I finally purged my camping gear of worthless junk that cost me a lot of money. Gear that never worked, worked poorly, or was a stupid living room camping buy, or stuff that I would never carry anyway. Heres the list: 1) 2 compression stuff sacks 2) wool scarf 3) first need water filter 4) 2 Oasis canteens - the green clip on belt ones 5) Sierra cup 6) folding Cascade cup 7) MSR Dromedary water bag 8) nylon water bucket 9) down vest 10) Rei non-breathable jacket w hood 11) Eagle creek travel bag w built in mirror 12) OR windstopper balaclava 13) a $150 fur lined goretex hat 14) nalgene 400 ml bottle 15) surgical blade and suture kit from first aid 16) Black Diamond self arrest ski grip -pair 17) Mammout avalanche cord 18) camera mount claps to branch - sure it does... 19) GSI Spork 20) REI candle lantern and candles 21) PUR microfilter screws to nalgene 22) Maglight belt case 23) swiss army knife leather belt pouch with sharpener 24) tecnalight 2 25) sewing kit 26) ALL of my light sticks 27) salt and pepper thing screws together 28) many tent stakes 29) spare old XGK pump 30) waxed stuff fire starters 31) cord tighteners 32) potable aqua tablets 33) magnetic chinese checkers 34) all stainless steel pans 35) MSR flame spreader 36) catalytic hand warmer and case 37) 2 marmot jackets with bad zippers 38) down socks 39) Whisperlite stove 40) all matches 41) tent vapor barrier 42) all vapor barrier clothes socks etc 43) neoprene socks 44) all wool socks 45) non-photon mini clip lights without positive off 46) Glass safe glasses holder rigid 47) Lowa goretex light weight hiking boots - ripped seams
and on probation: 1) TNF down vest 2) Sierra designs non-breathable rain suit 3) Markill bivy stove 4) Nalgene folding water bag 5) eddie bauer leather sole down booties 6) Eagle creek folding chair 7) Thermarester chair adapter 8) crossbow pistol 9) TNF Blue kazoo sleeping bag 10) WM bivy sack with screen 11) Whamo slingshot 12) altimeter 13) SILVA compass 14) Sawvivor folding saw 14) TASCO monocular 15) all esbit tablets 16) pyramid tent 17) Coughlans fire striker 18) eddie bower down booties 19) REI goretex bibs - seam tape came out - all of it
Into the garbage so maybe I will have more room for gear that works. Jim
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These are my own opinions based on wisdom earned through many wrong decisions. Your mileage may vary.
Now the distance between us is too big, but otherwise I found a couple of things that I miss. If you purge the list for the items that are damaged, why dont you put the things up for a sale? Sure some of your neighbours will be interested if you arrange a garage sale.
We sure see things differently, I ONLY wear all wool socks.
Registered: 02/03/06
Posts: 6800
Loc: Gateway to Columbia Gorge
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 (11/22/0911:10 PM)
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May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view--E. Abbey
Mouse I have taken so much to the local Habitat for Humanity thrift - thats all there is here - that they lock the doors when they see me coming.
I would never foist this junk onto the unsuspecting, bad enough to give it to your friends and have them carry it on your next trip.
I didn't mention the throwing out the MSR kettle last week - a singularly worthless piece of junk with the longest boiling times of anything I've measured.
I HOPE PEOPLE WILL READ THE LIST AND RECONSIDER WASTING MONEY ON ANYTHING LISTED. Jim YMMV
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These are my own opinions based on wisdom earned through many wrong decisions. Your mileage may vary.
I'll agree with most of 'em jim.. but the whisperlite is still a darn good winter stove. Nothing wrong with it.. you just have something else. That particular piece of kit is good stuff for someone needing a snow melter...
Yikes! THAT is a bunch o' stuff! You couldn't find a use for magnetic checkers or a cross bow pistol? Maybe use the checkers as targets for the bow? (i have a few of those items taking up space too...probably oughta purge)
Wow, what a stroll down memory lane. Had nearly all of that stuff at one time or another. However, over the years, I convinced all those near and dear to me that gift certificates make much better Christmas presents.
