All the hikers in BF

jca21

jca21

Joined
Apr 12, 2006
Messages
3,188
hello out there to all the hikers on bladeforums

i've been wanting to improve upon my hiking gear for some time now. im not sure if its quite up to BF standards. :D

so here is what i carry with me when i hike

Vest (north face light):
1x signalling mirror
1x 10ft of 550 paracord

Hip (attatched to belt):
1x spyderco endura
1x sog seal knife (has a small oregon whetstone in pouch of tactical sheath)
1x swedish firesteel and striker (attatched to belt loop via paracord and carabiner)

In pockets:
1x crkt m21
1x small container with dryer lint and cotton balls
1x car keys
1x photo id

In backpack:
1x hikers cooking kit (2 small pots, a frying pan and utensils)
1x 75ft of rope (coiled up)
2x canteens of water
1x hydration pack (comes attatched to bag with a hose leading to your mouth)
1x backup swedish fire steel with striker
1x emergency blanket
2x 12 hour glow sticks (enough for 2 nights)
3x granola bars
1x travel sized first aid kit
1x poncho
1x folding shovel
2x condoms (never know if your gonna get lucky on the trails :cool: )

On/In Hat (booney hat):
1x 50 feet of fishing line coiled around the inside sleeve part of the hat
3x small split shot sinkers
3x small hooks (you can catch a big fish with a small hook but not a small fish with a big hook :p )
3x lures (spinners)

now please keep in mind that this is what i usually carry for a day hike (anywhere from 6-12 hours) on the trails.

any suggestions? think i covered it all?

i know im missing a water filtration kit but i figure i can just boil the water in a pot and it'll be safe to drink

im welcome to suggestions, advice, comments, criticism, it all helps in the end

thanks in advance
 
bic lighter
purification tabs
stout hiking stick
SAS pocket survival guide
upgrade knives--folder? I carry Emerson HD-7
fixed blade? INFI! check out Busse forums
most important--your wits and training.( prior practice prevents pitiful performance--Don Paul)
 
i usually have a pack of smokes and a lighter in my pocket but didnt consider that really a survival item :P

as for the hiking stick i usually whip one up when ever i hit the trails. after im done using the hiking stick i chop it up into smaller pieces of wood and use it to heat my food. in that way nothing is wasted

as for upgrading my knives? i wish i had the budget to get myself and emerson or a busse T_T but yeah its something i'd keep in mind

my wits and training? i've been hiking for a very long time... the knowledge that i have gathered are from books, dvds, my dad and grandpa (both military men). and i've also TRIED and PRACTICED these skills that i've learned.

many people can read a book and say "oh jeez yeah i can do that" but when it comes down to really doing it in a survival situation its not as easy as you think..

cheers ^^

btw thanks for the input. appreciate it
 
no prob. Love being out and trying new things.
I'm 285, so I always use a stick I trust.
Happy trails! Just did Yellow Springs, OH to Clifton, OH. Beautiful!
 
Went right after H.s. Was in Denver for a week this summer, spent the other week in South Dakota (Bad Lands were awesome, but at 115 degrees, the heat took my breath away). Was with the fam, so not much hiking took place then.
Would love to peak bag, but probably should lose a few lbs. first!
 
Hey! you should consider a scrapyardknives blade. They only have one model right now, it's a six inch blade. Shipped with sheath for USD 123.00. From some of the pictures on the Busse forum, they look comperable to the Swamp Rat knives. I believe it is scrapyardknives.com.
We're lucky to find a good hill to 'climb' here in Ohio, but Ohio has other charms....
 
Looks like a good listing you have there. Couple things I didn't see that I always bring are a compass and a field guide on edible plants of the area. Happy trails and I'll leave you with a shot from a 3 hours hike I took this morning. I'm psyched to see that the color is starting to come out. I love Fall :)

vulturesview.jpg
 
jca21 said:
hello out there to all the hikers on bladeforums

i've been wanting to improve upon my hiking gear for some time now. im not sure if its quite up to BF standards. :D

so here is what i carry with me when i hike

Vest (north face light):
1x signalling mirror
1x 10ft of 550 paracord

Hip (attatched to belt):
1x spyderco endura
1x sog seal knife (has a small oregon whetstone in pouch of tactical sheath)
1x swedish firesteel and striker (attatched to belt loop via paracord and carabiner)

In pockets:
1x crkt m21
1x small container with dryer lint and cotton balls
1x car keys
1x photo id

