Some non essential items that are nice to have in your pack

[LiveFreeDieFree]

These things aren't necessarily IN your pack. Like personally I prefer sunglasses to be on my face. anyways yeah, these are some things I try to always have while on an extended journey.. Which is every journey.
P.s. I tend to wander off the beaten path so if you're always in cities some of this stuff won't be practical.

Post yours too!!

SmartPhone - (good for entertainment and keeping in touch, directions, everything.)
Solar charger - (keep your shit charged in no mans land.)
Digital camera - (in case your phone has a shitty camera.)
Sunglasses
Whiskey - (drink it, start a fire with it, disinfect with it!)
Torch head & mini propane tank - (good for cooking with a low profile and hot knifing is another great use for them. <add 2 butter knives>)
A good, sharp knife - good for a lot of things. When you are thinking 'damn, I wish I had something sharp' you'll be glad you brought one.)
A compass - (follow the stars at night, the compass by day.)
A spool of small gauge wire - (good for crafting a shelter or other things. Good for snare traps to catch small game or even fish!)
DUCT TAPE! - (trust me, bring some. This could be mans single greatest invention. Next to condoms.)
Pain killers - (really good to have. I recommend something strong, personally I carry percocets.)
A compact, lightweight hatchet - (make tinder, small firewood. Easy to cut small trees, makes for easier shelter building.)
A length of rope no less than 8ft - (countless uses)
Dental floss - the strongest sewing thread I've ever seen.)
A basic sewing kit - (I've fucked up some clothes and while so limited on them I decided to sew my shit instead. Very useful.)

 

[Mongo]

can you get percocet without a prescription in Canada?

I try to keep illicit substances off of me at all times when on the road cause I end up getting searched so every often.

 

[LiveFreeDieFree]

No, you need to have a prescription or do what I did. I went to the hospital for a toothe ache and they gave me a few days worth. The toothe ache went away later that day.
All in all there's not illegal here. It's not a crime to posess them. You may have them confiscated but that's the worst that would happen.

 

[Hylyx]

Hot sauce. Makes most things tastier, and awful things palatable.

Second the sewing kit. I carry leatherworking stuff too.

"First aid" Kit. Mine's some Neosporin, band aids, alcohol swabs, *rubber gloves* burn gel, tweezers. Nothin fancy, but enough to keep something small from getting worse. Surprised to find most travelers don't seem to carry anything like this. Make sure to include the gloves, it might not be your blood you are touching.

A few candles, just cause, useful for many things. And I have a thing about candles...

Palo Santo incense. It's this super awesome wood that smells really good when smoking. Great for trading/kickdowns, and making wherever you are smell good.

Pre-stamped postcards, or at least stamps. Always nice to write friends far away when waitin around doing nothing. And everyone loves getting actual mail. 33 cents to mail a postcard, and you can make them for free/ they are easy to steal.

Cheap plastic pancho, they suck for rain, but good for sitting on questionable/wet places.

Dog treats! Obvious.

Leather care stuff ( a rag, saddle soap, polish). Keeps my boots/belt in good shape, and I've randomly had people give me cash to do theirs when they saw me doing mine. Someday I'll have a sub to do this for me, but that's another thread.

 

[Tude]

Great post!!!

When I travel on my bicycle - hot sauce is the essential spice/flavoring.

 

[LiveFreeDieFree]

What the hell? I forgot to put that down. Funny though cause I too carry hot sauce. But not just any hot sauce, it's gotta be Franks red hot. As much as I value originality-I gotta say it-I put that shit on everything!

 

[birdsonthebat]

Texas Pete man myself.

 

[tiltedkitten]

I always keep a couple sandwich baggies folded up. Never know when someone's gonna drop you nugs/tobacco etc. Can be used for soap and other random organization needs and stuff that spills haha

 

[Hylyx]

Ohh yeah good call on the baggies. I keep my stuff I want to make sure stays dry in them, and usually have an extra one or two as well.

Oh and also fucking BUG SPRAY. Actually I don't think that's non-essential. Ask Mongo about the time we fell asleep in the Oakland catch out and half my face was like twice the size as the other half. >_<

 

[tiltedkitten]

TEE TREE OIL!!! works for tons of stuff including covering up BO when getting in peoples cars hahaha

 

[Deleted member 20]

Large black trash bag. I routinely stash my pack in a trash bag to attend concerts, go to bars etc.

 

[LiveFreeDieFree]

Large black trash bag. I routinely stash my pack in a trash bag to attend concerts, go to bars etc.

I use them as a tarp or raincoat. Get the huge industrial sized ones and they fit over you and your pack. Durable too.
I just bring mt shit with me to the bar lol.

 

[LiveFreeDieFree]

Telescopic fishing poles are nice to have too.

 

[Deleted member 2626]

Yes ditto to both of what you said used trash bags many times to kind of hide my shit to where if someone did come.across it they think its trash. I carry a little pvc fishing I made with end caps. Gear goes inside the pipe and outside is line and you use it like a baton almost to throw the line out. Definitely books too and a small.Gerber hatchet

 

[Deleted member 20]

Yes ditto to both of what you said used trash bags many times to kind of hide my shit to where if someone did come.across it they think its trash. I carry a little pvc fishing I made with end caps. Gear goes inside the pipe and outside is line and you use it like a baton almost to throw the line out. Definitely books too and a small.Gerber hatchet

I think i have one of thoee hatchets but i only used it once. Black plastic handle made by fiskars for gerber?

 

[Deleted member 2626]

Made by fiskars im not sure but yeah black molded plastic handle that a knife magnetizes in the bottom I lost the knife 5,or 6 times then a good awhile ago she disappeared for good. Good little hatchet though and stays sharp I use it a lot for delimping and splitting kindling

 

[autumn]

A tiny tackle box and a cheapo telescopic fishing pole are nice to have. Pack down well, weigh next to nothing, and gives you a free meal + a way to kill time. Most wouldn't survive being in your bag when thrown off of a train though, unless you have a hard case for it.

 

[johnnymarie]

seconding the first aid kit. can't tell you how many times some dumb kid would be thinking out loud, "i think this might have staph" while looking over his wounds. maybe i really am a mama bear but gotdamnit i can't see a kid with an infected puncture wound and not offer to clean the motherfucker for him/her. keep your fliggen wounds clean for crying out LOUD!
also, antibiotics.
otherwise, those compressable dog food/water bowls make me feel like a responsible pet owner when everyone else is giving their dogs water out of mcdonalds cups from the trash.
a second pair of shoes. i just carry around a pair of old beat up chucks for when my boots get wet. not very heavy and totally worth the pack space in my opinion.
sharpening stone for my knife. fuzies. matches.

 

[johnnymarie]

ALSO: CONDOMS. CONDOMS. CONDOMS. not only for me but for my compadres. YOU'RE GOING TO CATCH SOMETHING AND IT MIGHT BE AIDS YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE ANYBODY'S GENITALS HAVE BEEN. i don't care how many crust points i lose for slipping condoms in my friends packs when they're not looking. THEY'RE FREE EVERYWHERE AND THEY COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE STOP BEING STUPID. sorry for the mini rant but COME ON. it's important.

 

[Deleted member 2626]

Johnymarie I had a collapsible bowl from Walmart and it started leaking I wound back up with my reliable bottom of a half gallon jug cut out for my dogs fish. Last forever and packs down enough for his pack but they would be good for food though I reckon instead of liquid plus I don't like my dogndrinking from water soaking in nylon cloth