The best gear is experience

“I don't do much gear chatter because I believe the best gear is the lessons learned...

so here's a chance to post your best discovery about backpacking trips

I'll go first!

FOOD! After a horribly miserable trip where I was wet, and kinda cold and STILL STARVING after dinner I've come to the conclusion that bringing more food than I think I'm going to eat is a good thing”

“After forgetting the all essential TP on my Big Bend trip last year, I learned that having the ability to negotiate with other hikers can pay big dividends.”

“chili36, what did you offer them, your first born?”

“If memory seves me well, it was a carbide tip for a Leki hiking pole and all of the "desserts (a berry cobbler was in the deal I believe)" that I had for a week of hiking.

At the time, being at 7800 feet in the desert, having has a breakfast burrito before the hike, they could have pushed the price way higher.”

“LOL! I guess extra food can always be used for barter”

“Nice one, Chili. Was that for most of a roll or was it down to a sheet count?”

“Chili, if the situation ever arrises, I want you to do "MY" plea bargaining. ;-)”

“My best discovery was about myself. I had always been told by friends that I was strong but I never really believed it. I set goals on hikes that were ambitious, and I did it. I learned that I was tougher than I thought and I had the spiritual strength to tough it out.”

“Forgot matches ONCE!! Now I keep mathces, lighter, flint/magnesium fire starter, stashed all over my pack and clothes.

I come fairly prepared, but man things have a way of getting away from me somehow, as Rosey and I well know. I think it's those darn forest Gremlins!!

Trial and error teaches volumes.Like Skunk Cabbage for T.P. Soft as Charmin and no need to barter my precious food either.”

“keep track of all skunk cabbage patches... AND never pull on half buried pieces!”

“Well, no skunk cabbage in the Big Bend of Texas,,,,and just thinking about using any of the area's native flora makes me shiver.

Can you imagine, using a cactus pad? Ouch! Fortunately I bargained for enough that I didn't have to consider the alternatives.”

“Hiked with a girl who uses rocks as TP!! Now that's hard core!!”

“Rocks!? WTF?

She doesn't pee into a urinal standing up does she? If so, I think arclite met her once.”

“but too many to even count over the years.

I also have shorted myself a bit on food. Not at mealtime but snacks. I don't snack at home and I just need to make sure I include about twice as much for snack foods as I think I'll need.”

“I think I had the opposite problem the last time I was out on a week-long trip. When I unpacked, I had enough food for three more days, LOL.

Yes, I know it's good to have extra for emergencies but that was overkill, <G>.”

“i'm like tilt, I almost always have too much food.”

“Well, that's what's aggrevating. I usually have more than enough stuff that has to be fixed (think stove, dishes, etc). What I need is more munchies for the rest breaks. Of course, that's not as much of a problem as it used to be. G00SE is fantastic when it comes to trail snacks.”