Brightly colored eyeglass straps reduce the risk of their being broomed off of my head and the color makes them much easier to find if they do. These sell for a bout $10 for two of them.
A stainless steel thermos with a cap that can be used for a cup. This one is 1.1 liters and sells at Walmart for about $15. Thermoses are one of those items that are about 10 times better than the ones we had growing up. While not "unbreakable", they are extremely rugged.
These cost $5 for 32 ounces at Walmart.
Remember, tired workers and workers with low blood-sugar are more likely to make mistakes. Intelligent refreshment is a safety issue.
Work or hiking boots reduce the risk of a twisted ankle. The floor of the orchard is littered with downed branches, stumps of brush (Autumn Olive, Mulberry, Multiflora Rose) that has been cut, tussocks of bunchgrass and holes from burrowing animals.
The pair shown are Everest Bob boots. They retail for $50 but often go on sale for $35.
Leather work gloves. These are about $5 a pair. Anybody who complains about how "stiff" and uncomfortable they are is telling me that they never used a pair long enough for the sweat from their hands to soften up the leather. Even in the winter, the moisture evaporating from your hands will condense in the (colder) leather and soften it.
I carry fig newtons with me hiking trails. And dates. Good snacks.
ReplyDeleteYou take Fig Newtons on dates? Must be a fun guy! Hehe.
DeleteAll good suggestions. At my age my wife insists on one more SOP.
ReplyDeleteCarry the cellphone and let someone know what you're doing in case you take that nasty tumble or worse.
I shudder to think about those hunters we end up doing search and rescue on who failed to provide a "Flight Plan" to someone responsible. Some were body recoveries with obvious fall injuries in Billy goat territory.
Yet every year calls for volunteers for such a search.
My office mid morning snack is Lances 4 cracker sandwich pack that are about 100 calories. But I'm sitting at a desk so am not burning nearly as much calories as you are. Your snack choice sounds like a good fit.
ReplyDeleteMule gloves - good choice for landscaping - road work. No telling how many blisters were avoided using them.
soak leather gloves in water then wear the until they conform to your hand and let them dry out....this helps
ReplyDelete$50 Boots ? Those sound too good to be true. I have size 15 feet so finding shoes that fit can be a problem . After a bout of plantar fasciitis I had to ditch the cheap footwear .
ReplyDeleteBeing on the feet eight to ten hours a day walking around on cement floors will wear the feet out so good shoes are a must.
I have a pair I do not wear sitting in the closet. I will probably never wear them, waste of money. While the quality at redwing and irish setter has seriously gone downhill once repaired by a service center they are good boots
DeleteEyeglass straps are not just for working in the orchard.
ReplyDeleteI came within one good mountain stream current of losing my glasses on a hike during a stream crossing when I lurched back and my glasses fell off. They were literally at the feet of the guide that had caught me. Since then, I have learned to have a pair of eyeglass straps (brights, as you have).
Harbor Freight sells those gloves a little cheaper. I almost always wear them when handling boards, logs, rounds... I don't know that they stop slivers/splinters, but I almost always get slivers when I do not wear them.
ReplyDeleteThe left-hand gloves seem to wear out first so you will have extra right-hand ones. You can wear them backwards on your left hand in a pinch.
sam
I'm a big time fan of those leather gloves. One day I was working in the woods (this was in Minnesota) and at the end of the day I had a hole in the palm of the glove 1/8" in diameter.
ReplyDeleteNo idea how the hole got there but I was really glad it was in the glove rather than my hand.
Interesting you have a Walmart house brand Ozark Trails thermos.
ReplyDeleteI've a couple of their mugs and cups. Tested them for temperature retention, they're essentially the same as the first tier brands. And impossible to tell the difference at a distance.
Have several other OT branded items too. Functionally the same, less $$
So saying, I've bought 'em all at GoodWill or yard sales, for pretty much 25% or less than new price.
Alan E.