First Aid

Band aides various sizes:  Personally I love the cloth band aids.  They are flexible, tend to take a better beating and stay fairly well in place even when wet.  There a lot of different brands and kins of band aides.  Go with what works best.  Saving money is fine, but if your having to replace that band aid several times because the last one fell off again, your really not saving anything at all.  (of course, if the band aid needs to be changed because of the wound, that is different).  My favorite kinds of band aides are the knuckle and finger tip band aides.  They serve a large variety of wounds.  They are a mainstay at my house.  (I have kids ;) )

Gauze pads:  Gauze pads come in a variety of sizes.  You can buy many different sizes, and I recommend that when loading your kit.  However, when stuck with only one size I'd prefer it is a large size.  These can be cut down or folded as needed.  Two or three can be added together and folded, then place in the palm of the hand and tied to secure wounds in the palm.  Or they can be folded over several times for more absorbency. 

Triangle bandages:  Triangle bandages are easy to do, can come if a few different sizes, can be home made, and serve many purposes.  The easiest triangle bandages are bandanna's the are folded corner to corner.  I prefer flower sack towels.  They are larger, and they are fairly trendy, making them easier to find.  Even places like Walmart carry them from time to time.  You can also buy pre-made triangle bandages from several different outlets.  A triangle bandage can be used for things like head wounds, securing sprains, slings for arms, and pressure bandages.  Because they are multi functional they are essential.

Medical tape:  I recommend getting two types of medical tape.  One is a cloth tape, used mostly for sports injuries, in the real world.  I like to use them to hold bandages, especially if those bandages need to stay in place for awhile.  The other med tape I like to use, is the waterproof cloth tape.  It is thinner than the fabric tape and can be utilized for smaller patients more easily.  It also works better in places like hands, fingers, and toes, and areas like the face.  Both tapes rip fairly easily, making scissors not as essential, (even though I still have them in my kit).  If there is a tape that your familiar with that you like, be sure and add it, or replace one of these two with it. 

Alcohol wipes:  It's your choice, alcohol and cotton balls or cotton pads, or alcohol pads.  These come in single packets. They are excellent for quick cleaning a wound and hands that will be dealing with that wound.  You can get them for as little as 100 for $1.41.  (These are also great to keep in your vehicle and your vehicle first aid or emergency kit.)

Iodine tincture:  This has a couple great uses.  It helps to prevent wound infection, and also can be used to clean water when needing to capture river or lake water for drinking.  To use iodine to clean water recipe is, 5-10 drops per 32 oz of water, depending on the clarity of the water, IE; the foggier the water the more drops of iodine.  For better instructions than I have listed here. 

Triple antibiotic:  This salve, has many great qualities when it comes to protecting a wound from infection.  There are name brands and generics.  Both work very well.  They come in tubes of various sizes and label colors.  Most are less than $3.00 dollars a tube. 

Cotton balls:  These have several uses.  Iodine, alcohol, bentadine, calamine lotion or peroxide over a large area.  They can also be a part of a single person water filter.  How about, soaked in alcohol and then used to start an emergency fire?  Or, under a band aid as a modified pressure bandage.  There are several uses, and many reasons to carry at least a few of them.  The next best thing is cotton pads in place of cotton balls.  They take up less space, are fairly absorbent, and can be used in almost the same way as cotton balls. 

Q-tips:  These are great for smaller issues, especially with kids.  Applying ointments on sores, or wounds, especially around sensitive areas like the eyes is made easier with q-tips. 

Tweezers:  No kit is complete with out tweezers.  They are most often thought of as a cure for slivers.  However they can also be used, as a tool, for fix its, like eye glasses.  They can be used to pull out stingers, thorns, or any malady that requires a small headed tool. 

Fingernail clippers:  These are great for snagged nails, but also for clipping the edges of cuts, and dried skin that has become irritated from snagging everything.  They also come in handy for cutting or trimming fishing line, and sewing thread.

Finger nail file:  This has similar uses to fingernail clippers.  It can also be used for oddities, like filing a hose connection to make any tape or glue stick better.  Taking off the rough spots on the ends of fiberglass poles for your tent.  (Ever had fiberglass slivers?  Ouch!)  And on a real stretch, cleaning off battery connections.

Scissors:  At least one small pair of scissors should be included in every kit.  They come in handy from the most simple uses, to the most emergent situations.  They should be large enough to cut off clothes when necessary, but small enough not to be inconvenient.  And sharp!  There are many different pairs of medical scissors now available that have a "lip" to make getting under bandages, or clothing easier. 

Knife:  Knives can be very personal tools, depending on how much that person uses them.  I like folding, safety knives.  (Especially for beginners or kids)  However, there are many, many brands, sizes, shapes and use knives.  I recommend going to a local store that sells knives and talk to the people there.  Bug them for what they know about these tools.  Everyone will have their preference, but if you listen you find the information that is most important to you.  I recommend something that makes sense more for the job it is most likely going to be used for.  Use it, and check it often.  Just as much as you don't want to go into the field with a dirty fire arm, you also don't want to go into the field with a dull knife.  Make sure you have a sharpening stone with you just in case.  it's better however, to make sure your knife gets a good inspection after you get back home or home base.  And please remember never to put your knife away dirty or wet.  There is nothing worse than needing that knife, you haven't used nor seen your knife in awhile, and now it's dull and rusty.

Multi tool:  These have become very popular over the last several years.  They are a great tool and a welcome change to having to bring several different tools to accomplish simple tasks.  There are a variety of brands and manufacturers.  They all come with basic tools, like the pliers and knife, perhaps a screw driver.  After the basics, they all have their little specialties too.  It really doesn't matter to much what kinds of extras they have, unless your looking for something in particular.  With that being said, spend the little bit of extra and buy the multi tool that has been designed to be "soft" on your hands.  What good is a tool that cuts into your hands when you use them?  Can you imagine taking that same tool and trying to use it in an emergency?  Some of them even have a rubberized or softer grip on the handles that will help to protect your hands.

Lip balm/ chap stick:  At least one of these should always be accessible when in the out doors.  Even a little bit of wind can really take the moisture out of your lips.  A split lip is a miserable lip.  I like chap stick.  It is simple, inexpensive, and almost every store carries them.  Even your last minute gas station will have some.  If you tend to be sensitive to the sun, look for any that have sun protection in them

Sewing kit w/fishing line:  Sewing kits are super easy and ridiculous not to have.  They can be found at any number of stores, and can be made if you'd rather not buy one.  One thing we've done to make a sewing kit is to fold a 3 x 5 inch card into a bi or tri fold, and then cut notches parallel to each other on opposite sides of the folded card.  Do this for as many different threads you want to include for your sewing kit.  Also remember to include fishing line.  The only thing you have left to do is add a couple of needles.  Poke the needles into and out of the card.  Now you have a complete sewing kit.

