1001 Uses for a Plastic Bag

joan collins

11/04/2001 at 11:50

I like to carry a heavy duty drawstring dustbin liner in my rucksack (I use another one as a rucksack liner). It acts as a spare rucksack liner, raincover, sit-mat, sled, rope bag, shopping bag, emergency bivy bag and bandage.

Any other uses you can think of?

And does anyone else have a tip for useful multi-purpose additions to your baggage?

SteveP

11/04/2001 at 12:06

half-eaten sandwich/cake container.

Jon Doran

11/04/2001 at 12:12

Zip-ties - millions of uses from crampon repair to basic rucksack security - put them through the buckles and through the drawstring tunnel at the top - I'd be lost without them. You can also use them to handcuff hijackers once you've overpowered them (but not before)

OutdoorsMagic Editor | jon@outdoorsmagic.com

Sally Hotchkin 1

11/04/2001 at 12:25

Not multi-purpose items, but camera film cases to decant creams and potions and take 2-week amounts away with you. Not an original idea of mine, but an adopted one.

joan collins

11/04/2001 at 13:49

Jon, I'm always getting meself hijacked so your tip sounds useful. But what exactly is a 'zip tie' - a zip puller thingy?

Jon Doran

11/04/2001 at 14:06

Don't put edible things in film canisters, apparently they leach nasty plasticcy things into all that they touch. What they are great for is as a duck tape carriers. Simply wind it around the cannister and hey, no more great big roll of tape cluttering up your pack. Cunning huh?

Zip ties, aka cable ties are those plastic / nylon fasteners used to tied bundles of cables together in cars etc. You can get re-useable ones, but most are not, you have to cut them off.

Other top tips, er, cereal sacks are great for travelling in South America. Big, old bags - put your rucksack in one and it'll protect it from the dirt and grime in bus luggage compartments and also look like a cheapo, local bag rather than a valuable gringo thing that might be worth stealing.

Elasticated bandages - stick one on your bicep, under your shirt and conceal some cash in it. Ankle wallets - same principle, all competent thieves know that travellers wear those daft waist belts.

Why a half-eaten container Sofa Man, surely an intact one would be more useful?

OutdoorsMagic Editor | jon@outdoorsmagic.com

SteveP

11/04/2001 at 15:44

Film canister problem - hence Naligene's expensive versions. They are watertight though (and you can get them in 30ml), and don't suffer from aircraft hold decompression failure (a messy outcome already experienced).

Reusable zip ties - from Maplins or other electronics mail order places.

I've also got some crampon rivets for real strong fixing of things.

Ab-tat.

Bin bag for putting half-eaten sandwich/cake container containing half-eaten sandwich/cake in.

James Smith 1

21/04/2001 at 01:08

Uh, little multi tool. Not all that ingenious in itself, but you can use it to remove zip ties from lamp posts (even the non-reusable ones Jon). Just don't give them ao anyone irresponsible enough to get them stuck on their finger/neck/head or you'll have to get the multitool out again to free them and allow blood to circulate.

Jon Doran

23/04/2001 at 13:00

Yep. Gerber do a very neat mini-multi-tool that doesn't weigh much more than a Swiss Army knife, but has the all important pliers, a blade with scalpel-like characteristics and the other usual suspects. I am now wedded to mine, much to Maria's disgust.

OutdoorsMagic Editor | jon@outdoorsmagic.com

tony mcgarley

23/04/2001 at 15:28

something i've been doing for years whilst doing day walks. three film canisters, one with instant tea, one with a coffee-whitener-sugar mix, and one with instant soup. also a bovril cube. with a flask full of hot water, this gives me a choice of drinks.
and i've never had a problem with a plasticy taste, as mentioned above by Jon and Sofa (is Sofa 'corrie speak' for Sophie)?

joan collins

23/04/2001 at 15:59

Maybe this is just one of those Great Internet Myths, but I'm sure I've read somewhere that film canisters can absorb toxic residue from the film, and so you shouldn't put food in them. Anyone else heard of this?

Sally Hotchkin 1

23/04/2001 at 18:04

Jon has, he alluded to it earlier - so it MUST be true. I was really thinking more of moisturising creams and lotions etc. that you don't want to drag around in their original VAT-like containers.

SteveP

23/04/2001 at 23:45

film canisters leak and explode when depressurised (e.g. plane cargo-hold). Don't care about poisons, enough other objective danger to worry about!

sofa = sofa, as in "sofa safari, are you game?"

Clive Clasby (Old Git)

23/04/2001 at 23:52

Tell me Just how much food do you reckon You can keep in a film cannister?
Is it really worth cutting up your spuds so they fit?

Sally Hotchkin 1

24/04/2001 at 10:04

I guess ground pepper or something could fit nicely in a film cannister. Spuds? Mash maybe. I wouldn't bother trying to squeeze in a salmon fillet though.

James Smith 1

24/04/2001 at 18:26

You could hollow out the centre of chocolate digestives to a diameter of about 3 centimeters, stack the mini biscuits in the cannister, and put the remainder in a little plastic bag for emergency food.

Clive Clasby (Old Git)

06/05/2001 at 23:33

A splendid idea!
Such a wonderful time saver too!

Phillip Taylor

07/05/2001 at 03:28

Better to use for matches, toothpaste and dare I suggest film.....

Clive Clasby (Old Git)

21/05/2001 at 23:11

Film?
A silly idea!
Next!

James Smith 1

21/05/2001 at 23:19

Uhh, chocolate shavings?

Shopping

Most popular

Competitions

Promotions