Lightest contact solution bottle – the little stuff…

[Yoyo]

First you start shaving ounces, then you start shaving grams. At some point, you'll have to scrutinize the little stuff. For example, right now I'm trying to figure out the lightest bottle for contact solution. I'm guessing 1 fl. oz capacity should be enough for most of my hikes. (I really should start quantitating how much I use). The smallest I've found are the 2 fl. oz bottles, such as this one:

http://www.pharmapacks.com/products.php?product=Bausch-%26-Lomb-Biotrue-Multi%252dPurpose-Solution-2-oz&gclid=COS_w-73nrgCFUkS7AoddzwABg#.Udovd9KsiSo

I'm also thinking of ditching my chapstick and just use suncreen for my chapped lips. Thoughts?

[Yoyo]

On a related note, does anyone know where I can find a set like these?

http://litetrail.com/shop/accessories/assorted-2-mil-ziplock-resealable-reclosable-bags-5-sz-10-ea

I found these, but you have to buy 500(!) of each size:

http://www.tigerbagonline.com/index.php?crn=180&rn=382&action=show_detail

[David Thomas]

Buy a dime bag from a dealer on a local street corner and throw out the contents.

Vastly cheaper and safer and legal: the bulk spices section of the super market or organic food store has a pile of them. Slip them 25 cents on the way out for half a dozen of them. Or buy a bit of something cheap like salt. And a few pinches of alum for settling turbid water. And some ground red pepper to dilate vessels in your feet for warmer feet at night. And/or use the little spice bags for small quantities of the other bulk products: granola, nuts, banana chips, etc.

[David Thomas]

Ask your optometrist if they have professional samples or starter packs around. I really like professional samples of all sorts of things (anti-fungal creams, antibiotic lotions, sunscreen) because they are so small AND they are accurately labeled.

Sometimes I use chapstick for sunscreen if I'm only covering a few problems spots (tip of nose, top of ears). Some lotions don't taste so good, and they seem to wear off sooner than chapstick, but would be better than nothing.

[Brian Lindahl]

I use normal 2-week lenses for daily life use, but I buy daily lenses specifically for camping and backpacking, when you need redundancy. In addition to redundancy you also get a free resupply of lens solution. My dailys weigh ~0.05oz per pair – trim them if you want.

I also carry a MLD minidropper which weighs about 0.5oz when full. Whenever you need to use the minidropper (should be almost never), just refill it from the spare lens solution from a daily lens package.

http://www.mountainlaureldesigns.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=40&products_id=146

The other minidropper is great for alcohol hand gel for short trips. Black = gel, white = lens solution.

[Bob Bankhead]

REI usually carries a couple of sizes.

[Ken Thompson]

At the craft stores like Michaels.

[Mark Ries]

Walmart pharmacy area pill pouches

[Yoyo]

I think I may have answered my own question:

http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=90227

I notice that MLD has the white and black caps whereas Litetrail has colored caps. Maybe they are sourcing them from here?

If anyone else is looking, they have all sorts of sizes, and you can buy one of each. At only 50 cents each, it's worth buying different sizes to match the length of your trips. The shipping will be way more than the bottles, though.

[Author]

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