To hold the thread in place we just add a little bit of tape.

Pain relievers and other necessary medications including epi-pens:  What kind of medications do you take on a regular basis?  These are going to need to be with you on any trip.  If you know your going to be gone for a certain number of days, include enough for those number of days plus three more.  If you have allergies that could incapacitate you make sure you have enough of the recommended dose for the amount of time your going to be away from civilization.  Epi-pens are by prescription only and should be taken seriously.  They are life saving medicine for people afflicted with sever allergies that would otherwise die due to anaphylactic shock.  Pain relievers are good to have just in case you need to treat simpler problems like pain.  (aspirin has the added benefit of helping with bee stings when made into a paste.)  I would recommend a combination of both Ibuprofen and Tylenol.  Both have benefits that assist each other in pain and swelling reduction.

Steri strips:  These and butterfly bandages are great for quick laceration closures.  Steri strips are more flexible than butterfly bandages.  Both allow wounds to "breathe" while healing.  For the Nexcare brand you can get 18 for about $10.50 online.

Batteries:  I like to keep at least 1 extra set of batteries for every thing that needs batteries.  Usually it's only flashlights, but on longer trips, we'll need them for a portable radio. 

Matches:  You've probably seen this one listed on a couple of the different sections of "lists".  I make sure in every camping, 72 hour, food storage, and trip bag, that we have sources for fire in a couple different places.  This makes them easy to find, and if one supply runs out, a back up source.   There are a couple different match brands and types.  You can buy water proof matches, or you can make them.  You can also purchase waterproof match containers.  Some people like book matches, some, prefer stick matches. 

Lighter:  Different shapes, different sizes, different fuels in some cases.  Choose the one you like best.  Lighters are a great back up for matches, often don't need to worry about water proofing, (unless there is prolonged exposure), and are quite reliable.

Candle:  Candles are great for a lot of different purposes out in the field.  We normally keep 1 regular white 6 inch candle in our kit.  Candles provide light, a way to start a fire, a way to sterilize pins or other instruments being used for wounds, and a water proofing agent.

Fish hooks:  If your on a fishing trip, your gonna already have these in your gear.  I still recommend putting them with your first aid kit.  You can buy fish hooks already tied to leaders.  They are easily tied to fishing line or even, (if your creative), to the end of a nylon line.  Bate could be tricky.  You have a couple of options, buy a small jar of bait, (salmon eggs, or power bait) or you can take your chances with finding bait where you are.  Worms will come out at night if the soil is wet.  However there are a myriad of other bugs and critters you can use for bait.  (The best thing to prepare for fishing, is to go out an do it.  You can read about it, and gain a base knowledge, but to actually go out and discover what it means to be a fisherman will make all the difference in those unforeseen and unknown situations.

Ace wrap:  There are at least three different sizes of ace bandages.  Large, medium and small.  I recommend, for the purpose of your first aid kit, use the medium sized one.  It can be folded in half to accommodate smaller sprains like wrists, or it can be adequately utilized to maintain a larger sprain like a knee or elbow.  Anything larger than that is most likely going to need immediate medical attention.  Breaks can be secured in field via other means, (Triangle bandage and splints in combination with the ace wrap.  If large enough you can also add clothing that has been "stripped".  "Stripping" means to rip clothing into strips for the purposes of tying an injury or securing a splint.)

Self adhesive bandage wraps:  These are great.  They were first invented when vets and pet owners needed a way to secure bandages without tape.  Tape is pretty nasty to have to pull off of fur.  These self adhesive wraps helped to solve that problem.  Not long after they hit the market for pets, people could see the value in using them for their own injuries.  As long as they are clean they can be used a few times before they lose their self adherence.  (In the field your going to have to make the determination of cleanliness.  Sometimes, the wrap is worth reusing as long as possible because there are no other options.  It's not the best scenario, but it is a possibility.)

Cold compress:  Many places now sell single use cold compresses.  This is not really a need, more of a want.  However when they are available they are well worth the effort and weight.  If you or someone in your party is prone to nose bleeds, I would definitely recommend several of these.  During a nose bleed, place one of these compresses on the back of your neck and lean forward.  This will help shrink the blood vessels which will make the nose bleed less enduring.  If you are prone to nose bleeds, you probably already know this.  ;)

Sting relief:  There are a few products on the market now that create a relief from stings, and insect bites.  There are also several ways to get stings, not all of them come from insects.  Besides commercial products, the 2 ways I have found that always have provided significant relief are mud, and a paste made from water and crushed aspirin.  These two remedies, in my family, have been tried and true on dozens of occasions.  However, of there is a particular product you are familiar with, and like, absolutely include it in your kit.

Absorbent compress:  AKA, the thick absorbent bandage.  (From personal experience, this could even be a diaper.)  Absorbent compress are meant to do three things, keep the wound clean, absorb copious amounts of blood, and slow or even stop the flow of blood.  They can be purchased or made.  Something as simple as a diaper, as mentioned earlier, or even a bandanna that has been rolled and then tied over the wound.  Folded material lashed with ties over the wound.  Your looking to accomplish those three things when purchasing, or making an absorbent compress.  Keep the wound clean, absorb copious amounts of blood, and slow or even stop the flow of blood.

Rubber gloves:  You should have several pairs of gloves in any of your first aid kits.  They are especially important in today's society, when so many illness and infections break sterile barriers on a regular basis.  Not only are sterile, rubber gloves, meant to protect you, they are meant to protect the person you are caring for.  Now days, you can purchase rubber gloves almost anywhere.  They come readily in preparedness stores, the paint section at the hardware store, the craft store, and can even be found at the dollar store. 

Ammonia inhalant:  These are used when someone has fainted, or is about to faint.  They are fairly easy to purchase, and can be found for as little as $24.00 per 100.  I recommend having at least a few on hand.  More if there is someone in your party that may be prone to fainting. 

Flashlight:  This like matches, is a redundant item, and missed when no around.  I like to keep one in my main pack, but also at least a small one, or a headlamp in my first aid kit.  The advantage to a head lamp is the hands free.  They have become very popular and therefore in most cases a standard of equipment.  (make sure you have at least one set of extra batteries.)

Whistle:  Just an exercise, the next time your out with your family, have one of them walk a distance away and try screaming to get someone attention.  See how long they can keep up the volume and the screaming.  (I think kids have a natural ability to scream as a survival mechanism.)  Whistles allow you to call for help with out losing your voice.  The noise they make also carries for a much longer distance than your voice can.  Any camping section at any store is going to have whistles.  They come in a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes.  For kids, I like the bright orange ones.  (If by chance your child has become lost, and heaven forbid they drop their whistle, bright orange will attract the observers eye and hopefully bring that child back to safety quickly.)

