BPL mini dropper bottles

I've had great luck with the mini bottles and used them for a ton of stuff to include deet, sun screen, various creams, soap, etc. They are water-tight, made well, and the hole is big enough to squeeze out pretty much anything you put in it…after all…if it isn't…just cut a larger one. Because each bottle has a cap, even modifying the despenser tip won't hurt it. It's a bit of a pain at times to fill the bottles because they are so small, but they work great. If you're worried about toothpaste, switch to Dr. Bronner's soap/toothpaste which is much easier to fill, distribute, and use. Regarding a spray bottle, well, if you wear a hat, most days a drop of a deet product will be plenty as otherwise I haven't seen any spray caps.

Agree with above.

Re. DEET, in lieu of lathering myself with DEET lotion all over, I also use 100% DEET. With that, all I need are 4-6 drops maximum for my face, neck and arms. One mini-dropper bottle will be more than enough for most trips.

James,

I use Dr. Bronner's for washing but never tried it as toothpaste. Does it really work? How many others use it for this purpose?

Ben,

I guess with DEET you don't want to spray your clothes anyway, right? (I've heard horror stories about DEET melting synthetics). However, I've been using Picaridin (Cutter brand) spray, which is clothing-safe and less toxic (I think). Also, if you want to use Permethrin for your clothes, it is better applied in spray form (although I guess this is best done at home). With DEET, do you find that the high concentration on your skin makes up for the lack of application to your clothes?

I'm still interested in hearing how many contact-lens wearers transfer their lens solution into mini bottles.

David:

I spray my clothing, socks and boots with Permethrin at home — they are good for a few weeks — even when washed.

As for DEET, anything 15% and over will be effective. High concentration just means you can apply less and also less often. I used to use 15% and had to reapply 3-4 times through a long day's hike. Now, it's just once a day — twice at the most.

BTW, I don't use toothpaste as that uses more water than I like (a precious commodity out here). Here's what I do:

1. floss
2. brush (w/o toothpaste)
3. gargle (requires less water w/o toothpaste)
4. freshen with Listerine cool mint strips (tiny, weightless, and kills bacteria too)

Ben,

Which brand of 100% DEET do you use? Do you feel that it is any more toxic than the more diluted DEET? Does it smell significantly worse and do you know of any skin allergies that might result from it?

I love em ….

Dr. Bronners.

100% deet (mix three drops with 10 drops of water, mix in your hand, and rub the desired areas.) The water doesn't evaporate as quick as most carrier agents in Off and Cutters, but it does the same job. A 20% or so dilution of Deet.

I use the larger dropper bottles for Olive oil and alcohol gel. Just a drop will do ya!

Mini Balm jars work great for Bug Stuff as well, as well as Hydropel, sun screen, and even Petroleum jelly (a few cotton balls in a ziplock makes a great fire starter with a dab of pertroleum jelly).

The Mini Vials are great for Italian seasoning, garlic powder, butter buds, blackening spice, or other spices.

I'll second the Listerine strips … .work great. Brush with a drop of Dr. Bronners, floss, then gargle with a bit of water …. then put a strip in your mouth, let it desolve, and swish it around with just a touch of water.

Works great.

Lipbalm can also work well as a replacement for bodyglide in a pinch. Just rip off a little and rub it into the area you would like to stop the blister on. Make sure you cleaned your hands first or don't plan on using it for your lips anymore!

David:

I use Dr. Bronners as toothpaste. It works well. All you need is a drop or two from the BPL mini dropper bottles.

I prefer the peppermint flavor. It doesn't taste as good as the Crest toothpaste I use at home but it works.

I use Dr. Bronners for toothpaste on the trail and frequently at home. 1 drop on a wet toothbrush and about 1 teaspoon of water in your mouth is what I have found to be the best. Good stuff, and you can eat stuff after brushing unlike other TP's that alter the taste of your food

Dave:

The brand I use is REI. My guess is that when it gets to 99-100% pure, the brand probably makes no difference.

