Get one with a red light mode too, saves your night vision when you're checking panels.

My old Osprey Farpoint 40 has survived seven years of being thrown under bus seats and stuffed in overhead bins. The key is finding a brand that uses YKK zippers (the heavy duty #10 size, not the small ones). I've had good luck with Eagle Creek too, their warranty basically covers everything short of a bear attack. That duct tape tax at the airport is the worst, I keep a small roll in my bag's outer pocket now after a similar thing happened in Bangkok.

Tbh that's a really cool find. Did you try to scratch the rock with a coin or a knife before the vinegar test? I'm wondering if you could tell how hard it was, because sometimes that fizz can mean different things. Like, if it's soft enough to scratch, it might be something like chalk or a really pure limestone. If it's harder, it could be a different carbonate rock.

Right? Next we'll be hiring goldfish feeders for lonely people. My uncle's neighbor started paying a kid to "check the mail" which really meant a five minute chat on the porch. At this point, we should just start a service called "Friendly Person Who Shows Up.

Ever try greasing it like @the_pat said? Mine lasted ages that way too!