PDA

View Full Version : How to avoid losing stuff



scudder
03-28-2011, 10:44
I arrived at Calf Mt Shelter at dusk a couple weeks ago, and quickly gathered some firewood before dark. As I went about setting up camp ,fixing dinner, my phone dropped out of my shirt pocket. Checked for ipod which had been in the same pocket,and it wasnt there. Tried to make peace with the prospect that i had made an involuntary geocache .
I was lucky- in the morning retracing my steps I was able to recover it. So lesson learned- Secure the gear- velcro,zip and button ! I also thought that maybe white would be a better color for the next one-until i went out in the snow this weekend.
I generally check back over my shoulder before leaving any place I stop. Other than not bringing it, can you offer any tips for avoiding loss of stuff on the trail?

WingedMonkey
03-28-2011, 10:50
Never use a shirt pocket??

swjohnsey
03-28-2011, 10:52
Dummy cord anything critical. Try not to lay stuff down, always put it back where it came from. Any time you stop make it a ritual to do a quick check before you leave. Try not to leave before first light.

Lone Wolf
03-28-2011, 10:53
:-? just know where your stuff is? in 25 years of walkin' i've never lost anything

WingedMonkey
03-28-2011, 10:59
Get in the habit of only carrying your ipod or radio outside your pack or pouch only when actully using it. The lack of sound should tell you something is wrong.

hikingshoes
03-28-2011, 11:08
Dummy cord anything critical. Try not to lay stuff down, always put it back where it came from. Any time you stop make it a ritual to do a quick check before you leave. Try not to leave before first light.

I do this too.

scudder
03-28-2011, 11:09
good ideas. keep 'em coming.

garlic08
03-28-2011, 11:23
Good advice about being real careful in the dark. My worst loss was my tent stakes, leaving (in a rush) before sunrise. Second worst was leaving my black rain pants in a dark motel room corner. But yes, bright light is problem too--I once left some white paper in a ziplock on a snow bench.

I've toyed with the idea of a laminated checklist for critical items, but haven't done it. I have a checklist for leaving home, so why not one for leaving camp/break spots? I try to make it a habit to check, very carefully, every time I move away from a place I've stopped, but I have lapses in that, too.

I'm jealous of those who are organized enough to not have this problem. The rest of us have to come up with a system.

10-K
03-28-2011, 12:06
Everything I carry has a place and when I use it I put it back in that place as soon as I finish with it, even if I'm going to use it again in few minutes.

That, and having an unwavering, established routine for doing things like pitching tent, spreading out gear, etc. etc. pretty much works for me.

Of course I didn't really take this seriously until I actually left something behind that really cost me. Don't like to make the same mistake twice if I can help it.

topshelf
03-28-2011, 12:11
All my stuff is red. That's how I keep track, and nothing in a pocket that doesn't zipper close. One of the last things before I start hiking is to check and make sure everything is closed up and hiking poles are in each hand.

sbhikes
03-28-2011, 12:21
Yes, zippered pockets are a must. Routines, always looking at the area you were resting in before leaving and putting things away immediately, too. Also, the less stuff you have the less stuff you have to keep track of.

Blissful
03-28-2011, 13:01
Convertible pants also have some zippered pockets for small items.

leaftye
03-28-2011, 13:40
Looks like I have little to add as my way of doing things is pretty much the same as others.

Be strictly methodological about how things are organized. Like to OCD levels. Things always go back the same way.

Secure pockets as well as possible, even if slight mods are required.

If something cannot be secured, try velcro or cordage.

If something goes in your pocket and it's not 100% secure, pat it frequently to make sure you haven't lost anything.

Pre-pack your pack before your go to bed so there's less to do and mess up in the morning. Plan a routine to break camp and stick to it....it's generally the same, but the layout can change the order.

If isn't good enough, create pockets for every item. Kind of like shadowboxing a toolbox. If every pocket is filled, you must have everything.

Skid.
03-28-2011, 14:00
[QUOTE=10-K;1136199]Everything I carry has a place and when I use it I put it back in that place as soon as I finish with it, even if I'm going to use it again in few minutes.QUOTE]

That is the advice that I follow, too. Phone in one velcro-closed pocket, glasses in another, and I just pat those pockets as I start down the trail. (I once put my map in a different part of my pack, and spent an hour re-tracing my steps, before I realized I had it with me all along).

Tenderheart
03-28-2011, 16:06
Also, the less stuff you have the less stuff you have to keep track of.

Now, that's good advice.

ChinMusic
03-28-2011, 16:58
Convertible pants also have some zippered pockets for small items.
This

I tried the checklist thing but lost it...........

Pony
03-28-2011, 17:14
Every gear item of mine has a place in my pack. I physically check every pocket everytime I take a break, or pack up in the morning. Once i put the pack on, I double check to make sure I've left nothing laying around. And usually, out of paranoia I take a few steps, turn around and look again.

For some weird reason I'm way more organized when hiking. I think it is important to not leave things laying around camp, especially when others are camped nearby. When I go to sleep, only the items I may need in the night are left out of my pack.

