What's in my Backpack?

 I usually keep my backpack loaded up and ready to go either hiking or geocaching.  It makes it a lot easier to pick up and go at a moments notice.  All I usually have to add is a couple water bottles and something to eat.  Let's take a look at what I have....

My backpack is a SwissGear brand.  It's nothing fancy and it's not made for heavy duty backpacking because it's on the smaller size.   I'd call it more of a "day" pack.  Clipped to it is my Traveling Snoopy.  He goes everywhere with me and I usually like to take photos with him.

One of my favorite items and a necessity in my book, is my Jackery External Battery Charger.   I make sure it's fully charged before I go anywhere and it comes in very handy in case my GPS or my cell phone go dead.  I also have a Garmin GPS.  I mostly use this to mark the trailhead or where I parked my car.   It's a nice piece of equipment to have along in case you get confused in the woods and need to find your way back to your car.  

I always keep a small notebook and pen with me.  You never know when you might need it.

I love this Streamlight ProTac 1L flashlight!  It's 3 1/2" long so it doesn't take up much room but it packs a solid punch in terms of providing light.  It's super powerful and mine came with a little carrying case.

Next is my Go-Bag which says Geo Tools.   I use alot of this stuff when geocaching, but it's all things that come in handy anytime you're out on the trail.  It's just a heavy duty pencil case.

It contains a spare pair of reading glasses, a compass, a Coleman emergency poncho and a reflecting emergency blanket....

I'm extremely allergic to any type of sting, so I carry an Epi and Benadryl with me everywhere I go.  I also have an emergency whistle, a small mirror to use for signaling, a pill container filled with fire starter (cotton balls dipped in Vaseline) and a lighter.  The whistle has come in handy more than once - one time we were geocaching in the woods with my parents and we got separated.  We eventually found each other by using our whistles.

Also in this bag I have a sharp knife, a flint for fire starting and a survival knife....

I'm a huge fan of Ebags and this one is filled with toiletries...

Suntan lotion and bug spray....

Hand sanitizer, aspirin, Neosporin, lip balm and band aids...

My Go-Girl, toilet paper, and wet wipes....

My other Ebag contains clothing items...

A windbreaker with a hood, spray mace, and a couple carabiners..

 A  skull cap, a buff, a pair of work gloves and a bandana.  That bandana has come in handy more times - I particularly like it on a hot day because I wet it down and tie it around my neck....

I'm a fan of Lightload towels.   These things are great because they come in super small packages and take up next to no room.  The larger one can be used as a bath towel and the smaller ones are great for just about anything...

And last, but not least is my survival bracelet.  In an emergency I can untie it and have about 15 feet of paracord.

So that's my basic backpack and what works for me.  You may decide not to take some of the items and you may have others that you need.  A backpack is kind of person specific.  All loaded up, mine usually weighs between 10-15 pounds.  I've heard that the general guideline for backpack weight should be between 10-15% of your body weight.  I weight 108, so I'm within the guidelines and I've found this is a good weight for me to carry.   I grab my hiking sticks and I'm good to go.  Happy trails!!

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Keeping Your Standard Cooler Cold

Keeping your standard cooler cold for as long as possible is always a hot debate.  I've heard plenty of great solutions, so I thought I'd share some of them here as well as show you what I've done to help solve that age old question.

Personally I have 2 coolers that I take with me.  The first is a vintage Coleman cooler that I found several years ago at a garage sale.  This thing is a beast!  It's huge, measuring in at 28" x 15" x 16" tall....  

I love the red color and the top of it is a perfect place for my State sticker travel map.

The second cooler I take is my  SetPower Refrigerator/Freezer and it's been a game changer.  Sleek and efficient, it has the ability to be used as a refrigerator or a freezer.  It easily does the trick for both.  SetPower has 2 sizes and I splurged on the larger one.  You can plug it into your car for power or into a Jackery type unit if you have one of those.  