Compass:  Take the time to learn how to use this valuable, and time tested tool.  Before you purchase a compass, make sure that you can SEE it working.  Even the most expensive compass is useless if the needle sticks.  Compass's give direction and comfort.  IF you have kids, take the time to teach them.  They need to know how a compass works just as much as you do. 

Hard candy:  I learned this trick from a diabetic.  Low blood sugar can make us think and do strange things.  Out in the wild is no place to have this happen.  Even if your not diabetic, this will come in handy.  Not only will a hard candy help to revive you if your blood sugar has become low, it can also help to keep the lining of your mouth moister, if you lack water.  It is a comfort that can soothe what ails you, at least for a short time.

Hand and body warmer:  Hand warmers come in a variety of different sizes now.  You can put them in your socks, under your clothes, in your gloves and in your sleeping bag.  There are two basic kinds, rechargeable and single use.  (In my 72 hour kit I have both.  If I am in a position that I cannot recharge the one, I can use the other.  Both are fairly inexpensive and work really well.  They are not necessarily a need, but do make those chilly camping trips much more enjoyable.

Poncho/ rain gear:  It doesn't matter if your forecast for your trip was 100% sunny sky's and no rain for months.  Ponchos have more uses than just protecting you from the rain.  They can also be used to cover yourself from the sun, gathering water, carrying possible food stuffs, or even a layer between you and the cold ground, IE; a tarp.  (If you forgot your poncho and there seems to be no end to the rain, a good sturdy garbage bag makes a great second choice.  All you need to do is cut holes for your arms and head.) 

Solar emergency blanket:  Solar blankets help to hold your body's heat in an enclosed, reflective space.  They help keep patients warm that may be experiencing shock, or children warm that didn't realize how cold the lake really was.  Most can be found for extremely reasonable prices.  They are wrapped compact and take up very little space. 

Wind up light/ radio:  I added this because it is what I have in my kit.  It is a flashlight that has a wind up arm.  It also has a built in radio.  It does not require batteries.  We found ours at the local Army Navy Surplus store.

Sun block:  This should already be included in your car, or in other areas of your pack.  However, we like to keep an extra in our first aid kit as well.  Most of the camping we do is during the summer, and with out fail, someone always forgets their sunblock.  Having the extra one in our first aid kit makes every one's life a little more carefree.

Bug dope or spray:  Mosquito's and flies are tenacious creatures that will find you if you forgot your repellent.  They're motivation is eating, and breeding.  They need to eat to have healthy eggs, and you are their main course.  Don't be shy about spraying your clothes.  We have spent many hours itching because the bug avoided the bare skin that sprayed and just bit us through our clothing.  Don't spray your face with bug spray, spray your hands and then apply to your face.  The last thing you'll ever want to do is accidentally get bug spray in your eyes.  It hurts like the dickens, and will get your eyes watering.  (With young kids, instead of spraying they're hands with bug spray, try putting long pants, long sleeves, and gloves, or mittens. Then remember to spray the rest of their exposed skin.  (don't forget their hair, especially with thin or short hair.)  Mosquito's and flies can be found nearly everywhere.  Even in a seemingly waterless desert. 

Safety pins:  These also have many uses.  They are great for quick fixes, and once sterilized, lancing blisters and infections.  (They are also supposed to a good alternative for fish hooks, but I have yet to be able to prove that one.  As soon as I do I will update this post.)

Disposable razor:  Hairless wounds are easier to deal with.  A little patience and skill and wounds can be easily dealt with.  This is an item that will with the best of fortune rarely be needed.  However, it is nice to have one when the necessity arises.

Women's sanitary products:  Not only are these great for their intended use, but they can be used as secondary bandage sources.  Even tampons can be used to help stifle a bleeding injury.  It was recommended to one of my family members who suffers from occasional severe nose bleeds that a tampon cut in half would work better than pinching the nose to stop the profuse bleeding. 

Pencil/paper:  Just like leaving notes at home detailing a departure or arrival of family members, these will help point out day time departchers and expected arrivals when out hiking or biking.  This is intended to leave information in case someone has not arrived back at the expected time frame.  It can also be used to point out direction if one is lost or on the hunt for someone. 

Mirror w/hole in the center:  This is used, in case you are lost.  The point of the hole in the center is to look through it and direct your reflected light.  This allows you to get the attention of planes, other hikers, or campers, and so on.  You can make them or buy them.

Eye dropper or medicine dropper:  These are great for their normal uses.  They also make a great delivery system for liquids like alcohols or other fuels.  Oils to tools, and machine parts.  And finally they can multi task as a liquid medicine delivery system.  Sometimes what we can take in a normal situation becomes difficult due to crisis.

Super glue:  This is great for quick seals on minor cuts. 
Mole skin:  This is the coolest stuff.  It is really like a second skin.  This works great for blisters and "hot spots".  It is a little more expensive than the average band aid, but works miracles on feet that have become blistered due to ill fitted shoes.  Most sporting goods stores are going to carry this.  You can also find it at Army Navy surplus stores, preparedness stores and several big box stores.  Look in their band aid section of the store.

Sutures:  At our local preparedness store, we were able to find individually wrapped, sterile sutures.  They are a needle and thread set up.  Provided that the wound needing this kind of care is not considerably deep, or the hint of infection looms, this is a great idea for crisis, deep excursions, and emergency medical situations that will prevent medical help for a length of time.

There are many more items that can be added based on several criteria.  Basic knowledge and skill.  Anticipation of situation.  Number of people in your party.  Area you will be traveling and so on.  Some like to make sure that a snake bite kit is always accessible because they spend a great deal of their time in swamp areas that are notorious for dangerous snakes.  Some are skilled with IVs and carry supplies that would aid them in their kits. 

I highly recommend, even if you have a good solid base for first aid and emergency situations, that you brush up often on your skills.  Make sure to go through your kits at home and in your camping gear at least every 6 months.  It is easy to forget what you have if you have been lucky enough to avoid any large catastrophes.  (Our first aid kit at home is quite large and stocked for more than just first aid.  It carries a supply of batteries, matches, lighters, safety pins, wraps, medicines, alcohol, peroxide, thermometers and so on.  This is the one we use to fill our other smaller kits.  We have to go through this kit at least twice a year to make sure that it is kept fully stocked, more if we can find a good deal on something.  We keep this one as a kit just in case.  If we are in a situation where we have a few minutes to grab it we will.  Better yet, if we can stay home in a crisis, we will be able to handle the unknown with out having to hunt down supplies.)

