most useful item

“I curious as to what the most useful item in yor pack would be? I would have to say mine would be a bandana.
1.Blow your nose.
2.Wash with it.
3.Wet it and cool your neck.
4.Tie it on your pack to I.D. it.
5.Collect berries ect. in it.
6.Wash pot out with it.
7.Tuck it under the back of your b.b. hat to shade your neck.
8.Bandage.
9.(Only as a last resort)TP!
10.Clean place to sit.
11.Srain very dirty water.
12.Headband to keep sweat out of your eyes.
13.Tied on your head to look like a really tough guy.”

“Not sure about the most useful...but my most used item would be my Suunto watch.”

“Scotch.”

“lol Tommy! I'd have to say duct tape!”

“Queen-sized mattress.

It works as raingear, sleeping pad and trampoline.

And if I ever need rescue, I just rip a tag off and wait for the authorities to arrive.”

“A sturdy knife. Can be used to create shelter, provide food, create fire, make clothing and shoes, find water. Watch the guy on Travel Channel's Ultimate Survival Guide; he'll show why you should always carry a sturdy knife in the backcountry.

Oh yeah, you can use it to take all the other items mentioned from their rightful owners if you're a desperate prick, LOL.”

“I would have to say bandanna too. for all of the above reasons, except TP i would I pack enough of that in. knife is good too though. And I never saw a use for duct tape until i forgot my boots and taped up my feet to prevent more blisters. I am now sold on it. i guess you could say i only pack the most useful items”

“Altitude check Buddur. I have a Suunto Vector.

I was hoping you would say your dog's leash!!”

“I'd have to say bandana too. You don't see all the cowboys on T.V. wearing them for nothing.”

“my boots.”

“gotta have water to drink..... I don't know if it would be considered the most useful, but may be the most important, a water purifer.”

“hmmm...I wouldn't go without my boots, so I guess I agree with Rad.

A bandana is very useful, too. In addition to the uses wolfsister came up with, you can use it as a potholder or to wipe up any water that may inadvertantly find it's way into your tent.

I do not use my knife very often when backpacking, but I wouldn't be without it. When you really need a knife it seems like the only thing that will do the job.

I think my sleeping bag is pretty indispensable in colder weather. My tent is great when it rains. I also like my backpack so I can carry my stuff.”

“Maybe wolfsister meant which item can you use most for different things....versatility?”

“lol! I use the Vector way more than a dog leash!”

“Lurker, do you prefer the comfort of the pillow top queen sized matress, or the light weight regular version?”

“Yes, that's what I'm saying...versatility.
14.Potholder
15.Rain sponge
Thanks Skiracer.”

“Hey Buddha Bear!

Definitely the regular version. You might get some additional comfort with the pillow top, but I can't justify the extra weight.

Every ounce counts. I was even thinking of shortening my trailtalk name to "r" to save on thread weight.”

“can we call you 'forme urke'?”

“Gore Tex jacket- Don't leave home without it!”

“Wolfsister must be a sadist. I have been back to this thread time and time again. Analyzing, comparing, and reliving my past.
A thread like this is pure torture to a gear head.

I can't decide!!!”

“Gotta agree with bandana. Although my knife gets a lot of use, too.”

“Right now, I'd have to say shovel.”

“FOOOOOOOOOODDDDDDDDDD!”

“Most useful ???

I guess I would say water - drink it, wash with it, cool your head with it, cook with it, clean wounds with it, clean eyes with it, play games with it, recycle it, ...

HOI”

“And yet no mention of P-cord or eye medicine!!!!!!”

“bacpac,
Don't torture yourself just help me think of more uses for my bandana.

O.K. Let's say what is the most versatile piece of equipment in your pack? There, that will eliminate answers like water,boots ect.”

“Torture...uses for a bandana...this is getting pretty sick, LOL.”

“Sticks and stones may break my bones but my bandana works as a 16. Splint too-nah!
Come on Pekka one idea?
Brair,P-cord.mmmm... yea,shoelace,stringer for fish,rigging a tarp...”

“Got to go with the crowd on this on, bandana. Uses not mentioned so far, pasta strainer, wrist strap for a hiking stick and a sling.”

“Lawyer”

“Okay wolfsister: A bandito mask. A signal flag. A crawdad trap (no kidding ... it's designed like a parachute - another use - only upside down in the water). Oh yeah, a gag, LOL. There you go, five more uses.

But I'll still stick with a good knife as first choice. Select the right one and its versatility will help you create something to achieve most of the above bandana uses. But I might put bandana second.”

“pekka,
I gotta see what this crawdad catcher thing looks like,do you use bait to catch bait? You just skooting the bugger into it? This could be useful to a bass chaser like me.”

“My pakpak is reel good and my watter bole to but I better get some boots cuz my foots are AKEY! after walkin aroun on all those leetle roks all those nother days.”

“bandanas suck!”

“raddy, are you in a bad mood today?”

“no, why? do you want to spank me?”

“Rad, I seem to remember you wearing a bandanna in your original trailtalk contributor photo?”

“yep! and it SUCKED the sweat right off my head!”

“That's the tough guy use I was talking about.Hey, are you looking at me ? ARE YOU LOOKING AT ME!
(Say it with a NY accent)”

“wot tha FAWK are yoo lookin at?”

“I would have to say my frisbee. Not only is it a recreational tool, here are some other things it can do.
Shovel, carry water, carry food, serve as a weird looking sun hat, dry and clean place to set, small table, gather any number of things, keep track of glasses or whatever while sleeping. Got more uses, tell me.”

“i just replaced a glow in the dark frisbee i lost months ago.....as tahoe mentioned.....quite versatile especially in the kitchen area...also, windblock for when striking matches or lighter.. a fan on those sultry nights....an hor duerve tray to pass food around the campfire...:)..... nightlite..... sailin it in the dark is good fun...
i actually bought two....but i just gave one away to the dude.”

“I'll tell ya Tahoe, there are a heck of alot of recreational tools in here as well.”

“wolfsister, as I recall:

1. you use some fish line or string to make your bandana into a parachute;
2. sink it into shallow water where crawdaddies (aka crayfish) live and let it settle on the bottom (use small stones on the corners if necessary to hold it, though that slows retrieval);
3. place a bit of bait -- worm, dead minnow, etc. -- in middle of bandana;
4. wait for crawdaddy to scuttle in to get the bait;
5. quickly lift the parachute net up, trapping the crawdaddy inside before it can bolt.

You are invited to come to Wisconsin where the rusty crayfish has invaded and is crowding out native species to try this method out.”

“A pack of Job 1.o; though I'm not allowed to explain why.

Sorry, I guess bacpac is wearing off on me.
;^)”

“Its a toss up between the swiss army knife, bandana, and 550 cord. Swiss army knife I don't need to explain. One additional use for the bandana: face shield to keep flying dust/bugs/whatnot out of your mouth and nose. You can never have enougn rope, especially when the rope can be stripped down.

A survival lecture by SERE intructors I attended stated you can never have too many knives, too much rope, or too many ways to start a fire.”

“My swiss army knife bar none!”

“Boda bag full 'o my buddy Jack Daniels.”

“A backpack helps!”

“The consensus so far seems to be the bandana, but how about Zip-Locs and/or garbage bags? You can get pretty miserable with wet food or clothes!”