Pill Bottles

[Eaglebait Ranch]

I do not like searching through my pack(s) for small items, in this case cooking spices or whatever.

I got 10 rather small plastic pharmacy pill bottles with "push and twist" lids (they are water tight and spill proof). I figure I can easily store a weeks worth of stuff : dried honey, dried butter, dried vinegar, salt, fresh ground pepper, garlic powder, ground cinnamon, dried garlic pieces, curry powder, tooth powder, etc and whatever.

The next problem I wanted to address was keeping them together, so I would not have to go searching through my pack(s) looking for them. I found a plastic fish lure holder thingy, about 8" x 3.5" x 1", with a snap lid, which has three divider slots on the inside, holding exactly 3 bottles per slot.

I think this will work:D

[Bigdog57]

I recently picked up a bagged set of small clear plastic bottles in various sizes. I am taking a few vitamin supplements, so when I geared up for my recent bike camping meet, I put a day's supply of them in each of the smaller bottles. Made it neat and easy.
I also use the 4 oz. bottles from another set to carry a dose of Seafoam gas additive - one motorcycle tankful treated per bottle. Good for longer roadtrips.

[renodesertfox]

Hey, guys thanks for this tip!:D I would keep wooden matches in several empty pill bottles I always have...being a disabled Vet, I almost a pill junkie. Never thought about using them for anything else, but with Rancher's use for them I'm discovering that they are a very useful item to pack other stuff into them! Thanks, Chuck!

[Eaglebait Ranch]

Never thought about using them for anything else, but with Rancher's use for them I'm discovering that they are a very useful item to pack other stuff into them! Thanks, Chuck!

Hey, that is what these forums are all about. Ya never know where some idea comes from.

I may have mentioned it in another post, but I usually take at least 2 pill bottles with strike anywhere matches. I glue a striker pad, from the box the matches came in, to the side of the bottle - just in case a rock can not be found.

Because I am always looking at ways to make what I take lighter and or smaller, one of the things we have around here are small plastic bottles - zip loc bags pack better, but they also find ways to tear or rip. So, I use bottles.

Plastic contact lens holders:

In one I have Utter Butter (chafing) in one side and Chap Stick in the other. The bowl of the container holds enough Chap Stick to last all summer, if I need it.

In one I put tooth powder (toothpaste takes up 3 to 4 times the volume as tooth powder). In the other, dental floss.

[Waterfowler84]

Another great item to use for storage of small things are old 35 mm film canisters. I use them for keeping my dry flies for flyfishing sorted and of course dry. Never thought of old pill bottles, might have to think about that. I feel horrible throwing out plastics and if I can find another use for them I will. Thanks for the suggestion!

[Stone]

To eliminate having to carry matches, just throw a couple of Bic lighters in your pack. They last a long time, and work even if they get wet.

[Richard18]

I actually used to do this in college when I was a Stage Manager, in my kit. I actually use the same one that I used to store batteries for my LED flashlight in my SM kit, as I do in my backpack now. I would keep all kinds of things in there. I also found that the little bottles that you store camera film in work just as well.

[Eaglebait Ranch]

To eliminate having to carry matches, just throw a couple of Bic lighters in your pack. They last a long time, and work even if they get wet.

Ya have to remember that I have the dominate "ultra-light" gene for backpacking, even trail pounding with a llama.

I think I have the luckiest llama in the world, when it comes to what he carries. He can carry 80-100 pounds (starting off on the trail), but I have never had him over 40 pounds (carrying gear and food for 7 days, once). Even knowing he is carrying my gear, I still use single led flashlights which use those quarter size batteries, I carry dried food to eat, the minimalist of clothing needs and cooking needs.

As for lighting a fire, the "ultra-light" gene takes over. I count out and pack 3 matches per day on the trail, and no more than that. There is almost a 99% chance that I won't make a fire for lunch, so there is a "wiggle room" factor built in. On the other hand, there isn't a meal that I take, after re-hydrating it, that can't be eaten cold, if needed.

Bic lighters are convenient, but the "ultra-light" gene would tell me there are too many "starts" in it for the days I would be on the trail, therefore, I'm taking more than what is needed. Then, when it gets low on fuel, another one has to be taken, adding more weight and space.

I am not complaining. I am only explaining what goes through the mind of one of us purist (almost) ultra-lighters on the trail. And, one of the reasons I backpack is so I can figure out a way to make my pack/gear even lighter for the next time I trail pound.

On the other hand, my wife will cut off all the tags on her clothes, shorten her shoe laces, and shorten the straps on whatever has a strap on it, in order to get her load down to the brass patooty:p.

When she goes out for 8 days, which she will be doing this Tuesday, her pack (with food) will start on the trail weighing a hare's breath over 21 pounds.

:rolleyes:That's my two cents worth on the subject of fire starting tools :rolleyes:

[Eaglebait Ranch]

Larger diameter pill bottle holds $8.00 worth of laundry quarters. I keep a pill bottle of quarters in my "Emergency" box in the van.

[immortal_ben]

Re: Pill Bottles

I keep my pills in zippy bags and use the pill bottles for things like sewing needles, thread, small nail clippers. Fill empty space with cotton balls to eliminate rattle and serve as emergency fire tinder.