Remember the old Campmor open-cell-foam on top of closed-cell foam on top of coated-nylon "backpacker's sleeping pad" (aka "sponge")? Never did find a strap long enough to lash that thing to my external frame pack. However, it did fit nicely into my 8 pound "anniversary edition" Eureka Timberline 2 tent - the one with TWO sewn-on vestibules! Great solo tent!
In the words of, I think, Carly Simon: "THESE are the good old days..."
I still use mine for car camping. Used it just last week for an night soak in the Big Bend hot springs. Just the right amount of "bright" to see, but not completely wreck night vision. It has it's place, just not in my pack.
I agree with OM -- recycle for profit. But I don't see a garage sale or craigs list, with all you've got you should go down to the flea market and get an annual lease for a table -- or a booth!
Lots of your discarded stuff is worth a lot more than some of the junk I saw at garage sales this summer -- yard sales have reached "Praxis status" here in Denver. Strangest item I saw was some fuzzy stuff in a ziplock:
"What's that?" "Dryer lint -- 50 cents." "No thanks."
. . . until I read of people (like phat, I think) using it in an emergency in the wilderness to start a fire. But I figured since I do my laundry like most everyone else, I'd make my own.
Registered: 08/21/03
Posts: 330
Loc: Southern California
I still keep an unopened bottle of Potable Aqua around, because I once, like an idiot, left my Aqua Mira bottles exposed to the sun and they burst, leaving me with no back up water treatment. Managed to avoid Giardia on that trip, thank goodness.
It's amazing how much stuff we can accumulate. I probably need to do a purge as well. I was looking in my closet the other day, and I own six day packs. Why? I also have five blaze orange hunting vests, when I need just one, and two dog packs but only one dog. I have no fewer than twelve small light weight knives, and I somehow managed to collect seven Lexan spoons and four titanium sporks.
I still have two down sleeping bags, even though I've used nothing but my down quilts for six years. I, too, have a candle lantern I've never used. The other day I found a replacement globe for a lantern I got rid of seven or eight years ago. Such clutter.
Edited by Haiwee (11/23/0911:43 AM)
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Registered: 02/03/06
Posts: 6800
Loc: Gateway to Columbia Gorge
Quote:
two dog packs but only one dog
Me, too. I use one for dayhiking (the Kelty Sherpa I bought for Hysson six years ago) and the other, which is much larger capacity, for backpacking (the Ruffwear Palisades shown in my avatar). I bought the second only because I planned a 7-day trip and the Kelty wouldn't hold more than 3-4 days worth of dog food. I found the old model Palisades (the current model is a lot smaller) on closeout. For that matter, the Kelty was on closeout when I got it too, so I got both packs for about half price.
I do keep going through my old junk. I still have my old Kelty external frame backpack. For that matter, I have an old homemade Trapper Nelson pack hanging in my garage. I probably should check to see if the Mazamas would like the latter for their clubhouse before I ditch it.
My parents threw out a lot of what they considered old junk. One of them was an antique mantel clock inherited from my great-grandmother, which I would give my eye teeth to have! Just because you think something is junk doesn't mean that others won't give good money for it!!
Edited by OregonMouse (11/23/0905:24 PM)
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May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view--E. Abbey
I would’ve arranged a buy for your First Need Filter. That’s the best backpacking filter out there (if you’re looking for fast pump and Scout proof)! It’s also the only filter that ring’s out the viruses (w/o iodine), easy to tell when the filter is cracked (no other filter has that ability—though they claim it), and the only filter that actually ‘clears’ brown water. Since I hike in the dirty-water arena, I like that ability. All the other ceramic and charcoal filters I’ve tested couldn’t do this. The First Need is a one piece setup so you don’t have to mess with several pieces and associated connections/disconnections throughout the day. It has a very nice prefilter on it that has saved my cartridge--- but the competitors were put out of business on our backpacking trips.
Also, ‘down socks’; are they like your down booties? If they have no hard/stiff soles, I LOVE these types. Those are what I wear with my sandals on frozen days. And then they feel like a warm bedroom slipper.
