Oso Rojo
Level 5 Valued Member
You guys have always been so helpful to me so I'm passing on something I use that I haven't seen used elsewhere. I've always been a bit absent minded and when I'm training hard I forget where I am in the set count. I'd love to say I invented this idea, but I stole it from my buddy that was a Ranger and I think they stole it from the abacus.
To us these you start with the beads on the common knotted end. After each set you move a bead down. The example I've show says we have completed four sets. I made the beads alternating in color because I still think in the realm of fives. The set I've show has two legs, one for counting 10 sets and the other for 5 or 6 sets. I used to have one with three legs, but it used those legs to walk off to where I can't find it, haha.
You can easily make them with a trip to the local craft store. A big bag of beads is cheap and get some nylon cord that fits snugly inside the beads. That way they don't slide around on their own. I've never seen them sold exactly like this, but you can google "ranger counting beads" and find ones made for navigation.
I hope this helps someone out there, I feel back about always taking from the forum and never giving.