Many skills when it comes to the outdoors are perishable. If you don’t practice those skills or use them regularly, you’ll lose your edge and that could cost your life depending on the situation. One of those simple skills is knowing how much daylight you have left before the sun sets. Nowadays we have technology to assist us with this. My Garmin Fenix 5 watch displays on the dial what time the sun sets each day. Pretty easy to just look down at my watch to see how much time I have left. But what if the battery dies midday?
Fortunately, there is an easy way to determine remaining daylight left with just your hands. This is a skill I picked up in the military and I still practice it from time to time and comparing that with my Garmin watch. Below is an easy to understand picture of how to measure remaining daylight with your hands. Check it out!
Why is this important?
Well if you’re out for just a simple day hike this could come in handy so that you can ensure you have enough time to get back to your vehicle, so you’re not navigating back in the dark. That could present a whole other set of issues. If you’re not prepared for an unexpected night out, then you better know how much time you have before it gets dark.
If you’re backpacking or camping then knowing this will allow you to make sure you have ample time to prep for the evening. This could be tasks such as setting up tents and hammocks or gathering supplies to get your fire going and keep it going into the night. Waiting until dusk to start these tasks will only compound the difficulty and increase your stress level. The time spent outdoors is meant to be enjoyable.
*Featured photo courtesy of Pixabay
