Gear Items

[ThorntonOL]

I'm putting together GTL gear along with my regular gear and have been looking around for the acohol pens, where would I get them other than the net?
Also saw some LED lightsticks for sale can they be used instead of the old chem one use?

What do you use to waterproof your gear? (Like the spare uniform and other items that won't fit in a nice lunch baggie or freezer bag)
Are we suppose to have the magnesium lighter with flint? or is that just something extra?

Mapcases, is ok to sub a gallon freezer bag for that?

First aid kits, other than what is basic for your gear what would you include? (just rgeular ground team or GTL.)

Any other gear packing hints will be helpful.

[IceNine]

Alcohol pens are the same one's used on overheads in schools.  Any office store will carry them.

Map cases are whatever keeps your maps dry.

I put everything in ziplocks, except electronics which are either by nature waterproof or go in an otterbox.

FA-Moleskin (or bandaid blister ban's), various waterproof bandaids ( a little superglue never hurts), a good way to clean any wounds you may get, GOOD tweezers that can get spinters and the like out

The batt powered lightsticks work as well as the chem lights, batteries can be difficult to find depending on style.

Whatever works for you to make fire is fine.  Mag sticks, metal matches, zippo, waterproof zippo (preffered), etc.

[_]

When they say alcohol pens I think they're referring to permanent markers.  Dry or wet erase markers don't work well as they come off very easily.  Permanent markers will come off with alcohol pads as long as you don't wait too long to remove the marks.  The longer the permanent marker marks are left on the case the harder it will be to remove.  I've heard that soaking a map case with rubbing alcohol with remove stubborn marks but I have not tried that myself so I can't personally verify that.  If you use ziplock bags for a map case then permanent markers are even less of an issue because you can just throw the bag away.

[Eclipse]

Your best bet is china markers, they come off with a wet cloth, but stick through rain, etc.

Alcohol pens are fine on a dry day, but if the tip gets wet, you're done.

Nothing wrong with a zip lock for a map case, I've used clear sheets of plastic laminate over the map as well.  (if you have a lamina tor, just put an empty sleeve through - wa la!)

[Senior]

Brigade Quartermaster has alcohol map pens.  Made by Staedtler.  Under the Lumocolor brand name. They are permanent and require a correction pen or eraser also sold in the same add.  I agree a simple permanent marker will work. 

For a fire starter I would use a lighter and not mess with matches.  The
magnesium fire starters are good in every situation, but it takes a long time to create a pile of shavings to ignite. 

I have seen the battery glow lights.  Replacing the batteries would be expensive versus buying a 2.00 dollar chem light.  The lights I looked at
took 3 or 4 watch batteries per light.

Ziploc makes very large storage bags.  I would look on line for a source.
Ziplocs make great map cases.   

[Al Sayre]

-snip-

I have seen the battery glow lights.  Replacing the batteries would be expensive versus buying a 2.00 dollar chem light.  The lights I looked at
took 3 or 4 watch batteries per light.

-snip-

Don't know where you are looking at the battery glow lights, but I get mine for about $3.00 at Walmart.  They're LED lit, and last about 50 times longer than a chem light.  Batteries goes dead, toss it and buy a new one and you are still about $97 ahead.  Also chem lights do not last forever in storage either, about 2 years without special storage...

[ol'fido]

Always carry multiple methods to start fires.

1) Strike Anywhere Matches. These are the ones with the little white tip on the match head. Or British lifeboat matches. These are the ones with the really thick match head thatgoes about halfway down the stick. Avoid the "waterproof" matches(junk), paper matches, and strike-on-box matches. Waterproof your matches yourself by melting and little candle wax or parrafin and dipping the match heads in it. Carry in a waterproof container(film cans are good).

2) Metal Match or Magnesium match. You don't really need to shave the magnesium match unless you want to. Always carry a film can filled with cotton balls that have been dipped in petroleum jelly or parrafin.

3) Butane Lighter. Keep it simple. Get the clear body ones so you can see when it's goin dry. Do not get novelty lighters or lighters with child safety devices. These can be hard to operate if you are really cold. Just be careful to keep them from the kiddies.

[Eclipse]

Don't know where you are looking at the battery glow lights, but I get mine for about $3.00 at Walmart. 

Link or pic?