Even the most diligent person ends up with “stuff” that somehow accumulates. Older tools, gear, clothing, etc. you semi-forget you have in storage.
In my own case, it is a plastic tote with old stuff sacks, bottles for containing liquid or food, tarps, tent stakes and even an old PUR branded filter I bought way back when. (I really should get rid of it at some point…)
I tend to recycle these items for other purposes. The nylon stuff sacks make it easy to pack for traveling as one example. Or that old orange potty trowel we all bought at some point goes into the camping/road trip kit.
And as I am looking at the doo-dads, there is one brand that somehow seems to crop up over again over again: Coghlan’s.
I don’t think anyone actively advocates for the brand, but it does seem to turn up a lot.
You’ll find the gear tucked away at many small general stores at the edge of outdoor areas, in your local independent hardware store and for sure in big box stores.
In Yosemite back in 2002. Still have the same head net.
The mosquito netting they sell is something I bought quite some-time ago but still works very well with any tarp I may use. Ditto with their head net.
The Coghlan ulltra light tent stakes are something I use as a multi-purpose stake, mainly for camping, that is not much money and effective.
And so on.
The main purchase of these items are usually “OOPS” items when myself or others forget something, lost an item or perhaps acquire an items we did not realize we really needed. For me, the head net fell into that category! As mentioned, you can almost always find Coghlan doo-dads at a local general store, camp store or similar.
Need a stuff sack? Cheap rain gear? Cordage? Headlamp? Cord locks? Repair kit? Coghlan’s tends to have these odd-ball items and just when you need them.
I don’t claim this gear is the best by any means. You are better off buying a a Silva or Bruton compass for example. And their knives aren’t the best I suspect.
But I am amazed at how often Coglhan’s doo-dads seems to sneak into so many different outdoor kits for all different activities.
And sometimes the odd dod-dad is just what you need and it works well enough.
I really can’t ask for more.
Don’t forget the half-used rusty capped bottle of Coglahn’s Iodine tablets that has been hibernating in your hiker cupboard since early 1998!
Sadly, that is not far from the truth! It may be 2002, however. 😉
I think there is a Coglahns snake bite kit in every hiker box from Spring Mnt to Delaware Water Gap
Agreed! That snake bite kit takes me back – a nice bit of nostalgia that lives on.
Funny to read this, as I just threw an old Coglahns mini broom and dustpan in the back of the minivan to take car camping last week. Essential piece of car camping gear if you have children (kids-> tent-> dirt).