And I would take your matches. That’s the easiest way to light my alcy stove--- and they’re lighter than bics. Actually, I use paper matches.
“13) a $150 fur lined goretex hat” Hmmm. I don’t know if you can sell that one.
. . . until I read of people (like phat, I think) using it in an emergency in the wilderness to start a fire. But I figured since I do my laundry like most everyone else, I'd make my own.
I don't use it in an emergency - I just use it when it's darn cold out because when I'm out in the -30 type stuff it's easier to light that with a striker and gloves on then to take them off to become dexterous enough to light matches or flick a bic..
While I could light a fire with it in an emergency, the only situations I've been in close to that where I *needed* fire in a hurry I had other materiels that were more effective. And what that really says is that when it comes to emergency fire starting, nothing on earth beats a can of gas (white gas, chainsaw gas, whatever you have on hand..) if you have no such thing, great, fall back to skills and dryer lint - don't get me wrong, I've started all kinds of fire in all kinds of weather - but if the chips are down and you have gasoline at hand.. what are you gonna do?
Of course now, You all know lighting fires with gas is dangerous - don't have a poof no eyebrows moment... and definately don't do it like this... or like this..
... fire starting, nothing on earth beats a can of gas
Actually, I do have to qualify that statement - it is misleading.. I've been camping with physics majors. There is one thing that *does* beat a can of gas. Liquid Oxygen is outrageously good. But that falls even more in the category of "don't try this at home"..... but if you're careful it's impressive. If you haven't seen a chips ahoy chocolate chip cookie converted into a 3 foot tall spear of pure white flame that fries your night vision for hours.. well, it's hard to describe beyond that...
S Saw you got rid of the salt/pepper shaker - how do you carry salt/pepper, particularly if you are with a group? __________________________________________________________ those little salt and pepper paper packets from fast food places... If yer with a group, someone else will take it.
And thats the secret of group camping, someone will carry all of their gear just so they can get a chance to take it, so you can leave out pretty much everything but your sleeping bag, pad, and clothes. Someone will have a 5 pound medical kit, there will be two complete mess kits, about 1,000 feet of food hanging cord etc etc.
Oh man, I have to tell this. My wife who rarely ever backpacks had to stop at the store for a few things we "HAD TO HAVE". So I unknowingly packed 4x 4 ounce salt shakers into hurricane ridge in Olympic park. I flipped when I emptied my pack. I poured all but half an ounce onto a bunch of rocks 50 feet from our tent. When I woke up and looked out the tent door at night, there was about 200 elk licking it up. One stepped on my Sigg fuel/water bottle and badly dented it. Worst part - she cried because of exhaustion from a heavy pack that she insisted she would pack, so it was 8 years before she went again and same thing - tears, almost left her pack in the canyon, and NEVER agin, however after that I have never had to plan trips that she could go on.
there are now some very tiny salt/pepper camping thingies that carry about a gram each. Jim
Edited by Jimshaw (11/23/0910:09 PM)
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These are my own opinions based on wisdom earned through many wrong decisions. Your mileage may vary.
Wow! You have really kept the outdoor equipment business going! You know we all are supposed to be good little consumers to get this sluggish economy back on track. Get rid of gear? You are not doing your part.
I also took my wife on two trips before she decided never to go again. They both happened the same weekend: her first and last trip.
It was a mixed group I was leading, with (I suspected) more than one hidden agenda. Her friend, who had never backpacked, told her to go - "we'll have a great time." I told her I didn't think the trip was for her. Naturally, she listened to her friend. To make a long story short, I ended happily sleeping under a tarp with a buddy (she and the friend used the tent I had packed in) listening to a gentle rain in the early morning - to be fully awakened by a boot in my shoulder and the endearing words, "Get me the h*** out of here." I did.
Also, what was wrong with the windstopper balaclava? I'm not a big fan of wearing windstopper over my ears (hearing), but a needle can take care of that.
I don't use a whisperlite because I have an XGK.
I use a dromedary bag. Did yours leak or something?
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