grizzlylarso wrote on Feb 18^th, 2010 at 11:44pm:

The thing that I think is crazy is stopping actually using stuff just because the water gets hard. If you just keep using your gear all winter long you never have to look overly crazy for pulling it out in Febuary.

Sounds like a great idea but I have 4 boys; which is why it stays in a pack all winter.  Otherwise I need to buy it again in the summer.  Somewhere in my yard are several saws, flashlights, rope, etc... that I usually find after the snow melts.