Camping and Backpacking GEAR thread

Good plan. I made one out of some spare parts, then saw that they sell a kit. Doh! Makes filling a hydration bladder SO easy.

 

The kit is suppose to screw on to the regular size sawyer and not the mini, but it has a hose on the attachment that fits firmly on to the mini. The people at REI allowed me to open the packages and test fit everything. Now, one of the workers will be doing the same thing since he has the sawyer mini also.

 

I cut a 6" piece of old hydration tubing from another bladder, put a Camelbak quick disconnect male tip on it on the other end, and I just pop it right on the outlet nipple of the Sawyer.

 

Nice! Great filter!

I've got a Katadyn ceramic/paper hand pump. Wide mouth Nalgenes screw right on to the bottom. There were a couple locations in Pisgah when I was guiding where I was filtering nothing more than a nasty stagnant pool of water and it always came out with no bad taste and never got sick. Plus since work used them as filters I got spare filters for free. That's what I've been using for a long time now.

Speaking of which, taking another guide trip this weekend with some clients. I'm stoked! It's been nearly a year and a half since I've guided!

 

Back on the poison ivy, oak, sumac...
I am HIHGLY allergic and the only relief I have ever found is a product called zanfel. It's not cheap but it works. One application does good for poison ivy and oak. Two to three for sumac. I have scars on my ankles and wrists from before I found this stuff. Walgreens carries it for sure. Like $30 for a small tube. Worth more than gold for those of us who are reactive to the stuff.

 

Thanks for the info on poison oak..... I'll have to check that stuff out.

 

That must suck. I'm lucky enough that I don't have any reaction to either of them. I'm so non-reactive to poison ivy that I don't even bother looking for it anymore

 

You are lucky.

 

Tell me about it. A buddy of mine spent most of a camping trip last year smearing calamine lotion all over his legs, and by the end of the trip he was putting it in his crotch too. Poor bastard's wicked allergic, and I think he had to replace his sleeping bag too.

 

That sucks. My wife is that allergic. I can roll around naked and not get a single bump. I'm super grateful especially during the time I was guiding backpacking trips

 

That's good info. I'm doing a trip this weekend for 3 days in a canyon that is notorious for poison oak and ivy. I'd hate for the 3rd time to be a charm. I have some poison ivy relief wipes in my med kit but I can't vouch for them.

 

There is also a wash/scrub called Mean Green that is suppose to be effective for poison oak also. It is said to have the same active ingredients as Zanfel. I have not tried either products so I cannot speak from experience. I was just researching them when I had my rash.

 

I've heard rumors that washing the affected area well with original formula GoJo does a good job of neutralizing and removing the oils from PI or PO. Never needed to try it myself, but it makes sense because it works great for every other oil/grease I've had to wash off

 

I'd be worried that it wouldn't absorb the oil or contain it, as opposed to letting me just rub oily GoJo in other places, perhaps diluted.

 

Dunno.
I've heard that Fels Naptha laundry soap works really well to neutralize it too, and it's a solid bar as opposed to a liquid or a gel (so you wouldn't have to worry about making a mess in your pack)

 

Someone go ahead and test this and let me know..

 

lol. I'd test it for you, but the results would be inconclusive at best.

 

Technu works great. It's what we use as a company for our clients when they are in the woods.