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1500 questions
23
votes
2 answers
When do I need a permit to go into nature?
When on holiday, I want to get as far as possible from civilisation — the furthest I've come is seeing only a single cairn during a full day. In Scandinavia, hiking and camping is permitted unless explicitly forbidden (the right to roam or…
gerrit
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23
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3 answers
Can horses ford deeper/faster rivers than humans?
Is it safe to follow a equestrian trail and assume I can ford where the horse-trail does? Or should I expect equestrians to ford rivers too deep or swift to ford on foot? I'm thinking of the situation in Iceland, where the topographic map may…
gerrit
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23
votes
3 answers
Can you boil/decontaminate water with heat from a magnifying glass?
A bit hypothetical, but ruling out being able to use a solar still, or the SODIS method, could you make water drinkable by using the suns heat through a magnifying glass?
Paper self ignites at 451° F , water boils at 212° F, but that is at one…
Nate W
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23
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5 answers
The best solution for carrying a D-SLR when hiking
I am planning a multi-day hike in the Drakensberg area of South Africa. This is a beautiful landscape with interesting flora and fauna. Consequently I want to have my Digital SLR close to hand. I don't want to inconvenience the group by setting my…
D.H.
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23
votes
2 answers
How to clean a sleeping bag ?
A sleeping bag will eventually need a cleaning. How do you proceed, in particular according to the different materials?
Stefano Borini
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23
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3 answers
What is this dense foam on a lake?
Recently we visited the alps in Bavaria. We hiked near a lake which had a lot of foam swimming on it. It was not spray from the water but rather a really dense dirty foam. Comparable to shaving foam I guess.
It looked similar to this (this image is…
OddDeer
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23
votes
5 answers
What are some good games to play with children on hikes?
Sometimes children find long hikes boring and tiring, but if you can turn it around to play some games along the way they can find things a lot more interesting.
What are some good games to play in this regard? The obvious classic is I-spy, but are…
berry120
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23
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1 answer
Do I need to worry about feral dogs or even wolves if I camp in random areas while hitchhiking in Georgia (the country)?
After almost half a year working in a hostel in Tbilisi, spring has come and it is far warmer than anywhere further west in Europe so I'm going to hitchhike around Georgia with my tent in warm areas.
I've hitchhiked a lot in countries some people…
hippietrail
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23
votes
3 answers
Is it legal to light bonfires on UK beaches?
Assuming a lack of signage indicating the legalities, is it legal to light a bonfire on a beach in the UK? I haven't been able to find an authoritative source on this either way, hence the question. In my experience it hasn't ever been an issue…
berry120
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23
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2 answers
What is Fast Packing?
I've heard it referred to as a cross between running and hiking, but what does that end up looking like? What type of milage/hour are people doing, there chafing issues, and is this the type of activity that one trains for (as apposed to a more…
Sean Kolk
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23
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2 answers
Are there beaches on the East Coast (US) where one can camp without a permit?
Every summer I have a strong desire to go camping on a beach. However, I've discovered that the places near me (Long Island, New York, northern New Jersey) often either:
Have a limited number of permits/reservations that sell out quickly or…
Laura
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23
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2 answers
Chalk: pure, plus drying agent, liquid?
Having only used pure chalk without added substances so far, I wondered how the other types perform. Most of the information I could find online is either somebody ranting against a certain type, or uncritical explanations of what the different ones…
David
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23
votes
7 answers
How do I know what size ice axe I should get?
I'm going to start mountaineering. Is there a recommended size per height/weight for ice axes for general mountaineering?
Reverend Gonzo
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23
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3 answers
Are carabiners useful tools to have in the wilderness? If so, what would they be used for?
Carabiners are obviously essential in certain circumstances, such as with any type of climbing / rappelling. But are they a good tool to have generally as well, and if so what might be some example uses other than the obvious? They're generally…
berry120
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23
votes
1 answer
Why tunnel tents for the poles, Geodesic for the mountains?
I've noticed that polar expeditions seem to favour tunnel tents, and mountaineering expeditions prefer geodesic designs. Is there a reason why one design fares better than the other in its preferred environment?
Simon Hodgson
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