But back to the standard cooler and how to keep it cold.  Here's some pictures of my Coleman cooler and what I've done with it.  As you can see I lined it with Reflectix that I cut to size and just taped along the edges with duct tape...

I found this plastic insert at a garage sale and snapped it up!  It's just the right size for inside the cooler.

The left side of the cooler holds mostly my groceries - things like peanut butter, crackers, buns, chips, cookies, chocolate bars...  

 

I freeze quart and gallon size jugs of water and iced tea and place them inside the plastic insert.  I also throw packages of lunch meat and cheeses in the plastic bin.  The bottom of the plastic bin catches all the condensation as the ice melts.  I drink the water and tea from the jugs once it's all melted...

For me, this has worked perfectly and I usually get 5-7 days before the ice in the jugs is almost all melted.  Here's a few more tips for you....

• Open your cooler as little as possible
• Get it cold the day before you leave and then add fresh ice when you're ready to go
• Use frozen food in the bottom of your cooler
• Cover your cooler with a blanket
• Keep it out of the sun
• Line the inside of the cooler with Reflectix
• Instead of bagged ice, use blocks of ice.  I freeze gallon water jugs and water bottles and use those.  An added advantage is that you can drink the water once it eventually melts
• I've heard of people using dry ice but I've never personally done this
• Keep soda in a separate cooler to minimize opening and closing your food cooler

So there you have it - Happy camping!

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Camping Supply List

Below is a copy of my camping supply list.   I keep a copy on my computer and just print it out prior to each trip so I make sure I grab everything I need.   You may not need all the same items and you may have a few on your list that I don't have.  

BEFORE YOU GO:  CHECK OIL, TIRE PRESSURE, AND

FILL WINDSHIELD WASHER TANK ON YOUR VEHICLE. 

ALL container for water station 

Aluminum water bottles for back pack

Aluminum foil   (with camp stove)

Amacool Fan (Dresser)

Aspirin, CBD Oil  and any meds (Dresser)

Baby wipes (Seat Organizer)

Baggies  both sizes  (kitchen bucket)

Beach bag for shower:  Soap, SHAMPOO, CONDITIONER, HAIR DRYER,

flip flops, Towel and wash rag 

Baseball cap

Bear spray (Trunk)

Benedryl (Beach Bag)

Black organizer for shoes, maps, magnifying glass, backpack,

itinerary and pamphlets.  Put on front seat.

Binoculars  (IN PINK BUCKET)

Blankets - red quilt and red lap blanket

Books (Seat Organizer)

Booties for over my dirty shoes

Both pairs of glasses and a spare pair of readers

Bra/sport bra (Dresser)

Bucket and toilet seat with kitty litter

Camelback jacket with fleece lining, Carhartt hat, gloves, rain jacket and pants (in ebag)

Camera, long lenses, charger, extra sd cards. (charge before I leave - IN EBAG)

Camp chair    (ROOF CARRIER)

CAR BATTERY CHARGER  (IN TRUNK)  CHARGE BEFORE I LEAVE

CBD Freeze (Dresser)

CHANGE FOR TOLLS AND LAUNDRY (Glove compartment)

Chip clips  (Kitchen bucket)

Coffee press (kitchen bucket)

Coffee cup/THERMOS (kitchen bucket)

Cook stove, propane and cooking stuff    (kitchen bucket)

Coleman Cooler for water bottles and groceries

Cot

CREDIT CARDS AND CASH

Deodorant (Beach Bag)

Duct tape  (IN PINK BUCKET)

Epi pen   (go bag)

Extension cord (long) and surge protector  (kitchen bucket)

Ezorkas Camping Lanterns  charge before I go

Fiber tablets (Dresser)

Fire extinguisher  (IN PINK BUCKET)

Fire starters/vaseline and cotton balls   (pink bucket)

Flannel shirt (Dresser)

Folding table   (KEEP IN ROOF CARRIER)

