The Great Outdoors Stack Exchange
The Great Outdoors Stack Exchange

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1500 questions
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3 answers

Methods for taping hands, wrists, and fingers for climbing?

I've been climbing off and on since I was a teenager, but one thing I've never done much of is taping my hands. As I gained more experience, it's value is now apparent. What are some good techniques for taping fingers, hands, and wrists for…
montane
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What can I do to keep my hands warm while using touchscreens in the winter?

Now that it is starting to get cold it is more difficult to use touchscreens while outdoors. I use both an iPhone and a Garmin GPS to geocache and both have touchscreens that require me to take my gloves off to use. I used to have and pair of…
Brad Patton
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How do you know if smaller brands of climbing equipment are safe?

There is a local shop that sells small brand name gear for pretty good prices. I am looking at their harnesses and quickdraws and would like to know: 1) Whether the equipment is safe - say compared to "big brands" like Petzl or Black Diamond? 2)…
mchangun
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5 answers

How to properly lace hiking boots?

When I go on hiking trips, I wear proper boots. However, when I lace them tight, my ankles swell terribly after a few hours and start feeling funny (bending the joint feels like touching a balloon). There is also light pain in the ankles while…
rumtscho
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Giving honey to a bear?

Recently some brown bears appeared in my region. Should we encounter one, is it a good idea if we opened a jar of honey for the bear so we would have time to leave?
Gergely
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7 answers

How can I protect myself in case of a human attack like the murders of the hikers Jespersen and Ueland in Morocco?

I read about the murders of Louisa Vesterager Jespersen and Maren Ueland. What safety mistakes these girls did during their camping trip? What could have been done to avoid this situation? How can I protect myself in case of an attack like this?…
Pie
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How can I store milk for long periods of time?

I'm in the process of setting up my overland vehicle so that it has "essentials" in it at all times. I've got a kettle and ways to boil the kettle etc. I am interested in having the basics in my vehicle such as water, tea, coffee as well as…
JackU
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6 answers

How to win against ants

I’m adapting to long-term lifestyle of outdoor living, and getting constantly assaulted by this or that type of bug has been a major issue. Sleeping in a tent has thwarted most my opposition at this point in my transition, such as mosquitoes, gnats,…
Tiana Pyre
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9 answers

What are reasons why someone might use non-breathable waterproof pants?

For rain pants, there are both breathable pants that let sweat out and non-breathable ones that do not. The problem with the non-breathable pants is that your sweat can build up inside and then you will get wet underneath the pants anyways. As…
Charlie Brumbaugh
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How do you stop blood-flow from a leech bite?

Although leeches are relatively harmless, and you are not likely to bleed out from a bite, the blood stain on your clothes can be off-putting to your hiking buddies. Is there any effective way to counteract the anti-coagulant leeches inject into the…
Lost
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8 answers

Are there any natural materials that can be used as a magnifying lens (or to craft one)?

I am currently stuck in the wilderness, and I have been out here for a while. I want to focus light. There are various reasons for wanting to do this, with the two biggest reasons being for vision and for fire starting. It does not need to be…
Loduwijk
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If you are kayaking on a lake when whitecaps start happening, what is the best direction to get off the lake?

I am stealing Charlie Brumbaugh's question about canoeing on an open lake, because for kayaking you would get different anwers, and it's important to distinguish those. If you are kayaking on a lake and the wind suddenly starts blowing to the point…
user15958
19
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1 answer

What does "out and back" mean in terms of understanding the length of a trail?

If I am going on a 10 mile hike and the book says the hike is 10 miles out and back, how many miles will it be total?
Annella Prosser
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What style crampon should I use for my hiking boots and how do I adjust them?

I've been using microspikes on my hiking boots and find that they aren't up to the challenge of hiking up snowy peaks. I use snowshoes but find some mountains would be better served by crampons and was wondering what type would be best for my hiking…
Phil Jackson
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What is this blob found at the edge of a puddle on a forest logging road?

Exploring the woods of the Adirondack Mountains, this gelatinous blob was found near the edge of standing water on a logging road. The entire length of this thing is probably just under 10 inches and it seems to be about an inch thick (didn't…
cr0
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