YMMV, but I have had no side effects from pure DEET. There is a smell, but it disappears pretty quickly. I really like applying just 4-6 drops instead of more lotion on top of my sun block lotion. I also haven’t had any problems with DEET melting my synthetic clothing or gear — although I’ve read enough to know that it can happen with the “right” kind of synthetics.

David –

I'm trying to decide if you're smirking behind your screen when you ask if Dr. Bronner's soap could be used effectively as a toothpaste because their packaging is nothing but the hundreds of uses they deem it is appropriate for. I think it works best as a soap, but it works fine also as a toothpaste. It is a little runny by comparision, but it does the job. The goal, after all, is to lighten up. So, multi-use gear often helps a lot. Dr. Bronner makes some pretty good stuff.

David,

I’m a contact lens wearer (Frequency-55 toric, 1 month disposables). Even though I repackage everything else into mini droppers or balm jars (DEET, Dr. Bronners-unscented, sunscreen, etc.) I've never been comfortable repackaging contact lens solutions. I’ve never wanted to take the chance on compromising the sterility of the solution, and I also think you need the size of the bottle/nozzle for producing the stream necessary for flushing the lenses at night before storage and in the morning before putting them on.

So, I carry: glasses (titanium frame…), a lightweight hard-sided case, a spare set of contacts, a contact lens case, and solution. For me a 5oz bottle of solution will last a week (well, 5 days for sure, 7 if I conserve). I don't change my lens care regimen from home to the field.

I know others choose to only wear their glasses when they backpack, but to me contacts are more comfortable and I see better (since the corrective lens is closer to my eye). The only PITA aspect to contacts in the field, really, is in having to wash your hands every night before taking them out, otherwise I don’t give them a second thought. Not least in importance to me, however, is that they allow me to wear high end sunglasses, which I enjoy quite a bit.

Best, Dan

Dan,

Do you have a link to the hard-sided case you use for your glasses? I also carry glasses for wearing at night in my tent and as back-up, but I've had hard time finding good cases that aren't heavy.

David,
Not something I did any research or comparative shopping on but: I use the case that came "free" with a pair of Peppers sunglasses. The sunglasses themselves crapped the bed a long time ago, but the case has been great: durable, crush-proof, light (I'm really sorry, I don't own a digital scale…..yet), and big–I cram a lot of stuff in there besides the glasses. It's made out of a semi-rigid nylon, with a zipper, and a clasp for hanging (which I cut off). I did a quick search and found a source here (scroll down to the bottom of the page):
http://www.skates.com/Peppers-Sunglasses-Case-p/psg-case-blk.htm
Also, there seem to be similiar cases offered by Oakley, and others.

Dan

I'm with Daniel on the advantages of contact lenses – glasses under over-sized ski goggles are a right pain, and fog up something awful.

But these days I use 1-day disposables rather than 1-month ones. I find the disposables softer and more comfortable, and I don't have to carry cleaning solution and a contact lens case – and I don't have to clean them each night either.

Once or twice (OK, a few times) I have lost a contact lens when bashing through really thick scrub. Well, the lens protected my eye anyhow. I just break out a new disposable and pop it in. No great expense, unlike losing a 1-month lens.

That said, I have had no trouble with repackaging the contact lens cleaning solution into mini-dropper bottles. I washed the bottle, rinsed it with a little cleaning solution, and filled it up. What I was careful about was keeping the tip of the dropper bottle from touching anything in the field.

Cheers

I wear gas permeable contacts in the field and repackage my contact solutions. I haven't used the BPL mini dropper bottles, but instead use eye drop bottles that my mother received with glaucoma medicine in them. I rinsed the bottles thoroughly several times with wetting/soaking solution, and I refill them with a hypodermic syringe I keep for that use only. The bottles have a small opening that helps me conserve solution and one filling usually lasts a dozen or so weekend trips. I have not had any problems. Like Roger, I try to keep the tips from touching anything in the field.