Food Seasonings/salt   (Kitchen Bucket)

Frying pans and pot (KITCHEN BUCKET)

Geocaching bag and list

GPS 

Gun with lockbox and security cord (MY PERSONAL

PREFERENCE - PLEASE NO NEGATIVE COMMENTS)

Green Windbreaker   (IN BACKPACK)

Gym shoes 

Hair brush (Beach bag)

Headlamp and spare batteries (Dresser)

Heating PAD if going to be cold-plug into Jackery

Hiking boots

Hiking pants and long sleeve shirt (Dresser)

Hiking poles (trunk)

I pad, charger and car mount

Iced tea Jugs (Coleman Cooler)

Insect repellent, poison oak lotion, tick spray  (in trunk)

Jean Jacket

Jackery, car charger cord  and solar panels (roof carrier)

Jet Boil and  spare tanks (kitchen bucket)

Jumper cables  (IN TRUNK)

Laundry bag and laundry detergent     ( ROOF CARRIER)

Lip balm (backpack)

Long lighters - 2     (Kitchen bucket)

Long underwear with fleece  (Dresser)

Makeup (Beach Bag)

Mattress topper

Medical kit (Backpack)

National Parks Book and parks pass (Dresser)

Pants (Dresser)

Paper towels - 2

Passport if going near Canada (lockbox)

Pens (Glove compartment)

Pepto Bismol (Dresser)

personal safety device - Sassy Lady Siren (On purse or backpack)

Pillow

Pink Bucket  - axe, hammer, duct tape, propane tanks, fire extinguisher

Plastic dresser - 3 drawer organizer for clothes and odds and ends

Pocket knife   (pink bucket)

Portable Tire Inflator (Trunk)

Propane tanks for camp stove    (pink bucket)

Rapid charger and cord for backpack

Seat organizer (HANG ON BACK OF DRIVERS SEAT)

SetPower Cooler   Plug in the night before so its cold

Shirts (Dresser)

Shorts (Dresser)

Sleeping bag

Small black travel purse

Socks plus warm socks for bed (Dresser)

Sweatsuit to sleep in (Dresser)

Sweatshirt (Dresser)

Tablecloth  (IN KITCHEN BUCKET)

Tarp for bottom of tent   (Roof top carrier)

Tent (Roof top carrier)

Tent cord repair kit ( in pink bucket)

Toilet paper - 3 at least

Tooth brush and toothpaste (Beach Bag)

TOWELS FOR WIPING OFF WET STUFF (E bag in trunk)

Tow Strap   (in trunk)

Trash bags  ( in toilet bucket)

Tweezers/nail files (Beach Bag)

Umbrella (Seat Organizer)

Underwear (Dresser)

Wallet  

Walmart bags (pink bucket)  take a lot of these

Washrag, scrubbie, DISH SOAP  and towel for kitchen (in kitchen bucket)

Watch AND charger

Water JUGS -  also freeze water bottles and then you can drink the water when they thaw.

Whisk broom (in trunk)

Work Gloves  (in pink bucket)

I label all my misc. chargers with a label maker and then keep all the chargers in a plastic bag.

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Video on My Favorite Camping Must-Haves!!

I have a nice collection of what I consider my "must-haves" when it comes to tent/car camping.   I thought it would be more fun to show you in a video, so here goes....  Enjoy!

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How To Spell Family with COLEMAN

Do you know how to spell FAMILY?   I do - one of the ways I spell it is C.O.L.E.M.A.N.!

I was a kid in the 1960's.  And this Coleman thermos went with us on every single vacation that we ever took.  When that familiar green and white behemoth appeared on the kitchen table, we knew that a trip of some sort was on the horizon.  Mom would fill it with loads of ice and kool-aid, and it would get stuffed into the trunk alongside our suitcases and the picnic basket.  We'd hit the road with dad driving and mom riding shotgun, holding the map.  Most of our trips took place during the summer, so beaches and pools played a prominent role.  I guess that's why I love the water so much!

