One item you wish you carried sooner?

[Rich M]

So I'm NOT the only one! Thing I struggle with is the initial Snap-down of that thread past the tightest part of teeth ends up cutting my Gums and makin' 'em bleed for a bit. And I'm always nervy around the underside of some of the crowns in the back. I've had floss get caught/stuck in there with the gum holding it under a lip the crown makes. Which can be a PITA with a pre-built flosser/pick

Yup!

I much prefer toothpicks and those fancy tooth pick imitations. Then use a water pic loaded w Listerine & warm water and go to town...

 

[rclouse79]

This thread is awesome. I started a list on my phone of the items I have not tried that sound intriguing.
After having a full water bladder break in my pack and countless frozen water bladder hoses, I am adding a nalgene holder to my pack this year. On really cold days I plan to use a vacuum sealed insulated container with some hot tea in it. I am also going to try the steri-pen for water purification this year.

Items I put on my list from this thread:

Glow stick- would be nice to leave at your shot location when ending up on the other side of the canyon in the dark. That way you could range back to help with finding the right location.
Zip off puffy pants- Sounds like a perfect luxury item for cold weather glassing and would also let you get away with a lighter sleeping bag.
Small piece of irrigation pipe: I can think of at least a couple spots I get water where this would be a life saver.
Filet gloves- I have not had any serious cuts while processing in the field, but the extra piece of mind would nice. My hunting partner gave himself a nasty gash while processing. Those Havalons are scary sharp.
Sponge- I have been using one of the backpacking hand towels for wiping down the inside of my ice fishing shelter in the morning. I think a sponge would work even better.

Thanks for all the contributions to this list. Luckily for me the zip off pant is the only thing that sounds expensive.

 

[Mike Islander]

So I'm NOT the only one! Thing I struggle with is the initial Snap-down of that thread past the tightest part of teeth ends up cutting my Gums and makin' 'em bleed for a bit. And I'm always nervy around the underside of some of the crowns in the back. I've had floss get caught/stuck in there with the gum holding it under a lip the crown makes. Which can be a PITA with a pre-built flosser/pick

Any good dentist can fix this!

 

[TheGDog]

Any good dentist can fix this!

It's BECAUSE OF the crowns needing to become installed that this is even an issue now. And when shaving down the tooth for the crown it was real close too. The enamel was starting to become less and less opaque because of how far downward into the occlusal surface (top surface) he had to shave off to be below the end of the compromised enamel from a cavity that formed there on the top amongst those folds on the tops of molar. This was also a molar that had the gum line held up against it very high up the side walls due to the wisdom tooth initially coming in impacted/sideways towards it. So at whatever age that was when Wisdom removed... there was already a compromised area below the altered gum line. Then one of the older style amalgam fillings developed a chipped-off piece from crunching on something hard eventually... and with the top and side compromised as it was, a crown was logical to do.

Also I had to have him grind a bit off the top of the crown because it was initially too tall after mounting so those teeth were meeting first before the others back there.

I've always bled like a stuck pig upon flossing. And I assume it's worse now due to BP meds with age. Just means I have to be on top of making sure I'm not leaving bits of meat in there. I also routinely swish with Hydrogen Peroxide at least once a day now. Seems to help with the tendency to bleed so easily in there.

If I'd have been later in addressing that one molar it'd have likely had to been a root canal done as well. But thankfully the compromised enamel stopped juuust shy of requiring he drill and break thru into the nerve-root space in there. Other than that troubled area back in there where there's no space and everything is tight... most everyplace else is fine and I don't even hardly get any build-up ever either.

So for now it is what it is and I'm happy to be able to leave it alone.

 

[TheGDog]

Items I put on my list from this thread:

Glow stick- would be nice to leave at your shot location when ending up on the other side of the canyon in the dark. That way you could range back to help with finding the right location.

Along the line of Glow stick... BladeHQ sells these tritium fobs you can attach to your keychain. I set this near where I house my pistol by the bed at night and place my glasses also near that tritium fob... so that way no guessing if something pops off at night... I know to just head for the glow. Same concept can be done in tent. Glow is where the glasses and gun are.

 

[Mike Islander]

It's BECAUSE OF the crowns needing to become installed that this is even an issue now. And when shaving down the tooth for the crown it was real close too. The enamel was starting to become less and less opaque because of how far downward into the occlusal surface (top surface) he had to shave off to be below the end of the compromised enamel from a cavity that formed there on the top amongst those folds on the tops of molar. This was also a molar that had the gum line held up against it very high up the side walls due to the wisdom tooth initially coming in impacted/sideways towards it. So at whatever age that was when Wisdom removed... there was already a compromised area below the altered gum line. Then one of the older style amalgam fillings developed a chipped-off piece from crunching on something hard eventually... and with the top and side compromised as it was, a crown was logical to do.

Also I had to have him grind a bit off the top of the crown because it was initially too tall after mounting so those teeth were meeting first before the others back there.

I've always bled like a stuck pig upon flossing. And I assume it's worse now due to BP meds with age. Just means I have to be on top of making sure I'm not leaving bits of meat in there. I also routinely swish with Hydrogen Peroxide at least once a day now. Seems to help with the tendency to bleed so easily in there.

