Beckerheads outdoor tips and tricks

Actually I can't stand stuff on my keychain. I can barely stand having keys on there. Kid1 got me a bottle opener from Hawaii, which gets used a lot, so that and a very tiny & unobtrusive thumbdrive is all I EDC.

But don't ask me about my briefcase :)
 
When camping in a site with a vault toilet, especially a busy site... bring a bucket. Dump excess drinks in there, dump your dishwater in there, spit your toothwashing waste in there, etc. Then dump it in the toilet rather than pour & spit that stuff all over. I can't be the only one that hates rolling up to a pre-moistened campsite.
 
WATER WATER WATER

Always have plenty of water or know where your unending source lies. As a human and a diabetic, water is my most valuable tip. I have had too many experiences without enough water due to heat or someone not being prepared and I had to ration my water supply for two.

Second tip is to never give up. Train your mind to keep going when you don't want to keep going. Start with small tasks and practicing difficult skills long before you ever need them. Practice in the heat without drinking. (Obviously do this at home so you can hydrate when your health requires it. Practice starting a fire in the rain, wind and snow. Here is something I have started this summer, walk around in your neighborhood with your full pack strapped on. This way you know what you are capable of and can train to extend yourself.

They say it takes 10,000 hours to get to Carnegie Hall. For those of us that love the outdoors, our Carnegie Hall is making it home or to camp every night. You can never practice too much. At least I can't. Whenever I think I have "mastered" something (which is very few things) I ask friends and family to come up with scenarios that they think would make it impossible for me to accomplish my task. So far most of those impossibilities have beaten me. But I keep practicing and this gives me the mental strength to know in most situations I will survive. (I think ha ha ha ha)
 
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't quote me on this I saw it on youtube I can't even remember where and I hav'nt tried it myself yet,I saw this dude who dipped cotten balls into wax and would lite them and they would burn for a really long time.he used it to make coffee,boil water and cook with.It lasted long enough to make coffee and he still had to stomp it out,he said he could probubly use it again.I just thought I would share,it looked cool and useful I think it will be a good to experiment on anway.
 
ridgebuggy said:
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't quote me on this I saw it on youtube I can't even remember where and I hav'nt tried it myself yet,I saw this dude who dipped cotten balls into wax and would lite them and they would burn for a really long time.he used it to make coffee,boil water and cook with.It lasted long enough to make coffee and he still had to stomp it out,he said he could probubly use it again.I just thought I would share,it looked cool and useful I think it will be a good to experiment on anway.
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That sounds like it would work great. I'm going to try it. And quote you. Sorry.
 
As per the vid on HH Leatherworks, use commonly avail JUTE twine, soaked in hot parafin wax, for fire starting. The wax makes them VERY waterproof/resistant, they burn for a long time as well & they are not messy like vasaline. When starting your fire, just pull it apart & fuzz it up or use it in a fire straw. The vid is VERY convincing.
 
check for broken trunks or hanging branches (widowmakers) befpre setting up camp
WHACH OUT FOR POISON IVY i have been through a lot of poison ivy related misery
no matter haw many people you with prepare, pack and use caution as if you were alone
don't hit your self with the back of your axe while chopping
bring toilet paper
 
Put your clothes in a stream, river, whatever, the quicker running the better. Pin them down with a rock or two and leave them in it over night. Take them out in the morning and hang them in a tree. By the end of the day you should have a pretty fresh set of clothes to change into with most of the stench gone. Handy when your dried out wool socks start to feel like cardboard.
 
Ok my experiment totally worked I dipped the cotten balls in candle wax and lit the smaller one and it burned for 35 minutes the bigger one would have went at least 40.The flame was about 3 to 4 inches high and way wider than a candle flame.Here are some pix.
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C_Tanner said:
I am a new convert to drybags. Dave Canterbury was telling us how he came to the same conclusion while on location and one of the camera guys turned him on to Sealline Dry Bags. He now uses a dufflebag sized one with backpack straps and a waistpack.

I haven't bought my Seallines yet..been buying other odds and ends patching up holes in my soon-to-be-perfect kit. Right now I am using those clearish vinyl dry bags they sell at Walmart. They are a log better than I would have figured and they are CHEAP. The one I keep my main kit in is just under $6.00. If you live near water you might find one of the really big ones that go for $9.00. The mid quality Outdoor Reasearch bags are good...though i dont remember where I bought mine. The little 3-pack of small dry bags sold at Walmart are junk...but they work for a little while. I filled them up with water to test and they held. I use them for secondary storage...spare shorts, socks, shirt.