10-K
03-28-2011, 17:16
Every gear item of mine has a place in my pack. I physically check every pocket everytime I take a break, or pack up in the morning. Once i put the pack on, I double check to make sure I've left nothing laying around. And usually, out of paranoia I take a few steps, turn around and look again.


I forgot that... Always turn around and make a quick check to make sure nothing is getting left behind.

My son calls that the "idiot check". :)

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=idiot%20check

Pickwick
03-28-2011, 17:18
I'm a little obsessed with not losing things. Here are some of the things I do:

-Try not to buy things in black.
-If something is black, (or white, I guess) put a piece of coloured tape on it.
-If you hang up things in shelters, count the number of things you hang on nails or lines as you hang them up. First thing in the morning, take all your stuff down, counting down as you go.
-Don't just look around for stuff before you put on the pack. Look around after too; sometimes things will fall off (or out) of your pack when you first put it on.
-If you have to rifle through your bag in the middle of the trail (during a break, say), put all the stuff you have to take out all in one place; putting the smaller stuff in your hat. Sometimes I count here too. DON'T hang anything on a convenient twig or branch.
-Use zippered/velcroed pockets
-This one is more of a goal than something I actually do: carry less stuff to forget!

And I learned this one the hard way: Be careful about leaving food or wrappers in your pockets. The mice will eat a hole in your pocket. It is an annoying thing to discover first thing in the morning, and an even more annoying thing to discover later the next day after you've lost everything in that pocket.

Rocket Jones
03-28-2011, 17:31
If you tend to carry a lot of loose stuff in your pocket, take a length of wide elastic, fold it over and stitch it crossways to fit various items. It's like a holster that custom fits your pocketknife, chapstick, pen, flashlight, multi-tool, or whatever you carry. It slips into your pocket and keeps the jingling down too.

ChinMusic
03-28-2011, 17:51
If you stay in shelters, label your stuff sacks in some way. Even if you don't it's not a bad idea. That way others are less likely to take your stuff by mistake.

hikingshoes
03-28-2011, 18:03
[QUOTE=10-K;1136199]Everything I carry has a place and when I use it I put it back in that place as soon as I finish with it, even if I'm going to use it again in few minutes.

LOL,This drives my GF nuts when i do this.She'll ask why you putting it up,when your going to use it again.HS

royalusa
03-28-2011, 18:03
Ditto on everything above, plus I got in the habit of counting just about everything as I put it away and verified it mentally with the correct tally. I counted the tent stakes as I pulled them out of the ground and put them away. I counted the articles of clothing as I packed them. I counted the water bottles. I knew I had the counting thing out of control when I noticed I was counting how many seconds I was peeing!

hikerhobs
03-28-2011, 18:23
I always police the area that i'm staying at, I dont know how many times i've got ready to leave to turn around and theres something on the ground.

scudder
03-28-2011, 18:50
[QUOTE=royalusa; I knew I had the counting thing out of control when I noticed I was counting how many seconds I was peeing![/QUOTE]
Funny !
Thank you all for your great suggestions.

burger
03-28-2011, 23:19
Once i put the pack on, I double check to make sure I've left nothing laying around. And usually, out of paranoia I take a few steps, turn around and look again.
This should be your mantra. Every time you put your pack on or reach for something in your pack--even a water bottle--stop and look around on the ground to make sure you haven't dropped anything.

Then, walk a pace or two away, and check the same area from a different angle. A dropped item might be invisible from one angle but obvious from another. Check twice, and if you don't see anything, walk on with confidence.

swjohnsey
03-28-2011, 23:23
Funny !
Thank you all for your great suggestions.

You are probably O.K. until you start counting how many tooth brushing strokes but who's counting.

Northern Lights
03-28-2011, 23:28
I can't help you, I once left my water bottle behind at a shelter. And the guy I was hiking with before leaving for the trip told me I didn't need to bring my platypus so I left it at home. Dumb, dumb dumb. Thankfully someone saw it was mine and brought it to me at the next shelter. 10 hours later. I was really thirsty :(

ChinMusic
03-28-2011, 23:34
I can't help you, I once left my water bottle behind at a shelter. And the guy I was hiking with before leaving for the trip told me I didn't need to bring my platypus so I left it at home. Dumb, dumb dumb. Thankfully someone saw it was mine and brought it to me at the next shelter. 10 hours later. I was really thirsty :(
I left a water bottle on a table at shelter once too. I was there all by myself for lunch and had stuff out on the picnic table. More and more folks showed up and my bottle got "lost in the shuffle" of people and stuff. My bottle just blended in with their stuff.

I make it a practice now to put things away right after use in these cases. Get it out, use it, put it right back.

Walkintom
03-28-2011, 23:50
I travel most weeks so I have developed the habit of policing areas before I depart.

I am still working on the habit of always taking things out of my pockets before washing clothes. Washed my 8gb flash drive yesterday. Luckily it survived.

JDCool1
03-28-2011, 23:53
"A place for everything, and everything in its place". Use it and return to its place before taking out something else. Take only what you will need, avoid the frills, they will be the very thing you forget. Be patient with yourself, what do you have to do, except get to the next place which will wait for you, no matter what you have to do to get there. Have fun and your stuff will make it too.

