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[LennyJ1]

Everyone has Tips & Hints to help out and to make things easier.

Whats yours?

Mine would be - When you are camping (mostly wild) and you need to visit the little boys room, instead of putting your boots on and doing them up have 2 plastic bags or dry bags handy and shove them on instead. waterproof and light.

[suspectmonkey]

Mine would be - When you are camping (mostly wild) and you need to visit the little boys room, instead of putting your boots on and doing them up have 2 plastic bags or dry bags handy and shove them on instead. waterproof and light.

I've heard of people using Seal Skinz socks for walking around at camp spots.  From what I've heard they aren't meant to be overly comfortable to walk in with boots, but if you are just walking around in the socks they will keep your feet dry and save you pulling your boots on and off.

As for an outdoor tip, mine would be to buy some dry bags.  Stuffing your kit into dry bags saves rucksack space, keeps your gear organised and obviously keeps it safe and dry! 

Ulsterwalker kindly came over and told me this whilst watching me struggle to roll away my tent "properly" at my first Donard Wood camp.  Ever since I've started stuffing the outer and inner sheets into seperate dry bags I've pretty much halved the space it takes up in my ruck.

[twentyclicks]

I find my Seal Skinz rather nice, but have to wear them by themselves (getting better results with all socks now I've ditched the 2-pair method).

My tip is also to do with feet.  Have your 'wear-pair' for during the day and a big warm pair that you only wear at camp/in sleeping bag.  Check you feet over, do any repairs, freshen them up, apply a bit of talc, then add your luxurious night socks!

On longer trips, even the night socks will accumulate perspiration, so air them when you can.  Depending on the conditions, you may need spare day-socks to rotate between washes.  If your socks get wet anyway, e.g. wearing trail shoes then just wash them during the day and stick them back on to dry from your body heat and the warmer air... often the best time to wash yourself too, unless you know a nice shower block awaits!

[chris]

Mine would be - When you are camping (mostly wild) and you need to visit the little boys room, instead of putting your boots on and doing them up have 2 plastic bags or dry bags handy and shove them on instead. waterproof and light.

I've heard of people using Seal Skinz socks for walking around at camp spots.  From what I've heard they aren't meant to be overly comfortable to walk in with boots, but if you are just walking around in the socks they will keep your feet dry and save you pulling your boots on and off.

As for an outdoor tip, mine would be to buy some dry bags.  Stuffing your kit into dry bags saves rucksack space, keeps your gear organised and obviously keeps it safe and dry! 

Ulsterwalker kindly came over and told me this whilst watching me struggle to roll away my tent "properly" at my first Donard Wood camp.  Ever since I've started stuffing the outer and inner sheets into seperate dry bags I've pretty much halved the space it takes up in my ruck.

Stuffing is not only the best way to pack your gear but it can also help prolong its life. If you constantly fold a tent for e.g. along the same creases you will wear those areas thin, this can let water seep in, cause things to rip etc.

[LandyLiam]

Mine would be - When you are camping (mostly wild) and you need to visit the little boys room, instead of putting your boots on and doing them up have 2 plastic bags or dry bags handy and shove them on instead. waterproof and light

a variation of this, i put each of my boots in a plastic bag in the tent, it means they stay a bit warmer for the morning and you can put them on while still in the tent without getting muck everywhere 

[Celt_Ginger]

The places i go, walking around with your feet in a plastic bag or only wearing waterproof socks definately is not a good idea. if I need the loo at night I'll simply step into my boots and tuck the laces down inside without tieing them. I've also found that putting the boots in a plastic bag stops them from drying properly. I will simply stretch my sock top over the opening of the boot and tuck it losely inside. This lets air circulate in the boot and also keeps "Critters" out of them. If i need to warm them up, I bring them into the sleeping bag in the morning for a while.
On really cold nights, I'll pee in a nagaline bottle and bring that into the sleeping bag with me as a hot water bottle.

[Scribble]

I can't fault my seal skinz socks first thing I put on when getting into bivvy quick and easy to jump out of bag for a quick dander for the number ones or twos ..only tip I can think off is bring a treat to reward yourself 

[RedLeader]

One of the most important things I learned was to put a bit of effort into lightening your load - there's absolutely no point in carrying an ounce more than you have to or else you're just torturing yourself. Every time you go lay everything out individually and make sure you're not taking anything you don't need, then when you come home go through the ruck and check what stuff you didn't use and leave it out the next time.

Few other ones:
* Always assume it's going to be cold and bring hat/gloves/fleece, regardless of what Michael Fish says
* Don't bother with a full spare set of clothes - underoonies, socks and something warm to wear around camp like a fleece / down vest and if you sleep cold take a thermal baselayer
* Don't sleep in the baselayer you walked all way in. It will be sticky
* Don't buy waterproof trousers that wont fit on over your boots
* Always have the ability to make a hot drink. Can be a real lifesaver when things get tough and the mental lift is awesome
* Share gear with the group you're travelling with. It always suprises me how many of us all bring individual stuff that could easily be shared, eg stoves/food, toothbrushes and sleeping bags (only joking, you shower aren't getting near my stove )

[MG1]

ALWAYS BRING WINE

[ulsterwalker]

Ducktape, put it everywhere! If using trekking poles wrap some just below the handles, if you have a tent pole repair tube put some either end of the tube and if you ever have to use it you can be sure that its gonna secure, add some to one end of your tent poles so that you can again fix any breaks in that pole but also fix rips in your tent fabric if it ever happens. You can use it to help close wounds if needs be, can be used to secure poles/branches to act as a splint, loads of uses and weighs next to nothing!