Hobo stove and burner

Things you will need:

Wax, Paraffin or candles
Saw dust
Dryer Lint
Tuna Can(s)
#10 can
Can opener
Hacksaw, Screw driver and hammer, or tin snips
Chopsticks or Popsicle sticks
Something to measure with
And a church key, (bottle opener with a pointy side)



The Stove

Step one:

First we opened a new # 10 can. We opened a new one so that we would have the metal lid that is cut out. In our case I needed to refill my flour bin anyway so, for us, this wasn't a problem. We also opened two tuna cans, (I did two different homemade burners. I wanted to see what I could come up with at home. In a pinch what materials are available will make a huge difference in effectiveness.)

Step two:

After cutting out the lid, we marked a rectangle on the side of the can starting from the open end. With the open end of the can <up> , using a marker, measure, and then mark 3 inches from the top of the can straight down. You’ll be making two of these marks 4 inches apart.

With a black sharpie marker, we marked the lines we would need to guide our next cuts.  This also gave us a stopping point so that both sides would be as even as possible. In this picture, if you look you can see the notches started with the hack saw.  If you have a pair, I would recommend tin snips for this part.  The hack saw works, but takes an extraordinary amount of patience and good hand strength.

Step three:

With the hacksaw, or the screwdriver and hammer, or the tin snips, you’ll need to cut your three inch lines you've drawn from the open side of the can. The top lip of the can is going to be the most difficult part to cut through.

The hacksaw and snips are self explanatory. The screwdriver trick is potentially difficult but seemed to be a little faster. The one hang-up for the screwdriver is the top edge. I recommend dikes or side cuts, or a hacksaw, at least to get through the rim. With the side cuts you are going to have to work at it, especially if you don’t have much hand strength. You’re going to be using the screwdriver like a chisel. Placing the can between your knees, for support, you’ll place the edge of the screwdriver into the beginning of the cut line. With the hammer hit the back of the screwdriver in a downward motion. This takes redirecting but seems to get through the tough metal quicker. (If you've ever made a piggy bank with a jar and a metal lid, cutting the slot in the lid is the same principle.)

Step four:

Now that you have the 3 inches cut your going to need to cut the “bend” part of the flap you’ve created about an inch in from both sides. This allows the “hinge” to bend and open. This flap is going to be your dampener.

Step five:

Now for the lid you cut out in step one. Place it inside the can so that it rests against the closed end of the can. (This eventually will be the top of your stove.)

Step six:

With your church key, (pointed end of a bottle opener) you’re going to be putting in vent holes while at the same time locking the “cut” lid into place. I did this by firmly holding the can at the edge of the counter, and then placed the “hook” against the bottom of the can, pointy end pointed toward the open end of the can. I opened up the vent holes and at the same time secured the lid into place. 4 or 5 vent holes should be enough.

Flip the stove over so that the open end is now the bottom.

Now your Hobo Stove is finished. Onto the burners.

The Burner(s)

Prepare:

Remove lid, contents, and paper from your tuna can(s).

Break apart the paraffin into chunks.

Put your sawdust or dryer lint into manageable bowls to keep close to your heated wax.

Don’t forget your chopstick, or Popsicle sticks. This is what I used to mix and pack the sawdust and dryer lint into the melted wax.

You can buy paraffin in almost any store, especially stores that carry canning or storage supplies. The one we found and used is four separate bars of wax in a box. We broke apart the wax using a butter knife inside a bowl. Breaking up the wax makes it more manageable and easier to melt.

In the interest of space and no pans, I opted to melt the paraffin directly in the tuna cans. You’ll have to be very careful and stay with the stove while melting the paraffin and adding the other ingredients. Paraffin melts fairly quickly and can reach a boiling point rapidly. I used a combination of low heat and removing the cans from the burner when the wax started to overheat. (Remember you are making a burner, be careful, wax does burn and can catch fire.)

By breaking the wax into little chunks, we made it easier to add to the tuna can, and it melted a little faster.

Process:

Add a few chunks of broken wax to the tuna can. Place the can on the burner and turn the burner on low heat. I maintained my burner at about 2 and a half. It takes a minute to get going but prevents rapid overheating and potential for fire. (Remember to be gentile while mixing. You don’t want to splash the wax to the burner.)

Once the wax has begun to melt you will be able to see more clearly how high the level of your melted wax is. I found that starting the melted wax at about ¾ of the can full made mixing and adding more wax less of a hassle. I also found that by doing wax in two cans at the same time it was easier to add needed wax to my concoction. Once I had the melted wax up to about ¾ of the can I began to add the sawdust. Adding more wax and sawdust and intermittently packing everything down, I eventually filled the tuna can to the top with packed, saturated sawdust.

The process for the dryer lint is the same. Understand that dryer lint is more flammable than sawdust. Don’t do much all at once into the can, but also don’t let the lint touch the burner. Make sure you pack it down too.

Now let your burners stand to solidify the wax. (To speed up the process, you can put your burners in a fridge.)

Both of these burners are in tuna cans and use paraffin wax.  The only difference is one being done with saw dust and one being done with dryer lint. 

Now the experience:

Picture this. Utah, Salt lake City area. Approximately 1:30 in the afternoon, around 38 degrees F, a Sunday. Arms Loaded with all of our homemade items. The hobo stove, the burners, and a pot with some water. We sat out on the front stoop to try out our new found toy. With a cold breeze about 7 mph, and a sunny day we set out to see what we could do with our home made burner and Hobo stove.

Anyway, now that I’m done channeling Sophia from Golden Girls…

Starting the burner was easy. All we did was place it under the Hobo stove with the dampener lifted and put a lit match on the top of the sawdust cake. Leaving the match on top of the burner made starting the burner quick and pain free. It only took a matter of minutes before the top of the stove reached 180 degrees. (Note: the pan we used had a double bottom and we should have started with a lid.) We managed with our little burner and no lid to maintain a temperature of about 120 degrees F. We did not get enough heat for a long enough time to actually boil the water, (that would have required 212 degrees F.)

We tried a couple different tactics to run the fire hotter. The first thing we tried was to set the burner on top of an inverted tuna can. This was to put the flame closer, perhaps making the stove top hotter. No dice on this one.

Next we put the burner back on solid ground, (it looked as if it were losing the draft being up higher). With a stick we stoked the burning embers and found that after 50 minutes the burner had only burned down about a quarter of the way.
So that being the case the next thing we did was to dump out the contents of the burner can and see what we could do with that. We never got to a boil but have faith that we, with some tweaking, will get the bugs out and have a useful tool for the future.

