View Full Version : Extra Things to throw in Mail Drops?
Say you have a certain number of mail drops planned and all the food and stuff. What extra stuff do you think would be nice to throw in every once in awhile?
Ex. Sudoku puzzles, newspapers, etc.
RWheeler
02-17-2012, 23:22
Bubble wrap :D
*pop*pop*pop*pop*pop*pop*pop*pop*pop*pop*
bigcranky
02-18-2012, 00:03
Packs of wipes, travel size toothpaste, a new toothbrush once or twice, travel size Gold Bond (but figure out how to make it odor proof, that smell gets on everything), batteries for your headlamp, a couple of post cards with stamps, Starbucks Via packets if you like coffee, any Rx medications, a paperback book, dental floss, Aqua Mira tablets.
Sure, you can buy most of this in town, but if you are already sending maildrops anyway, these things are cheaper back home than on the trail, and they don't weigh enough to make a difference in the postage.
Extra clean up stuff so I can get extra clean on the spot. Heavy luxury food that I can eat on the spot.
fiddlehead
02-18-2012, 03:05
town clothes, duct tape, lithium batteries, socks, knee brace, nail clippers, double toothpaste cap (drill a hole thru them) to screw two tubes together and fill the smaller one, state hi-way maps, packing tape to put it back together for the next drop, extra guitar strings (hard to find in any town near the trail), ..........
Great suggestions so far. I also threw in those hard to find "travel size" toiletries, extra 2L platypus with hose and bite valve, extra alchy stove, and Tyvek ground cloth.
swjohnsey
02-18-2012, 08:58
Bar of soap. Ever tried to buy one bar of soap?
kayak karl
02-18-2012, 09:15
being from philly, tastykakes and soft pretzels. candy that i didn't find, like good-n-plenty and mike-n-ike. a pair of socks.
WingedMonkey
02-18-2012, 10:36
Moon Pies...they are damn hard to find after Harpers Ferry.
springerfever
02-18-2012, 11:01
maybe a battery charger for your camera
One thing is not to underestimate how much stuff you won't need that you think you will. For ex, I put stuff in boxes "just in case" and when I picked up my drops I found myself carrying items I didn't need.
RWheeler
02-18-2012, 11:12
Moon Pies...they are damn hard to find after Harpers Ferry.
:( That's a bummer, they're amazing. I can find them around where I am, but then again I'm like 40 miles from the trail... so...
Kerosene
02-18-2012, 12:34
Bubble wrap :D
*pop*pop*pop*pop*pop*pop*pop*pop*pop*pop*There's an app for that! http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bubblefree/id284945681?mt=8
Blissful
02-18-2012, 14:43
I also put in my drops a roll of TP, some baby wipes, and for a lady - some everyday liners. If its time to get my meds, I pack that too, incl a baggie of Tylenol and Vit I.
Great suggestions guys! Thanks so much
Just thought of one: protein powder to mix into meals
Jack Tarlin
02-18-2012, 17:42
Several ziplocks of varying sizes always seem to come in handy. Also, I used to take TP rolls that were half or 3/4 gone and save 'em up in a box in my closet......by the time my trip departure time came around, I had enough saved for all my drops, meaning I never had to buy any while en route, and better yet, never had to buy or carry an unneeded entire roll. (Individual kleenex packs in your maildrops accomplishes much the same thing). And if there's a toy or hobby shop in your town, get yourself a bunch of the little bitty ziplocks used for coin or stamp collecting........they're very useful for spices, vitamins, medications, batteries, etc.
aaronthebugbuffet
02-18-2012, 17:54
One thing is not to underestimate how much stuff you won't need that you think you will. For ex, I put stuff in boxes "just in case" and when I picked up my drops I found myself carrying items I didn't need.
So true. At times I found myself leaving 80% of my drop in a hiker box and I didn't even do but a few.
SCRUB HIKER
02-19-2012, 02:18
Q-Tips. Feels great to shove one up your ear after 3 or 4 weeks without experiencing that feeling. I don't care if it's bad for my ears.
Also, a cotton t-shirt, if only to wear around for the few hours or night before you have to send your bounce box onward. Cotton never feels so good as it does when your only other option for months has been the same synthetic t-shirt or base layer.
Homemade cookies, if you've got someone at home to bake them. Mine always had oatmeal in them and I think that contributed to them staying fresh for longer.
SCRUB HIKER
02-19-2012, 02:25
News or magazine articles were another thing that I always appreciated. I'd pack them out and read through them over the next few nights on the trail, and trash them or put them in the campfire when I was done. A lot of mine were handpicked from The Browser (http://thebrowser.com/best) and printed out by my Oregon liaison.
4eyedbuzzard
02-19-2012, 10:11
Adding to a lot of the above:
Mini hand sanitizer bottles or refill capability.
Aluminum foil if used for cooking, pot lids, windscreens (buying a whole roll is pretty inconvenient).
Replacement duct tape to refill any used.
Spare pair of shoelaces in case needed.
Down wash in case you have to wash your bag.
Permanone to retreat clothing if its been washed out.
Suitable needles and threads to sew anything you did a temp repair on (clothing/equip).
Pack repair items (those little plastic buckles / sliders, etc).
A few extra safety pins to replace lost / given away ones.
First aid refills (band aids and meds like immodium, benadryl, etc if used) - I only carry a couple of doses of anything with me.
Spare spoon/spork.
Spare pens, pencils, paper, etc.
Pack Pins / rings if you use an external pack.
Stove repair kit maybe for white gas stove users.
Bics or matches.
Candles if used.
Jack Tarlin
02-19-2012, 13:51
Extra ziplock bags (assorted sizes) always come in handy. (I also try and get to a toy and hobby store before I hit the trail and get some itty bitty ones that coin and stamp collectors use......they've very handy for such things as spices, vitamins, medications, batteries, etc.) Also, in the months ahead of your trip, take the TP rolls out of your bathroom when they're half done and throw 'em in a box. Then, later on, you can toss a "short" roll in each maildrop....you'll never have to buy or carry a full roll.
I forgot to mention one other: I went out a bought a bunch of "Thinking of You" type cards and included a book of postage stamps.
At various town stops along the way I'd get the cards out of my bounce box, write a personal note to my girlfriend and/or family back home then mail them off. They appreciated the thought.
being from philly, tastykakes and soft pretzels. candy that i didn't find, like good-n-plenty and mike-n-ike. a pair of socks.
Tastykakes! I had my mom send them to me all along the trail! They were my mid-morning snack every day!
I had a scented candle in my bounce box. A really nice one in a tin. Pole tips. Special candy. My friends dehydrated mangoes and strawberries and tomatoes and red peppers. That was luxurious.
I have found putting in a encouraging note to yourself helps as well to keep your mind right
chiefduffy
03-15-2012, 00:31
Febreeze. Your pack will need it.
turtle fast
03-15-2012, 01:13
Febreeze...wont even touch it you have to Lysol the pack.....especially by Harpers Ferry and probably closer to the end of Summer you will need another application. The bacteria begin to have a field day living on the pack, padded hip belts and especially the back pad area! Check the hiker boxes once in awhile, I found it once at the Big Walker Hotel in Bland and my pack needed it!