[pct-l] What do you want in Idyllwild?

[John Abela]

I would tend to think that staying away from the high dollar items would be
good.

Things like higher end shoes (because really, there are probably only two or
three people who use Brooks or Inov8 at 100+ a pair)

Packbacks like HMG/ULA/ProLite/Zpacks while they may be popular, are
probably not going to be needed by anybody.

However, repair kits for things like the NeoAir and small rolls of duct tap
and small rolls of wire, are always a hikers dream.

As others have said, HEET (fuel) by the ounce. At that location nobody is
going to need an entire 12-oz bottle of HEET.

MSR/Jetboil Osobutane fuel - both sizes - for those running canister stoves.

Esbit tablets - hard enough to find as it is. (oddly, not a single store in
the entire NorCalWest area has these for sale)

Agree with the other person. Lightweight socks (trail-shoe style) May not
sale many of these, but to those who need them, it would be a grateful
purchase opportunity.

Dry food. Such as Muesli and fruit to mix into it. (and of course, having
some 'Quaker Oatmeal Maple & Brown Sugar' would put him on the Saint level
for sure! Am I the only person addicted to this stuff lol)

As others have said... bars. From the super-daddy 'Pemmican Bars' to the
lovely little White Macadamia ones (and of course everybody else seems to be
addicted to the chocolate ones) More and more people are starting to
carry/eat the Tanka Bar as well.

Small flashlights (Photon Micro-Light II) and maybe batteries for those with
head-lamps.

Stupid as this might sound... empty water bottles. Be it Pepsi or Gatorade.
And, I should probably mention hydration packs for those who use them
(though I doubt he would need more than 2 or 3 in stock)

Toilet Paper - because not everybody enjoys using Greesewood bushes ;)

Mini-bic lighters (because a person always needs fire, right)

Those little green pads we all use to wash our dishes with. (He could even
cut them into 4 pieces, as I doubt anybody out there actually carries a full
size scubber pad.)

Starbucks Via (D'Oh, am I allowed to mention those lol) Columia flavor gets
my vote (he can buy 50 packs from amazon at 70-cents a pack
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00438XVGU/ - and on most fridays, for the friday
sale, they are 30 bucks for 50)

Sugarpacks (normal sugar, pink packs, yellow packs, stevia, etc). Maybe sell
them by the dozen for 25-50 cents or something like that.

Spectra Cord (1.25 and 1.5),
Dyneema Cord (1.75 & 2.2),
Shock Cord (3/32 & 1/16)
Micro Line Locs,
LineLoc 3's,
Tiny and Mini Cord Locks,

All of those 5 things above seem to be useful for repairing broken gear.

Tent stakes to replace lost ones.

Tent pole sections to use to replace broken ones. (probably would hardly
ever sale any, but again, one of those items that could save a hiker from a
week of hell while waiting for one to be shipped in)

Small dollar currency. Most hikers carry a couple hundred bucks, but they
are all in 20's, from ATM machines. Maybe have a sign out that says he has a
supply of smaller denominations, which would help us when we need to slip
somebody 5 or 10 bucks for a car ride or a trail angel.

Aluminum foil - bazillion uses for this stuff.

As was mentioned, cheap plastic spoons (he can go raid KFC as far as I'm
concerned).

And of course the main small items of a first-aid kit. Neosporin, band-aids
(for those who haven't learned the power of duct-tape that they are already
carrying), bug-spray, chapstick, sun lotion, small gauze pads, elastic
bandages (wrap thingies for knees/ankles) and stuff like that.

Oh, and ear-plugs. Because sometimes those Coyotes are just annoying!!


Basically, those things that make a hikers life a bit more pleasurable while
pounding out the miles!


Some examples:

Socks - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000XFWIRA/
Muesli - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EDDSES/
Victorinox Swiss Army Classic Pocket Knife -
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004YVB2/ (for repair kit)
Bear Valley Pemmican Bars, Carob Cocoa -
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000LKWTJY/
Photon Micro-Light II - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006I4Y2/
Howard Leight LL1 Laser Lite Earplugs --
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007XJOLG/
Cordage: http://www.zpacks.com/accessories/spectra_cord.shtml