Over all I think our experiment was a success. We had an immediate burn, no fiddling around with trying to light our home made burners. We were able to heat the water to a consistent temperature, even though we didn’t get a boil, I am sure that is just a matter of a few changes to our fuel source and air flow. Also everything we put together, we did with items that can be found around the house and easily purchased. For example, if you don’t have access to a #10 can you can use other large soup or coffee cans. You don’t have to have a pre-made fuel source. You could use wood. There are other ways of cutting the can and putting in the vent holes. The way we chose just made the job faster and easier. This type of Hobo stove can be made in a variety of successful ways. The\ only thing getting in your way is YOUR imagination.

Side note:

Both the sawdust burner and lint burner stayed lit for more than an hour and a half. They did not burn with the same intensity the whole burn, but never had to be re-lit. The best way to get a strong enough flame out of these burners, as they are now, is going to be stoking them during the cooking process.

To put out the burner if there is still a flame, simply flip the burner upside down.  This will snuff out any remaining flame.  Just let it cool before you handle it again with out gloves or oven mitt. 

This burner will burn on a very low flame if left un-attended for more than an hour.  If you need a hotter flame or all of the contents to burn.  I recommend dumping the contents out o the can first before lighting.  This will allow a better stoking of the fire. 

UPDATE:

After this experience making the tuna can burners and hobo stoves we decided to try one other thing.  This will completely burn, and has the advantage of being light weight and easy to carry.  It is fairly quick to start.  Maybe this is what you were thinking of when you saw the word "burner"

The top arrow is showing the contents, the wax and saw dust.  The bottom arrow is showing the "pinched" end.  Pinching the end allowed us to enclose and hold the liquid wax and saw dust.  Once solidified, the roll holds it's shape and the wax stays in place.

As a container for the wax, we can use ordinary toilet paper tubes.  (You can also use paper towel tubes, then cut them with a chop saw, or hack saw.) 

As above, we mixed sawdust and wax until the sawdust is saturated with the wax.  After pinching together one end of the tube, we begin to fill it with the wax/ sawdust mixture. 

Excess wax will drip from the bottom end of the tube, so hold it over the pan you used to melt your paraffin.  Using a plastic spoon, we packed the tube tightly with the wax mixture until just below the top end of the tube.  Then we pinched off the top end of the tube.  In order to avoid getting wax anywhere we didn't want it, we placed the new "burners" onto aluminum foil.  We left them to cool and solidify, and now have another type of burner.

These tubes will burn for more than 45 minutes, without needing to be stoked.  The dark spot on the lower tube is wax that has saturated the wall of the toilet paper roll.  This is a good thing.  It will make lighting these tube even easier. 

These burners, can be easily added to the bottom of a Hobo Stove, or even used to start a fire, when kindling in the are is low or hard to find.  When traditional fireplace starters are hard to find these could be a good second choice.  

A tale of two filters

There is a great group on Face Book called New Survival Skills, if you get the chance you should look them up.  They also have a great NewSurvivalSkills.com.  Several weeks ago, New Survival Skills,  posted a challenge.  Could you build a water filter? 

This put my brain into shock.  Okay so not shock, more like, "I've never even considered if I could before."  Several days past, and the thought of "how" kept circling my brain.  First step.... look at what other people have done?  No.  What can I come up with?  I have a rudimentary idea of how a filter works after years of keeping fish tanks.  Most fish tank filters come with charcoal and cotton, or batting that assists in the filtering to clean the water for the fish. 

With that in mind, can I put together what I would need? 

Our pool filter uses silicate to clean the water, with out anything else.  What if I put a combination of sand gravel and charcoal together? I have seen ideas out there like digging a hole next to a stream or even lake to use the natural ground as a type of filter.  This allows the water to siphon through the sand into the newly created hole.  This not only gets rid of large debris, but is supposed to eliminate things like giardia too.

Now in between figuring out what I wanted to try, and actually putting anything together, I received a link for a do it yourself Berkey water filter.  This looks like a great idea!  One problem, the expense.  So back to the original question... What could I put together right now?

This is what we, (a family affair), finally decided to do. 

First filter: 

Two buckets, with lids, one a 4 gallon and the second a 5 gallon.  It's what we had on hand. 
A 2 ft length of funny pipe.  (funny pipe, is the black flexible pipe that is used for sprinkler systems.)for our purposes, and the size of our bucket we cut the pipe to about 17inches.
A drill and bit set
Cotton balls
Zip ties
Activated charcoal (found at any local pet store)
Pea gravel
Fine sand
Sand that is some where in between pea gravel and fine sand, sort of a medium grain.
Silicone, (clear kitchen and bath silicone)
oxygen hose
and stockings known as trouser socks, knee highs.  (They are thicker than regular nylon stockings, but still mostly nylon)  In our experiment we used a combination of both regular nylon and trouser socks.  The nylon has to much stretch for my tastes.


Now for the work.  First we needed to drill a hole in the bottom of the top bucket.  It needs to be the same size as the funny pipe.  The best hole is going to be a tight fit for the funny pipe.  We also drilled the same size hole in both lids for the buckets.  One lid will give support to the top of the funny pipe once everything is completed.  The second lid will need the funny pipe to pass through it to allow the water to collect in the bottom bucket. 

It is a little difficult to see in the picture, but the far left is a picture of the center of the funny pipe.  The "cross" that makes the center holds the cotton balls from going beyond that point, and gives a back stop to really pack the cotton balls into the center of the funny pipe.  The tighter the cotton balls are packed, the better filtering they will do. 

We needed to decided how far through the bottom of the bucket the funny pipe would protrude, (about 3 inches).  Once we determined that, (and that it would also have enough length to protrude through the lid), we marked the pipe and drilled two 3/16 holes all the way through the pipe.  The two sets of holes are perpendicular to each other allowing us to use a zip tie through each set, creating a cross that runs through the center of the pipe.

After the zip ties were secured we drilled dozens of 1/16 holes in 8 rows.  The holes are going to allow the water to pass from the first bucket through the pipe and into the second bucket.  (The funny pipe is the center of the filter you are creating)

This is what the funny pipe looks like after taking the time to drill hundreds of holes.  You can see all of the little shavings in the bottom of the bucket.  We decided to use a smaller drill bit with many holes, rather than a larger bit with a few holes.  The logic behind this, flawed or not, is that the smaller holes will help to hold back any larger debris, especially debris we may not be able to see.

We next, tightly packed the funny pipe with cotton balls.  The zip ties at the bottom of the pipe allowed a stopping point for the cotton balls.  This gave a strong point to pack the cotton against, and prevented the cotton balls from passing all the way through the pipe. 

