86 useful answers · Page 2 of 4
Pack, fit, and care for outdoor gear, understand maps, and prepare for more comfortable trips.
Search this topicStart with short indoor wear using the socks and insoles you plan to hike in. Progress to local walks, then short trails with gradually increasing distance and pack weight. Address rubbing or pressure early. Stiffer boots take longer, and break-in cannot make a fundamentally wrong size or shape fit properly.
No. REI advises against that shortcut because it is hard on both boots and feet. Use gradual wear and follow the manufacturer's care guidance instead. If the boots pinch badly or create persistent pressure points, reassess the fit. Forcing through a painful walk is not evidence that the boots are improving.
Try them later in the day, when feet have often expanded, and wear the socks and any orthotics intended for the trail. Check length, width, and volume rather than relying only on a usual shoe size. Walk around and assess pressure and toe room; no area should feel sharply pinched.
They should allow toe movement without letting the whole foot slide loosely. REI suggests checking roughly a thumb's width beyond the longest toe on a removable insole as one fitting aid. Also test the actual boot with hiking socks. Width, heel security, and foot volume matter as much as a single length measurement.
With a pole tip on the ground near your foot, aim for roughly a right-angle bend at your elbow. Adjust within the pole's marked limits and confirm the locks hold. Start there, then make small changes for comfort and terrain. Your shoulders should not be pushed upward by poles that are too long.
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For sustained slopes, modest adjustments can help: shorter uphill and longer downhill than your level-ground setting. REI suggests roughly five to ten centimeters as a starting change. Stay within the pole's limits, check its locks, and adjust for your body and terrain rather than treating that amount as mandatory everywhere.
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For normal trail use, bring your hand upward through the bottom of the loop, then lower it to grip the handle over the strap. Adjust so it supports the hand comfortably without cutting off circulation. Learn the pole manufacturer's instructions and release straps where entanglement or a fall would make attachment hazardous.
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Nearby magnets, metal, and electrical fields can distort the reading. Move away from the car, phone, metal table, or magnetic hydration-hose clip and hold the compass level to check again. Store it away from strong magnets too. A repeatable reading in a clear area matters more than one taken against a dashboard.
No. Some needles are balanced for a particular geographic zone and may tilt or drag elsewhere. Check the maker's operating region before traveling. A compass with a global needle is designed to accommodate those differences. That feature does not remove the need for current local declination and practiced map-reading skills.
It is the angle between magnetic north and true north at a location. A compass follows magnetic north, while a map's north reference may differ. Check a current value for the area and follow your compass instructions for applying it. An old map's printed value may be outdated, and settings vary by region.
First account for local declination using the compass instructions. Set the bezel to north, align a straight baseplate edge with the map's north-south edge, and point the travel arrow toward map north. Turn the map and compass together until the magnetic needle aligns with the orienting arrow. Compare visible landmarks before proceeding.
Only if the bearing was established from the correct starting position and you navigate the route properly. A bearing describes direction, not your location or a safe path. The same number followed from somewhere else leads elsewhere. Practice with a map in familiar terrain and learn to identify your position before relying on bearings remotely.
They indicate that elevation changes rapidly over a short horizontal distance, so the slope is steep. Wider spacing generally indicates gentler ground. Read the contour interval and units printed on that map. Contours help assess terrain, but do not show every cliff, loose surface, or current trail condition you may encounter.
Look for the contour interval in the map margin or legend, usually near its scale information. It states the vertical difference between adjacent ordinary contours. Check whether the units are feet or meters. Do not assume another map uses the same interval, especially when comparing flat areas with mountainous terrain.
Those are index contours, emphasized to make elevation easier to read. The number labels the elevation along that line. Use the stated contour interval to interpret intermediate lines between them. Keep elevation and horizontal distance separate: a contour label is a height, not the length of a trail or the steepness by itself.
One unit measured on the map represents 24,000 of the same units on the ground. For example, one centimeter represents 240 meters, and one inch represents 2,000 feet. Use the printed scale bar when measuring. Enlarging or shrinking a print changes the usefulness of its original representative ratio.
The smaller denominator represents a smaller ground area at the same paper size, leaving room for more detail. Choose the scale for the task: a broad overview helps plan a region, while detailed maps support local navigation. Check dates and coverage too; a detailed map is not necessarily current.
A wide flood beam suits nearby tasks such as reading, sorting gear, and cooking at a safe outdoor setup. A focused spot reaches farther for viewing a trail ahead. A lamp with both can serve different jobs. Aim it away from other people's eyes, and select the mode appropriate to the distance.
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No. Lumens describe total light output, while optics determine how that light is spread. A broad bright flood can reach less far than a more focused beam. Compare rated beam distance and the modes you will actually use as well as lumens. Higher output commonly uses battery power faster.
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It measures resistance to heat flowing through the pad; higher values mean better insulation from the ground. It is not a direct air-temperature rating. Match the pad with the expected conditions, sleeping bag, and your needs. A thick-looking air mattress is not necessarily well insulated, so check the specification rather than appearance.
Yes. Their R-values are additive, so layering compatible pads can increase ground insulation. The foam can also help protect the inflatable pad and provide a backup if it leaks. Keep the sleeping area suitable and the layers stable. Extra padding does not replace a sleeping bag and clothing appropriate for the conditions.
No. Cooling air contracts, so a temperature drop can reduce firmness. Check and adjust before sleep according to the pad's instructions. Repeated substantial loss under steady temperatures still needs a valve or leak inspection. Do not repeatedly overinflate a suspect pad and assume every pressure change is harmless cooling.
In standardized testing, comfort is aimed at a colder sleeper, while limit describes a warmer sleeper's lower range. Read which rating the manufacturer advertises instead of comparing one unlabeled number with another. Neither guarantees your comfort; the pad, clothing, shelter, conditions, and individual sleeper all affect the result.
No. Fill power describes how much loft a given amount of down provides, so it helps explain warmth for weight. The amount of insulation, construction, and fit also matter. Compare the bag's tested temperature ratings for warmth and its total packed weight for carrying, rather than buying by fill power alone.
Source checks for these answers: September 22, 2026. Product instructions and local requirements can vary.