This is just some classic advertorial. Old mate probably got a bunch of free stuff/cash for mentioning all these products in the article. A practice as old as time.

None of the stuff mentioned in the article is a bad idea, but it's like buying a $100 picnic basket. You'll still have a nice picnic if you bring all your food in a plastic shopping bag.

Posted by Radical_Ed 2) gloves: I don't wear 'em. I work in a lumber mill and my hands are already like leather. With heavy-duty work gloves I can't manipulate a camera rig or open a can of beer in 'em. No reason for all that flex-grip shit either. You might hold onto a railing and get tiny flakes of rust on your hand but you're not rock-climbing in Utah in February. Urban exploration isn't for cupcakes and pansies. Dirt don't hurt.

Shit mate, I've got soft office worker hands and I don't wear gloves for this stuff. If I was into climbing it might be a different story.

Posted by Big Poppa Shit mate, I've got soft office worker hands and I don't wear gloves for this stuff. If I was into climbing it might be a different story.

Nah, I choose to wear some old work gloves as a precaution. Broken glass, splinters, chemical irritants, animal droppings... all unpleasant stuff we've all encountered in abandonments. Are the gloves absolutely necessary? Probably not, but I personally prefer to err on the side of caution.

I just bring all the life lessons Railguy88 told me.

lights, dependable lights. did i mention dependable?
bag of your choice
camera of your choice
shoes. flip flops if youre insanity wolf.
gloves. like mechanixx or the sort.

Posted by Big Poppa Shit mate, I've got soft office worker hands and I don't wear gloves for this stuff. If I was into climbing it might be a different story.

I find that when climbing, gloves just make me more likely to fall, since I can't get as good a grip, my hands slip easier, and it's harder to feel what's under my hand.
The only time that I think gloves make sense is when it's extremely dirty (animal shit on the ground, grease covered machines).

Posted by Darthbindy I find that when climbing, gloves just make me more likely to fall, since I can't get as good a grip, my hands slip easier, and it's harder to feel what's under my hand. The only time that I think gloves make sense is when it's extremely dirty (animal shit on the ground, grease covered machines).

If you climbing steel ladders a good pair of leather gloves are a must. Climbing more than 100 feet or so will give you a blister even with calluses.
Tank and bridge painters wear them all the time. A good pair of climbing gloves enhances your grip and protects your hands... dirt has nothing to do with it.

Posted by blackhawk If you climbing steel ladders a good pair of leather gloves are a must. Climbing more than 100 feet or so will give you a blister even with calluses. Tank and bridge painters wear them all the time. A good pair of climbing gloves enhances your grip and protects your hands... dirt has nothing to do with it.

Not to mention, it's an extra layer between you and the pigeon shit on the third rung of that grain elevator you're about to climb.

Yeah, running shoes for urban exploration in seriously hazardous conditions. Here I thought that steel toed, plated sole boots were the way to go.

Posted by KASTRAX Yeah, running shoes for urban exploration in seriously hazardous conditions. Here I thought that steel toed, plated sole boots were the way to go.

Psh. You don't need toes, things never fall over! And rusty nails -- never an issue when you're urban exploring! I mean, who gets tetanus these days anyways?

Not entirely sure how real this was. Either some one with some clever bait, or a kid who just beat Infamous on easy mode

Posted by Albuca Psh. You don't need toes, things never fall over! And rusty nails -- never an issue when you're urban exploring! I mean, who gets tetanus these days anyways?

Yeah, I guess you're right. I've been thinking of getting rid of my toes anyways.
Useless little things, aren't they?

Just stepped on a huge nail this past weekend. It's never fun. Time for new boots!

Posted by relik Just stepped on a huge nail this past weekend. It's never fun. Time for new boots!

These would help.

Posted by blackhawk These would help. 377338.jpg (13 kb, 228x320)

That's not a bad idea. I'm due for a real nice pair of boots anyways, though.

Posted by relik That's not a bad idea. I'm due for a real nice pair of boots anyways, though.

Those look stiff. They make a stainless steel mess ones that fire fighters use that are flexible. Captain Orbit told me about those.
I hit a tough piece of desert grass that went though my Red Wing sole and barely missed going into my foot. I hate that.

Posted by matis Not entirely sure how real this was. Either some one with some clever bait, or a kid who just beat Infamous on easy mode

Pretty sure its the kid that just beat Infamous on easy...

Posted by Dee Ashley Not to mention, it's an extra layer between you and the pigeon shit on the third rung of that grain elevator you're about to climb.

I would avoid breathing in any pigeon shit dust. It can really make you sick.
Wear a paper dust mask minimum.
Been there, didn't do that... suffered.

I also bring a rope and a climbing harness it is always useful..
but mostly fun

I know I'm new so my input may not be valued as high but here is my typical gear set-up on my trips.

Clothing: Typically dressed in layers. Durable jeans for me are a must. I figure some protection against nails and glass is better than none. Depending on the weather will decide on either a t-shirt or a long sleeve shirt, however I will always be wearing at least a hoodie over that.

Safety Equipment: I personally always have an asbestos rated respirator with me. A small first-aid-kit and a multi-tool are a necessity. In the event of an emergency I also have at least one cell phone charged and shut off in my bag.

Backpack: I don't spend too much time worrying about my backpack but that is also because I still have mine from when I was in the military, so it has plenty of pockets for all of my gear, with the benefit of it being water-resistant.

Camera: I just use my DSLR and keep it in the water-proof shoulder bag that I bought for it. It's big enough to hold all of my accessories, yet small enough to attach to my backpack without adding too much weight.

Shoes: For me shoes depend on the trip I'm making. If I know the area extremely well and know I can get away with it, I might wear running shoes. My normal go-to however is a durable pair of boots with steel toecaps and thick soles.

Food: I always bring a few large bottles of water for each person in my group. I also always have some protein bars or some other form of snacks for some energy on the longer trips.

If I left anything out please point it out

I've a ton of stuff in my car that stays there. I do not usually know where I will end up when I head out so I have more than I need.

Most of the above mentioned stuff with the addition of:
Snake leggings
walking/hiking stick(s)
machete
knee pads (crawling and kneeling hurts my old knees!)
Wasp/hornet spray
Deep woods off
pepper spray
2 water bottles (one with built in filter)
extra tripod
extra flashlights/batteries
first aid kit
diabeetus stuff


That is the stuff that is accessible to me, and in my car 98.6% of the time in addition to my normal gear, which is nothing out of the ordinary.