If you look in the center of the pipe you can see the cotton balls jammed inside. Because of the length of the pipe we used a chop stick to push the cotton balls down as far as they would go. The cotton at this level of the filter keeps the dust from the charcoal and sand from re-infecting the water we have worked to filter.

The one on the top is the trouser sock.  We can usually find these at our local dollar store.  Last time we bought them they were 1 pair for a dollar.  The two brown socks on the bottom are the nylon stockings.  We usually can find these at the local dollar store as well.  Sometimes they come 2 pair for a buck sometimes 3 pair for a buck.  They work, but have a lot of stretch or "give" to them.  They will be more effort if you use them, but they do work.

Next we peeled back all of the layers of stocking except the first one.  The first one, we stretched up and over the funny pipe and then tied off in a single knot.  Then we pulled up the second stalking. 

This is what the different layers of sock look like before they are filled.  The first stocking or sock is right against the funny pipe.  Followed by the next filled with charcoal and then sand and so on.

Here's where we placed the charcoal.  This was an expense.  Our plan B was to use fire place ash and charcoal chunks.  But for the purposes of this experiment we wanted to be sure to use a product that is designed specifically for filtering. (Don't use white ash.  White ash is what's used when creating lye.  Use the dark charcoal.  Grind it up to make smaller particles.  It's a lot easier to effectively filter water with smaller chunks or particles.)

We purchased a 57oz container of activated fish tank carbon and ammonia remover,(Carbo-Z).  After taxes the bottle came to $22.15.  That divided by 57oz comes to be approximately $.38 cents per ounce.  According to the instructions your suppose to use 2 tablespoons for every 5 gallons of water. 

The next part of the process is going to take a little bit of time.  We used about 1/4 of the total tub of charcoal, approximately 14 and a half ounces of the charcoal to fill the space in between sock numbers one and two.  By standing the funny pipe in an up right direction, we could use a canning funnel to fill the stocking around the funny pipe.  We then pulled this stocking up and over the top of the funny pipe and tied it off with a single knot. The charcoal remained relatively loose.  We worked to equally distribute the charcoal as evenly as possible around the pipe.  Then we pulled up the next sock in line.

IF you look at this second layer of stocking, you can see the bits of charcoal that make up this layer.  Charcoal, by nature, is dusty and can be rinsed before filling the stocking.  We did not rinse the charcoal first.  We felt that the cotton balls and the stockings would help hold that dust back out of the water.

 Again using the funnel, rinsed out of course, we filled this next layer with the fine sand.  We tried to keep the sand approximately 1 inch thick evenly around the charcoal and pipe.  This became difficult with the weight of the sand and the more mobile charcoal.  Once we felt that we had a good pack of fine sand, we stretched and tied off that stocking and then lifted the next sock in line.  (One thing we tried was to gently roll the pipe with the two filled socks like a rolling pin.  This helped to more evenly distribute the sand and the charcoal around the funny pipe.)

One way to move the sand and gravel around inside the stockings, we found worked, was to pinch a bit of the stocking and pull it away from the main body of the filter.  This allowed the sand, and gravel to move, via gravity, down toward the bottom of the stockings.  As the new layers were added the need to "pinch" the stockings increased, because we were beginning to limit our available space based on combined amount. 

This next sock holds the medium grain sand.  Repeating the filling and the equalizing of the sand we were now up to three layers.  After every layer, we worked again to try and equalize, as much as possible, the different layers.  We want to avoid any air pockets that would allow the water, we intend to filter, to pass through with out being cleaned.

Finally, pulling up and then filling the last stocking with the pea gravel, we are close to having a working filter.  We have all of the stockings filled and tied off.  (One last roll, and we had a fairly uniform packing.)

Starting from the left to the right, we have the mid grade sand, followed by the fine sand and then the gravel.  We live in an ancient lake bed.  If you know where to look, you can find most all the ingredients you need to make a filter.  If you are lucky, you'll have these ingredients at your home for various reasons.  We were able to find all of these three grades at a local trail.

This is the final filter component after the stockings have been filled and tied off over the funny pipe.  You can see that this is quite bulky compared to what you can see with the Berky filter. Because of the size we, at this time, will only be able to do one filter in the center of the bucket.  ( we already have plans in the works for improvements to this filter style )

We need to drill one final hole.  We add one small hole, about an inch from the bottom of the bottom bucket that we can use to drain out the cleaned water. We add the oxygen tube, about a foot and a half of tubing, and silicone it in place. (Make sure to read the instructions for the silicone.  You'll need to know how long the silicone needs to set before you add water.)  We are using a small locking clamp to pinch of the tubing. This prevents leaking when we're not draining the filtered water into containers. 

These locking clamps come in various sizes and various "jaws".  They make locking down on something that may need a quick release, simple.

Now we need to put the funny pipe through the bottom of the top bucket.  By holding the new "filter" up just a bit we can place a bead of  silicone around the bottom of the pipe with out getting any on the end of the pipe.  Then once an ample amount has been added to the pipe underneath the filter allow the pipe to sink into position through the hole.  Most silicone's say to allow at least 12 hours before running water through, or onto, what ever has been siliconed.

This is a downward angle of the interior bucket and filter.  The bottom of the filter component is protruding into and through the lid of the bottom bucket.  Once the lid for the top bucket is on, this component will have more support to stand up straight.

We allowed for the 12 hours for the silicone to set, and then added another bead between the bottom of the top bucket and the lid of the bottom bucket.  Another 12 hour wait.  Now we have a seal that prevents any water from leaking out of the buckets or pipe, creating a mess.  (Which we had to fix after finding the first bead of silicone was not sufficient enough.)

The left is the lid for the top bucket (top of the filter).  The right is the bottom of the lid for the second bucket, (bottom of the filter).  You can see the the funny pipe will, when put together, protrude through both lids. 

The final step is to add clean, clear water into the top bucket and allow it to begin the process of filtering.  With a dry filter, this will take time.  The point of the clean water is to clean out any remaining dust or dirt out of the filter.  (This also gives you the chance to check for leaks)

And then for the true test.  After the water ran clear, we emptied all collected water an began the process of allowing the filter to dry.  Next, with some "dirty" water we filled the top bucket again.  For the purposes of our test we started with water that had been collecting rain water in an old dirty bucket in our green house.  Not only was the water muddy, but due to the heat, green too.  One thing I am not sure this filter will handle is contaminants like giardia.  Once we have a place that can test the water we filter, we can move forward with better knowledge to how well this filter system works.  So for now it is only muddy water that we've tested. 

