Day hike bag

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backwoods_boy89

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Jan 8, 2010
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Hey guys, just curious what you carry in your pack for a day hike? Do you alway bring items that you could use to spend a night out on an emergency (or by choice). What size pack do you use?
 
I am in the habit of carrying a lot of what if stuff. Small tarp, First Aid Kit, Whistle, Fire Making Kit, Space Blanket, Headlamp. You just never know when you will need some of these items.

Look up the 10 essentials. It's a great list to start from and depending on where you live might be a necessity. IF I lived out west and hiked remote areas you beat I would have a well stocked day pack.

My packs vary. 1500 - 1800 cubic inches is a good starting point with lots of extra room.
 
I carry two different packs dependent on where and when im going. longer hikes, or hikes im going on with other people that may or may not be as prepared, or hike i don't have a water source, i use a 32 liter pack made by kelty. It is discontinued but a great size for me, because i can do a long day hike or ever a light over night in it. on that size pack i want a frame sheet because im usually carrying more weight, and i don't really need a hip belt. For most of my day hikes i use s MSM adapt pack it sits at 21 liters and it does well by me. Not great with a water bladder but not the worst, relatively light, not a lot of venting but it has held up great and i like some of the features that make it easy to get small things without putting the pack on the ground. I dont need a lot of structure unless i am using a bladder, and i like having at least 20 liters of capacity because i can carry some small shelter extra food water filtration and most if not all the 10 essentials. Just my two cents HYOH
 
Yep, the Ten Essentials. There are several variations of the list found online, and you can find it repeated at hiking websites, outdoor retailers' sites, Wiki articles, etc. Adapt the list to the climate and conditions of where you hike and make adjustments for personal preferences. :thumbup:
 
My wife and I both use the Condor hydration pack (model #124) shown here:

http://www.condoroutdoor.com/Condor-124.aspx

124_001F_2014.2.png


I supplement it with a Hill People Gear chest pack, but generally fit everything I need in the Condor. However, it's not going to accommodate anything more than a "space" blanket for sleeping. I carry a water reservoir, the aforementioned blanket, a lightweight emergency poncho, small first aid kit, spare socks and various trail food in mine quite comfortably.
 
For dayhikes, I use my ATS Cobra 2.6. It's 925 cubic inches, which is perfect for holding essentials and nothing more. I keep a full first aid kit, trauma kit, 2 liters of water in Nalgene bottles, a Maxpedition Fatty Pocket Organizer loaded with emergency supplies, lunch, and whatever else I might need that day depending on what I'm doing. It's got shock cord on the front face where I stash a light jacket, and two rows of molle webbing on the bottom for anything else too big to put inside the 'pack. The straps are wide and flat with minimal padding and are extremely comfortable.

Here is the ATS 2.6:



...And this is the Maxpedition Fatty Pocket Organizer:

 
If its just a mile or two hike I will take a small hydration pack but if I go into an area away from people on a longer hike I take at least three days worth of supplies in a modern reproduction Alice pack. On my belt I have a Leatherman Supertool 300, a Condor Bushlore, my Glock 42, firesteel, and some 550 Firecord along with a signal mirror around my neck. In my pack for fire I carry a Bic, and a match safe with storm matches, for water I have water purification tablets, a sawyer straw mini and a metal wide mouth canteen along with some emergency water pouches, for food I carry a 3600 calorie survival bar and some broken down MRE pieces, for extra clothing I have a rain poncho and a 100% wool shirt and long johns, and for miscellaneous I carry a back up folding knife, a folding saw, an emergency space tent, and a flare gun. There's probably a ton of other stuff floating around in there but I'm too lazy to dump it all out right now.
 
I use an osprey talon 22 pack. I love that backpack! It doesn't have a ton of space, but it's easy enough to strap stuff to the outside. I live in MD and all of the places I might hike aren't too remote. If I did have to spend an overnight, I wouldn't be comfortable, but I'd be alright. Usually have a lighter and firesteel, a stainless steel water bottle, some kind of snacks, paracord, knife, leatherman, first aid kit, extra socks, gloves, hat, shirt, jacket. Random stuff like chapstick, tissues, gum, mini flashlight, hand sanitizer, etc. I would definately carry more if I were hiking more remote.
 
I use an Arcteryx Khard 30 for day hikes, a 45 for very light overnights, and I plan to pick up the 60 before long. It's a little pricey, but once you break it in it's like a part of you (without wearing the lame hip belt). It just stays put on your back. The velcro pouches make it easy to swap your kits between the pack sizes. So, I have little kit pouches for stuff, first aid, fire making, lights+batteries+multitool, tarp, hammock, down jacket, jet boil+accessories, water bladder, etc. Just grab the pouches you need for each trip and slap 'em in there.
 
Another Osprey user.. Daylite for my day trips.. Would like to eye-ball that ATS Cobra pack though.. John :thumbup:
 
My day kit varies depending on how remote the location I'm visiting is.

It ranges from

water/snacks/jacket/cellphone/money in a lightweight 20L pack (salomon xa 20)

to

Food, water, shelter for 3 days laid up or traveling in inclement weather
 
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Anybody use a maxpedition jumbo versipack or some other bigger single shoulder strap sling bag? How do you find it feels after carrying for a few hours?
 
backwoods_boy89 said:
Anybody use a maxpedition jumbo versipack or some other bigger single shoulder strap sling bag? How do you find it feels after carrying for a few hours?
Click to expand...

I use to but I started to try and get away from the whole "tactical look" not that there is anything wrong with it if that's your thing I just kind of decided I didn't want to stand out.
 
I don't care for the tactical look myself but I like the molle options. I just feel like a sling pack would tire out one side of the body more and maybe put one off balance.
 
I use a Badlands Hyper Hydro for day hikes. I have a 3 liter bladder inside with a water filter. The pack rides better than any I have had when over loaded. I usually carry my first aid kit- poncho liner- survival kit- Multi tool-food. It has the Hyper Suspension System that keeps your back cool and helps balance the load.

badlands_hyper_hydro_hydration_hunting_pack_1172849_1_og.jpg


badlands_hyper_hydro_hydration_hunting_pack_1172849_4_lg.jpg
 
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