Beckerheads outdoor tips and tricks

Moose, don't wear the taupe ones again. They make your ankles look fat.
 
Find a nice flat rock and put it on the coals of your fire and you can cook on it. If you are cooking fresh fish leave the skin on the fillets and cook that side first to use the natural oils of the skin.

Be sure the rock is dry when you put it on the fire, if it is wet it could explode.
 
hughewil said:
Find a nice flat rock and put it on the coals of your fire and you can cook on it. If you are cooking fresh fish leave the skin on the fillets and cook that side first to use the natural oils of the skin.

Be sure the rock is dry when you put it on the fire, if it is wet it could explode.
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I will add that it is not wet rocks that explode its rocks with water soaked into them like rocks from a river or stream bed usually. Though I have seen this happen with rocks gathered off a hillside also.
 
Be sure and place your shelter in accordance with the weather. It makes for better nights sometimes.

Moose
 
One of my favorites is my $2 6in Diablo saw blade. (hard wood with nails rated) with my tiny $1 set of vise grips. I have an awesome backup saw for $3. It takes up very minimal space in my pack and can even be carried in your pocket on short hikes. Just remember to put some tape over the teeth.
 
always have a light of some kind . a light that is small ,durable and has good run time can make all the difference
 
I'm surprized it was not mentioned yet. If RELYING on your knife/s for an extended stay, make sure you have a way to resharpen it & are proficient at doing so. Seems simple, but while in the Army & in the field, you'd be surprized at how many injured themselves with dull ass knives. Blastphemy for us BeckerHeads though !!!
 
Not my idea but damn useful. Tired of fishing around in your pack frequently for the same items in tubes like sunscreen/bug spray/chapstick/etc? Duct tape soda can pull tabs to 'em and put 'em on a lanyard (with something shiny on it in case you drop it at night).

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Lotsa great ideas here (apart from the pictures of Moose in pantyhose I'm now scarred with).

Can't remember if anyone's said the obvious: always carry a FAK if you're using a knife.

Good info on the dry bags, I swear by them! Just discovered the SeaTo Summit Event ones which are great: the Event fabric is breathable allowing you to force the air out without bulky valves, genius!

I use a dry bag rucsac liner and then pack everything else in its own smaller dry bag, just to make sure. The number of times I've come back home with a totally sodden rucsac...but my kit's been okay.

Claudiasboris
 
While we're on the subject of keeping things dry: If you roll a finger cot over the business end of your bic lighters, they'll always be ready to go even if the rest of you is soaked.
 
It's sort of a lame tip, but I learned it from a youtuber I really like (he goes by the name of skogkniv) and I think it has improved my firemaking.

Do a total overkill with your tinder and kindling. If you have birches at hand, there will be dry twigs that burn very good all around (assuming it's not pouring down with rain). Gather two good bundles of those, about as much as you can carry in one hand, about a foot long. Then take two good handfuls of birch bark (it won't harm the tree, if that is your concern), fluff 'em up and light 'em up. Firesteel works great for that. Then, when the bark is completely on fire, take your two bundles of twigs and hold them into the flames. I put that text into a fat font because this is important so you don't suffocate your fire under too much kindling. When the twigs are burning, put them down and start putting bigger sticks on there.

Have something personal with you. Something that only serves one purpose: To remind you of good times, to make you think of a loved person. It'll do more good for you than any piece of multifunctional gear you carry with you. Make it something that is hard to lose, a bracelet, a necklace, a little pendant somewhere. Good stuff.
 
Learn the "four strike" method of felling standing, wrist sized dead trees and cutting deadfall to length. A BK9 can process plenty of wood for your campfire in short order using it.
 
BRL said:
Not my idea but damn useful. Tired of fishing around in your pack frequently for the same items in tubes like sunscreen/bug spray/chapstick/etc? Duct tape soda can pull tabs to 'em and put 'em on a lanyard (with something shiny on it in case you drop it at night).

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IMG_20110608_060954.jpg
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Great idea! I can only imagine what you have on your key chain! :)
 
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