Skill of the Week: Measure Remaining Sunlight With Your Hands

An important part of manhood has always been about having the competence to be effective in the world — having the breadth of skills, the savoir-faire, to handle any situation you find yourself in. With that in mind, each Sunday we’ll be republishing one of the illustrated guides from our archives, so you can hone your manly know-how week by week.

You’re in the woods near the end of the day and you ask yourself: should I set up camp now, or do I have enough daylight to keep trekking further down the trail? But you’re not sure what time sunset is, and therefore how much light you have left. Sure, you could check your watch/phone, if you have one. But maybe it’s not working, and even if it is, there’s a simple, age-old method you can employ to find out how many daylight hours there are before the sun sets. The cool part is that the only equipment you need is your hands.

Keep in mind that this method varies depending on your geographical location. In the north, the sun sets at shallower angles, allowing more usable light than your hands will show. The day will grow dark quicker in the tropics, where the sun sets nearly straight down. And no matter what latitude you’re at, also consider your local environment. If the sun is setting toward a mountain range, you’ll lose light a lot faster than you would in a wide open plain. In a forest, you’ll also lose light faster as the tree canopy blocks out the fading light of dusk.

Like this illustrated guide? Then you’re going to love our book The Illustrated Art of Manliness! Pick up a copy on Amazon.

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