We drove up to Lake Delevan in Wisconsin during my earlier years and the Coleman thermos got carried along to the beach with us each day.  Our cottage was a couple of blocks from the water, so we'd pull on our bathing suits, roll our bathing caps into our beach towels, mom would grab the thermos, dad would handle the picnic basket and off we'd go.  We'd spend the day at the beach, leaving the water only long enough to swallow a couple of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and gulp a solo cup of nice cold kool- aid.  It was amazing how long that Coleman thermos would hold the ice.

When I got a little older we headed to Lake of the Ozarks, which involved an 8 hour drive.  After about 6 hours we'd pull over at the rest area and mom would spread the rose dappled tablecloth and pull sandwiches, pickles and brownies out of the picnic basket.  Again, that Coleman thermos would appear on the corner of the picnic table, the white spout hanging over the edge and we'd drink our fill of icy kool-aid.  I wish I had a dollar for every mile that old Coleman thermos traveled over the interstates during my formative years.

Another favorite Coleman item is this cooler......

The bottom of it has this stamp on it.....

Does that mean it was made in December of 1976?  Could I have possibly have had it that long?  Can that Coleman cooler possibly be that tough and AWESOME??  Hell yeah!  Look at it, - it has really taken a beating.....

How many miles do you think this Coleman cooler has traveled over the last 35 years??  How many beer cans, pop bottles, bags of ice, sandwiches, watermelons, and condiments do you think it has held?  If I could open the lid and let loose the memories it holds I would see the last 35 years of my life fly before my eyes....college parties, camping trips, canoe excursions, road trips, birthday parties, my kids' baptisms and graduation parties, picnics and boat rides.  Geocaching, hiking, swimming, kayaking.....  My parents, my sisters, my husband, my kids, my friends....  Coleman in the trunk, in the back seat, on the deck, in the boat, strapped to the rear of the camper, on the picnic table, next to the campfire......  Talk about awesome!  It may be a little beat up, missing its handles and looking a little worn, but let me tell you, - it still performs!  Did I mention it's 35 years old??

Coleman products are reliable and dependable - just like my family.  Always there when I need them -just like my family.  And isn't that what family is really all about?

Yes, my life has been crammed with lots of family, travel and fun.  And a Coleman thermos and a Coleman Cooler have been with me every step of the way.  Yep, I know how to spell family - its COLEMAN!

“Sponsored by Coleman and hosted by the Outdoor Blogger Network, this is my submission for the Coleman Camping Heritage Essay Contest.”

Thank You to Coleman for bringing such an amazing contest and opportunity to the entire Outdoor Blogging Community!

Gear Review - Coleman Backpack

Back in October when The Outdoor Blogger Network had their 1 year anniversary extravaganza, they hosted a week of give-aways.  It was awesome!!  They gave away some great gear and I was thrilled beyond words to win a new backpack.  Not just any backpack either - this was a Coleman RTX 3500i.

I was in desperate need of a new backpack and this one had a laptop compartment in it, which put this piece of gear right at the top of the list of items I was hoping to win.  I cannot believe I won this!

According to the Coleman website, they call this color red, but I thinks it's more of a burnt orange.  I really like the color.  This backpack has so many great features, so I am going to list them right off their website:




•  35 liter capacity - front panel loading

• •  Dimensions (LxW): 17.5"x12"
• •  Main pocket, plus four other pockets, great for stowing options
• •  Large stretch mesh front pocket
• •  Small front stash pocket for smaller items, quick access
• •  Small internal hidden pocket for items you want to be hard to find
• •  External side entry laptop pocket
• •  Water bottle pockets

• •  Internal organization / key clip
• •  Bottom lash straps, great for securing items to your backpack
• •  Dual side compression straps to compress the size of the pack around loaded equipment
• •  1" removable waist belt, so heavy loads can be carried more comfortably
• •  Cell phone pocket on shoulder strap
• •  600D ripstop polyester, tough durable material
• •  Reflective tape on shoulder straps for additional safety
• •  Made in Vietnam

