I've been going over my gear, trying to figure out what I need (tax money will be here soon!)... and I discovered I don't actually NEED anything, beyond a pair of pants. Which I have covered now. (Being the GM of four thrift stores is da bomb diggity!)

But there are a few things I'd like to have in my closet for certain trips, and I was wondering if anyone has some ideas or comments about them.

The first is that I'd like a camp chair or sit pad. Now, I know I could get a blue Wally-world pad and cut it up. I've also looked at those foam stadium seats. But they're not quite what I'm looking for. Weight and comfort are my two issues, at the moment. Any suggestions?

(ETA: It would be really cool if I could also use this when canoeing. Also, the reason I rejected the blue pad and stadium seat was comfort. I like a bit more cushion for my tushie.)

The next is that I'd like a tarp to use as a kitchen/common area. I occasionally go on overnighters with several family members, and it would be good to have a common area to play cards, cook, talk, etc. on rainy evenings. This is the sort of thing I'd leave home for solo trips, since my hammock tarp does just fine for that. MYOG occurred to me, though in my case it would be GMMG (grandmother make my gear) Cost is my concern here. I'm not willing to spend very much for what amounts to a uni-tasker.

The final thing, but perhaps the thing I'd like the most, is a GPS. I want to get into some geo-cashing, and it would be nice to have a supplement (not replacement!) to my map and compass. Nothing will ever replace those two, but I think for the areas where I spend my time a GPS would be right handy. I've played around with apps for my BlackBerry, but it drains the battery too quickly and I can't find one I like.

I've looked at a Garmin eTrex H, as well as a couple others, online. It seems to me like what I want is one where I punch in a set of coordinates and it says "go that way x miles" or feet or whatever. I also want it to tell me where I am now. Downloadable maps would be awesome, too. I hike in forest mostly, if that matters. I played with a simple b/w screened GPS once as a class project in Geography 112, but that's about it. So any suggestions you have about a good unit are much appreciated.

Oh, and one last thing. I came here a complete newbie, and the wonderful folks on this forum have been so very helpful. Thank you. I know answering the same newbie questions over and over gets tiresome... y'all are good people. Thanks for all your help.