I agree that Maglites were SOTA in '85 but obsolete now. My preference is for CR123a batteries. But by and large, lights is one area where American made lights do hold a huge edge over the imported ones (meaning Chinese). There are some good Chinese brands but if the light simply has to work no matter what I will choosing one made by Malkoff, Elzetta, Peak or (in a pinch) Surefire (with the latter being the last resort).

latest - Guy needs a new backpack because his FAK was working through the corners...He was EDCing a full size industrial kit -- the metal kind you mount on the wall...

Good grief! Even when I was guiding for the Sierra Club, I was still able to fit the FAK inside of a gallon bag. And, that included a malleable splint and a Sawyer Extractor.

There/s a case to be made for gardening equipment and funfetti....

https://youtu.be/-hVWEefD5ag

qjs

saw a pack with a full sized roll of duct tape...again

My nomination for the worst carry: We were evacuating a fall victim, drunk as usual as the autopsy later revealed, and as were carrying him out, a party descended along the slope - two guys, each with a case (24 cans) of beer - headed for the party! We weren't called back to the area, so presumably they survived.

This was at Tanque Verde Falls, Tucson, AZ - many years ago, but the pattern continues to this day, so I understand.....

haha! That brings back memories...

I ONCE did a portaging trip through Algonquin Park with a friend who insisted bringing two 24s of canned root beer - in one of those old metal Coleman coolers from the 70s that weigh 82 pounds.

As we packed the car for the trip, he thought it would be prudent to go through my pack to make sure I wasn't taking too much unnecessary stuff. It was a classic Venus and Mars stand-off, and I didn't even know about the cooler of pop yet. Needless to say, we never trekked together again.

Root Beer addiction can be very ugly!

Truly! That was a pretty hairy situation. LOL!

It's kind of like the hurricane kits I see all over the internet including road flares. What the heck for?