Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

My truck's bugout bag: jack, handle, tire iron, 4-way, 50 feet of good heavy rope, pair of water pump pliers, medium-size crescent, 50 ft of 3/8'' nylon rope, canteen cup, lighter, flagging tape, safety goggles, and a big old towel / blanket (ever change a flat in the mud in your Sunday clothes?). My camper's bugout box: SO's dearly beloved BAL leveler, four (stacking) jackstands (for stabilizing), aluminum level, measuring tape, wire crimper and assorted wire ends, wheel and tire chocks, the biggest bottle of Green Slime I could find, roll of duct tape, hammer, pliers, crescent wrench, and the water hoses. Total weight? 50 pounds or so. Total dollars saved 'cause we didn't have to get this stuff somewhere at 2 am 1200 miles from home? Priceless.

I married an Eagle Scout. He's an overachiever. What I'd call prepared he'd call underdressed.
He married an Air Force vet. I'm an overplanner. What he'd call makeshift I call field-expedient.

We adapt, overcome, survive and thrive.

So far I see missing, Tarps(4'x6' so you don't get muddy laying on your back fixing things under the trailer), a roll of the plumber's "pipe strap", metal tape with holes, because sometimes duck tape won't be strong enough to hold an axle in place when the weld or bolt broke. (couple wraps of that should get you to someplace you can get it bolted or welded.) This stuff is also good for so many things I can't list them all here. Replace rope/cable (clothes line, stake line.) Oh almost forgot, some extra full wire coat hangers, for those pesky mufflers etc, that come loose and you want a heat resistant, STRONG cord to hold it in place. (also can help to double for extending tv antenna in the wild... if you are going to use it for marsh mellows or hot dogs, first use the steel wool to clean off any plastic coating on it. while you're at it, bring the piece of steel wool. can compress to almost no space in any tool kit. (keep away from live battery terminals or you'll have a fire on your hands. Oh yeah, also good for fire starter... ;-)) Oh, matches lighter pieces of heat shrink tubing for electrical connection insulation... File to sharpen camping axe/hatchet. Sharpening stone for the knives in the kitchen. (can opener?) 2' piece of rerod and a 2' piece of pipe to use as "persuader bars/extenders" for leverage when you are prying up the trailer on rocks to get a brace underneath and fix the tire/bearing... Spare reading glasses so you can see what you are doing with the repairs (dollar store). Heavy carpet thread/cord to go with upholstery needles. Super/crazy - glue and gel for small things that break during field trials. A ratchet strap or two (dollar store item) so you can wrap it around your trailer if some wood frame busts loose cuz a tree bit it. Little ratchetting, some tarp and you don't have to go home early to repair it... How about a small can of "latex roof tar" or "spray tar undercoating?" If you are going to bring axle grease and bearings might as well pack a few NEW cotter pins. (med & lrge) Oh yeah, and a roll of that twist tie (metal core) stuff for like tomato plants, ($1 store)

p.s. thanks everybody!!!! You all rock maximus!(I need this whole list. Now, can I fit it into 1 medicine chest of space as a "tool closet"...? ;-)

I haven't checked these lists yet, but I got this from another forum here and thought I'd best bring it over.
these link I just tested and they worked.

Teardrop Camping Checklist redux
viewtopic.php?f=32&t=15596

http://www.blogicalthoughts.com/zips/te ... cklist.xls
http://www.blogicalthoughts.com/zips/te ... cklist.ods
http://curriecoalition.com/teardrop_tra ... cklist.pdf

Thanks for all the good tips for us Newbies.

Jeepers Creepers ! Y'all got me thinkin now...Lemme see if I can recall ALL the thangs I carry :

Socket set( standard AND metric),crescent wrench,needle nose pliers,channel lock pliers,tape measure,hammer,duct tape,electrical tape,wire cutters,wire connectors, crimper,wire,screw drivers( multiple),assortment of nuts/bolts/washers,various sizes of zip ties,test lite( electrical),1/4 in rope(to tie thangs down),pair of collapsable wheel chocks,....

All of this stuff is in the trunk of my VW beetle along with a 2&1/2 gallon gas can( always full). Not to mention a buncha spare parts fer the car that are in thar also. All that stuff is ALWAYS in the car...Oh, there IS more, but I think y'all get my drift.. I carry everything ! ( Cept jumper cables)

Camping tools. Did any one mention a shovel? That is also my prota pot

Randy

The shovel and hatchet are in the trailer...

If you carry thread/light cord in your kit, replace it with unwaxed dental floss. Almost completely unbreakable, you can tease the fibers apart for smaller jobs and it's pretty much water and rot proof. I pull the buttons off of all my clothes and sew them back on with dental floss. You would have to rip through the cloth to get the button off. Good stuff!

Also makes a good saw for lighter stuff like wood and plastic.

Dental floss... DING,DING,DING ! We have a winner here !! Great idea !

My wife had this tool kit that had all your basic tools when I met her we called it the chick kit.I have since purchased one for camping it carries a lot of tools most of which do the job for a quick repair. In addition I have some real tools Cresent wrench, adjustable pliers, 6 in 1 screw driver Estwing 28 oz hammer. In addition on my truck I carry a High Lift jack, Dewalt 18 drill,sawzall,impact, 12 air compressor with tire kit, a Water fire extinguisher, dry chem extinguisher and a medical bag.

As a Fire Fighter/ Emergency Medical Technician I found myself being the fist on the scene. Twice I have had to use my tools to assist a ambulance crew in a remote area to rescue a person from a car. This was due to the the patient deteriorating conditions and a extended eta of the rescue truck both cases the Jaws of life were over 30 minutes away.

Something that a lot of folks may not call a tool but it is really. I don't remember it being mentioned and I am not going to reread the thread. Lazy sod that I am. But a GOOD pair of leather gloves is right up near the top on any camping trip I take. I usually take a new pair with me as you don't want me to be handling hot cooking pots with my working gloves as I haul manure. When those wear out/get lost I get a new pair for camping.

Randy

I will be adding an army folding shovel pickax this year, handy for trenching and road building. I normally carry a geology pick (a legacy of my geology and archeology classes).

55 mm torx socket to remove interior nuts from the bolts securing the cargo trailer doors in case of emergency (getting locked in by the neighbor kid...)

I carry a small telescoping rake. Cheap and takes up next to no room. I use it every trip to clean up and level sites.

Also binder clips from the office supply aisle. Large ones are excellent for joining ez ups and tarps together. Smaller ones hold cords and wires out of the way, secure tablecloths, and a whole bunch else.

Slow, you had to unlock something?

Randy