What are the top 5 items on your pack list?

Hi all, just been reading on the HUBB forum, always go for a read, now and then, so mutch info on there even though it is mainly bikers stuff, can apply for 4 wheels as well.

Just read the post on the subject, so lets see what people will put on there list,

here is my post,
Things are a lot differant know than in my younger days, 60 odd years ago, met an older guy who showed me is little tin of emergancy items, a pice of string, 2 matchs and striker, 4 rubber bands, paper clips, toilet paper, and a peg, I did make my own up simeler to his,

today, after sleeping bag cooking stuff some food and water,
head torch,
cable ties
duck tape
debit card, (will never have a credit card)
flint and striker.
one last item I always have with me is a pocket knife.


we do have a 4x4 but have lerned that now to not take a lot of stuff and bring back a lot of stuff never used.

Alcoholic spirit - purely for medicinal purposes of course!

Tube of Savlon, cures a multitude of evils.

Camera attached to your belt. Even larger cameras can be carried in a bum bag. Nothing worse that climbing up a rocky incline and as you peer though the bushes a wonderful panoramic view greets you or a dozen vultures / an eagle swoops close to you ... only then do you remember you left your soddin' camera in the vehicle!!!

Beer! No seriously, small cans of beer abroad are excellent ways of saying thank you to folk you meet along the way. They are a small but effective way of connecting with people. Bit difficult in Muslim countries though, in which case you have to adapt and carry sweets or something else they'd like. You get my drift.

The one item I have with me almost all of the time is my Leatherman Charge multi-tool. I am convinced it will effectively make my life longer as I don't need to stop whatever I am doing and go and get the plier / knife / screwdriver / bottle opener / scissors / snips. This must save me several minutes every day, even just 2 minutes per day saved over the 25 years I have carried a tool like this adds up to more than 12 day. That's 12 days worth of time I have had for doing other stuff rather than going to get that tool.

Other items I always carry when traveling in a vehicle is tape, cable ties and some wire. Over and above this my phone and wallet are the only things I don't leave home without especially now that a phone can double as a torch, sat nav, atlas, camera.

Actually I didn't even think about a multi-tool. I've have one on my belt since 1997 (formerly a basic Leatherman and nowadays a Gerber) so it's become part of me ... hence I never even included it in my first post.

Agree 100% was you're saying, it's saved my countless hours too - truly invaluable.

Tom Mc wrote:

Actually I didn't even think about a multi-tool. I've have one on my belt since 1997 (formerly a basic Leatherman and nowadays a Gerber) so it's become part of me ... hence I never even included it in my first post.

Agree 100% was you're saying, it's saved my countless hours too - truly invaluable.

I did not included it, because it is always in car with outher tools,

Hmmm! Difficult one this, I would have to say pocket knife, water, cable ties the old faithful WD40 and my iPad to while away the hours while waiting for the AA.

Here are the most important stuff for us for Overlanding:

http://www.4x4tripping.com/2014/02/Top-8-Equipment-Ausruestung-overlanding.html

A bit more than a packlist who is mentioned here - but maybe also helpful.

Surfy