Good Trail Tricks I've learned

[Jack Tarlin]

Interesting idea on the duct tape, Jester.

I might have to give it a try.

[Just Jeff]

In addition to sleeping with water, I also put my camera, headlamp and stove fuel in a stuff sack inside the bag with me. The warmth keeps the batteries from draining, and since I use a cannister stove the cold can really make a difference.

I think it isn't the cold that wrecks the batteries. I think if it gets cold and then you use it, the batteries drain. If you warm the batteries up before you turn your camera on, though, the batteries should last longer. Haven't really experimented with this, though, since I sleep with my batteries.

I hate frozen boots the worst. I'll put my boots into a plastic bag or stuff sack and sleep with them, too.

[hammock engineer]

I can't take credit for this one, read it someone (probibly on WB).

Instead of putting a hot waterbottle in your bag with you, put your oatmeal breakfest in your waterbottle and add the boiling water. The oatmeal should hold the heat better, and you do not have to worry about getting your bag wet. You also have a warm meal to eat before you leave the warmth of your bag.

Disclaimer- Without starting an argument about bear bagging, this does add food smells to your sleeping area.

[gargamel]

Instead of putting a hot waterbottle in your bag with you, put your oatmeal breakfest in your waterbottle and add the boiling water. The oatmeal should hold the heat better, and you do not have to worry about getting your bag wet. You also have a warm meal to eat before you leave the warmth of your bag.

Thank's for this one. Sounds great. As I'm a uneasy sleeper and turn around multiple times my greatest fear would be to break the bottle and get my down bag soaking wet.
But how do I get the oatmeal out of the bottle ?

[hammock engineer]

Thank's for this one. Sounds great. As I'm a uneasy sleeper and turn around multiple times my greatest fear would be to break the bottle and get my down bag soaking wet.
But how do I get the oatmeal out of the bottle ?

Very carefully. Think crystals out of the After Shock Bottle.

Try the widest mouth bottle you have and a long spoon. not as easy as water, but a lot less risk.

[gargamel]

Very carefully. Think crystals out of the After Shock Bottle.

Try the widest mouth bottle you have and a long spoon. not as easy as water, but a lot less risk.

Hm.... I think I will try a ziplock bag wrapped into a trash bag. But the oatmeal idea is still great.

[Gray Blazer]

Thanks for all the great ideas.I can't really think of any "heavy" ideas but did someone mention mayonaise going bad? Wendy's (Thanks Dave) has small foil packets of mayo for those of you that don't like dry sandwiches for lunch.

[Pickles]

Practice with ALL OF YOUR GEAR!!!!

Practice with ALL OF YOUR GEAR, at home, before you hit the trail. Practice even with the old stuff you are familiar with, it may be broke.

Check all your gear, before you hit the trail! Look it over for: worn spots, tears, actual breaks, function (does your: Stove, Flashlight(s), Camera, etc. work?). When was the last time your shelter (boots, etc) seam sealed? Is now a good time to replace something? Is your fuel still good?* Lighters in good working condition / full (I get new ones each trip). Matches in good condition. NEW Zip Locks. Etc.

Clean gear lasts longer, so clean what you have. Then seam seal as needed.

*My understanding is gasoline degenerates very quickly, 60 to 90 days & the octane decreasing by as much as 30% don’t know about the other fuels or how this affects gasoline stoves, my lawnmower mechanic told me this.


Doctari.

I heard the piece about gasoline degenerating on the Barrett/Jackson auto auction TV show. Something to keep in mind if you are parking your vehicle for the duration of your hike.

[rhjanes]

if you are parking a vehicle for 4 to 6 months..... change all the fluids before you leave. air up the tires. Put in Gasoline stabalizer. get it at Home Depot in the mower department. disconnect the battery. Put it on a trickle charger. About every other month, if you can have some one go over. Have them take off the trickle charger, hook up the battery, and drive it for about 30 minutes. Say, all day on Saturday to chores. This keeps everything just fine.
Sitting 4 months, is really not too bad.
owner of 2 classic cars that sit a LOT.

