The Great Outdoors Stack Exchange
The Great Outdoors Stack Exchange

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1500 questions
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Is it safe to be in a vehicle during lightning/thunderstorms?

Recently a friend and I were offroading in the local mountains and while ascending a trail a storm blew in. We were out in the open near the top of the mountain when lightning started. We weren't sure if we would be safe inside our vehicles so we…
josh
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Water filters - why sand and rocks?

Saw a video on youtube where some guy made a water filter out of a bottle, charcoal, sand and little rocks. He commented that since the charcoal is very porous it's great for filtering. Then, after constructing the filter he continued to filter some…
Karl
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How precise is a pedometer for estimating on a backpacking trip?

In practice, how precise is a pedometer for estimating your progress on a trail? For example, if I'm to hike 10 miles, how far should I expect to be from the 10 miles marker? Is there data comparing pedometers accuracy with GPS?
ppl
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How can I contact emergency services in the US via the internet?

At this very moment, I'm out in the woods typing away on my laptop. I have an internet connection, and my phone can use that connection to send text messages, but I have no voice phone service. How can I contact emergency services from here? I'm in…
Joe
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How do I fold in / tidy up the straps on my rucksack?

I bought a new rucksack. However, how can I tidy up and hide away the myriad straps so they don't flap about and get caught in things?
Andrew Welch
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How do you remove mold from a tent?

Of course, the best way is to prevent mold on a tent from occurring by airing, cleaning and storing it appropriately. When doing this I've never had any issues. However, there may well be cases where perhaps tents haven't been treated as well and…
berry120
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Painful leather hiking boots - persevere or give up?

I have a pair of Blacks (own brand) leather hiking boots - they were probably a poor choice to begin with to be honest. They look a bit like this:…
Alice
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What purpose does a mesh liner serve in outdoors clothing?

Some outdoors clothing have an inner mesh lining of polyester (or similar) fabric. What purpose does such a lining serve? Does it insulate or is it for transporting humidity from the body?
user1049697
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What are the consequences of — illegally — using a 446 MHz PMR in the North American wilderness?

I've recently bought a pair of PMR446 walkie-talkies with some 5–10 km range, operating at 446 MHz. We've happily used them in Sareks Nationalpark in Sweden. Now I'm moving to Canada, where this frequency requires a license. My options are…
gerrit
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Does sandpapering finger tips improve rock climbing?

Is sandpapering your finger tips an effective way to improve anything about your rock climbing? On occasion, I will see climbers in YouTube videos or people at the local crag using sandpaper on their finger tips. Why do people do this? What benefit…
john_science
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Are headaches a bad sign at altitude?

Last weekend, we had a nice hike up Price Peak in the Sierras. We went from sea level to above 10,000 feet (3,000 m) in about 6 hours. And I had a ROARING headache. I could hear my heart beat in my ears at all times. My entire head throbbed. But,…
john_science
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Is it really necessary to gut a fish?

I'm obviously not a fisherman... If I like the flavors, is there any problem with cooking and eating a fish that hasn't been gutted? Any particular species? In other words, what are all the reasons people gut a fish before cooking?
themirror
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What are the first aid precautions to be taken in case of a snake bite?

I'll be trekking through a dense monsoon forest which has a sizable population of king cobras and vipers. I'll be at least 5 hours away by walk to the nearest human settlement and another 1-2 hours by vehicle to the nearest medical center. In such…
Ricketyship
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What can I use an old tent for?

Similar to the question about old ropes. I have an old plastic tent. It is for 3 persons, but is heavy and now not waterproof anymore, with some damage to the small room around the door. How can I use it in its end-of-life? I have an idea to carry…
Vorac
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How to deal with little flies flying into the eyes?

There's one thing which can spoil my day outdoors. Those are the little flies which happen to fly directly into my eyes. I work on a computer and my eyes are dry and over-sensitive. If such an insect falls into my eye, it results in intensive…
Danubian Sailor
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