Bring a needle and fishing wire/thread, you can use it to fix your tent if it rips or re-attach loops if they rip off, and if you really fook yourself up you can stitch yourself back up, again weighs nothing!

Look at your first aid kit and know how to use it, especially if you walk on you're own, I don't carry very much but know how to fix myself up with what I have and bodge the rest with duck tape et al. I also have a bit of a fatalist mentality, if I'm concious I'm sweet but if I get knocked unconscious on the hills its bye bye!

If cooking in your porch have a knife handy so you can cut your way out of your tent, having your fly burnt to your skin isn't supposed to be much banter!

If on a multi day trek, don't bother bringing a bottle of foot powder, bring a zip lock bag big enough for you're foot to fit in and some powder. Wash your feet, let them dry and then put them into the bag, rub off excess and put in clean dry socks (camp/sleeping socks as Craig suggests)

Get some g-tex socks and lose the membraned footwear, lets you're feet breathe when there's no need for a g-tex membrane and also means your feet stay dry if your shoes/boots get soaked. There's nothing worse than putting dry socks on to instantly get soaked by wet footwear. If they do get wet, which I'm yet to experience, you actually have a chance of drying them out over night without the need for a fire!

Lose the boots and go for some trail shoes, your feet will thank you and your ankles will strengthen to take the loading, lighten you're load and there's less need for the support from boots anyways.

Obviously some peeps like boots, horses for courses! Apparently boots only give you the added ankle support if they are fitted and laced correctly, so sort that out.

If you get sore knee's invest in some trekking poles, they will take some of the strain off you're knees.

Know how to use your poles if you carry them, lengthen them for long descents so you don't have to stretch and shorten them for ascents, there's plenty of info on the web about appropriate heights et al.

[LennyJ1]

Cheers for the Hints ulsterwalker but I will have to just agree with the boots (Horses for courses). I had to wear Trail shoes when down in Kerry a couple of months ago because I forgot my boots (really stupid idea) my feet did not thank me or my ankles

Boots all the way for me.

Liked all your other stuff though

[ulsterwalker]

I wore boots for years before changing over but wouldn't be on the hills in anything other than trainers unless doing some climbing snow work, but like anything its a  personal choice.

RE first aid kits and knowldege, could you deal with something like this as a result of some barbed wire?
http://alansloman.blogspot.com/2010/10/it-was-all-going-famously.html

[suspectmonkey]

RE first aid kits and knowldege, could you deal with something like this as a result of some barbed wire?
http://alansloman.blogspot.com/2010/10/it-was-all-going-famously.html

Would you believe I was thinking of Alan Sloman's accident whilst I was reading your original post about carrying a first aid kit.  It was after reading that post on Alan's blog that I decided to re-think my FAK and brought a slightly better equipped one on the Mourne Way trip at the weekend!  At one stage we crossed a stone wall that had a barbed wire fence running through it, couldn't help but getting images of Alan's hand in my head on the way over!

[LennyJ1]

Luckerly I am quiet handy with a FAK

[ulsterwalker]

It's tasty aint it 

More tips/things I find handy.

If you have a mini maglite you can unscrew the cap and use it as a lantern, its quite a nice soft light compared to a headtorch and saves you're main torch for proper work. Talking of such, sew in a loop to the roof of your inner (if you don't have them) to hang it or any other torch from. You could also place a torch between the inner and outer and the inner would difuse the light.

If you like to read at night get a specific mini book light, again saving your main torch

Invert the batteries in your torch to save battery drain

Carry a pin (see previous post) to drain any blisters. I pop mine as soon as I get them and rub the afflicted area with alcohol gel before taping them up with zinc oxide tape, but I'm sure others do it differently.

Carry a small bottle of alcohol gel, use it after toilet trips and before eating, can also be used for cleaning wounds, but stings just a tad!!

Never use Compeed, or if you do don't try to remove it, even if the blister below it starts to swell, get the needle out again. Ripping off live skin from your foot = uncool and can be quite painful for a couple days after especially if you are continually walking.

Carry a couple extra tent pegs, you'll lose atleast one at some stage and not notice it, always noce to be able to pitch your tent at the end of the day

I drink out of bottles that are easy to hand, quick to refil and most importantly I always know where I stand with water (volume)

Carry an empty bladder and fill it up from the last stream/river you pass before you camp up, no point carrying excess weight.

RE camp shoes, running about in sealskinz with nothing else on might result in puncturing the membrane, just a thought.

[Rugged Track]

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