Panzer1
03-29-2011, 00:32
anytime you stop somewhere, just before you leave you should check to see if you left anything behind.

Panzer

leaftye
03-29-2011, 12:52
I left a water bottle on a table at shelter once too. I was there all by myself for lunch and had stuff out on the picnic table. More and more folks showed up and my bottle got "lost in the shuffle" of people and stuff. My bottle just blended in with their stuff.

I make it a practice now to put things away right after use in these cases. Get it out, use it, put it right back.

Yeah, being around people tends to mess things up. Usually it throws off my routine, which leads to lost equipment. I'm still trying to get rid of this problem. Last year I lost a pair of eyeglass and two nighttime-use bottles, all when I was around other people. Okay, I also lost a cover for my gps when around others, but that happened when I was exhausted and frustrated and the cover obstructed the gps screen...it probably would have been lost one way or another.

Montana Mac
03-29-2011, 14:55
Hey Scudder you didn't find a pair of glasses on that trail did you? The only thing I lost on my hike was my glasses - that I needed to read my guide, etc.

I had stopped at the spring for water on the way to the shelter - dropped my pack - filled my bladder - shouldered the pack and headed to the shelter. As soon as I got to the shelter I realized I was missing the glasses. After multiple searches never did locate them :(

scudder
03-29-2011, 18:09
Hey Scudder you didn't find a pair of glasses on that trail did you? The only thing I lost on my hike was my glasses - that I needed to read my guide, etc.

I had stopped at the spring for water on the way to the shelter - dropped my pack - filled my bladder - shouldered the pack and headed to the shelter. As soon as I got to the shelter I realized I was missing the glasses. After multiple searches never did locate them :(

Sorry Mac- no such luck . Hard to look for your glasses, when you need them to see I bet. One time a buddy had his fall off his face crossing a creek. He couldn't see to look for them, but he took me to the spot and I was able to find 'em. So if I get back there, I'll take a look- but I'd say its a long shot at best.
I wish I had a nickel for every pocketknife or pair of sunglasses lost on the trail.

daddytwosticks
03-29-2011, 19:14
Hey leaftye...feel sorry for the hiker who might have picked up you nighttime use bottles thinking that was the solution to the upcoming dry miles vs. lack of water carrying capacity...:)

kanga
03-29-2011, 19:17
get ocd. it solves all those little problems for you!

Dogwood
03-29-2011, 20:56
1) Be careful what you attach to the outside of your pack. Have lost shirts, an expensive Cuben fiber tarp, books, a Patagonia down vest, and a bivy becuse a branch/bramble etc. caught something left a little exposed in an outside pocket.

2) Thoughtfully be aware of what you carry on the trail. Inventory all your gear in your mind. It's easier when you are an ULer. EVERY time I break camp or get up from a short break I make sure I have everything. I check at least 3 times! Get in that habit! Hip belt and stretchy side mesh pockets help organize and store much of my gear(camera, Ipod, nutritional bars, snacks, pocket knife, etc that I might desire on the go as I hike.

Dogwood
03-29-2011, 20:57
Sunglasses always have a strap so I can hang them around my neck but often the safest place for them is on top of my head.

RockDoc
03-29-2011, 21:17
Yes, avoid using shirt pockets.

On the AT, everything that is put in shirt pockets gets dumped into springs, sooner or later.

beakerman
03-30-2011, 09:00
maybe its just me but the routines are whre I get messed up. take for instance my keys. as a routine I always put them on the hook by the door when I come in. Well really its almost always...if I'm heading back out I'll keep them in my pocket. But here's where I get in trouble: I come home and want a beer, my botle opener is on the key chain so I go straight to the frige and get my beer, pop the top and set the keys down. inthe morning I'm busy looking for my keys and because I "always" put them on the hook by the door I remember doing it...even though I didn't.

My point is just having a routine won't cover it when you're onteh trail and plowing through campsite after campsite for weeks, then months on end. You have to check for your gear before you leave and make sure it is secure in pockets that close securely or with lanyards or hot glued to your forehead...whatever works for you.

When i was younger I have "lost" pocket knives, wallets and other things I need through out the day only to find them when I set y tent up that night and they magically rematerialize in gear pocket inside the tent. I took everything else out of there but something distracted me for a half second and boom I "lost" it.

Koinseb
03-30-2011, 09:09
my botle opener is on the key chain so I go straight to the frige and get my beer, pop the top and set the keys down.

Sounds like you just need to learn more ways to open your beer :D

Dogwood
03-30-2011, 18:28
Everything has a place in and on my pack and in my pockets. I limit how much I carry which helps.When something isn't in it's place or missing I know right away.

hikerboy57
03-30-2011, 18:38
Not sure why you would carry your phone in your shirt pocket-were you expecting a call? I agree with most of the above posters about having the same packing routine evryday, a place for everything and everything in its place.I keep my phone packed with my keys, as I dont expect to use it unless its absolutely necessary. A daily routine will help make sure you can find what you need when you need it quickly.Part of the reason Im out there in the first place is to get away from all the technological crap we surround ourselves with and for just a little while, just be.Now whats this string tied on my finger for?