Best Tips You Have Given/Received?

[Couscous]

Follow the Leave No Trace Principles - Plan Ahead and Prepare | Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces | Dispose of Waste Properly | Leave What You Find | Minimize Campfire Impacts | Respect Wildlife | Be Considerate of Other Visitors -- http://lnt.org/

[Couscous]

Come up with your personal list of essentials to check off. Some things to consider putting on your list would be anything you don't want to discover you forgot when you are five miles down the trail. Not every trip will require items from each section, but reviewing the list may help you remember the insect repellent and/or mosquito netting during mosquito or black fly season.

[shigadeyo]

"Be Prepared" - The ultralight movement is great, but sometimes having a little extra can make all of the difference.  This is why I still carry and little bit more complete first aid kit, survival kit, and repair kit for my equipment.  Case in point:  Our water filter broke on the second day of a week-long BWCAW trek.  Rather than heading back early, we was able to keep going since we had a back-up water treatment device.  Were also able to repair the water filter with some wire and duct tape that we carried in the emergency repair kit.  I also carry a multi-tool just for cases like this.  I've also managed to bail others out when something goes wrong since I usually carry all of this extra "just in case" stuff.

[Couscous]

http://www.westernmountaineering.com/index.cfm?section=product-tips-and-care
Excerpt - "When you store your bag put it into a large breathable storage sack. Do not leave it stuffed in its stuff sack or in a plastic bag for long periods of time. Air dry your bag in the sun or in a tumble dryer before storing it. At some point you'll need to clean your bag. Don't let this frighten you! The best way is to... "

[Pioneer Spirit]

I keep mine stored on a hanger upside down.  It is a Marmot 40* synthetic but I managed to sleep somewhat in 20* weather in Tar Hollow.

I also keep my Thermarests inflated and stored behind my headboard and my various water bags are kept open with a modified coathanger.

[Couscous]

Good point on the Thermarests as they take f-o-r-e-v-e-r to reinflate if they have been stored rolled up and the water bags (Platypus in particular) start turning green if they are closed up wet.
~
On the subject of water - check the date on your chemical water treatment .. remember it can freeze if the weather is cold enough. Take your water filter apart and let things dry when not in use. Keep a dry pair of socks to sleep in. Don't add anything to your hiking shoes/boots right before setting out on the trail .. such as gel inserts .. as they change how your foot fits and can result in blisters.

[Pioneer Spirit]

Check thrift stores for new or like new hiking items.  I frequently find Nalgene bottles for around .90 cents.  Some will say Nalgene on the bottom but will have a corporate logo on the sides.

I found a couple of Camelbacs for under $10, this included a genuine US Military version.  Look for Columbia jackets and coats and scan the hanging section where they store sleeping bags, may find a good brand there.

Found some new Leki ski poles for 6 bucks with $99 price tags attached and a couple of new $80 Mountainsmith fanny packs for $5 each.

[Couscous]

Outdoor Action Guide to Winter Camping
http://www.princeton.edu/~oa/winter/wintcamp.shtml

[Couscous]

GPS Visualizer is a free, easy-to-use online utility that creates maps and profiles from GPS data (tracks and waypoints, including GPX files), driving routes, street addresses, or simple coordinates. Use it to see where you've been, plan where you're going, or visualize geographic data (business locations, scientific observations, events, customers, real estate, geotagged photos, "GPS drawing," etc.).

http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/

GPS Visualizer can read data files from many different sources, including but not limited to: GPX  (a standard format used with many devices and programs, including Garmin's eTrex, GPSMAP, Oregon, Dakota, Colorado, & Nüvi series), Google Earth (.kml/.kmz), Google Maps routes (URLs), Geocaching.com (.loc), FAI/IGC glider logs, Microsoft Excel, Google Spreadsheets, XML feeds, Garmin Forerunner (.xml/.hst/.tcx), Timex Trainer, OziExplorer, Cetus GPS, PathAway, cotoGPS, CompeGPS, TomTom (.pgl), IGN Rando (.rdn), Emtac Trine, Suunto X9/X9i (.sdf), Fugawi, NetStumbler, and of course tab-delimited or comma-separated text.

[Buckeye]

Excellent website.  I use a Garmin and can get most of this info, but it is nice to have a "one-stop shop" that will allow me to create various file types.

Buckeye

[Couscous]

http://www.rei.com/expertadvice/articles/loading+backpack.html

[Couscous]

From Backpacker Magazine -
http://www.backpacker.com/prof-hike-cell-phones/skills/15238