I am a gear hawg. I also believe that most everything that is produced can be improved on. What are some of the modifications you have made to your gear?<br><br>

My gear is a mix of military issue, commercial and homemade. There are times when the subdued colors in surplus are preferable, such as observing wildlife.In a survival situation I want everything BRIGHT! I dropped my O.D. sparklite a few times in the grass during my island misadventure. the good people at Sparklite were gracious enough to send a gratis ORANGE unit after hearing about my use.Black flashlights and knifes ( such as my recently retired maglight and current carry Cold Steel SRK) have the same problem, and a 'paramilitary' look that may give negative feedback from the public. If I can drill a lanyard hole or even tie off a loop to each piece of gear I do it. Any gear may have to be used in a situation of high loss, or belayed down from one point to another. Everything I have is also USED. this doesn't mean my mainstay is opened with half eaten bars. A stiff 'saw in a can' can be broken in lightly and oiled.The finest tool can have unseen defects, ergonomics ill mated to an individual or operations that don't match the instructions ( insert rod A into dorsal spline of part B, being carefull to align sub unit C with magnetic north.) I like to mate complimentary items for ease of use. A credit card sized diamond hone rests against my knife sheath, securely wrapped with duck tape and paracord.My lifeboat matches are dispersed, both for loss redundancy and accessability; one in my pocket, one with my Esbit stove and one in my pocket kit.<br><br>

You can purchase black reflective tape. Kind of an oxymoron. You put black tape on something so it does not stand out but it is reflective so can be seen? <br><br>For that black tatical look that is easier to find when you drop it. Just shine your flashlight around and the black reflective tape reflects back white sparkly light.<br><br>I get mine from Galls (www.galls.com) available in 1", 2", 3", and 4" widths in either four foot lengths or up 150' lengths. Also available in 7 other colors.<br><br>I mark all my gear with orange reflective tape. Serves two purposes, it identifies the gear as mine and it makes it easier to find in daylight or low light conditions. I usually drop the item once or twice to determine which part of the object is likely to be the "Upside". I then put a band of reflective tape around that point. <br><br>