Beckerheads outdoor tips and tricks

[Mrwhitetailfanatic]

Learn what poison ivy,oak,sumac is! And STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM IT!

 

[hughewil]

some benadryl in whatever you are taking, it helps with the itching caused by bug bites.

 

[Cobra281]

It's been said, say it again ... great thread.

I'm no expert, (far cry) but seems everyone has something to contribute.

Here's another:

As Clint Eastwood said, "Man's got to know his limitations"

Translation: don't try to take on too much. Either in what you carry of how far you go.
Amazing how heavy things get when you get tired and sore.

Bring some pain killers. (advil, tylenol, asprin, whatever)

Foot care seems to be a reoccurring theme (as it should be) I don't have the best feet either. Arthritis, years of sports, etc.

Some of those Dr. Scholls shoe/foot cushions have helped me.

 

[hughewil]

Take a unlubricated condom as it has a ton of different improvisable uses.

water carrier
sterile dresing for a hand wound
tournaquet
blow it up and you have a bobber on a improvised fishing line.

 

[Moosez45]

Dry your spare socks on your pack, or your belt when you are hiking.

Rule of 3's: 3 mins without air, 3 hours without shelter, 3 days without water, 3 weeks without food. The are approximations, but its a good primer for keeping your priorities.

When you hang a hammock, hang it at chest height, and pulled tight, don't allow it to sag.

Moose

 

[Guyon]

Over on ESEE, bearthedog put up a tip on fuzz sticks that I'd not heard. I'm going to try it.

-Turn the stick, everytime you make one cut you are creating a flat surface with two corners. Turn the stick and cut into the corners.

-Don’t muscle the cuts, easy even pressure.

-Get your thumb off the spine and use a simple fist grip (forward grip, monkey grip)

He creates some nice surface area using this technique.

 

[BRL]

For long hikes, doubled-up socks will help immensely with blisters. Of course always have moleskine with you, though.

 

[Guyon]

For long hikes, doubled-up socks will help immensely with blisters. Of course always have moleskine with you, though.

+1. I really like the thin poly sock liners underneath a good cotton sock (summer) or wool sock (winter).

 

[hughewil]

carry an empty altoids of show shine can and know how identify fatwood. If you find a stump break through to piece get it off and make tinderdust to put in the can for future use.

 

[tradewater]

If you're hammock camping and want to keep your pack high and dry, girth hitch a loop of web or rope and clip your pack to the same tree. Put your poncho over it and pull the drawstring tight to keep it dry.

 

[Claudiasboris]

Awesome thread, it's good to share the knowledge and wisdom. I like Moose's suggestion of adding little and often.

When camping, I always make a flask of tea before bed. That way I always have a warm drink first thing in the morning. Always good to make sure that the lid's on tight and then keep it in my sleeping bag. That way it stays warmer for longer and can act as a hot water bottle.

Claudiasboris

 

[bush-haus]

GREAT THREAD !!

--Drinking cold water uses more calories to digest.
--Take anti-Diarrhea pills. Enough said!
--Learn to navigate by the stars. It's VERY easy to learn. Google how the Big Dipper points to the North Star (Polaris).
--Bring MANY different ways to start fires. I typically bring 4-5 different ignition sources. (example: 9V battery and steel wool).

More to come...
_______________________________

Beckerhead #32

 

[hughewil]

To go with the above learn how to tell direction using the hands of your watch, and always wear a watch with hands.

 

[BRL]

A dude at REI gave me a great piece of advice for when it's cold out and your bag isn't quite warm enough; piss in an empty Nalgene bottle and keep it in the bag with you

 

[hughewil]

A dude at REI gave me a great piece of advice for when it's cold out and your bag isn't quite warm enough; piss in an empty Nalgene bottle and keep it in the bag with you

and if you get thisty at night your already set!

 

[Shotgun]

My tip is to post threads like this in the Outdoors sub-forum.

 

[numberthree]

you always need less than you think. experiment with minimalism.

 

[GingivitisKahn]

When you hang a hammock, hang it at chest height, and pulled tight, don't allow it to sag.

At the risk of derailing, I strongly disagree with that. A typical gathered end hammock should sag quite a bit - roughly 30 degrees from the tree - for a comfortable diagonal lay.

As to the OP, my best outdoor tip is *slow the heck down*. You can't expect to see, hear, experience much if you rocket through the forest at the same pace you'd use at work. You'll see more animals and so forth - promise.

 

[Moosez45]

At the risk of derailing, I strongly disagree with that. A typical gathered end hammock should sag quite a bit - roughly 30 degrees from the tree - for a comfortable diagonal lay.

No worries, the idea is to hang it at chest height, as most will stretch to the proper angle when your body weight is applied. If it sags when you hang it, it will be too bowed to be comfortable. Learned that one the hard way.

Moose

 

[Rsmith_77]

what i want to know from you southern boys is

what in the world to do you use to keep the ticks/chiggers/mosquitoes from ruining your camping trips
i swear deet just acts like hot sauce for bugs down here