If I'd have been later in addressing that one molar it'd have likely had to been a root canal done as well. But thankfully the compromised enamel stopped juuust shy of requiring he drill and break thru into the nerve-root space in there. Other than that troubled area back in there where there's no space and everything is tight... most everyplace else is fine and I don't even hardly get any build-up ever either.

So for now it is what it is and I'm happy to be able to leave it alone.

Yikes! So, a prime candidate for Waterpick.

 

[TheGDog]

-Nebo Mycro headlamp.

For your longer hike-ins... Wait till you go for it and buy the Einstein 1500 they have! Those use 18650 2200mAh batteries! (And you can run'em off CR123 Alkalines in a pinch)

But yes, I agree, totally dig on the MYCRO's. bought em for wife (since she's joined this hiking group) and son (scouts). Keep 'em in the cars too.

Another good device to keep in car are those Mission-Made 100 lumen USB rechargeable flashlights they sell at TacticalGear.com they also have an electric arc lighter on it! That saved a beach outing where the dorks that planned it... nobody brought a lighter. Had to feather-stick one of the pieces of wood and that arc lighter saved the day!

 

[TheGDog]

Yikes! So, a prime candidate for Waterpick.

As tightly as the pieces get caught in there? It'd LAUGH at a WaterPik... unless they've somehow pumped up the pressure since I was a kid... Since I'm assuming manufacturing methods could pull-off much more precise parts these days.

 

[WyomingPicker]

Wiggys Waders. I usually use pack animals and have to cross multiple knee deep streams so carrying the extra weight isn't a huge issue.

 

[DaleGribble]

Superglue for cuts, antibiotics, electrolytes in an eyedropper bottle, microspikes/Crampons, rubberband or 2 for hanging lights in tent or attaching handwarmer to nalgene to thaw ice

 

[fishslap]

Superglue for cuts, antibiotics, electrolytes in an eyedropper bottle, microspikes/Crampons, rubberband or 2 for hanging lights in tent or attaching handwarmer to nalgene to thaw ice

Stick on toe warmers on water at night or cold days is worth the weight. I second that gear tip.

 

[Mag_7s]

Quickclot, or other hemostatic granular or compression type dressing.

 

[Runs-with-elk]

Two items actually though I don't generally carry one (it stays at the trail head).

1) Glow in the dark parachute cord (aka 550 cord). It makes finding things in the dark like my knife or pack easy to find without first finding my headlamp.

2) Good quality electrical tape. I cover the muzzle of my rifle to keep moisture and debris like mud out of the barrel. Just shoot through it when harvesting your critter.

 

[Thinkingman]

A sling hook. Especially if you use a safari style sling. I made my own some time ago, now they are commercially available.
View attachment 353834

Talarik Sling Hook

Shop Talarik Sling Hook Online at Moroka.30. Fast and Secure Shipping with PayPal and Zip Pay Available.

www.moroka30.com.au

I ordered those for Christmas gifts this year and one for myself (The $30 version...Wish I'd thought of your homemade ingenuity).

 

[Mag_7s]

I ordered those for Christmas gifts this year and one for myself (The $30 version...Wish I'd thought of your homemade ingenuity).

Good idea!

 

[sdolan617]

Hillsound BTR Glassing Stool... weighs only ~12 oz and gets me up off the ground. Game changer for my back issues. I've tried the helinox style chairs but always felt like I sink to far back in them to glass comfortably

 

[go4thegusto]

My jet boil. A warm cup of coffee really helps stay on glass. Not to mention some mountain house biscuit and gravy.

Can't believe it took until here to say COFFEE. I always have a few Vias in pack, shaving kit, truck etc. I have been ready to cry Momma and bale for home until I started a fire and had a good cup of coffee!

 

[Lando]

I like to keep a few extra nitrile gloves in a ziplock bag with my tp or wet wipes and use them for my wiping hand when backcountry #2s happen, nothing worse than having crap on your hand and nowhere to wash it.

 

[mcseal2]

Lots of good ideas here.

Probably the biggest game changer for me has been my Leica Geovid HD-B rangefinding binos. I rifle hunt so having both in the same unit has been great. I pretty much never shoot without knowing the range anymore unless the shot is close. I've taken several game animals where the shot needed to happen fast. When planning a stalk being able to quickly range landmarks between me and an animal helps too.

The second biggest would be the Outdoorsman's rifle rest I carry for my glassing tripod/head. I've been amazed at how steady I can get with 2 points of contact with the rifle compared to just a single Y yoke. I have taken game out to 400 yards sitting, 300 yards kneeling or standing with it. My set-up is the Outdoorsman's rifle rest/pan head and my Slik 624 or 634 tripod. Which tripod depends on the hunt and if I may need to glass or shoot standing. My deer, caribou, and moose in AK were shot off this rest, and several whitetail and coyotes around home as well. It's not much extra weight for the precision it adds when prone isn't an option.

 

[Szwampdonkey]

My Bow, no going back for me after watching that arrow zip through turning a silent woods into madness then back to silence once again.