You could have sold a lot of this stuff to the unsuspecting for cash, and donated the rest (unless really beat up) to Goodwill or the Salvation Army for a tax deduction. This is called recycling for profit.

As for wool socks, it depends on what kind of wool. If yours were the old ragg wool kind, they would be warm but very itchy next to the skin. They also took days to dry!

There is always some stuff for which the dumpster is the best choice (like those bibs with the seam tape gone--although did you try returning them to REI on the premise that the seam tape should last until the knees/seat wear through?).

I went through my stuff a year ago and discovered one of the many leftover tent stakes (from cheap tents long since discarded) makes an excellent potty trowel. It weighs 1 oz. and digs very nicely into hardpan dirt after three months of no rain. It can, of course, also function as a backup tent stake or even (in an emergency) a wrist splint.

On the other hand, I still have a pile that needs to go to the Salvation Army, and a few things to sell. The most disgraceful stuff I have concists of a couple of brand new items I ordered online, found they didn't fit but neglected to return them in the vendor's allotted time span. Utter stupidity/procrastination on my part!


Edited by OregonMouse (11/22/09 11:10 PM)
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May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view--E. Abbey