Tom,<br><br>You mentioned a repair kit. I carry items which could be used for repair (wire, duct tape, leatherman, etc...), but not a specialized repair kit. What is in it, and what do you repair with it? Thanks.<br><br>Andy

Hello all,<br><br><br><br>Hypothetical reactions to AndyO's hypothetical situation.<br><br><br>Regular person: I'm lost in the woods!! I'm going to die!! AAAAAAAAAAA!!<br><br>Halfway intelligent-semi prepared person: I'm lost in the woods!! I'm going to be miserable, but if I forget everything I saw on "Survivor," I MIGHT live.<br><br>ETS forum member: I'm lost in the woods. I need to pull out my PSK and start taking notes so I can post my experiences on the forum when I get back home.<br><br>Tom Ayers: I'm lost in the woods. Darn! I'll just have to take a vacation; maybe start thinking of how to start an industrial society out here...<br><br>Just kidding Tom. Really though, your post got me to thinking...I'm shopping for a daypack. Anyone have one of those cool new Camelbak Rimrunners yet?<br><br>Andy

Im lost. Now what did that acronyn STOP stand for? Well Ill just start a fire anyway and build a shelter out of paracord and these pine trees. Funny, they are all different. I quess I better climb into my orange garbage bag. Gee, I wish I could have crammed a power bar into my Altoid tin :O( It's getting dark, better conserve energy and ..... Sir? Excuse me sir, but the botanical gardens are closing. I saw one and they are nice. the salesman was leery of letting me try it on for fit. Something about having leaflitter,pine pitch and dirt on my clothing :O(

Andy,<br><br>It's nothing fancy or special. I don't have it sitting by me (at work)... it's probably about the same kind of stuff you lug around. The vast majority - all the core stuff plus - fits into one of those zippered nylon pouches made to carry a fat paperback book. The oldest core of that kit is in a metal Band-Aid tin inside the pouch; other items have ben added over the years (you remember the type). I'll try to recall the contents as they exist today:<br><br>Tape: PVC electrical, friction, duct. Some on small squished rolls and some wrapped around the outside of the Band-Aid tin. Used to carry medical tape there, too, but it's been in my 1st Aid Kit for several years.<br><br>Adhesives: hot-melt glue/caulk stick, very small package of 5 minute epoxy (old fashioned "toothpaste tubes" type), chunk of epoxy putty. No CA; I've had trouble with that in my gear in the past. Better container might help, but the shelf life of CA seems to be very short in a pack; too bad.<br><br>Piece of rosin-core solder ("electronics" type)<br><br>Pins and wires for frame-type back-packs.<br><br>Fine ductile steel ("iron") wire - maybe a little finer than trip wire.<br><br>Swatches of canvas & rip-stop (coated)<br><br>small amount of 1" flat nylon webbing (stiff stuff; not tubular)<br><br>Safety pins<br><br>Sewing needles - package of the heavy ones for canvas, leather, carpet, etc. and a small package of "regular" sewing needles.<br><br>Carpet thread and nylon thread (parachute rigger)<br><br>Buttons<br><br>Commercial awl with spare needles<br><br>small skeletonized crescent wrench<br><br>a few nails<br><br>a few misc threaded fasteners - some are ski-mount centric and others are GP, including a couple of aluminum nuts and bolts (easy to cut to length in the field)<br><br>2 single-edge razor blades <br><br>paracord<br><br>polyester cord<br><br>thimble<br><br>T-15 bit<br><br>#1 Phillips bit<br><br>2 allen wrenches<br><br>two small twist drill bits<br><br>eyeglass repair kit in a little container<br><br>needle threader (? it was in there - may have robbed it out, now that I think of it)<br><br>Dental floss, unwaxed<br><br>hunk of bike inner tube (ranger bands in the raw)<br><br>Hmmm - that's all I can recall at the moment.<br><br>Other repair/maintenance items are other places. For example, a field-repair kit for my Therma-Rest is attached to the draw cord on the stuff sack for the Therma Rest.<br><br>Folding diamond sharpener is external to the kit but stowed with it<br><br>Some things are trip-specific. For example, spare X-country ski binding parts come along when that is the means of transportation.<br><br>I'm sure I left things out, but this should give you the general idea. A lot of little things in a reasonable-sized package. Every item in it represents an item that I have actually used for repairs - the kit has evolved over the years. It moves from pack to pack, just like my 1st Aid kit. Simpler for me than keeping multiple kits in multiple places.<br><br>Regards,<br><br>Tom<br><br>

Camelbak products are great in my opinion. I personally use the M.U.L.E at least 3 times a week while biking. I also have a RimRunner, which i haven't really used at all.<br><br>Reason: As with more camelbak's, there is a belt strap, on the MULE its optional(ie. can be removed) this isn't the case on the RimRunner, they are sewn in. The pack really isn't big enough to warrant that extra strap.<br><br>Also with the camelbak h20 volume is important.<br>The RimRunner is only 70oz. while the MULE is 100oz. That might be a personal preference issue, but for the money I would rather just go with a 100oz "Unbottle" and strap or throw that in a regular pack(Like a backpack).<br>The Peakbagger looks like a great pack for just getting out, holding your gear and enough fluids. Infact a friend is currently biking up the eastern seaboard with nothing more than a Peakbagger and his bike.<br><br>-David

Andy,<br><br>ROFL - not true, but funny anyway.<br><br>I think the Camelbak Rim Runner looks pretty nifty, but I don't know anyone who owns that model. The other Camelbaks I've seen are well-liked by the owners. My boys all use Platypus units and like them very much, but they are not a pack-substitute - rolled up jacket is about all that can be added to the model they have.<br><br>Tom

Tom,<br><br>Thanks. As always, you have provided new ideas. The cutting to length aluminum nuts and bolts is great. Why didn't I think of that? It would have saved me a lot of trouble and an expensive knife blade two years ago. The acronyms are getting me again, what is CA? I'm sure I'll smack myself in the forehead when you tell me.<br><br><br>Thanks again,<br><br>Andy

Andy - sorry: cyanoacrylate (CA) glue, aka "super glue"<br><br>Tom

It would be really nice if Doug would create an Acronyms page, where people could add their nifty little shortcuts.

That would be super duper!