Author Topic: The little items that make hiking so much better.  (Read 8651 times)

gunwharfman

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I'm home alone at the moment. My wife is visting her mother at the moment so I decided to bring ALL of my camping stuff into the lounge and get it properly sorted. It then struck me that there are a few small items which make 'all of the difference' to a good trip or not. For example, my Lowe Alpine peaked hat, such a simple thing but so very useful, covers my ears, keeps out the cold and wind and is ideal under my hood when it rains, the peak size is just right. Then my 4 bright yellow plastic velcro strips from Wilko's, ideal to strap my flipflops together, to keep my warm jacket neatly folded and secured and so on, my glasses necklace which holds 2 pairs, always easy to get to plus my waterproof phone cover, £2.99 from a local shop. Great items!

Gadabout Bounder

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Re: The little items that make hiking so much better.
« Reply #1 on: 22:10:21, 25/02/18 »
Gunwharfman -


Earplugs - In any weather a good nights sleep.


Ipad Mini - I'm a big reader and I have the Kindle app downloaded, good for music and the odd downloaded video.
'We've spilt the same blood in the same mud'

Thedogsmother

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Re: The little items that make hiking so much better.
« Reply #2 on: 22:18:24, 25/02/18 »
I did a sort of audit of my hiking kit too the other week which involved spreading it all out on the lounge floor and checking it worked/was in a reasonably decent state. Sounds like a simple enough thing but I always save lanyards from conferences in work or festivals I went to years ago. I find them good for fixing small loseable items to so they don’t get lost in the depths of your rucksack. Fix them on the outside and poke them inside the main opening of the bag then I can just pull it when I need the item, without having to ferret around in my bag.

alan de enfield

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Re: The little items that make hiking so much better.
« Reply #3 on: 22:27:32, 25/02/18 »

Not necessary - just luxuries :


An aerosol can of Deet - a lifesaver if camping near water & trees.
A small wind-up radio - can still find out what is happening in the world, but ONLY when I want to.
Soft toilet paper - surely no explanation needed.
A kindle - for the days you cannot, or do not want to move.

Dan1902

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Re: The little items that make hiking so much better.
« Reply #4 on: 08:22:30, 26/02/18 »
Not for me but my Mrs is a very cold sleeper, her hands and feet are permanent ice blocks. I changed her water bottle to Nalgene so she uses this as a hot water bottle at night in the tent. It sends her right off.

gunwharfman

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Re: The little items that make hiking so much better.
« Reply #5 on: 10:23:43, 26/02/18 »
Instead of Deet, some people suggest eating Marmite first thing in the morning?

Bhod

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Re: The little items that make hiking so much better.
« Reply #6 on: 15:05:39, 26/02/18 »
I'd rather eat the DEET  :D
I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake.

MudMagnet

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Re: The little items that make hiking so much better.
« Reply #7 on: 16:23:22, 26/02/18 »
I'd rather eat the DEET  :D

 ;D
For me it's my walking poles as essential for an easier life.  Messed up knees are far less painful after a trip with them.   

fernman

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Re: The little items that make hiking so much better.
« Reply #8 on: 17:15:46, 26/02/18 »
Instead of Deet which I was thinking of buying, I shall be trying a product called Smidge this year. Developed to deter midges, it is said to have been found effective against ticks as well, which is what I want it for. There's a pocket one about the size of a thick credit card for around £5.

People have mentioned how they keep all their little items together so they can get at them easily or to avoid losing them. I put all mine inside my 550ml (1 pint) cooking pot. A folded kitchen cloth on top stops them rattling, and a strong rubber band around the pot and lid keeps it all together.

RuthW

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Re: The little items that make hiking so much better.
« Reply #9 on: 18:48:22, 26/02/18 »
A small, bright dry-bag with small essentials in - lip salve, money, paracetamol, etc. Easy to take out and carry round if you leave the large bag outside too.
I love the lanyard idea - I'm using that!

Dan1902

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Re: The little items that make hiking so much better.
« Reply #10 on: 19:26:06, 26/02/18 »
+1 for DEET or Smidge.

Only come across midges once but they were awful (wasn't even a big swarm either.) Boiling hot day had to put my night time leggings on and long top and a beanie just to get the tent pitched and quickly make some food before locking myself away inside. Would have preferred heavy rain!
That's something I'm still yet to buy for my kit!

scottk

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Re: The little items that make hiking so much better.
« Reply #11 on: 23:15:57, 26/02/18 »
Smidge works well for me but you still get midgies in your mouth, eyes, tea etc!! No issues with damaging fabrics or plastics and my wife doesn't seem to be allergic to it.
Used it last year quite a lot and the only bites I got were at the small of my back where I either exposed skin putting my tent up or my top got pushed up by my rucksack during the day.

gunwharfman

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Re: The little items that make hiking so much better.
« Reply #12 on: 09:01:55, 27/02/18 »
I've been lucky, a couple of memorable swarms to contend with (in Alston and near Coniston) so have never thought of packing Deet or similar. My tent is a fully enclosed mesh area, bugs have never got in. The outside of the mesh can a mecca for slugs however, sometimes I wake up and even the big ones have slithered up and look down on me.

wobblyknees

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Re: The little items that make hiking so much better.
« Reply #13 on: 10:38:31, 27/02/18 »
my glasses necklace which holds 2 pairs,


Could you explain how this/these work? Is it one necklace or two?
A recent medical condition requires me to wear UV protection for my eyes. The only time I wear ordinary glasses outdoors is when fly fishing - for changing or tying on flies. I'm wondering how I'll cope with two pairs of glasses.


Re midges:
The following 'recipe' has never failed to work for me:


Base: Distilled witch hazel.
A few drops each of the following essential oils: Citronella oil, Orange oil, Eucalyptus oil, Tea tree oil.


Do not put on forehead if you perspire. It is very painful if it gets in your eyes.

Ho11yberry

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Re: The little items that make hiking so much better.
« Reply #14 on: 16:27:19, 27/02/18 »
A folding foam sit mat which only weighs a couple of ounces.  Mine cost £2.99 in Millets about 10 years ago and it's invaluable for lunch stops - especially when the ground is wet and the rocks are sharp  :o .  It has a permanent place in my daysack.

 

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