Been backpacking for about a year now. Love it! So far, I have only been with fairly large groups--7+ people as part of a local meetup group. I haven't been out yet where I haven't loaned something to someone or borrowed something from someone.

In that year, I have learned a lot on my and have been taught even more by my fellow packers. I am the only hammocker!

This season I have decided to carry a "group item" of some sort. Something that people always need or some creature comfort that is always welcome at the end of the day.

I'll tell you the way I'm leaning: an Ursack-type bear bag that doesn't require complicated hanging. A big 'un. I live in the Midwest so bears aren't much of a problem. But we still need to hang our food to keep the critters out. I find that again and again hanging the food is the thing that is dreaded the most on the trail. And it is usually done poorly. I've seen a half-dozen people stumbling around for an hour trying to throw a rope tied to a stick into a tree in the dark more than a few times.

It would be great to have a bag that we could just close up and tie off at the base of a tree and be done with it. I've researched some, but don't have a good feel for how feasible this is.

But it's just a thought.

I actually already have one item. My sister bought me The Stick for Christmas. It is a massage roller that I borrowed a couple of times from fellow hikers last year. It kept me from cramping to DEATH on Knobstone Trail in Indiana!

Now I've got one of my own to lend out, so there's that.

Any other suggestions?