23
votes
5 answers
What do I do if a black bear is right outside my tent?
Even if I was to follow the advice of letting bears know I am in the area, keeping my cooking and anything that smells at least 100m from my camp & downwind, etc, suppose a bear finds my tent and likes the smell of it.
What do I do? Suppose I do…
user5873
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23
votes
5 answers
Ration or consume water?
In a situation where you don't know when you will find water again, is it better to ration the water you have over time (and ever increasing dehydration) or to drink it to quench thirst as soon as needed?
It seems like there would be a tradeoff…
That Idiot
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23
votes
4 answers
Climbing Kilimanjaro for a newbie
It looks like I'm going to be living in Nairobi for a few years. Along with all of the other amazing opportunities for adventure around here, there's this giant mountain just over the border. Since I'm so close, I've started thinking about whether I…
Gnagn
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23
votes
4 answers
What pattern for casual planes should a castaway create on a desert island?
This answer has inspired me to a question: say you are a castaway on a desert island. There might be a plane flying casualy but you can miss it. So you want to create some pattern (e.g. put some branches in the sand near the beach) which will…
Tomas
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23
votes
8 answers
What format should I use to report my location to emergency responders?
Suppose I am out in the wilderness and an emergency arises. I have an accurate fix on my location (from GPS, map and compass, astronomical observation, etc...). I manage to get in touch with emergency services and need to tell them where I am.
But…
Nate Eldredge
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23
votes
5 answers
How to preserve cheese while backpacking?
Are there specific techniques for carrying/storing cheese while backpacking for a longer time so it doesn´t spoil?
This question is related, but different: Cheese and eggs on backpacking trips
Paul Paulsen
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23
votes
4 answers
How do I take care of Gore-Tex boots?
I have a pair of Gore-Tex walking boots that I have used a fair bit now and want to make sure I keep them serviceable for as long as possible. What is the best way to maintain Gore-Tex walking boots? Do they need reproofing occasionally or is just…
Phil
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23
votes
2 answers
When should I retire my rope
I know there is a degree of "gray" in this question but:
I have a Beal Top gun II 10.5mm, I've had this rope for around 4 years now and I'm starting to think about retiring it.
It's been used mainly for indoor lead climbing but also outdoor…
user2766
23
votes
5 answers
Walking up the slopes. To walk brisk or to walk slow?
This question has been eating my head for quite some time now.
I trek often and most of the treks involve climbing up to a peak or something similar. I usually carry heavy loads of around 13-15kgs on my back and I've always found that walking up the…
Ricketyship
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