Here you can see the cell phone pocket, the front chest straps and the waist strap.  The cell phone pocket is a really nice feature and makes it so easy to hear that phone ring and keeps it within quick reach.  I was almost afraid that this pack would be too large for my small build.  I'm about 5' 2" and I loved the way this pack snuggled against my back.  The last pack I had was way too large for me and was uncomfortable to wear.  This back was excellent!  It's nicely proportioned and balanced.  I liked the width of the shoulder straps and the padding on them as well.

The interior has a variety of different sized pockets that are secured by velcro or zippers.  Plus a clip that I use for my car keys, and a place to stow pens, pencils, knives, or small tools and flashlights.

There are huge mesh water bottle pockets on each side of the pack as well, which I really like.  My old backpack didn't even have a water bottle pocket, so this is a great new feature for me.

The outside front of the pack also has 2 large pockets for stuff that you need to grab in a hurry, and they are huge.  

The laptop pocket is nice and roomy, plus it has interior padding to keep my laptop safely nestled away from harm.

The pack also has sturdy stitching all the way around...

And the bottom of the pack has extra straps for attaching extra equipment.

This backpack utilizes 2 different types of zipper pulls.  Two like this one on the laptop pocket....

And then the rest of the pockets have strap pulls on the zippers like this one....

For me, personally, I just liked the string type pull on the laptop zippers better.  


The Coleman RTX 3500i backpack is nice and roomy.  More than big enough for me and the type of use it gets from me.  So far I haven't even had to open up the compression straps, so if you need a pack that holds a lot of gear, you will probably like this.  


I took this backpack along on our autumn deer hunting trips and it was ideal for all of our hunting equipment, a lunch, multiple drink bottles, my ipad and extra clothes.   I've used it on multiple hikes in the woods when we were geocaching and all my geocaching gear easily fit inside with room to spare.  I'm looking forward to my next hike in the woods when I can take my new collapsible hiking poles with me.  I can simply attach them to either the outside of this pack, or fit them inside.  On our last road trip I used the pack instead of taking a purse and my laptop bag.  I loved the multiple pockets for all my cords and wires.  In fact, the next time I fly to Florida I think I'll do the same thing and use the backpack to take on the plane with me instead of my purse and laptop bag.  This pack will actually be easier to organize, will hold way more stuff and with it on my back, by hands are free!


My son was actually eyeing this backpack and mentioned how nice it would be for him to use at college.  You know, it could hold all his books, his laptop, school supplies, water bottle.  Nice try and keep dreaming my dear, this backpack is mine!!  LOL!!


What didn't I like about this backpack?  There really isn't anything I don't like about it.  But I will say this....If I'm going on a day long hike, or longer, this will be a great pack because of all the room and pockets.  I also think I'll like it when I travel by plane or if I need to tote my laptop along.  However, for a quick hike where you don't need a lot of gear, I would opt for a smaller pack.  There's no need for such a roomy pack if you only need to tote some basic essentials.  Since we spend a great deal of time geocaching and a lot of our hikes are 3 miles round trip or less, I would use my smaller day pack for those.  But for anything longer than that, where I want to take extra clothes, more gear, a lunch, and multiple water bottles, then the Coleman RTX 3500i will be perfect and will definitely be my go-to pack.


I'd like to thank The Outdoor Blogger Network again for hosting the give away and letting me have this gear review opportunity.  And thank you to Coleman for making such a great product.  I'm really lucky to have this as part of my essential gear.  

DISCLAIMER:

The product featured in this gear review was provided to me at no cost.  I currently hold no association with Coleman Products.  As with all independent gear and product reviews at Snug Harbor Bay, I try my best to keep my reviews honest and unbiased. If something is good, it deserves 4 stars; if it stinks, I’ll let you know that too.