Remember to get vinyl repair tape or a tire patch kit (for Sealline). The best thing about drybags is they work both ways...you can use them to HOLD water too.

On the subject of containers...Besides the dry bag there is one other HIGHLY underrated item: The food-grade high density 5-gallon bucket. You can harvest water, use like a dry bag, poop in it, and use it as a seat/container. I keep one in the bottom of my seabag (Army Duffle....I was Navy) with the Luggable Loo toilet seat lid. In it is my woobie blanket, hygiene items (2 luggable loo bags, fresh-2-go toothbrush, Soap, Washcloths) FAK, and Flat Bungees for my Tarp). Everyone was jealous of my 5 gallon buckets, because I had the best seat for sitting around the campfire.

With the bucket in the bottom, next is the Drybag with my main kit, and a second lighter drybag with some clothes and a smaller drybag with a broken up/repackaged Datrex 3600 bar and two packs of Gatorade. That is my main all purpose do-anything kit.

I am thinking about getting a spare set of Berkey Black Filter elements. Then, with an awl or hand drill, I can convert my 5-gall bucket to a top-shelf water purification system. I built my Berkey system from scratch using those buckets and gamma seal lids.
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I go with the overkill method. Swiss military waterproof pack with everything inside in a dry bag. This way if I am an idiot and leave the flap open or unbuckled and the Oklahoma wind blows it open, I will still have dry gear. Never underestimate your ability to screw up.
 
I used big 2 gal ziplock bags when i was in the Army. I had a duffel bag full of wet cloths once, never again. That saved me many a times. Seemed like they always found a giant puddle to throw our duffel bags into, when they were hauled to the field.
 
hughewil said:
carry an empty altoids of show shine can and know how identify fatwood. If you find a stump break through to piece get it off and make tinderdust to put in the can for future use.
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good tip. carrying an empty container is now on my list
 
Rsmith_77 said:
what i want to know from you southern boys is

what in the world to do you use to keep the ticks/chiggers/mosquitoes from ruining your camping trips
i swear deet just acts like hot sauce for bugs down here
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Sulphur pills ( your friends and family will hate you)
I have found that these past couple weeks a raging finger infection (possible blood infection) will keep the bugs off. They can smell/taste the infection prior to sticking you. (true)
I have some bug lotion that they used in Vietnam (still think it is issued today) that works well. It comes with strict guidelines of where to apply it because of the chemicals.

Of course you could do the fancy party trick. A bucket of dry ice a little ways off from your campsite will help a great deal. The skeeters are attracted to carbon dioxide. They will fly to the dry ice and then die. I have seen this in practice with my own eyes.

Lastly, you can allow them to poke you so many times that you won't have any fresh skin available and they will steer clear. Just a theory.
 
TwinStick said:
As per the vid on HH Leatherworks, use commonly avail JUTE twine, soaked in hot parafin wax, for fire starting. The wax makes them VERY waterproof/resistant, they burn for a long time as well & they are not messy like vasaline. When starting your fire, just pull it apart & fuzz it up or use it in a fire straw. The vid is VERY convincing.
Click to expand...

I use the jute and paraffin method. Great for damp or wet conditions. Completely worthless when very windy. Unless you can find some major wind break.
 
bullosa said:
Here is one that may crack you up but still a useful tip if you are in leech country. Steal your wife's pantyhose and wear them when you are in the swamps or leech country. :)
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Also works well for ticks and chiggers. I love a good control top. Sheer nude in color. LOOKING GOOD AND FEELING GOOD!!!
 
I also made some "candles" using small cans with rolled cardboard inside then poured in paraffin wax. Great burn for hours and hours. Great when dealing with extremely wet kindling and larger fuel wood. I have one with a cardboard wick for a small flame and one that will burn like a small stove. Here are pics of the small flame version.

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Loving all the tips, here's one I did in the high desert.

A plastic 1 gallon mayonaise jug is a great container to take backpacking. Mostly used for food storage, they provide other uses as well.
They are water and air tight, just screw the lid down tight. This air space provides flotation for river crossings.
In bear country, keep the food odors down, and prevent spills from contating other gear. You don't want peanut butter smeared on your tent in bear country. I'd even put the container into a stuff sack and tie the food, toothpaste, etc up in the tree.
Collect, and carry water, or boil in the container, let water stand overnight to settle prior to filtering.

One can come up with many other uses for a big jug like this while camping, like it makes a good drum, or a soccer ball!

They are thrown away in the culinary industry, and found at places like Costco, in the bulk condiment section.
 
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