The water on the left is full of particles.  It has a green tint.  And while you could probably drink it... Doesn't the water on the right look more appealing?  The water on the right has just a little bit of a charcoal flare to it.  But other wise completely tastes fine.  Extra filtering through cotton or cloth, I'm sure would remove any remnants of charcoal taste.

This first filter, took a couple days to put together.  Mostly because we were working with silicone.  Also, since this was our first filter there was some trial and error.  However, even with a few back steps, and reconstructions, we were able to come up with a filter that can clean the water, and make it usable.  If we were concerned, we could further clean this water by adding iodine, or bleach.

(For bleach add 1/8th teaspoon of bleach, no dies or perfumes to every gallon of water.  How to purify.)
(For Iodine add 5 - 10 drops of iodine tincture per 32 fluid oz of water.  How to purify.)
There are also products that you can purchase that will have clear instructions, and labels to assist in cleaning and purifying your water. 

Recommendation: Tape the instructions for cleaning water, with several different recipes, on the side of your water storage containers.  This will give you several different options in an emergency.

Now if we were to take and buy all of these items to make this filter we would be looking at,
Buckets with lids approx; $10.00
Funny Pipe approx $approx; $20.00 for 50 ft.  Equals to about $.40 cent per foot.
Air or oxygen tubing approx; $4.50 per 25 ft.  This equals to about $.18 cents per foot
Trouser socks 1 dollar per pair we used 2 and a half pairs
Sand, the best price was approx; $3.50 dollars per 50 pounds. of sand.  We used about 1 lb per type.  That's about $.07 cents per pound.
Pea gravel is approx; $5.00 per 50lbs.  This of course is about $.10 cents per pound.
(Or you could use fish tank gravel, this is approximately $4.00 per 5 lbs.)
Cotton balls approximately $2.00 per bag (80/ bag)
Charcoal 57 oz for $22.15 approx; $.38 cents per oz.
Silicone about $8.00 per tube which equals about $.88 cents per oz.

If we add that up and give a rough estimate we are looking at a total of around, $19.50 for the total project.  Give or take between $5 and $10 dollars.

Filter number 2:

For this filter, we didn't worry about items on hand.  However, we did work to keep any costs to a minimum. 

2 1 gallon buckets, with lids
Cotton balls
Activated charcoal
Fine sand
Medium sand
Pea gravel
Oxygen tubing
Silicone, (clear kitchen and bath silicone)

(This one is smaller, and much simpler to put together.)

You can see that the sides of the buckets are opaque.  The top bucket shows off the cotton balls, charcoal, gravel, and two different sands.  When it is filled with water to be filtered, you can see that water as well.  The tube toward the bottom and front is the tube that will allow us to pull the cleaned water out.  Right now, in this picture, the water in the bucket is equal in pressure to the water in the tube, preventing any leaking.   However, for standing purposes, we will clamp this tube to prevent the loss of any water.  Once the the filter was working properly we decided we would add a third bucket to the top of the filter.  This will give us the opportunity to fill a full gallon in stead of drips and drabs.  We are also going to add a second layer of cotton above the sand.  This will help prevent the disruption of the sand. 

First cut a three inch length of oxygen hose.  Now with your drill bit that matches the size of your oxygen hose, drill a hole in the center of the bottom of one bucket, and the center of one of the lids.  (If the hole is too large and the hose, to loose, you'll need to silicone the tubing in place in the bottom of the bucket.) 

In the side of the second bucket, about an inch from the bottom drill a hole for another length of oxygen tube.  Make this length approximately 10 to 12 inches.  Because your drilling a hole in a curved side, you may need to silicone this tube as well.  (we did).  We also use a small locking clamp to close off the open end of this tube.  We want to make sure the water stays contained until we use it or move it to another container. 

If you look towards the back of the tube, where it connects to the bucket, you can see the silicone.  We did the silicone on both sides of the bucket wall.

Now for the fill.  Start with the cotton balls.  These, your going to layer in the bottom of the top bucket, between 2 and 3 inches thick.  (the thicker the better, but leave space for your other components). 

Next a layer of charcoal.  We used the rest of the charcoal we had left, about 42 oz.  This equaled a layer that was about 2 inches thick. 

The next layer we decided to do the pea gravel first instead of the sand.  This idea was based on some information we found on the web that indicated the sand layer needs to be the first line the water makes contact with.  This layer we kept at about 2 inches.

Then The medium grain sand at 2 inches, followed by the fine grain sand at 2 inches. 

Finally we drilled several holes in the lid for the top bucket.  Once we determine if the filter will work correctly, we can add an empty bucket on top of the filter that will allow us to fill a gallons worth of water, that can slowly drip into the middle filtering section.  For now, small amounts of water into the lid of the bucket will work better.  We want to disturb the sand as little as possible. 

Just like the first filter, we run clear water through it to clean out any remaining dust and dirt.  Once the water runs clear, not foggy, we can move on to testing some muddy water. 

Now for the big test.  With muddy water that we created, we begin slowly pouring into the lid of the filter.  The buckets we found for this second filter have opaque sides.  This allows us to see the contents of the filter and how much water is being filtered along with how much water has been filtered. 

Between the two filters, we ended up with very similar results, based on different make ups, or constructions. 

The water to the left is the filtered and cleaned water.  The water to the right is the muddy water that we used for the our filter test.  It took less than an hour to filter the quart of water we added to the top bucket.  If you look at the bottom of the glass on the right you can see some of the junk in the water which by this point had settled to the bottom of the little jar.  The clean water with this sample, also had a slight flavor of charcoal, but otherwise tasted just fine. 

The first filter required containing the filter components inside of the stockings.  The second filter utilized the entire bucket making assembly much easier.  The First filter of course can handle more water all at once, and there is less chance of disturbing the sand, which could create a pocket that could reduce the excellent results we had so far achieved. 

One difference between our filter and the DIY Berkey water filter as far as the home construction, was the spout for the clean water.  We used a simple tube and clamp system.  However there are other options.  The Berkey filter used a food grade water spicket.  I love this idea.  But, this will be something we can do on a later date.  I feel that we accomplished part of our goal by sticking to what we mostly had on hand.  The only items that fell out side of that rule were the charcoal and the two smaller buckets.  Total expense out of pocket, for both filters, was only about $30.00 dollars, (based on amounts).  The charcoal can be replaced with fire place charcoal.  And the buckets can be replaced based on what is "lying around the house".  For example, what about laundry buckets, or 2 liter bottles?  Both just need a little bit of "thinking outside of the box".

By the time all was said and done, we spent more time than money on this project.  We were able to utilize items we found around the house, and have a plan be for most of the items, if we had to reconstruct a filter, and could not buy essential components. 

