Having recently moved to Colorado, I’ve been doing a lot of day hiking with my family. So, I thought it would be a good time to go over what I am keeping my pack and using right now, as I am sure it will change in a few months.
Here’s the load out:
And the list:
- Filson Summer Packer Hat: I’m a huge fan of this hat for sun protection. It doesn’t seem like it would be that good, but even people who care less about looks and more about performance, love this hat. I’ve had no issues with wind pulling it off, but that’s really going to come down to fit. (I have the Tin Cloth Bush Hat for colder/wetter weather, love that also.)
- Leica Q2 Reporter Edition in Neoprene Pouch (Art and Artisans silk rope strap): I love this camera and pouch. When I am hiking this is typically in my hand and the pouch empty in the bag. I could forgo the pouch, but there’s really no issue carrying it and I can attach it to the outside of the bag if I really got pressed for space.
- Garmin InReach Mini 2: this is my dedicated emergency device. Yes, my phone should be able to do this as well, but should is not something I bank on. There’s an added benefit of route tracing here too, but mostly I keep this as an easy SOS button which anyone in the family can hit if needed. I will say, the battery life on this has been stellar, much better efficiency than my iPhone, which is another large benefit to this dedicated device. The subscription plans are confusing and spendy, but I’ve spent far more on things which could never possible save my life, so seems worth it.
- Grayl Ultrapress w/ PDW Tether: I’ve been using these water filters for years when I travel, so it’s only natural to also use it as intended in a hiking setup. I have no reason to think I actually need to filter water on the go for 99% of things I do, but it’s nice to know that I could and can without worry. The tether is a nice bit of reassurance that I won’t lose this when taking the bag on and off. Another factor is that I am essentially starting every hike at 5,000’ above sea level, and often going up to 7 or 8,000’ — so if altitude starts impacting someone water becomes more crucial.
- DMade Dopp Bag with hygeine and some first aid, blister, and other items. This is packed full of random stuff. Blister control, hand cleaner, contacts care, bug bites, stings, band aids, TP. This is not so much a first aid kit for me, as it is the general make people happier kit. It gets used a lot.
- Readywise Meal: man it would suck if I needed this. But it weighs very little and takes up very little space, and with my kids in tow I feel a lot better having this on me. (This is just pulled out of my emergency kits, I generally buy Readywise or Mountain House, based solely on sales.)
- Topo Designs Topolite Accessories Bag: I am a huge fan of this pouch, it’s really nicely sized (Medium) and super light and easy to use. Underrated pouch for sure, and much better than the standard material variants Topo sells.
- 2x Sandwich Ziplocs: these are for garbage/used TP.
- Roka Titanium Aviators: These are some of the most comfortable sunglasses I own, and have really good coverage over my eyes for sun protection. I never realized how much better wearing super lightweight sunglasses would be, until I snagged a pair of Roka sunglasses.
- Outdoor Research Sun Gloves: I’ve had these for years, and they tend to work well when you want to keep the back of your hands protected from the sun, and help wick some sweat away from your palms. I don’t use them a ton, but when I do use them, I am always happy to have them. And they give me something with some added protection if I need to use my hands for anything where there’s a potential for cuts and such. It appears this is the newer variant.
- Hudslava: this stuff is legend.
- Tripod: If you carry a camera, you should carry a tripod. I’ve had this for over a decade, it’s tiny and works. The velcro strap allows you to strap the entire kit to a small tree or branch too. (This is the current version of it.)
- Maven Monocular: I’ve always hiked with a monocular, and this is the best monocular I’ve ever used.
- Hirbawi Shemagh: my preferred shemagh, the kids tend to use this as a warming layer if they get chills. It’s also nice to keep sun off the back of your neck, etc.
- Kifaru Echo: I am a huge fan of this backpack. It’s a great size, shape, and layout. I like that I can run a framesheet, run a framesheet without a stay, or remove it all. I also have the Sherman Pocket for it, which fits really well if I need even more space. This is a fantastic bag.
