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1500 questions
18
votes
2 answers
What is the difference between men's and women's hiking boots?
When I bought my current pair of hiking boots, the brand/style I tried on and liked was out of stock in the womens version, so the storeperson offered me the mens ones instead. I tried them, liked them, and have used them for hiking ever since. They…
victoriah
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18
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2 answers
Identify this insect found indoors in Ireland with a double tail and antennae
About 6 months ago I noticed a new friend in my apartment. It lived in my bathroom and only came out during the night (not sure how it knows when it is nighttime if there are no windows in the bathroom). I called him Jimmy. Seems harmless. About 8mm…
Dharman
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18
votes
6 answers
How do I get a stuck gas canister (for hiking/camping) out of a stainless steel mug?
I nested my 110g gas canister inside my stainless steel mug for a hike. I used it about halfway through for lunch, and when I was done put it back in the way I had packed it (upside down). Now it is stuck.
My guess is that the canister was at the…
Michael
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18
votes
2 answers
Why is oilcloth made with linseed oil?
I've been looking into making an oilcloth tarp. All the sources I have read so far seem to consider linseed oil the only oil to use, and I'm wondering why that is.
So, what, if anything, is it about linseed oil that makes it a good oil for oilcloth?
Haem
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18
votes
9 answers
Does an ice chest packed full of frozen food need ice?
If the cooler is packed full of frozen food, does it need ice to stay frozen for 3 weeks or does ice somehow stay colder longer than frozen steak, sausage, hamburger etc.? I'm going on a 18 day Grand Canyon rafting trip.
Woodstockaz
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18
votes
1 answer
What is this sharp, curved notch on my knife for?
I recently bought a knife that near the handle end of the blade has a sharp, curved part:
I don’t think it’s a choil because it’s sharp. What is its use? I thought something to do with stripping sinew from bones maybe?
It is a PBK Brute Lock Knife…
Darren
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18
votes
3 answers
Where can I test an emergency whistle?
I've just 3d-printed what's supposed to be an ear-shatteringly loud emergency whistle (120 dB at one meter). However, it's apparently somewhat sensitive to printing conditions, because some people report their whistle doesn't make any sound at all…
Mark
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18
votes
1 answer
Why do upside down tree leaves mean rain
So I have heard this saying a lot and would like to know if and why this is true because the leaves are upside down now and I have always been confused by this because some have told me nay and some yay.
JIMMYPlay
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18
votes
5 answers
What are the benefits of saving bats?
I'm fascinated by bats. I love to watch them fly around, although I've never seen more than a few at a time where I live in a suburban area in Massachusetts, Northeastern Unites States.
I'd love to see them in large numbers in their natural…
Sue Saddest Farewell TGO GL
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18
votes
3 answers
Two kids sharing a sleeping bag
We are heading out on our first family camping. We tested out our sleeping bags in the living room.
The two kids ( ~2 & ~5 yo) wanted to share one adult sleeping bag. I'm expecting that it will end in a fight before long, but if it doesn't:
Is it a…
Simppa
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18
votes
3 answers
Can microspikes replace crampons when crossing ice in summer?
When hiking in early summer I often come across patches of old snow. Till now I have managed to cross those by cutting my steps in the snow or walking around. And whenever I had my hiking sticks with me I was really happy. I believe microspikes…
april rain
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18
votes
1 answer
How are camping fuels named in different languages and geographies?
There exist a plethora of different camping fuels, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. Depending on your cooking equipment (mainly the used stove/burner) and the environmental conditions it is generally quite important to know which…
fgysin
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18
votes
2 answers
How can I locate wilderness maps for specific countries or regions?
The Norwegian directorate for nature management publishes a map of wilderness showing how far away a particular area is from heavy technical interventions, such as roads, electricity lines, hydro lakes, etc. This provides a quick overview as to…
gerrit
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18
votes
2 answers
Crevasse rescue with knots in the rope
This has been bugging me for a while. A party is traveling on a glacier and adds braking knots evenly to the length of the rope as seen in this answer. The person leading the rope falls into a crevasse and the knots do not stop the fall.
How does…
llama
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18
votes
4 answers
How do I use these "guy line runners" to adjust the tension on my tent's lines?
I was given my current tent and I have to admit to being pretty ignorant of tents, having not done much camping since I was a kid some decades ago.
Now when it came time to use the guy ropes I noticed there are plastic "things" on the ropes, that I…
hippietrail
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