Ultra-Tasking: Gear and Ideas

[reppans]

Hey folks, new to the forum. Following a long hiatus, I got back into camping after upgrading to ultra-light last year - it's been a game changer for me for a number of different outdoor pursuits, general travel, and even EDC/preparedness when small, light, and versatile enough.

Multi-tasking is major factor behind my gear reduction (getting lighter/smaller/fewer), and it's not always just about weight/bulk savings - the sheer simplicity of minimalism and having 'one-less-thing' is as rewarding. Also, I think UL'ers with less gear inherently have fewer back-ups and less margin for error - creative multi-tasking can provide some of that important emergency back-up.

I'll start with a couple of my camping staples that have earned a place in my EDC bag:
- 190 Grain Alcohol (Everclear): Stove fuel, dehydrated vodka, pot/utensil solvent/cleaner/sterilizer, hand sanitizer, bandanna wet wipe, mouthwash, deodorant, fire starter, eyeglass cleaner, glue/pine pitch remover, Palmer Furnace candle (w/ 1oz Toaks alcohol stove). Already EDC a Nalgene water bottle with nesting 750 Ti cup/pot.
- SixMoonDesigns Gatewood Cape: Intended as a rain poncho/pack-cover/tarp-tent, but I'll also use it as an EDC: blanket/bivy for naps, down vest (stuff/loft under windshirt/shell with drawn waist cord), and Palmer Furnace enclosure. My favorite tent BTW - outperforms my BA FlyCreek UL2 on every measure, except free-standing.

Would love to hear other UL'er ideas. I figure that if anybody is experimenting with extreme multi-tasking ('Ultra-Tasking') - i.e., beyond manuf. intentions and the usual bandanna/Buff/Dr. Bronners stuff - it's going to be the Ultra-light'ers.

[theinfamousj]

Potty trowel as a tent stake.

That is pretty much my only non-standard multitasker.

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[foodbag]

I use my pack cover to act as a gear "box" inside my tent, providing that it hasn't been used in the rain. Instead of having a whole bunch of loose items kicking around inside, stashing them in the opened pack cover keeps everything together.

[Leo L.]

I'm using a 400ml Aluminium drinking bottle (which I'd carry anyway) for boiling water, so I save the weight of an extra pot.

Tried it once, bot didnt do on a regular basis: You could boil water in a PET water bottle.

[randall_mcduberson]

I have a small compression sack that doubles as a pillow in my hammock when stuffed with other clothes. Duct tape has its many, many, many uses. I keep a small tube of super glue for repairs, any serious cuts, etc.

[nsherry61]

Chop sticks:
- Chopsticks
- Tent stakes
- Fire starter/fuel
- Toothpick, if cut down
- Marshmallow stick, for small cook fire
- Hair holder, for people with long hair in buns
- Pot lifter, for pot with bail
- Toggle
- Finger splint
- Tourniquet tentioner
- Pot stir stick

I'm sure we can come up with more uses for chopsticks. Maybe we could start a whole thread on just the uses of chopsticks. ;-)

FWIW: I've never carried chopsticks backpacking. Every single use on the above chopstick list is well covered by other gear I carry or sticks I can pick up along the trail . . . except chopsticks of course. But then, I don't normally eat with chopsticks. :-?

[lonehiker]

Chop sticks:
- Chopsticks
- Tent stakes
- Fire starter/fuel
- Toothpick, if cut down
- Marshmallow stick, for small cook fire
- Hair holder, for people with long hair in buns
- Pot lifter, for pot with bail
- Toggle
- Finger splint
- Tourniquet tentioner
- Pot stir stick

I'm sure we can come up with more uses for chopsticks. Maybe we could start a whole thread on just the uses of chopsticks. ;-)

FWIW: I've never carried chopsticks backpacking. Every single use on the above chopstick list is well covered by other gear I carry or sticks I can pick up along the trail . . . except chopsticks of course. But then, I don't normally eat with chopsticks. :-?

This is the best response I've ever seen to a post. Well maybe not as good as a few of LW's back in the day but it is sure up there.

[Malto]

The only original one that I do is use the elastic band on my visor instead of using a separate headband for my headlamp. If you ever see someone with a headlamp on the back of their head in broad daylight, it is likely me. Another interesting exercise is to look at all your gear at the end of the day. What is not being used as part of your sleep system. For me it is only my cookpot. Doesn't make a good pillow. Completely agree about the simplicity.

[Kittyslayer]

I'm sure we can come up with more uses for chopsticks. Maybe we could start a whole thread on just the uses of chopsticks. ;-)

Been thinking I could use a pair of titanium chopsticks as a pot support over a fire. Not possible with the wooden chopsticks I have.

[nsherry61]

I just thought of another use for chopsticks . . . drumsticks for playing pots or whatnot around the campfire. :banana

Okay, clearly I have way to much time on my hands. And, in the spirit of the OP, let's max out useful ideas for various items we already think of as multi-use . . . I wonder what item we could come up with the most uses for?

Bandana, tampon, 6 ft of paracord, poncho, CCF sleeping pad . . . ?

Bandana's gotta be up their in most multi-usable:
1) Head cover to hold down hair
2) Head cooler, by soaking in water and then covering head
3) Hat skirt to keep sun off neck
4) Head band/sweat band by itself
5) Sweat under hat
6) Pee rag
7) wash cloth
8) towel
9) pot holder
10) costume on talk-like-a-pirate day
11) part of splint
12) part of turniquet
13) gauze compress/bandage
14) neck cover like a cowboy
15) neck cooler by getting it wet and wrapping it around your neck
16) Purely fashion statement
17) group identifier if everyone in a group wears the same bandana
18) water filter/prefilter
19) coffee filter
20) pot scrubber/dish rag
21) emergency beacon flag
22) Signal flag if you remember your semiphor
23) Mask for robbing the local resupply store
24) Bug filter to keep from breathing mosquitoes when they get really bad
25) Smoke filter when you get it wet and breath through it to reduce smoke inhalation
26) Tumpstrap headpiece
27) Tie to attaching things instead of a short piece of line
28) Pack volume enhancer, kinda like tying a bandana to a stick, but tied to your pack instead
29) water cooler - place your beer in your bandana and tie it to a stick and put it in the creek to cool
30) handcuffs for controlling the guy that robbed the resupply store, or for the sexually adventurous
31) dog collar
32) Sign, if you get one that has "going to town" or "going to trailhead" printed on it
33) map, if you get one with a map of the area your are in printed on it
34) . . . ?

I'm guessing I got many of the easy ones and I'm guessing this list is about 1/2 of the options.