Summer minimalist carry and extra layers.

Shotgun

Shotgun

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Feb 3, 2006
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This came up in the kifaru thread and I wanted to start a new thread to get some info. In the summer I see a lot of people going with a minimal kit like the maxpedition water bottle holder and that's it. That's all I really need too in the summer but a lot of the times on a day hike I like to carry an extra layer like a fleece or rain coat. The type of thing where it's cold in the morning and then hot halfway through the day. My question is, do you guys carry an extra layer like this and if so what do you do when you have to shed it in the middle of a hike? Do you sling it with paracord or just tie it around your waste?
 
rarely head out without a light rain jacket even in the balmiest of weather. easy to stow or roll up as mentioned above, tied around waist. depends of course on what part of the country im in. but the rainjacket always goes regardless.
 
If you want to go light and compact, look at stuff made for runners or cyclists.
I use a Marmot Ion windshirt. Basically a lightweight, breathable windbreaker that's water and wind resistant(not proof) that takes the chill off, breathes very well, and dries fast if soaked. Stows in it's own pocket, and has a nylon loop for a carabiner or tying it off. 5oz.
I've had it on over a t-shirt from mid-40s to 75 in the last month, was never cold while moving, or hot enough to take it off. Scraped on rocks and got a little muddy while climbing stuff, snagged on sticker bushes a time or two, and still looks new, though I know better than to think it would last long bushwhacking.

Their new Trail Wind is a big step up in features, and supposedly even lighter, but the Ion is available at closeout prices. I paid $26 with a dealflyer special from Sierra Trading Post, but could get another with today's one day deal for $19.48. Maybe I will.
 
If I'm hiking anywhere other than a county park of very limited acreage I almost always opt for backpack for the very reason you hit on. I have both a nice MaxPed bottleholder set-up and a jumbo versipack, but I almost always take at least a Pygmy Falcon, if not a larger daypack. Even dayhiking I usually have a water-resistant windshirt, stocking cap, gloves, esbit stove, FAK, etc. I could comfortably overnight with the gear I have along, and its better for physical conditioning too.
 
Summertime I am often afield with just a Cabelas hydration pack. The pack has a small zipper pocket where I can fit a .22 pistol, fire starting material, ammo and an extra knife.

On the pack itself, there are criss crossed bungie ties, that will hole a light jacket, tarp or the like.
 
I learned the hard way, that the temperature/weather in general in the mountains can change. You may be 4 days into a 5 day pack and the temps will go from 85 and sunny to 30 degrees and snowing in a matter of hours. Now if I'm going above 5,000 feet I always carry at least a light wool sweater, a Eddie Bauer Rag Wool, a Dale of Norway or a North Face Diablo/Fairfax. These sweaters are light enough that they wear like teeshirts in warm weather, easily keeping up with wicking moisture, sometimes better than cotton teeshirts. They are perfectly comfortable down to 40 degrees, at least, weigh no more than a few ounces and insulate even when wet. They aren't that expensive, I got my ragg wool from Eddie for 20 bucks. You should be able to find a North Face for 40-50, totally worth it. Dale of Norway is the Wildertools of wool, so you're going to shell out for it, but you simply cannot beat that Norwegian mountain wool. If i'm at high altitude and it's clear and scorching, I keep the sweater on as a sun blocker. It's so dry out here that as you take it off all that moisture dry almost instantly, and it seems to suck what's left in your body right out of you. Not only does it prevent sunburn, but it helps me retain water as well.
 
REI's Flash 18 minimalist day pack weighs a mere 10 ounces. It's so light and thin you can wear it empty and not even realize you're carrying it. If you do need to load it up, it's got the needed volume for most hikes and carries just fine. I have two of them. One is always loaded with my day gear. The other is empty and ready for a trip to the zoo or other urban adventure. For the price ($29) and the weight, there's no reason not to own at least one.

http://www.rei.com/product/778466
 
You can get a 1000 cubic inch Eddie Bauer collapsing daypack as well, for 12 dollars... It fits a 3 liter water bladder, a small survival kit, a pullover and some other essentials. They come in some pretty cool colors, mine is OD. They're made of 230D nylon. I don't fall for "ultralight" products though, because as a general rule unless it's made of titanium it's an excuse to sell a skimpier product made from cheaper, less durable materials and sell it at a higher price.
 
eddie bauer's site is all flash stuff so their links are screwy, go to eddiebauer.com, click on bags and packs, it's 19 dollars right now? the local store had them on clearance for 12 a week ago. They don't list the OD color, it must be from last year's line. I'd check out your local store if you have one.
 
I never go out without a fleece and Montane rain jacket, too many occasions of being cold/wet when circumstances/weather changed.

I'd rather have it and not need it and I never begrudge the slight bulk/weight penalty as the advantages outweigh all else.

Reckon my definition of minimalist differs from most!
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I usually carry a jacket of some sort, run through the strap of my bottle holder but my bottle holder has a couple attached pouches, one of which has a thermal blanket with hood.
MaxPed1.jpg

MaxPed2.jpg
 
PayetteRucker said:
eddie bauer's site is all flash stuff so their links are screwy, go to eddiebauer.com, click on bags and packs, it's 19 dollars right now? the local store had them on clearance for 12 a week ago. They don't list the OD color, it must be from last year's line. I'd check out your local store if you have one.
Click to expand...

Cool pack for $20. You don't happen to have a pic of it packed up do you? Of course it's $30 shipped, but there's a store about 25 miles from me so I might pick one up next time I'm over that way.
 
yeah, like I said my store had last year's colors on clearance for 12 bucks... besides they have a new line geared towards more of the nitty gritty bushcraft type outdoors stuff, a new anorak and some cool bush shirts, it's worth checking out. I don't think I have a picture of it packed, they do on the eddie bauer website. Next time I get out I need to take some gear pics.
 
I usually have a driducks poncho handy, and a spare merino wool base layer. Merino is great because it breathes well, insulates when wet, and doesn't have to be terribly thick to provide good insulation. Paired with the poncho to block wind, it would add quite a lot of warmth.
 
Even in the heat of summer I always take at least a thermal top, beanie and raincoat. Always. I'm surprised to see so many people packing 4 knives but no rain gear. What about the 10 essentials people!?
 
Scott Free said:
REI's Flash 18 minimalist day pack
Click to expand...

+1, picked one up in a store a couple of years ago and use it all the time.


Weather around here changes so much throughout the day I always have a wool or fleece top and at least a Frogg Togg top with me.
 
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I have a poly pro underlayer that I take with me, as it is extremely light. That combined with my rain jacket jeep me warm until down around the mid 30s, but I'll only wear that if I stop moving around or am moving slowly. I balance this out with a 45 degree bag and I'm normally snug as a rug. I carry an adventure medics blanket with me just in case I sprain something and have to rough it for a while, I've slept in those on both trips and in the backyard and know what to expect from it. I'm very interested in the light weight merino wool long sleeves as well. I bet they may be a bit more thermoregulatory than the poly pro. I'm terribly rough on my gear though so I'm on the fence about buying one.
 
My hiking is in the mountains as well and extra layers are a given- even summer- on my water bottle holder kit I've added a compression strap setup and bungi setup, same goes for my small Lunada

lunadarearloaded.jpg


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