What does Molasses keep in her pack?
-Summer-
What goes into a day pack is ultimately a personal decision. Some people carry nothing, which I can't personally recommend. At a minimum I think a person should carry some water. I like to be prepared, and I try to carry the minimum I would need to survive a night in the woods given the predicted weather when I set out for the day.
1. First aid kit: including band-aids, alcohol wipes, gauze, benadryl, emergency blanket, needle & medical tape. Moleskin for blisters, pepto (because of my multitude of stomach issues). Sunscreen, & lip balm with sunscreen.
My pstyle: (women, if you don't have one of these, you want one. Good for hiking as well as portable bathrooms at concerts and such.)
Also included is a small roll of duct tape and my multi-tool. I'd recommend carrying ibuprofen as well, I don't because I can't take it, but it's something a lot of hikers like to have on hand.
My pstyle: (women, if you don't have one of these, you want one. Good for hiking as well as portable bathrooms at concerts and such.)
Also included is a small roll of duct tape and my multi-tool. I'd recommend carrying ibuprofen as well, I don't because I can't take it, but it's something a lot of hikers like to have on hand.
2. Bug spray: The tiny bottle in front isn't carried, but it's mixed with witch hazel to make an all natural bug spray that I keep in the larger white bottle. The natural stuff works great, to a degree. After you've been out in the woods a few hours on a long hike you can't help but smell a little more like a sweaty human, once that happens, you need the heavy duty stuff.
3. Personal items: sunglasses, visor, bandanna, waterproof camera. Not pictured because I'm using it: my shiny new camera. :)
4. Food: Yeah, we don't have to talk about how I eat on the trail. I can't help it, I eat healthy 90% of the time, I swear. On the trail I eat candy, mostly reese's pieces and fruit snacks. If we're on a long hike I eat pistachios too, gotta have something with some nutrients. I occasionally carry energy gels, energy snacks, cliff bars, things like that, but that's usually more on backpacking trips.
Hand sanitizer, use it before you dig in, keep a second bottle in an easy to access pouch. Use if you have to take a pee break on the trail. Clean hands = healthy, happy, hiker. :) (Most "stomach bugs" caught on the trail come from eating without cleaning your hands.)
Hand sanitizer, use it before you dig in, keep a second bottle in an easy to access pouch. Use if you have to take a pee break on the trail. Clean hands = healthy, happy, hiker. :) (Most "stomach bugs" caught on the trail come from eating without cleaning your hands.)
5. Binoculars and Bird Book: As a fledgling bird nerd I can't help but carry these items. :)
6. Water: I can't stress this enough, carry water on your hikes! Hydration is important in the winter, summer, spring, and fall. Always, always, carry water, and drink it. Make sure your friends drink it, and especially make sure your kids drink it. If you stop for a pee and your urine is darker/yellower than normal you aren't hydrating properly...drink up!
I highly recommend a water bladder, they make hydrating easy. The amount of water you need will depend on your own body. The best way to tell if you're drinking enough is, seriously, by looking at your urine. Get to know the right color. :)
I highly recommend a water bladder, they make hydrating easy. The amount of water you need will depend on your own body. The best way to tell if you're drinking enough is, seriously, by looking at your urine. Get to know the right color. :)
7. Cell phone & protective case. Small wallet with essentials: (ID, Debit Card, Credit Card). Always carry your ID, if something happens to you and you're found unconscious or worse, you want the person who finds you to know who you are.
8. Gloves: I just started carrying these recently, but I wish I had started ages ago. Hiking in CT often involves rock scrambling. I don't know how many times I've hurt my hands or gotten them just downright gross rock scrambling, including one really bad gash on a backpacking trip that kept re-opening the whole trip...very painful, and very frustrating. Gloves keep sap and mud off my hands, and save scrapes and cuts. If you like the idea of gloves you can get expensive rock-climbing gloves if you want, but I just picked up a pair of mechanix gloves on sale at Ocean State Job Lot.
9. Just for fun I carry my cat, Courageous Chloe, and the TARDIS. I started carrying the cat not long after we first started hiking. The TARDIS joined us the past fall. They're fun for putting in pictures. :) A lot of backpackers would scoff at carrying extra weight in the form of toys, but I don't mind, they're only a couple ounces each.
Important items not pictured:
Length of rope - enough to string between two tree's to make a small emergency shelter out of an emergency blanket.
Rain jacket - only carried when rain is predicted and temps are low enough at night for the threat of rain to be a hypothermia risk if stranded. I never wear it while hiking unless it's under 60 degree's during the day...makes me too hot.
Rain hat - only carried when heavy rain predicted.
Map - Sidetrack has it.
Length of rope - enough to string between two tree's to make a small emergency shelter out of an emergency blanket.
Rain jacket - only carried when rain is predicted and temps are low enough at night for the threat of rain to be a hypothermia risk if stranded. I never wear it while hiking unless it's under 60 degree's during the day...makes me too hot.
Rain hat - only carried when heavy rain predicted.
Map - Sidetrack has it.