Classic!

Took wife and both kids car camping. Youngest was not yet one.

Diaper-changing time arrives, as expected. Wife wades into the job and asks me for the diaper bag. I politely ask where she packed it. SILENCE. "I thought you packed it" was her reply.

"No, diaper bags are your job; camping gear mine." Went over like lead balloon.

Bottom line - pun intended - our daughter got potty-trained in the state park.

Bob: Wasn't our fault (it was Alaska Airlines') but we ended up in a bear-infested camprgound (Brooks Camp, Katmai National Park) with 5 month-old, two diapers in the carry-on, no sleeping bags, and no tent. The Park Service and other campers are very helpful in such a situation. The next jet arrived before we resorted to using shorgum moss.

Early on, my wife and I would each assume the other (a very competent traveler and BPer) would have some little thing - flashlight, wallet, etc. - and not sweat it. Too often we'd each skip the same thing.

Forgot my tent this weekend. Luckily I realized it before I got my permit and hit the trail, but too late to turn around.

I still got a quasi-backpacking trip out of it! Even though I only had a day permit!

Went up to Mt. Rainier to ostensibly get a new National Parks pass and just go for a short hike. Well, it was a great day for early March (cold but clear) so I grab my pack from the backseat and start hiking up from Paradise toward Camp Muir. The day gets later and later and by the time I turn around, it's getting dark. No problem. I reach into the pack for my headlamp and...wrong pack.I have a busted laptop in this bag and a t-shirt. Jacket is back in other pack in the car, along with gloves...got lost coming down for trying to take a shortcut (STUPID) and end up getting really turned around. Had it not been for a cell phone, a ranger turning on her floodlight, I would have walked the wrong way. Was I turned around. Moral of the story: if you have two identical day packs, make sure you identify the one for hiking and the one for work.

Remember kids, it ain't the first mistake you make, it's all the subsequent mistakes that really add up.


Dirk

First time: I was young, and my dad and I were going on one of our early trips, five days on Isle Royale National Park. We lived in southeastern Michigan and drove the whole way to Houghton. When we were unpacking the truck to get into the motel late at night after the drive, I realized my boots were sitting next to the door at home, placed there so I wouldn't forget them. Dad was kind enough to buy me new boots, but of course I got mad blisters and it seriously cut into our itinerary.

Another time: I bought a synthetic belt (instead of leather) with the intent on using it both around town and backpacking. I fell into the habit that one pair of pants got one belt, another got a different for a couple days. I wore the jeans with the leather belt to Glacier NP, thinking I had packed my "backpacking" belt to change into when the time came along with hiking pants. Nope; had to wear the leather belt the whole trip, and I sweated enough that the leather stretched and I ruined the belt. Not a big deal, and if hiking pants were made in my size would have never happened.

Now I just wear whatever I'm going to hike in when I leave the house, whether it's a dayhike or a week-long trip.

I always lose my photon light before a trip; then I always find it clipped to a hanger in the tent after I've pitched...

toothbrush.
once.
NEVER again.

Cheese. Every time. Spend a half-hour the day before picking out the perfect wedge at the yuppie food mart, bring it home, throw it in the fridge, and...

in the summer, after a hot 100F day hike, I like to reward myself with an ice cold iced tea in the car upon my return.

I used to leave a bottle in the freezer, and then I would forget to take it out in the AM when I head out.

Then I tried to outsmart myself.

I put my car key in the freezer with the bottle, that way I would not be able to leave the house without it.

I even left a post-it note on my wallet. "keys and bottle in the freezer"

I wake up at dark o'clock, trying to sneak out without waking up the Mrs or the dog, get dressed quietly, dang it! where are my keys? I know I left them somewhere obvious. but where? WHERE?

Edited by RogerDodger on 02/14/2012 10:12:25 MST.

I am always forgetting my spoon. Cut my lip once using my knife to eat noodles.

