Can I borrow your XYZ

[bangorme]

I'd let anyone use something of mine in an emergency. But, short of that, I'd have to decline a request to borrow something for more than a moment.

[evyck da fleet]

I'll give or have received fuel, lighter, toilet paper, maps to someone when AWOL's guidebook is a little off, and food to someone who is running low and not because they are ultralight. We all lose, misplace or miscalculate at one point or another.

No to food, maps, or spaces in a shelter to those who don't think it's important enough to carry sufficient snacks or maps, or have had the opportunity and passed on going into town to pickup a tent and expect me to go set up my tent in the dark during a storm because they got to a shelter late and expected to have a space. Enjoy the dirt spot under the picnic table.

[Lone Wolf]

What do you say to people who ask to to borrow your stove, water filter, 1st aide, rain wear, etc

no.........

[Walkintom]

I have let folks borrow things. Some items they should have had; some were unlikely circumstances that put them in need.

I remember a hiker who asked for some alcohol stove fuel at a store - the clerk filled his container with water - a bizarre misunderstanding due to accent. Not forseeable - he would have had fuel to make it to the next town if his hadn't been ruined. Of course I offered up my stove for his cooking.

In general I try not to judge but if the situation seems appropriate I will give them constructive criticism along with whatever I'm loaning such as: 'Don't hike without an emergency blanket - period. Next time no one may be able to help you.' They're free to ignore it, but it's the price of dealing with me.

I have also loaned out gear to people who were planning trips and have generally had good luck getting it back in good condition and timely.

In both cases I don't do it if I can't afford to lose whatever I'm handing over.

[MuddyWaters]

What do you say to people who ask to to borrow your stove, water filter, 1st aide, rain wear, etc

Well, honestly it would depend on how attractive she was. What can i say, im a guy.

[squeezebox]

Walkintom; You said never hike without an emergency blanket. Why? I bought a 5x7 a bit ago, cheap, waterproof, lighter than a tarp. I can't decide to bring it or not, I'ld appreciate your opinion.

[bangorme]

Walkintom; You said never hike without an emergency blanket. Why? I bought a 5x7 a bit ago, cheap, waterproof, lighter than a tarp. I can't decide to bring it or not, I'ld appreciate your opinion.

By emergency blanket, I assume you mean the plastic things?

[Violent Green]

Man, some of you are cold-blooded. lol

I'm pretty easy going when it comes to letting friends or even strangers borrow things. People miscalculate their needs, they're inexperienced or flat out $#!& happens. It happens to all of us. Often times even asking for help is a pretty humbling experience, so I don't feel the need to teach them a lesson by saying "Should have brought your own." If they're not humbled by asking my jabs aren't going to make a dent anyway. YMMV

We were hiking the JMT last year and came upon a young couple who were hiking the whole PCT. The young lady was hiking along slower than they expected and thus were running out of food before their next resupply. They asked if we could spare any and we gave them quite a bit. To me, they weren't free loaders, just inexperienced and needed some help.

Ryan

[MuddyWaters]

We were hiking the JMT last year and came upon a young couple who were hiking the whole PCT. The young lady was hiking along slower than they expected and thus were running out of food before their next resupply. They asked if we could spare any and we gave them quite a bit. To me, they weren't free loaders, just inexperienced and needed some help.

Ryan

Wish I could have found someone to give some of mine to. I ended up at WP with 3 days food left, and I buried more in catholes too.

[DrL]

But the only one that makes me angry is when hikers want to "borrow" my map and/or guide - because they didn't see the need to have one, or didn't want to carry that extra weight.

I have run into this situation so many times that I started carrying extra copies of the local park map. It's amazing the number of people who take photos of the map with their phone only to realize they can't make anything out.

[CalebJ]

Walkintom; You said never hike without an emergency blanket. Why? I bought a 5x7 a bit ago, cheap, waterproof, lighter than a tarp. I can't decide to bring it or not, I'ld appreciate your opinion.

Do you have an appropriate sleeping bag and means to keep it dry? If so, the emergency blanket is just one more useless thing in the pack.

[BillyGr]

Most shelters I have seen have some type of wood floor, not dirt. That would make an already unattractive option even worse.

I think some of the shelters may have an area that is dirt, in addition to the wooden floor - probably not designed for sleeping on but could be used in a pinch.

[July]

Do you have an appropriate sleeping bag and means to keep it dry? If so, the emergency blanket is just one more useless thing in the pack.

You can wrap yourself in your tent or tarp, if need be. Space blankets are for soldiers or those without the aforementioned pieces of gear.

[RangerZ]

You can wrap yourself in your tent or tarp, if need be. Space blankets are for soldiers or those without the aforementioned pieces of gear.

I remember wrapping up in a space blanket, sleeping in the back seat of a jeep (radio mounts and all) and waking up soggy.I didn’t carry one after that, just ponchos and liners.

[July]

This is within normal hiking context. EMS/SAR excluded.

[July]

I remember wrapping up in a space blanket, sleeping in the back seat of a jeep (radio mounts and all) and waking up soggy.I didn’t carry one after that, just ponchos and liners.

Still a comfortable combo for me to this day, talk about multiple uses...

[RangerZ]

Still a comfortable combo for me to this day, talk about multiple uses...

My wife calls them my security blanket.h

[Rain Man]

Rain Man, what book are you talking about? I'd like to get my hands on it.

"Hikers' Stories from the Appalachian Trail," edited by Kathryn Fulton.

I shop for books at www.alibris.com and get many used/vintage AT books there, but they have new too.

[Rain Man]

The scenario where a shelterless hiker arrives at a shelter in a storm is an interesting one since it could be a life or death situation.

I agree. In the situation I read about, there was the option of hiking another 4 miles to the next shelter.

But indeed, three hikers got up, got out of the shelter, and set up their tents in the rain, at the "request" of this hiking princess.

[Deadeye]

I'll lend to someone in need. If I borrow, I return with "interest". I borrowed a friend's snowshoes once, when I was done, I re-varnished them and returned them in better shape than I received them.

That guy will lend me anything, anytime!