Labelling kit

[Hatstand]

So here you go, you're labelling your kit with a flashy labelling device that can print whatever information you want on said label.

How much information do you put on it? How much do you want that crab back? An email address? your mobile number? Or do you put nuffink on it `cause cavers will use anything you put on it for identity theft crime???

 

[cap n chris]

UKCaving pseudonym should do the trick, plus the website address, natch!

PS Nice labels, btw! - they're lasting well and are oh-so-shiny.

Cap'n Chris
www.ukcaving.com

7 maillons shy of too many. ;-)

 

[stevejw]

So here you go, you're labelling your kit with a flashy labelling device that can print whatever information you want on said label.

Cable ties and an indelible pen work well.

 

[Hatstand]

Cable ties and an indelible pen work well.

Hi Steve - thanks but I have the method sorted, its how much info to put on it...

Chris - how is the white label holding up? Thats the non extra sticky flavoured one...

 

[Les W]

What a brilliant idea.
You could actually print the names of colours on tape instead of using coloured tape. 

You could even print the names of unusual colours that are not available as coloured tape, thereby ensuring the uniqueness of the markings, e.g. My krabs are marked aquamarine and crimson. 

Seriously though, if the intention is to separate your kit from others you cave with then just your name should be good enough. If it is so lost kit can be returned then perhaps your phone number or email address. I can't see what else you would put on there, except perhaps the date you acquired it (to determine its age).

 

[cap n chris]

Chris - how is the white label holding up? Thats the non extra sticky flavoured one...

Er, moment of honesty here! .... the white labels are marking my *surface only* kit (shame on me!). You gave me a fair number of labels and I've used the yellow ones for underground SRT kit and the white ones for surface training SRT kit. Perhaps if you supply me with a few more white ones I'll promote them to gnarly underground usage!

 

[potholer]

Easy - just make sure you find more kit than you lose.

Works for me, and often I seem to find things when I need them.
Sometimes scarily so.

However, I don't recall finding marked gear *at all* often.

As for tape colours, it is possible to get less-mainstream ones.
Maybe there'd even be a market for some [mobile?] caving shop to sell them?
Orange+violet seems to work reasonably well, and is almost as visible as the remarkably common yellow+blue, and a few extra different colours could give a load of new combinations

 

[Burt]

I tend to mark my kit only to ID it from others so when we have a "kit amnesty" at the end of a trip there is no confusion.

However I am very particular about marking my helmets - caving, climbing, cycling, motorcycle etc. with both my name and blood group. I figure in a dire situation this could save me 10 minutes or so - or at least give the A&E folk a head start.

 

[Les W]

Not sure the A & E folk would be able to rely on what you wrote on the helmet, after all, they don't know that it is you wearing it. If they made assumptions and things went wrong I don't suppose they would be able to defend their actions with "well, we thought..."

 

[potholer]

And they might think 'B-' is just some kind of assessment grade for caving ability.