Oversights that screwed you?

[kpk]

Had an awakening last night while getting gear ready for some upcoming trips. I was in the basement just sorting stuff out and decided to set up my MSR hubba hubba. Figured my little girl would like playing in there for a few minutes. So, I start setting it up and come to the realization something is very wrong. I quickly realized that all the shock cord in the poles apparently reached the end of their life and had no elasticity. I cut about 18" off and retied them - and got it together - but absolutely not ideal and I wouldn't trust it more than a night or two.

I had ZERO intention of setting the tent up before I left. It's been stored in a tote in my finished basement. I could set it up blindfolded in a storm. Had it not been for the daughter digging through stuff with me, I wouldn't have realized until I was 9 hours away from home trying to set up in the dark. Lucked out.

 

[ScottR_EHJ]

I had a sleeping pad with a seam that failed. 4 year old pad, made for a very interesting 4 nights in the backcountry.

 

[Gatorgrizz27]

Unless your tent is an exception, the shock cord doesn’t do anything but make it easier to assemble. You could cut it and have all the poles in separate pieces and it will handle the same amount of weather once it’s pitched.

Ditto on the sleeping pad for me. Was an REI brand that blew a baffle internally on the first night of a 7 day trip. It held air fine, and I’d brought a patch kit, but it was like sleeping on top of a beach ball for a week.

Surprisingly, I had a bunch of new gear on that trip that I was worried about and it all worked great. My sleeping pad was a piece of “well proven” equipment, but far from being worn out. It probably had a dozen nights on it over 4-5 years.

 

[DuckDogDr]

Trusting the long time family "friend" to be your boss on a hand shake. Bit me in the arse financially and professionally even for about 2 years after I quit

 

[Fatcamp]

Trigger locks. Never again.

 

[kpk]

Unless your tent is an exception, the shock cord doesn’t do anything but make it easier to assemble. You could cut it and have all the poles in separate pieces and it will handle the same amount of weather once it’s pitched.

I tried - I don't have the wingspan to get it together easily without the assistance of shock cords holding everything. I could get it if I staked it (obviously couldn't in the basement).

I was just surprised that the shock cords stretched to the point of being useless.

 

[roadrunner]

Trusting the long time family "friend" to be your boss on a hand shake. Bit me in the arse financially and professionally even for about 2 years after I quit

Been there, and still am unfortunately. Never mix friends and family with business. It never bodes well for you...

 

[bozeman]

no spare key hidden under a bumper or tire well..........long walk to a house (stranger) to call a dealership......

 

[*zap*]

^ spare vehicle key hidden on the vehicle is a must and a whole set of spare keys in the vehicle...

shock cord is e-z to change and everyone who camps should have a hank of extra.

everybody have a great season!

 

[jwatts]

A mix up on dates almost cost us an elk hunt one year. We discussed 2 different weeks with the outfitter. We finally settled on opening weekend. We sent a deposit, did the contract, covered all the bases. I tried calling the outfitter on the way up (28hr drive) and finally got in touch with him in the middle of nowhere Nebraska before we stopped for the night. He was very surprised that we were going to be showing up in 36 hours since he had us on his calendar for the next week. Talk about a mad scramble. We had actually packed everything that we would normally bring for a pack in hunt except food. We were prepared use our deposit to rent horses from the outfitter and tackle the hunt on our own since we were already halfway across the country. It all worked out in the end and my buddy and I both tagged out within a few days of the opener. We had everything covered down to the minute detail, but somehow we got crossed up on the dates.

 

[JohnnyB]

Big oversight on my part- I thought the rhythm method meant turn on the stereo softly. Turned it up louder after that fail...

 

[Squamch]

Didn't check the fuel cannister level. Got breakfast made on day 1, and coffee water only made it to warm.

 

[Jordan Budd]

I would say vehicle things. I got a flat tire a month ago or so on a scouting trip. I had put 17” aftermarket rims on and nor my 4 way or the factory lug wrench would fit on the nuts. Not enough room in between the hub cap and nut. So that was quite the time waster to hitch a ride back to town to buy a monkey wrench and then hitch a ride back.

Tools for my vehicle are really being looked at this year


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[orionsbrother]

Ha! On another trip that was rushed because of work problems, I was with my buddy about five hours from home and a couple of hours from our destination when my eyes popped open wide. I called my wife with dread. “Honey, is there a tent next to the door in the breezeway?”

 

[Marmots]

The stupidest thing I've ever forgotten is boots, or any kind of shoe. My feet run really warm so I often drive barefoot. Weird I know.

Anyway, I roll up to the trailhead, step out of my truck, feel the grass on my naked feet, and start kicking myself. Thankfully I was hunting about 90 minutes from home.

It was kind of a blessing in disguise because it got me in the habit of dressing and loading my pack at home like I'm about to start down the trailhead. Once I know all my gear is on me, accounted for, and ready to go, I take off whatever gear I'm not wearing while driving and put it into designated rubbermaids in the truck. I haven't forgotten so much as chapstick since then. I converted my buddy to the same habit after he forgot his release on archery opener.

 

[Lark Bunting]

Scouting with my son years ago I thought I grabbed one of the tents...instead I had grabbed the beach sun shade and didn't notice until we pulled into our spot. Thankfully the weather cooperated but waking up to cattle sniffing at us in the morning was a rude awakening.

 

[jwatts]

The stupidest thing I've ever forgotten is boots, or any kind of shoe. My feet run really warm so I often drive barefoot. Weird I know.

Anyway, I roll up to the trailhead, step out of my truck, feel the grass on my naked feet, and start kicking myself. Thankfully I was hunting about 90 minutes from home.

It was kind of a blessing in disguise because it got me in the habit of dressing and loading my pack at home like I'm about to start down the trailhead. Once I know all my gear is on me, accounted for, and ready to go, I take off whatever gear I'm not wearing while driving and put it into designated rubbermaids in the truck. I haven't forgotten so much as chapstick since then. I converted my buddy to the same habit after he forgot his release on archery opener.

Man I feel you there. During early archery season I wear the bare minimum to the tree, and get dressed before I climb up. On the opener 2 years ago I got to the tree, reached in my bag, and didn't have my clothes. I went ahead and climbed up and hunted in gym shorts and a t shirt.

 

[fngTony]

Finding out that my quivers don’t share the same mount.

 

[Fdh]

While living in el Paso. Driving to San diego for multi day offshore. Got west of las cruces, bout 70 miles, got that strange feeling. Sure enuf my rod case was not in the truck.