Too much gear?


E

everglade blade

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I'm getting ready to go on a day hike and was looking at my backpack, and man, it seems like i got a lot of stuff. I have pretty much 2 of everything, knives, shelters, ways to make fire, ect just in case it turns into survival. i tend to plan for worst case senario. i probably have enough stuff for 3 days. Anyone else out there have this problem too? i would like some comments on what everyone else's packs look like for a day hike.
 
Yes, me too. However, I do believe some redundancy is good in major items. I build my kits around 5 basic items then move to some "luxury/comfort" items:
My 5 basics are: Fire making methods, Covering/Shelter, Metal Container(s), Cutting Tool(s), and cordage(s). Hope this helps.
 
Four major priorities- Shelter, fire, and then water, and food.

Carry a basic shelter for day hikes- a poncho, small tarp- MEST or similar,
and some paracord.

For fire, have three ways- for me, firesteel, flint and steel, and a Bic or Zippo lighter. :)

Carry a good knife, and a back up necker or folder.

Carry enough water for expected use, and a means of boiling if you need more. (Metal canteen cup with a canteen works great.

Carry some food for a couple of meals, and an extra pack -I use a large ziplock- with 3 teas, 3 instant coffees, three hot chocolates, 3 instant oatmeal or power bars, and three small soup packages or bouliion cubes.

That can keep you going for 72 hours at minimum.

Not that large a loadout.

Then add gloves, sunscreen , FAK, insect repellent, hat, bandanna, and appropriate clothing.
 
If you ask me,better have more than not enough!

I cant count how many survival kits i have at home,one in each cars,im a maniac haha.

But of course if you go on a day hike,weight is a thing you need to consider,or it will make your hike a workout instead of a pleasent day.It probably is because of a lack of practice,so you are insecure,wich is absolutely normal for the first outings.

Best way to figure out what you really need,think how far you are going,what are the chances you get stranded,what type of vegetation/terrain you will be hiking on,do you have a way to comunicate for rescue(cell phone/walkie talkie/people near by)is the terrain level,mountain,...

What would you really need on that hike to get yourself out of sh...

Dont worry,with some practice,and experince,you will get more specific on what you need,and dont need,remember that to much stuff weighs more,and a pack to heavy brings faster fatigue,wich can bring you to fall easier,and then be in trouble,to start,go for shorter distance,and be safer!

Hope this help a bit,give yourself a chance!
 
I used to carry way too much stuff, now I only bring the minimum. the more I learned about bushcraft and survival skills the less I felt I needed the extra equipment.

for day hikes I carry:

knife
water
ferro rod
cook pot (with whatever food I plan to eat)
first aid kit
light jacket (unless its winter, than i carry a spare fleece
extra socks
bandana
and sometimes a tarp (if its raining/wet or super hot/humid
some paracord
small notebook and pencil

with that I have enough for a nice all day hike.
 
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I always carry my backpack, even on dayhikes.
Why?
Simple, even a broken ankle can turn into a serious situation, especially in wintertime.
Apart from the standard items such as knife, axe, messkit with firemakingtools and food, poncho and canteen, there's also a shelterhalf, a spare set of clothes, extra food and some other bits and pieces. At least enough for a 24hrs emergency.
Plus I always want to try and enhance my skills with a certain piece of gear.

And hauling the extra weight makes a good exercise....
 
If you're not prepared for success then you're prepared for failure. Nothing wrong with having the gear you need to keep you safe and to allow you to have a relaxed and enjoyable time in the woods in my opinion.
 
Yeah, I agree with Iz.

Pack whatever you are comfortable with, and don't go by what other people say you should or shouldn't have. Just make sure the basics are covered -- fire, shelter, food, water, first aid, and take whatever you need to accomplish those.
 
I always have a spare cutting tool and means of fire. Always take shelter whether I plan to set it up or not and a FAK. Even if I'm not planning to cook lunch, I usually take a little food and cooking gear. Catch where I'm going with this? Not always, but I'd rather have it if I want/need it.
 