The only added expense beyond what we purchased for the larger of the 2 filters, was about $6.00 dollars for the 2 smaller buckets and their lids. 

The most important thing we learned while working on this together as a family was that we COULD do it. 

The second most important thing we achieved, was to teach our kids what possibilities they might have and use in the future.

One last note. 

To the left you can see a white center, while to the right you can see a grey center.

The grey center was caused when the stocking was tied over the top of the tube.  The cotton caught charcoal dust in the top of the tube.

This is what we pulled out of that tube on the right.  You can see the line of grey to the right.  This is excellent to note because it shows how well the cotton works to capture and trap particles you don't want in your water.

Camping Bathroom

This part of the list may be easier than some others.  Preparations for a bathroom scenario at camp can be as simple or as complex as you like.  There are many items that come in handy for the absolute comfort of you and your guests, or you can get by on a few things and spend more time being adventurous.  The outcome and planning are up to you. 

Bathroom:

Toilet paper: In our household, everyone gets one role, and they are responsible for that one role.  Just in case of a mishap, we always carry a couple of extras, however, (knock on wood) we haven't needed those extras so far.  If you are staying in a camp ground or improved and maintained area, you most likely will not need to take any extra.  I still recommend a couple, just in case.  You never know if your going to have that emergency stop.  In any case whether you are in a primitive camp or not consider how many people are in your party, how long you'll be camping and what kind of area your camping in. 

Tooth brush:  If you only camp one to two times a year, I recommend taking your old toothbrush just for camping, and starting with a new tooth brush once your home again.  If you camp more often, consider keeping a toothbrush with your camping gear at all times. 

Tooth paste:  Sample toothpastes are perfect for camping.  They are small and take up only a little space.  Through the course of camping through the summer you might just use all of the paste in one tube.  If you use more than that it isn't a problem to replace the first between trips or just pack a second tube.  (You can even find single use tooth brushes now loaded with toothpaste.  I don't recommend these due to the waste that they produce.  However if that is your speed that is up to you.)

Razor:  This is a take it or leave it item.  We always carry at least on disposable razor in our fist aid kit.  But unless not shaving absolutely drives you crazy, I recommend these only as a first aid item.

Floss:  Floss has a multi use quality.  Besides the obvious, floss can be used for things like repairing,  tying, snaring, and sewing. 

Towel:  I recommend one large beach towel per person.   Once used, the towel can be hung to dry and used again.  Beach towels are generally large, and designed to get dirty and be cleaned again.  Beach towels are also nicer to take on a trip than your household bathroom towels, (unless of course you have some your willing to give up for camping.)  A good dry beach towel also allows one more layer of warmth on cold tent nights. 

Washcloth:  Washcloths are small, compact and take up little space.  There is nothing like having the chance to wash your face first thing in the morning for a good start to the day.  They can easily be wrung out and hung to dry for use for the next day.  (Instead of taking our soap in a box, we will wrap the bar of soap in the washcloth and then pack it into our bathroom kits.  This removes a little bit of bulk from the kit or bag.

Hand soap:   One good sample sized bar of soap works great for camping.  Even if you are planning on several trips or a couple really long trips sample sizes will still take awhile to go through.  If you can't find your favorite brand in the sample sizes, you can always take your favorite, regular size bar and cut it in half. 

Port-a potty or sanitation kit:  Not everyone will put up with finding a bush, or digging a hole.  There are a wide range of products on the market that assist this very need.  From Cabellas to Emergency essentials there are toilet lids with buckets, to the sanitary needs of a mobile home or camper.  You can even find privacy screens and out house "tents".  Or you can choose the Boyscout method, a shovel and a roll.

Shovel:  This one is pretty self explanatory.  (For the above "hole")

Portable shower:  There are many different ways to accomplish showers in the wilderness.  There are commercial products available, and with a little imagination there are many ways to make a shower.  The commercial aspects can provide privacy and heated water.  When making a homemade "shower" unit, consider a container that can hold water and be tied up higher than your tallest camper.  Consider wrapping or painting the container in black. (this will heat the water).  You can add a hose and shower spout, or just use the drip method.  Then all you need is a privacy screen.  To make a privacy screen, consider the area you are in.  Are there stands of trees that you might be able to wrap a tarp around?  Or will you need to be a little more creative?  Perhaps there are trees, but the trees are standing to far apart.  In that case, you might need to use some ropes, and tie off a few tarps to make a screen.  There are several different ways to accomplish the same goal, think out of the box. 

Plastic wash basin:  This can be as simple as a large plastic bowl or any plastic container that will hold water. 

Mirror:  The size is up to you.  In the first aid kit we keep a small mirror.  For shaving this wouldn't do much good.  If you really needing a mirror for what ever reason you might have, it is up to you how large, and how to pack it.  There are mirrors that are plastic.  These are great, just because a non-breakable mirror is easier to pack and less to worry about. 

Privacy cover for port-a potty:  This can be a set of tarps wrapped around a "stand" to create a "blind", or there are plenty of manufactured "blinds" for sell through various stores.

Diapers or pull-ups for youngsters:  This one of course makes sense to anyone that has a child still in diapers.  It's still nice to see on the list just in case, especially if your not the one packing.  Chances are other kids aren't going to remember these when they're helping.

Contact lens cleaning solution:  Personally I wouldn't take contact lens's on a camping trip.  To me it would be too easy to scratch them, or lose them.  However, since I do not actually wear contacts, I can not make that call. 

Cloths for cleaning eye glasses:  Both this and the contact lens cleaning solution are something to be considered if these are items you use on a regular basis at home. 

Baby or hand wipes:  These are a great item, whether or not you have kids.  They make a quick clean-up, and are fairly compact and easy to carry.  (We also keep a box in the car, just in case)

Brush/Comb:  You can go an entire camping trip with out brushing your hair.  However, just like a warm blanket, or a fire on a cold night, brushing your hair is a comfort.  It is a way to clean up with out having to use resources like you might for taking a sponge bath or actually washing your hair.  It is a "feel good" step.

Hair bands:  This can be actual hairbands or even rubber bands, or string.  Something to tie your hair and get it out of your way. 

Lip balm or chap stick:  This I highly recommend for any trip, whether it's to the store or across the country.  When out camping, regardless of the time of year lip balm or chap stick can mean the difference between blistered lips and a comfortable trip.  If your going to be out in the sun, I recommend finding a chap stick that includes a sunscreen.  It doesn't matter if your susceptible to the sun or not, when your out in the sun all day you can and will, when not prepared, end up burned. 

Feminine products:  These of course are depending on your personal needs.  It is a good idea to include them on any list that requires some kind of preparedness.  (72 hour kits are and exceptional place to remember these, just in case)