- Emergency kit in aLokSak: this is to keep a few items organized, the aLokSak is to keep something like a phone or wallet dry in the case that rain and stuff is drastically heavier than anticipated. Mostly, I keep these items in here to keep them organized.
- Dyneema cord: this cord isn’t particularly amazing, but it is fantastically strong and weighs nothing.
- Tarred Bank line: if you need something where keeping the knot held is crucial, this stuff is amazing. It’s not very strong, but it is perhaps more versatile than any other cordage I carry.
- Nite Ize Figure 9: I carry two different sizes, mostly in case I need to string something tight so that I can do makeshift whatever. These are completely unnecessary.
- Nite Ize S-Biner: I keep a couple of these floating around, they are so damned handy. The plastic ones are also great.
- Rolling Square Incharge X: adaptable cable for anything I need.
- AA Battery, I think I had something that took this in here at one point, but I need to remove this.
- 3” zip ties: emergency repair item.
- Glasses cleaning cloth: I keep two of these, and this one I keep clean for use on my camera if needed.
- 1.5” Chem Light: because these are awesome.
- Nitecore NU25: I love this headlamp, and it weighs nothing while offering a long run time, a High CRI flood light, and a red light as well. Great backup light.
- Chem Light (red): I’ve never not carried a chem light, I prefer red so that if you have to sleep while it is still going, it doesn’t drive you insane from how bright it is.
- Paracord 550: good stuff.
- 2x Hair Elastic: the kids forever lose theirs.
- Winkler SD2: I tried hiking without a fixed blade, and while I survived, I didn’t like it. I do like this fixed blade a lot though.
- Wenger Lighter: This is a cool little lighter they don’t seem to make anymore. It is a lighter fluid based source. But unlike a Zippo, it also has a reservoir that is air tight to store extra lighter fluid. Which means it should always be able to work, or I can pour the lighter fluid on to tinder and hit the flint wheel on it and I am off to the fires.
- Swiss Army Evo Grip 18: this is a solid variant, the Evo’s are nice upgrades for stuff like this, and is essentially a knife that stays clean and sharp should I need something as a backup.
- Snacks: enough snacks for all of us, based on our preferences.
- Nitecore 10000: I love this battery pack, while it’s not outdoor focused, it is so easy to carry. Once you get one of these, all the others suck by comparison.
- Field Notes, Pen, Bandana in water tight bag: pretty simple, all stuff I wouldn’t want to get wet, so I keep it in this baggy to keep it dry should I need it. A pen is something I find needing at some trailheads, and the bandana is a backup to always have something clean and dry to wipe off hands or whatever with.
- MagicFiber cleaning cloth: for the sunglasses and such, gets used constantly by the family.
- Kleenex: best form factor out there for carrying tissues.
- Aquaphor Lip Balm: my preferred lip balm.
- Malkoff MDC in TAD flashlight pouch: I trust this light more than any others, and the performance is top notch. I keep it in this pouch mostly so that if I were to need the light a lot, I could mount it on the shoulder strap of my backpack, or even to my belt.
- TruNord Compass: really cool little compass. I don’t see a need for more than this, and it glows in the dark.
- Orange Bandana: if you couldn’t tell, I hike mostly in earth tones which looks cool, but doesn’t make you very visible. This is why I carry this, if I need to be seen, I can utilize this to be seen.
- LTC Trauma Kit w/ Shears: my primary IFAK for anything I need when I need it fast. I added the shears. One thing I do here is that should I need to use something(s) out of this, I use that notebook (or my phone) to note what needs to be replaced. Thus this kit is really my emergency kit and is always stocked.
- WetOnes: seriously cleaning hands.
- Wilderness Wipes: less seriously cleaning hands.
- RAB Rain Jacket: I wish they still made this model because it’s fucking fantastic. This jacket goes everywhere with me.
That’s where I am right now. Only other item that gets added is another water bottle I actually use to drink out of. That’s been a rotating lottery of them, so more on that later. I think this one will stick.
Some might note that this is not a very light setup, and that’s correct. But also keep in mind that I ruck with a 35lbs backpack every morning, so to me this weighs nothing at all.
Shoot me any suggestions you have!
Photo thanks to Erin Brooks