On a side note, I find Dr. Bronner's absolutely revolting as toothpaste. Try it at home before you commit to it in the field. I found a hint somewhere to dehydrate drops of toothpaste, and that is what I have been using, although I may go to powdered toothpaste one of these days when I come across some that is convenient to purchase without a fortune for shipping.

I also do not care for Dr. Bonner's and use baking soda for brushing. It appears to add a little abrasiveness to the toothbrush cleaning better than a brush alone, and needs very little water to rinse with. Can be stored in Backpacking Light MiniPill Flip-Top Pill Cases, 0.25 oz capacity each and last me about 7 days.

Andrew

I'm a contact wearing guy. To lower weight I stopped taking glasses. Last thing I do when I go to bed is take out the contacts flush with a few drops and store them (I dont use anything like a stream). I do repackage my contact solution into mini dropper bottles. In the past I have not even taken the care to rinse them out (hmmm) but I am careful about not directly touching the tip. In the morning the first thing I do is put them in without using a mirror. To drop my mirror I had to teach myself how to put them in without the aid of a mirror. Not that hard with a little practice. I do take one extra set of contacts. I think one mini bottle of saline, one contact case, and one extra set weighs about 1.5 oz.

I think the next time I will clean out the bottle first!

Jamie

"To lower weight I stopped taking glasses."

"I do take one extra set of contacts. I think one mini bottle of saline, one contact case, and one extra set weighs about 1.5 oz."

My glasses weigh 0.50 oz.

Daniel,

Thanks for the link. If you're ever around a post office and just HAPPEN to have your glasses case (hint hint) then let me know how much the case weighs.

I'm currently using a padded sleeve type case–don't know the weight offhand but it must be an ounce or under. I'd hate to go up significantly in weight if I can help it.

Ben,

One more thing on DEET–does it repel or attract bears? Do you wash it off before bedtime (also to prevent damage to your synthetic gear)?

OK, you guys turned me into a full-fledged badge-wearing gram weenie today, as I just took a bunch of stuff to the post office and weighed it. Oh, man.

The glasses case mentioned above came in at 1.6 oz.

To me, I need the peace of mind offered by a dedicated protective glasses case. My prescription is pretty extreme, meaning if something happened to my contacts AND glasses, I’d be screwed. I’d end up stumbling down the trail like an injured rabbit until a mountain lion ate me.

Dan

Daniel:

My eyesight is worthless without my glasses (I don't wear contacts). When traveling, I have one pair on me (obviously) and a spare in my backpack, wrapped around and rubber banded with a sheet of "bubble wrap" — the kind you can buy at the P.O. or at any stationery store.

I backpack abroad once every year for a month at a time. I've been to Africa, Asia and Europe over the years, and there's never been the slightest damage of any kind done to my spare pair. I can easily say that a backpack is subject to much harder trials and knocks on international travels than on most hikes. The bubble wrap and rubber band together weigh basically nothing.

Reading your note, you use contacts and your glasses are your spare. Methinks you do NOT need a hardsided case for it.

[Reading your note, you use contacts and your glasses are your spare. Methinks you do NOT need a hardsided case for it.]

Benjamin, how do you keep the glasses from being deform when you "stuff" your pack? I broke a pair of sunglasses at the bridge piece last weekend and I really didn't have an overstuffed pack. I think the bubble wrap is a great idea but worry about bending/braking them. Is there some place in your pack that will stay flat that doesn't get mushed by a pot or sleeping bag or something?

Tad:

I put my glasses (protected by bubble wrap) — along with other sundry small items — inside a small silnylon stuff sack. I usually place the stuff sack either in the pack's top pocket or simply one of the two top corners. Not overpacking is key, of course.

No guarantees or anything, but it's been a few years and my wire rim glasses are still fine…