Heber, I like the giant key chain idea, or maybe a Swiss Army tool that has a fold out tent, sleeping bag, water filter, stove etc..

Sometimes I think I'm just too orderly. I use a kit system to keep all the small stuff in order. I have a kitchen kit, a food kit, a water filtration & treatment kit, a socks/undies kit, a clothes kit, a medical/first aid/surgery kit, a repair kit, a day kit, a toilet kit, a toiletry kit, a bedtime kit, a clothing kit, a laundry kit, a lighting kit, a climbing kit, a caving kit, a diving kit, a camera kit, a microscope kit, and a few others.

The kits are kept in either UL Sil-Nylon or Chinese silk mini stuff sacks that are custom cut to exactly the size needed, with only nylon draw strings or self repairing nylon zippers, but no heavy metal buckles or zippers. Some of the kits, such as the laundry kit and toilet kit, are only in zip lock bags with rubber bands. Two zip locks for the toilet paper. Soggy TP after fording a river is not nice. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

I like to keep everything in its place, and when finished, put it back where it came from instead of laying it around hither and yon. I also have the habit of keeping little butane lighters, that have built in LED lights in them, in several places around my pack. It's always good to have extra fire and light...makes life easier. I use two headlights; a Brunton L3 for night hiking and trying to see what is sneaking up on me in the dark, and I use a simple, but functional ($20.00) Energizer 6 LED headlight for around the camp. One of the headlights always goes on my head before it gets dark, whether I'm still on the trail, or already setting up camp. I'm so used to wearing a headlight that I have even fallen asleep with the headlight still turned on.

I guess my most used kit is the day kit which contains smaller quantities of the items I have in the larger kits, but use while I'm walking. The day kit is located in an easily accessible (while moving) outside pouch on my pack. In it I keep sunscreen, lip balm, mosquito spray, a mosquito head net, butane lighter with led light, Ibuprofen, 1 oz of chloride dioxide, 2 Band-aids, 1 piece of mole skin, tweezers, and my home-brewed hand super-sanitizer.

And oh yeah, I nearly forgot... I also keep a "Run Like Hell Kit"... which I've created using the detachable top of my backpack that seconds as a large hip pack and/or ultra light day pack.. In an emergency (there are robbers in the jungles and mountains here) I can run faster with it than with my 5300 cu. in. 70 lb backpack. I keep smaller quantities (2 days supply) of the basic life support needs in this day pack at all times, and only draw from it on my last two days on the trail (except for medical supplies and smoked meats as needed) .

The RLH Emergency Only top pack includes the following at a minimum;

Ceramic water filter, 16 oz filled water bottle, one LED head light, one hand held mini LED light, two butane lighters with built in LED lights, one razor sharp 8 inch blade dive knife, one extra compass, my maps and Google Earth satellite images of the area, my 3 ounce homemade Colima alcohol stove with 2 oz of alcohol fuel, one titanium 12 oz pot/cup, one plastic spoon, 2 packs of freeze dried soup mix, 30 sheets of TP, my entire medical/first aid/surgery kit, one pair of Wigwam socks, my North Face rain jacket, half of my smoke cured meats (yes, dogs do follow me around in the villages), and my Clark jungle hammock remains attached to the top day pack's outside straps. My machete also stays attached to the top-riding day pack at all times unless it's in my hand being used.

Even not in an emergency, when I leave my main pack anywhere, such as in a camp site, hostel, or in a villager's home, I ALWAYS bring the RLH top pack with me... always. That way, if the main pack comes up missing, I have enough supplies to get me out of the area, back to civilization, or even home if needed.

All kits, whether in the main pack or the RLH top pack, are loaded by order of need from the top down. After each use the items go back in the kits, and the kits go back in the packs, no excuses. My kit system allows me to quickly find and use things relative to a particular chore. Before making my on UL kit stuff sacks, I weighed my other odd and end store bought kit stuff sacks and found I had 2 lbs of just empty kit sacks. Sil-Nylon, silk, and zip locks save the day on weight. Ugh oh, I ran on and on again, sorry. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> Brum