View Full Version : Best trail toys?
Anyone like to carry extravagant, unusual or fun trail toys, or have suggestions for some?
My vote goes for devil sticks: http://www.jugglingstore.com/store/detail.aspx?ID=294
You can remove the two lower sections of your trekking poles and they'll work fine as handsticks, so all you have to carry is the baton. They also don't require the use of your legs at the end of the day, and are about the same dimensions as tent poles so they'll fit in, or on the side of most packs. Right now I'm trying to figure out how replace the shaft of my Golite umbrella with a devil stick baton for the PCT next year. A 6 oz. weight penalty, but insanely fun.
Jester2000
01-07-2007, 22:45
Four Square Ball.
You heard me.
Lone Wolf
01-07-2007, 22:49
I walked with a gal years back that had a BOB ( battery operated boyfriend). Her toy of choice. Until she figured I was better toy.:cool:
Jester2000
01-07-2007, 22:50
I walked with a gal years back that had a BOB ( battery operated boyfriend). Her toy of choice. Until she figured I was better toy.:cool:
I don't know. You weigh more than one of those. And your battery runs out a lot faster.
HA HA HA HA , good one Jester ! I have a design for a toy such as that, has a maglite on one end and a,,, you know on the other, heh,, would surely be a girls best friend on those long lonely nights on the trail ;)
RAT
Lone Wolf
01-07-2007, 23:08
i'm just sayin'...
Desert Lobster
01-08-2007, 00:50
Do they solar charge those things?
n2o2diver
01-08-2007, 00:56
Bad start, and going down hill quickly:rolleyes:
HA HA HA HA , good one Jester ! I have a design for a toy such as that, has a maglite on one end and a,,, you know on the other, heh,, would surely be a girls best friend on those long lonely nights on the trail ;)
RAT
Get the magnetic induction power generation, like the shake it up flashlight. It will charge itself.
ignoring the possible toyz mentioned above the items that come to my mind are:
dice - I carry 6 in 3 different colors
string - cat's cradle and string figures
pen/pencil and paper for Sprouts, score keeping, drawing game boards (9 mens morris, checkers, backgammon, etc.)
deck of cards possibly cut in half or miniature
stumpknocker
01-08-2007, 09:15
deck of cards possibly cut in half or miniature
HOI, are you telling us that you are only playing with half a deck??? :eek:
Sorry....couldn't help it......you left yourself wide open. :)
Guess if this is all I can contribute this morning, I'd better go for a walk.
Got an I-Pod for Christmas a 30gb which download songs, movies etc it also has games downloaded including a music quiz and solitare, quite a piece of work. Thanks CeeCee!
HOI, are you telling us that you are only playing with half a deck???
Sorry....couldn't help it......you left yourself wide open.
Guess if this is all I can contribute this morning, I'd better go for a walk.
hell yeah - people have been telling me that for years - must be true :p :o :D :sun
Frolicking Dinosaurs
01-08-2007, 09:57
::: off to design a magnetic induction BOB and become a millionaire :::
Dances with Mice
01-08-2007, 10:19
My vote goes for devil sticks: Those are NOT devil sticks! They're flower sticks. Kiddie sticks. Hippy sticks.
These (http://www.toddstrong.com/page5.htm)are devil sticks.
Dances with Mice - I've been away from juggling for a long time now - what is this new thing called poi? - are they used like what we used to do with club swinging?
Dances with Mice
01-08-2007, 11:56
Dances with Mice - I've been away from juggling for a long time now - what is this new thing called poi? - are they used like what we used to do with club swinging?Yeah, weights on a short leash. Another thing that takes up too much room on the gym floor. They are only fun to watch when newbies wrap fire poi around their legs or waist.
The toy I enjoyed the most on my thru was my blacksmith kit. In the evening, after finishing my noodles and washing my pot a great way to relax before turning in is breaking out the anvil and the forge and knocking off a few horseshoes. After a few hours at the anvil and forge I slept like a baby. Sometimes I would knock off before dark so the pounding wouldn't keep Jester awake.
dice - I carry 6 in 3 different colors
Dice are great! Versatile.
the_iceman
01-09-2007, 00:17
Curling stones are great for cold weather. 42 ponds a piece. You need 16 for a whole match and 4 people per team, 2 teams, but boy what fun on good ice.
http://www.usacurl.org/
The fiancee and I are planning to take one of those miniature Scrabble boards that zips up.
pen/pencil and paper for Sprouts, score keeping, drawing game boards (9 mens morris, checkers, backgammon, etc.)
I rediscovered "international" checkers the other day. That game is devious!
Blows Anglo checkers out of the water.
hammock engineer
01-09-2007, 01:06
I found a checkerboard fleece pattern that I am going to make a pillow stuff sack out of. Dual use item in a pillow and checker/chess board.
