[forest gnome]

So I have been thinking about all the little things that make a differnence for me in my backpacking travells...like spelling classes... 1.) car-auto shade window covering....GREAT for a quick sit pad, insulation under the thermarest....and as a porch just outside of my tent (sitting and cooking on it...) less dirt in the tent... 2. fresh avacado with salt on the second day (sometimes chips as well). 3.) Packitgourmet: dotties chix.and dumplings...ADDED TO CUP O NOODLES..possible cheese added...also beef jerky??...SUPER FRIGGIN RAMEN!!!! well I'll hav to think aobute (canadian) some others.... oh SHOE-GOO the super ADHESIVE SILICONE....

[cascadeclimber]

Sleep with wet socks on shoulders below all but bottom layer. Wake up with dry socks. Put rehydrating dinner package inside jacket to stay warm (learn from my mistake: be double extra certain the package is CLOSED) Before putting out the stove, fill one bottle with hot water. Sleep with it against stomach to stay warm. Wake up in the AM and have warm water to drink before heading to summit. If you use a canister stove: Bring a lightweight plastic bowl about an inch bigger in diameter than the fuel canister. Put the assembled stove in the bowl and fill the bowl with warm or hot water: It will keep the canister from freezing up. REI has perfect straight-sided bowls for this. Sleep in whatever you plan to wear in the morning plus down jacket. Doing this I get away with a 30 degree sleeping bag in all but the coldest Cascades conditions (<0F). It's also less painful to get up in the morning. Winter: Pee bottle. Avoid leaving hut/tent. If you're bold you can use it in the sleeping bag, boys. Girls, I've climbed with members of your gender who could (and did) pee into a Nalgene in the tent.

[Cyclopath]

Feta cheese is salty enough not to go bad for a few days backpacking in the summer, and the freeze dried gruel is better with some flavor. An orange isn't that heavy, and it's the sweetest thing you've ever had by the time day two is coming to an end. If you have enough fuel, splashing warm water on your face in the morning is a luxury. Glow in the dark zipper pulls on your sleeping bag and tend door are nice to have.

[ranger rock]

The pStyle http://www.thepstyle.com/ and the Diva cup http://divacup.com/. Forget the gun, the pstyle is the great equalizer. Also no water filter needed in the SE Olympics, no extra weight, no extra hassle, just drink the water.

[Navy salad]

Knots all happy campers should know: -- The taut line hitch: Great for adjusting tension on a rope, like on tent lines. There are a few versions of this. This is the version I like -- The bowline. No link for this, since I'm sure everyone knows how to tie it. -- Trucker's hitch Good for cinching loads tightly (like for car tops, etc). Overkill for tent tightening.

[ale_capone]

i do very similar, but i'll add my variance.. all winter related first thing, even before eating. heat a bottle of water and throw it in your sleeping bag. the bag will be pre toastied for you. or soaked if you are not careful. then, heat another. two heated water bottles. one for the core, one between the thighs on your femoral artery. in the am, reheat, put into damp socks, and into boots... i don't bother with drying my socks as they will be damp again after a half an hour of wearing them anyways. as long as they aren't frozen. in addition to wearing your layers to bed, down mittens for booties. down vest for a 'kilt' if you don't have a bowl to put that fuel canister in, pee on it.. if you are a girl, see ranger rocks links. peeing on it is my go to solution for most bc problems. my favorite right now for food is a calorie dense hot cocoa made with nutella and condensed milk.. about 2g a cup. thatll keep you warm all night. pre cooked bacon in my apple and maple syrup oatmeal...

[Davinci]

[Cyclopath]

Thrift store cashmere sweaters are cheap and warm, but heavy. They breathe better than fleece but absorb more water. Still warm when wet.

[Cyclopath]

If you take someone camping for the first time, it'll probably be car camping. Bring lots of sheets and blankets to guarantee they stay warm through the night. You don't need a sleeping bag to camp if you don't have to carry your stuff very far.

[herdingcats]

This is a great thread. Keep the tips coming!

[Schenk]

This one is pretty commonly known, but works well: Keep a small cellulose sponge in your tent for spills, condensation, and rain. In a couple minutes one can nearly dry a tent out and that is nice before you pack it up in the morning.

[ale_capone]

http://www.justgetout.net/Wenatchee/post/Canteen-Cooking I like sharing the ideas, not because I know a better way, but sometimes hearing how others do it spurs another idea... A variation on my variation. If you are going to boil a bottle of water and toss it in your sleeping bag to warm it up, you might as well make dinner at the same time.. multi tasking to the max. Note, i like having a steel bottle and a plastic one. One conducts energy, one insulates.

[Navy salad]

[Navy salad]

I bring a washcloth-sized piece of viscose (those synthetic towels that REI and other sell) for all-around camp duties. Works well as a rag, hot pad, actual washcloth (for those that prefer to do sponge baths instead of submerging into a lake/stream!), tent wiper-upper, etc.

[wolffie]

StupidCheck: the act of quickly scanning for forgotten items whenever you leave a place. Chuck Speakerman claims invention of this charming term. You'd think the language would have an ancient word for it. Teach your kids this lifelong habit. Favorite knot: single bow. Pull the end, and it's undone. Remember: you'll have to untie most knots you tie. It's a single half-hitch with a quick-release bow. Tubular neck scarf. Surgical tape, plastic or fiber, repairs of clothing and skin. Maybe what I have is Leukotape. Leave car unlocked, obviously empty, engine disabled (PM me for my current secret). Keep a spare key wired to a secret place in the car. I carry an 18" x 18" square foam pad for emergency insulation, seat, dog sleeping pad, splint. They made a big deal about these in the mountaineering first-aid class. With one dog on a three-dog night, use this pad inside your wind shell to keep your back warm when you roll side-to-side with the dog on your chest in your arms. You can put a dog between your feet if your zipper can open a snout-hole at the bottom, but it's hard to roll around. Keep dog leashed at night -- bobcats, bigger cats, porkies, skunks.... While sleeping, keep headlamp around your neck. Ditto when not in use: I've lost headlamps by doffing my cap, forgetting I had the lamp around it. Don't wear cotton panties if you want a warm, dry a$$. Get something like a nylon Speedo swimsuit. Don't confuse the pee bottle with the Yukon Jack.