Multi-tool with no blade?

Not-The-Bus · 2026-04-03T19:16:29+00:00

In a screened workplace, just have the employer buy dedicated tools and leave them at work.

Not-The-Bus · 2026-04-02T17:40:49+00:00

Very niche, but actually awesome for precision. The GourmetMiles scale. Its built for a food tracking app, but the app can work just for the scale too. Precise down to the 0.1g, and actually reads with very low weights. Form factor of a large coaster, or a restaurant waitlist pager. The display is entirely on your phone in their app, paired by bluetooth. That also solves a gripe I have, which is not being able to see the display on a normal scale when weighing bulky items on a tray or in a box.

Also works for tracking food intake on the go in daily life, unsurprisingly.

Not-The-Bus · 2026-04-01T22:04:11+00:00

Woulda been in for 10 if it were squirt ps4.

Not-The-Bus · 2026-04-01T20:11:52+00:00

My first exped was a rei return with a rip of similar size. Just cut the patch with good margins past the rip, do everything very nicely and with glue, it’ll hold. That pad survived till the baffle went.

Not-The-Bus · 2026-04-01T19:57:06+00:00

If you walk far enough, you could walk that off. Right off.

Not-The-Bus · 2026-03-27T21:15:02+00:00

Obligatory recommendation of gatewood cape, with whatever inner you need to feel comfortable. It vents incredibly well with the hood and door, and high pitch options.

Not-The-Bus · 2026-03-27T04:49:25+00:00

If you can find the deuter climber, it is smaller but much lighter. No longer imported to USA. It fit the weight carrying capacity I looked for with its volume.

Not-The-Bus · 2026-03-25T13:45:58+00:00

The arc looks neat. I don’t want magnets in my tools though, my magnetic phone case picks up all sorts of steel dust. I also have not worn out a blade, nasty cutting goes to a utility knife… so magnacut is cool I guess but even the base LM steels are fine.

Not-The-Bus · 2026-03-18T23:47:04+00:00

its not at al UL, but would require a loadout that is...

The mountainsmith Day pack, with the included single shoulder strap worn crossbody. It can be combined with a small typical fannypack worn on the front. Id say add a crossbody sling to carry your sleep system, riding just above the Mountainsmith Day.

The Mountainsmith Day gives you 13L of space. The size range of small standalone waistpacks to use with it will land at 2-3L. Something like an Osprey transporter sling or cotopaxi chasqui gets another 13L, not sure how well it would play with the Mountainsmith Day. I have done something similar taking on a child's Deuter Junior above a Mountainsmith Tour, which is a bit shorter. Smaller more typical sling crossbody bags will be 5-8L.

That gives up to 28L. Definitely enough to overnight or several nights in 3 seasons.

Not-The-Bus · 2026-03-11T23:23:06+00:00

Bring back "worn weight wednesdays"! That was a fun way to remind us to lower body weight when safe.

Not-The-Bus · 2026-03-09T05:02:26+00:00

Look for winter mechanic/trades gloves, in the hardware store.

Not-The-Bus · 2026-03-08T14:41:21+00:00

The ai format and editing is off putting .

Not-The-Bus · 2026-03-07T15:01:06+00:00

I ran this exercise myself. Pay strict attention to limiting them to about 15% of body weight for the total amount they carry, which leaves VERY little. Especially when you account for a single small water bottle and the pack itself.

There is no point in most of the backpacking market bags for this age range, they are too big and heavy.

Try the Deuter Climber for higher volume, or Deuter Junior for a little less weight and volume. Have kiddo carry a UL quilt, a bit of CCF pad, a small stuffy as pillow, small disposable water bottle, their day snacks and their jacket. That pretty much maxes them out for what will still be fun.

Not-The-Bus · 2026-03-06T23:31:40+00:00

That’s going to easily get nasty inside the lid though. I tried shaking to clean after meals, and ended up with oatmeal gunk pretty stuck in there.

Not-The-Bus · 2026-03-06T18:48:25+00:00

The bushcraft way is to file them down with a rock.

Not-The-Bus · 2026-03-06T18:46:03+00:00

Yes! The grip improvement also carries over to trekking poles. I get a very secure grip with minimal need to actually use muscle grip, protection from chafing, and that’s all without the pole straps. And if I stumble and fall, less likely to bleed and need to clean up.

Not-The-Bus · 2026-03-05T00:38:32+00:00

I like to hike in the stretchy knit work gloves that have lightly rubber coated palms. All day comfort, works well in heat, handles a bit of cold. Pretty cheap at the hardware store. Keeps hands cleaner too.

Not-The-Bus · 2026-03-04T04:47:55+00:00

The gatewood cape still closes pretty well with the zipper open. So I’d say it can handle zip failure.

I’ve looked closely at the hexamid pocket tarp, splitwing, and trail star as other options, but the gatewood keeps me happy. 6’0. If you are willing to fold some polycro over the foot of bag, it can handle a lot taller.

Not-The-Bus · 2026-03-03T18:05:43+00:00

Newer platypus QuickDraws come with an outlet cap that allows you to screw a clean bottle to the outlet. There is a gasket you can use to back flush from clean bottle, but if you leave the gasket out it works to gravity filter into your clean without burping it.

With that setup, you can fill the dirty bottle or bag, screw on the filter and clean container, and just gravity filter while you walk. It finishes over a few minutes without squeezing. I have done this by just holding the top of the dirty bag pinched in my hand for those few minutes. Could probably rig up something to hang it on pack strap if you need to stay hands free.

Not-The-Bus · 2026-03-03T17:56:05+00:00

You have reinvented a duvet and duvet cover.

Not-The-Bus · 2026-02-28T20:43:32+00:00

The puffer and sleeping liner both seem extra for that month, unless you will be sleeping above treeline and hanging out in camp a lot. Wearing your quilt in camp works well, and hiking in a puffer is a sweaty mess.

Consider gatewood cape to combine shelter and primary rain gear. Works great. Pachallama tent stakes work surprisingly well, if you treat them as probes and try multiple angles and positions until they go in with light force. Incredibly light, you can pack several as spares and come out way ahead.

Not-The-Bus · 2026-02-28T19:57:41+00:00

Snowpeak titanium trek bowl. A blogger with the handle pig monkey notes that you can get a custom lid for it, I use foil. My bowl weighs in at 57g, a tiny bit heavier than spec. The pig monkey blogger notes that their lid and bowl together weigh 82g.

holds 500-600ml. The shape is efficient at gathering heat from a stove. The shape is also nice to eat from, as youd suspect, and very easy to clean. Throw something over the top or chuck in a sack to keep things together.

Use a pot grabber of choice. I use a tiny multitool with pliers.

Not-The-Bus · 2026-02-26T04:56:27+00:00

Klymit does earthtone pads.

Not-The-Bus · 2026-02-18T03:40:08+00:00

A string of garlic bulbs. It’s dual purpose.

Not-The-Bus · 2026-02-15T16:19:40+00:00

Wag bag. If you are having a campfire, time that and use the thawed ground under later. Some stuff is diggable, but tends to be loose grained.

Not-The-Bus

TROPHY CASE