I ALMOST completely forgot my pack before a 2 day trip. I would have had to swipe some food from my friends and bear grylled it at night

I also forget my headlamp sometimes. Campfire light gives me enough room to do things, but some stuff goes missing until morning. The worst was having my headlamp in my sweatshirt pocket and having it fall out when I was walking outside of camp. No headlamp to find my missing headlamp!

>"Now I just wear whatever I'm going to hike in when I leave the house, whether it's a dayhike or a week-long trip."

+1

Prepack the post-trip clothes days in advance and have them already in the car.

I forgot my dog's food one time on a 3 day trip. All his gear was on the list except for food. We hustled and did the trip in 2 days instead of 3 and he shared my food. Could have been worse. Could have been the other way around!

"Cheese. Every time. Spend a half-hour the day before picking out the perfect wedge at the yuppie food mart, bring it home, throw it in the fridge, and..."

I couldn't have described it better myself. Peter hit the nail on the head.


Not backpacking related but a funny story nonetheless. Years ago I was a reserve firefighter. I woke up late one night to the alarm, pulled on my turnouts and zombie-walked my way to the fire engine. We were rolling to the call and I woke up enough to realise I was in my socks. My boots were back at the station next to my bed. Thank goodness someone had left their wildland boots in the back seat of the engine. I have never been so happy in all my life to find shoes 2 sizes to big. :)

I once forgot my tent poles with my freestanding tent. Then, a few months later I forgot my tent stakes with my non-freestanding tent.
Both times the items were forgotten when transferring from one backpack to another. So, check your gear lists during pack transfers too!

Accidentally left some piece(s) of gear at home? Honestly, never.

Of course, now that I said it, the next trip... :)

I always pack the same way putting the stuff in the same order so I usually have all the necessary bits with me.
The only item I forgot in the last few trips was my mini Bic but I had a magnesium bar anyway.
I had however a strange moment on my last trip when having almost finished setting up my tent I was looking for the extra strut for the back of the shelter.
I had seen it when I unfolded the shelter but after going around the tent and looking under it , I still could not find it.
Turns out that I was carrying it and a peg on my left hand.
Franco

It's been years since I have forgotten anything major that lives in my pack. After each trip I clean everything, replaced used items, and put everything that don't need to stay lofted back in the pack. Lofted items after they are dry go into a huge cotton bag. So when I go I grab pack, grab the cotton bag, load a food container, and I am off without forgetting anything... except....

one trip I forget my hiking clothing.. which is a big problem since my hiking clothing is typically all my clothing except a vest, rain jacket, and extra pair of socks. Normally I wear "street clothing" to trailhead, change into hiking clothing, and then when I returned to the car change back into my street clothing. I left the bay area wearing trail runners (thank god), no socks, cotton shorts, cotton tee (it was quite warm). South Lake was going to be my trailhead. It was early summer (cool + bugs). Stopped in Bishop for lunch when I realized no hiking clothing. Thankful I had my debit card and Eastern Mountain Sport was a block away so was able to purchase a pair of socks, hiking pants, a supplex shirt, which were very much needed getting the bugs and sun on that trip.

Since then hiking clothing live in a stuff sack which is at the top of the pack until I hit trailhead so I don't forget them again.

--Mark

Edited by verber on 02/15/2012 17:42:59 MST.

>"The only item I forgot in the last few trips was my mini Bic but I had a magnesium bar anyway"

I should put a label on my pack that says, "TSA won't allow lighters, fuel, bug juice" as a reminder to take it out for trips on commercial flights and to replace them at the other end.

There were several things I always had in my around-town day pack (Bic, Swarmy knife, nail file) that now live in my car because I use that same pack as airline carry-on.

headlamp!

i keep mine inside so that the cold doesn't drain the batteries. i end up forgetting it more than i'd like to admit. makes for interesting evenings :D

>but I had a magnesium bar anyway.

I prefer a king size Snickers bar. Tastes better.