Field Samplers

I am constantly hearing things in my everyday life that I want to sample and use in my music. I cannot however lug my computer out there with a mic and get what I want.

I'm looking for a piece of hardware that can store high-quality samples yet is small enough to take with me anywhere. I don't need timestretchers or effects built in, just something I can use to collect the samples.

Can anyone recommend me a gadget? I'm open to new technology but I also adore classic technology. Anything that can do the job, and if it looks cool bonus points right there.

< I want to capture the sounds of this mischievous tree

I use the zoom h2. I think it's a fantastic bit of kit considering it is fairly cheap.

i just started carrying around my roland edirol r-09 with me in my bag. I never used to carry it around before because i was worried about it getting stolen, but only now do i realize how many samples i've been giving up by not keeping it with me. There are better recorders, you might try looking at the zoom line if you want to use an external mic . But my edirol serves my purposes nicely, gotten some nice stuff off it

what's your budget?

i love the sony pcm-d50. it makes me happy. very very good quality for a handheld.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/524130-REG/Sony_PCM_D50_PCM_D50_Professional_Portable.html

i use the Roland R-09 i like it lots. majority of my samples are recorded with it

i would recommend it or something of a similar design. be sure to get a windscreen for the mics or wind will murder your recordings

Great advice, thank you all!

My budget.. $150 maximum.

My plan is to pick something sweet and see if my folks can get me it for christmas

External mic would be nice, I want to look like a 70's game show host with my long-stick microKORG mic.