If I could carry that much gear, let's say, 10-15 miles, I would surely pack it.

It seems to me others are right when they say extra is better than not enough. Cover the basics, shelter, fire, water, food. Later on down the road you may decide differently but I wouldn't blame you for carrying extra gear.
 
Just came home from a 6 mile dayhike. I always have too much gear, I see some folks with a water bottle and a smile, some with a little more and few with a full looking daypack.

In my daypack I have:

Poncho
50ft Paracord
Mora 510 on a neck cord
bandana
light polypro top
wool watch cap
small first aid kit
Headlight and spare batteries
wind/rain jacket (Marmot PreCip)
Beef Jerky, Clif bar and Clif Bloks
TP and Kleenex
2 leaf bags
compass and map of area
matchsafe with strike anywhere matches
firesteel
cotton balls with vaseline in a small vial
water purification tablets
Space Saver Cup
Camelbak 3L bladder with water
2 person heatsheet
whistle and signal mirror
Small flashlight

That is the usual load. I sometimes add or suibtract depending on weather and location. On my person I carry a Zippo lighter, a Sparklite kit and a Farmer SAK.
Today I also had my cell phone because it would work in some areas of the hike. Most mountain hikes around here have a lot of areas with no coverage though.
 
thanks again, i deffently recommend an FAK, i was striking my ferro rod and my mora slipped, cut my finger wide open. time for first aid in the bush.
 
I keep my day pack less than 15lbs including 100oz water bladder.
I carry:

Asek knife
Belt skinning knife
Canteen cup
Sog multitool
Poncho
Fire steel
Small spool bank line
25ft paracord
Mini bic lighter
Pj cotton balls
Small compass
Whistle
Usgi cravat (sp)
Wool hat
Wool glove.
Woodsmans pal
Small folding saw
Tube 3x antibiotic ointment



I just added the additional tools to my kit because i found when i was out guiding for the hog hunters i was clearing alot of limbs, vines and brush. I used to carry the saw and the WP in my larger bag but found myself wanting them to often. They are in my woods EDC now.
 
I have enough with me on a dayhike that I could overnight if absolutely needed.
But also always give a "call for help" time to a couple people and info of where I'm going.
There is no way to prepare for a loss of balance and a broken leg if you are 5 miles from your truck.
 
My pack weighs 80lbs on an average 2 day trip for me but I can turn it into a 7 day if I want to without changing my pack. :) So in other words If I have to I can live off my pack for 7 days if I need to.
 
Carry what ever your back can handle that your comfortable with... for me thats about 30 lbs in my possibles bag and that goes down as food is used up but I am good/comfortable for a weekend and more if not indefinitely if I decide to forage too...
But I always want to add gear we need to setup a 12 step gear anonymous thread..LOL.....

Now if we are talking my B.O.B ya way to much gear 50 lbs + I have been a gear junkie for so long its hard to cut down you just want to take everything with you for every conceivable scenario you may encounter....
 
For a daytrips...
I carry in minimum a leatherman/sak/opinel n6 and a box of matches, short trips to those local forests which you know like your own pockets. In most cases I carry those mentioned above plus a canteen of water and some pit and pieces in backpack depending what I have planned to do and ofcourse a compas and map if I don't know the location where I'm heading.
They say you can survive three days without water and three weeks without food. :D
 
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I tend to carry with redundancy in my back pack also. Not so much with my belt kit. I think I would rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. When my wife hikes with me I carry everything, my belt kit and backpack and her camera back pack in my hand, with food and water for a day trek I am pushing over 50 lbs. Furthest I have done with this set up was 7 miles and I felt good afterward. My new ribz pack will redistribute that weight a bit so I am excited to fill it up and get out on the trail soon.
 
I tend to over pack as well. When I hike it's with my wife and 3 kids. I'll never take chances with them so I shoulder the gear.
 
thanks for the post, i'm packing around 12lbs. and thats with water as i live in the high desert. i may be able to go lighter....
 
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