[mdionne]

short on cash? use regular gas instead of white gas for your stove. smells really bad and turns your pots completely black but it qualifies as a trail trick.

[MOWGLI]

short on cash? use regular gas instead of white gas for your stove. smells really bad and turns your pots completely black but it qualifies as a trail trick.

That's a trail stunt, and a great way to get someone badly burned or killed.

[Cookerhiker]

..... Keep your camera handy - such as in your water bottle pouch - so you won't miss great but fleeting shots of wildlife, etc.....

I "wear" my camera on my sternum strap - makes it handy for responding quickly to photo-ops. It's a compact Nikon 3200 digital in a Lowe-Alpine camera soft case just the right size. Fastens to the sterum strap with velcro.

[Footslogger]

[quote=Cookerhiker]I "wear" my camera on my sternum strap - makes it handy for responding quickly to photo-ops.
=======================================
You just reminded me of something. During my thru I stopped into a Radio Shack (I think it was Front Royal) and bought a lightweight weatherproof radio. It had a clip on the back that was the exact size of my sternum strap. I was able to plug/unplug the earbuds when I wanted to but otherwise the little radio just went along for the ride. It used on AA sized battery that darn near lasted all the way to Katahdin. Reception wasn't always great but there were those days when the miles didn't come easy and it was nice to plug in the electronic ear muffs and zone away ...

'Slogger

[swift]

MOWGLI,
White gas and unleaded gasoline are for stove purposes, the same fuel. The unleaded gas has some additives that will clog generator in white gas appliances prematurely, but its no more dangerous to use than Coleman fuel. I think if you check with MSR specs and manufacturers of other white gas stoves they will bear that out.

[irritable_badger]

Take a dead Bic lighter and remove the spring, striking wheel, and flint and tape them to your not-dead lighter (or put them in your first-aid kit). These additional parts can be used to rebuild/fix your Bic lighter in the field. The flint in my Bic's always seems to fail before I run out of gas; especially if the flint has ever been very wet. This is an easy fix as it only takes a second to replace any part and it sure beats matches.

[ed bell]

Take a dead Bic lighter and remove the spring, striking wheel, and flint and tape them to your not-dead lighter (or put them in your first-aid kit). These additional parts can be used to rebuild/fix your Bic lighter in the field. The flint in my Bic's always seems to fail before I run out of gas; especially if the flint has ever been very wet. This is an easy fix as it only takes a second to replace any part and it sure beats matches.

Wow, yet another reason why I love this thread. I've had lighter falure before and this is the fix. Smart and weight is non-issue. Thanks.

[Seeker]

That's a trail stunt, and a great way to get someone badly burned or killed.

how do you figure? the only difference between regular gasoline and 'white gas' is the additives that simply gum up your stove faster than one 'designed' to burn unleaded gas... it's not inherently 'safer' just because it's white gas. the only design change is a bigger feeder hose that enables impurities to get all the way through... like in the msr whisperlite and whisperlite international... $$ bucks more for a larger hose...

[Seeker]

MOWGLI,
White gas and unleaded gasoline are for stove purposes, the same fuel. The unleaded gas has some additives that will clog generator in white gas appliances prematurely, but its no more dangerous to use than Coleman fuel. I think if you check with MSR specs and manufacturers of other white gas stoves they will bear that out.

sorry... you beat me to it... didn't mean to step on you...

[RITBlake]

During my thru I stopped into a Radio Shack (I think it was Front Royal) and bought a lightweight weatherproof radio. It had a clip on the back that was the exact size of my sternum strap. I

Hey slogger, I did the EXACT same thing. Carried my radio like that for 1500 miles. you know what they say about great minds!

[Jester2000]

. . .that they think alike, and fools seldom differ?