In backpack:
1x hikers cooking kit (2 small pots, a frying pan and utensils)
1x 75ft of rope (coiled up)
2x canteens of water
1x hydration pack (comes attatched to bag with a hose leading to your mouth)
1x backup swedish fire steel with striker
1x emergency blanket
2x 12 hour glow sticks (enough for 2 nights)
3x granola bars
1x travel sized first aid kit
1x poncho
1x folding shovel
2x condoms (never know if your gonna get lucky on the trails :cool: )

On/In Hat (booney hat):
1x 50 feet of fishing line coiled around the inside sleeve part of the hat
3x small split shot sinkers
3x small hooks (you can catch a big fish with a small hook but not a small fish with a big hook :p )
3x lures (spinners)

now please keep in mind that this is what i usually carry for a day hike (anywhere from 6-12 hours) on the trails.

any suggestions? think i covered it all?

i know im missing a water filtration kit but i figure i can just boil the water in a pot and it'll be safe to drink

im welcome to suggestions, advice, comments, criticism, it all helps in the end

thanks in advance
Click to expand...

Great list! As they say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it! If you're experienced and that set of gear works for you, stick with it! :thumbup:

But you did invite suggestions, so....

I'd carry a back-up water purification system - could be iodine tabs, a little bottle of bleach, or one of these cool survival straws:

http://giardiaclub.com/survival-water-filter-straw/index.php

cheap, lightweight, easy to use!

I always carry an extra pair of socks...

I guess you chop up your walking stick with your SOG fixed blade? You might consider a Bark River Mini-Axe - it's just 10 oz. and makes chopping chores a breeze.

I'm sure you know one of the great dangers in hiking is getting stuck out there overnight for some reason with dropping temperatures under wet conditions. Besides the poncho and e-blanket, you might consider some kind of tarp for overnight shelter. There's the ubiquitous blue polyethylene tarps or something a bit more expensive and lightweight: http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/s...6&storeId=226&catalogId=40000000226&langId=-1

And where's your flashlight? Or are you confident hiking trails at night by the light of glowsticks?:cool:
 
jca21,

Just curious, what kind of hikes are you doing in BC - are you in the rainforest or alpine?

D
 
i hike back woods both local and distant trails? sometimes i make some time to drive/ferry over to vancouver island and hike the trails there... and the compass is built into my watch. the cooking kits comes with 2 cups and the map... well thats something i guess i should get :D
 
the frying pan is just part of the cooking set.
the set is super light and ultra compact, similar to this but made by outbound and has 2 small pots a frying pan and 2 cups. very compact

0763411_450_CC_52bb9.jpg


i like to stay full on my 6 hour hikes =)
 
jca21 said:
and the compass is built into my watch.
Click to expand...

Is that an electronic compass on your watch? Like in Suunto watches?
I would'nt rely greatly on anything that works with electricity, it *will* run out of batteries, or just broke, when you need it most.

And that compass in your watch is also near other electric components in watch, i don't think it's it's not as accurate as "normal" compasses.
(thou' electric compass makers will try to compensate for that EM radiation.)

But, if you do mostly day hikes, as you say in your 1st post, electric compass is probably enough. Just don't trust it too much.

How well has that compass worked for you (if it's electronic) ?
 
What about carrying a good whistle?
Also, for a day hike most of the stuff you mentioned can be carried in a belt pouch. Splitting some of your gear to your hat seems like you might be inviting dissapointment if your hat gets lost.
For a dayhike, you can leave the sharpener at home.
Just like cowbells, you can never have too much paracord.
Do you really need a shovel?
 
yeah i've found at times that i do need a shovel, digging a latrine, moving coals from my fire, etc...

and the electronic compass in my watch seems to work pretty good but like you said its electronic and possible to break so i'll look into a new compass replacement.

whistle sounds like a good idea. i hate belt pouch/fanny packs... lol the only reason i put that in my hat is cause i go everywhere with my hat but sometimes places without my gear.

and yea paracord as become an essential part of my kit.

thanks for ur advice guys

cheers ^^
 
This is a strong second vote for a whistle. My father on an elk hunt fell down a hole between to dead falls. Blew his whistle for two hours. Other hunters saved him. We would never have found his body (12 feet down).
Two weeks ago my grandson got lost picking huckleberry near Mt St. Helens. He blew his whistle and 20 minutes later we found him. Dense woods, could not hear him yelling (he is 7).
I hunt the rain forests in the NW. Never go in without a good whistle (or two).
Ron Athay
 
wow that really makes me think twice.. im gonna rush to the store and pick up a whistle asap.
 
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