LIhikers
01-09-2007, 08:18
I found a checkerboard fleece pattern that I am going to make a pillow stuff sack out of. Dual use item in a pillow and checker/chess board.
Great idea! And maybe checkers, or chess pieces, made out of cardboard.
Frolicking Dinosaurs
01-09-2007, 11:06
You can get really small, lightweight chess and checker pieces at most any dollar store in cheap travel chess / checker sets.
Jester2000
01-14-2007, 22:34
The toy I enjoyed the most on my thru was my blacksmith kit. In the evening, after finishing my noodles and washing my pot a great way to relax before turning in is breaking out the anvil and the forge and knocking off a few horseshoes. After a few hours at the anvil and forge I slept like a baby. Sometimes I would knock off before dark so the pounding wouldn't keep Jester awake.
Sometimes he would make me carry the anvil. But it seemed like a fair trade, as he made me a new bit for Funkee's bridle and a pair of hiking spurs.
Wait. I just read Moxie's last sentence again. Taken out of context it's pretty alarming. Was I drugged?
So, has anyone watched a movie in their tent or in a shelter yet? Not saying I have, just wondering. The technology is getting so light and advanced, even the descerning gram weeny could let pass.:D
Jester2000
01-14-2007, 22:56
So, has anyone watched a movie in their tent or in a shelter yet? Not saying I have, just wondering. The technology is getting so light and advanced, even the descerning gram weeny could let pass.:D
No, but we did do a full stage production of "Grease" at No Business Knob Shelter. Lone Wolf was Sandy.
No, but we did do a full stage production of "Grease" at No Business Knob Shelter. Lone Wolf was Sandy."Stranded at the drive-in.....branded..a fool"
UCONNMike
01-15-2007, 18:29
I carried a Wiffle Ball (http://www.maine2georgia.com/VApics/slides/P9200144.html) the whole way down the trail (I put my pack strap thru one of the holes in the ball, it dangled (ftp://maine2georgia.com/*****VA%20download%201/P9200145.JPG) on the outside of my pack (http://www.maine2georgia.com/Connecticut/slides/117.html)), we would play homerun derby or a full game (http://www.maine2georgia.com/NY/slides/P1010012.html) if there was space availible, we just used our trekking poles as a bat. I figured thats how Ted Williams would have done it, since the trekking poles is so thin, it would improve your hitting. When we got to Virginia I bought a Regular Sized Nerf Football (ftp://maine2georgia.com/*******TN,NC,GA******/PA140357.JPG) (its the Green and black object I'm holding in my arms (http://www.maine2georgia.com/TENNNC/slides/PA140359.html)), and carried that the rest of teh way. Blake and I would play catch at the end of the night. When we were in Erwin, TN we played a two hand touch game in the parking lot at the police station next to the Sonic Burger joint, there were about 6 or 7 of us playign that night, and a bunch of locals actually drove up and watched us play while Miss Janet cheered us on, and pleaded for us to be careful and not hurt ourselves.
Have a nice boxed set of Dominoes.
Can’t weigh more than 0.1 ounce.
Can’t find them.
Haven’t played dominoes in about 50 years but I couldn’t pass them up. Paid less than $1.00.
P.S. Could a female actually complete a thru-hike with BOB?
(Assuming sufficient batteries.)
I always like a frisbee of any sort.:cool:
Nightwalker
02-01-2007, 17:34
Wait. I just read Moxie's last sentence again. Taken out of context it's pretty alarming. Was I drugged?
That's always a high-probability guess. :D
The fiancee and I are planning to take one of those miniature Scrabble boards that zips up.
Tortoise and LA Bear had a Scrabble board inked onto a white handkerchief. Then they had a little cloth bag with the tiles in it.
By the time I caught up with them just south of Damascus, they were frighteningly good...
Marta/Five-Leaf
Complicated
02-02-2007, 18:28
I have a pair of the smallest dice in the world... they couldn't be more than 1 mm cubes, and weigh about a gram. My Mom sent them to me, she got them off some race car cracker jack type game. They are great for playing craps for jelly bellies.
I have a pair of the smallest dice in the world... they couldn't be more than 1 mm cubes, and weigh about a gram. My Mom sent them to me, she got them off some race car cracker jack type game. They are great for playing craps for jelly bellies.
You sure you meant 1 mm? That's about the thickness of a dime. :-?
i bring along the card game set--can play solo or w/any number of people, not terribly difficult to learn the basics, and it's not very heavy. as an added plus, it keeps your brain from turning to complete mush from walking all day singing the same song over and over.......and over and over in head. :p here's the address for the game:
www.setgame.com