Gear you ALWAYS take with you?

[Dave-S]

I just got back from a BWCA trip and was thinking about the things that I make sure to always have along.

I need to have my Leatherman with me and my good old Silva Ranger compass. I got that thing back in college when I was about to go to “Forestry Boot-Camp” – the Itasca Field session.

[Canadienne]

It’s not an essential piece of gear, but I never leave my camera at home. There are just too many photo opportunities to not have it.

I also always bring a 3rd pair of shoes. Most of my trips happen in the Spring and Fall when the water temps are fairly low. I travel with water shoes and then bring a pair of Chacos and trail running shoes to wear around camp. I am almost guaranteed to have a dry pair of shoes, which to me is really important. I have been caught in some cold weather with only wet shoes and I hopefully will never have to deal with that again.

[Dave-S]

No kidding on the extra shoes. I forgot my sport sandals at home last trip so I was doing wet launches for my wood-canvas in my hiking boots. Luckily, I remembered that I had forgotten my sandals before leaving the truck so I brought my trail shoes, which I had planned to leave in the truck for the drive home.

Camera – check. Not only is it always along but it’s always HANDY. You never know when you might get a crack at something really cool.

My wife swears by her canoe “repair kit”. A roll of Duct tape. She did lots of white-water canoeing in college and litterally taped a boat back together after it was wrapped around a huge rock in a river.

I like having about 100 feet of good para-cord too. It can be used for so many things around camp from setting a bear-rope, clotheslines, tying off boats, making a make-shift anchor, hanging tarps or anchoring tents.

[Micmac]

I like to bring 6 or 8 of the old fashion wooden close pins with the wire-o-springs. With that 100′ of cord you can string up close lines for drying out most anything. Or, if you’re handy with a knife, carve your own from a small dead branch-no springs attached. I understand you can a find real nice, hand made knives, from Dan in Sunburg.

[Dave-S]

@timmy 27 wrote:

I like to bring 6 or 8 of the old fashion wooden close pins with the wire-o-springs. With that 100′ of cord you can string up close lines for drying out most anything. Or, if you’re handy with a knife, carve your own from a small dead branch-no springs attached. I understand you can find real nice, hand made knives, from Dan in Sunburg.

Dan does make a nice knife. I was just admiring a couple of his the other day. Actually, I had people try to buy them off my belt on two seperate occasions within the last week.

[AndyB]

Some essential little things:

1. Lighter
2. Duct Tape (flatten roll under a car)
3. Sewing Kit
4. Parachute Cord
5. Iodine tablets or Polar Pure
6. Multi-tool knife
7. Lots of handkerchiefs
8. Caribiners

[tncook]

1.Water Purification and some sort of bottle:I have had good luck with the chorine dioxide tablets for water purification.
2. Knife and usually a multi-tool as well
3. Some sort of flashlight or headlamp
4. raingear
5. firestarter
6. first aid kit
7. hat
8. paracord or something similar

[Preacher]

Apart from the standard stuff everyone takes, stove, bag, knife…

Fishing gear. I love to fish. Great way to burn some time.

Often people note the standard stuff I frequently go without. Like a tent. Silly cutlery too, just a spoon and I don’t need a plate and a bowl and a wine glass. Just one mug.

[pake rick]

@Preacher 56 wrote:

Fishing gear. I love to fish. Great way to burn some time.

Preacher, I’ve gotta admit that I’ve carried my fishing gear more than I’ve used it. (my bad, I know) But, in truth, I don’t know as much as I’d like to about it anyway. Gonna rely on Jerry and Bman to educate me a little in October. :confused:

Anyway, the piece of stuff I always carry……… my coffee mug. Finally found the one I like. Stainless, Thermos brand with a good handle and sealable top. I can clip it to my pack with no leaks. Keeps stuff hot all day, and I can sip hot coffee at lunch. At night it works great for those Hot Buttered Rums, right Barry? 😀

rick

[Jerry R.]

Rick,
That’s a good lead in to the gear I always take. 750 ml of something!! I think the hot buttered rums may be in order for next week!!

J

[pake rick]

@Jerry R. 67 wrote:

Rick,
That’s a good lead in to the gear I always take. 750 ml of something!! I think the hot buttered rums may be in order for next week!!

J

Oh yeah, Jer! The weather should be just right for them. Last fall Bmanand I enjoyed a little Yukon Jack, the Black Sheep of Canadian Spirits. In moderation of course! 😎

rick

[Preacher]

@pake rick 66 wrote:

my coffee mug. Finally found the one I like. Stainless, Thermos brand with a good handle …

rick

Oh I love my mug. Not very large, but double wall. A few years back the handle broke off and now I love it that much more. Easier to pack. Weighs less. A lid would be nice.

A buddy swears by his Fair Share mug, but it’s too big for me. A fair share of coffee from the percolator goes cold fast in that bucket.

[muireaton]

Along the coffe mug line….a great way to make coffee on trail is to bring one of those one-cup drippers (it sits right on top of your mug while the coffee drips)…usually some sort of screen built in so you don’t need filters. The best ones have a gold filter, but those are hard to find. With this, you may not even need to bring the coffee pot part of a cook kit…just boil water in any of your pots and pour directly into the one-cupper.

Another option if you are with a larger group with many coffee drinkers, is a plastic french press. Although it takes up a bit of pack space, it is very light and makes great coffee (afterall, its nice to have a few modern comforts on trail)! If you can find the one made by Bodum, this last me for many, many years. I have recently tried another plastic press that has broken very quickly three different times…can’t remember the brand. “Timmy” can you help me out with brand?? I would stay away from this one.

Hope these aren’t too obvious!

[Micmac]

Yours last press was a GSI Lexan Java Press # 20289. I peronally like the one cup gold fiters better.

[canuckcamper]

Coffeepot…I like my coffee hot and in large quantities…
Fishing gear ala preacher
camera
A wee drop of the pure(Alberta Springs Premium Rye)
and Me smokes!!!!!!!!!

[Author]

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