What do hitch hikers pack?

golok

golok

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Oct 20, 2000
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I used to be vacation hitch hiker. I am curious to know what are the essentials that a hitch hiker should have in his small backpack.

A hitch hiker normally does not rough it out like the hardcore backpackers, so we are not talking of some serious survival stuff.

Still, there will be some essentials that will help smoothen his passage across the country or States.

What will these essentials be?
 
really a thumb, a one day pack with a change of clothes some toiletries, a blanket and a non-tactical pocket knife. was all I had.

I actually had wood carving tools so I could carve some sculptures along the way and I did for room and board.


I had no survival skills and no real supplies.
 
Do people still hitch? When I was young it was like another type of public transportation. Now it's kind of scary. Or maybe I just got old.
 
A former female acquantance once told me of her hitchhiking trek across the US.

If I remember correctly, she'd said her gear consisted of 3 days change of clothes, a wool blanket, a poncho, a sierra cup, a nesting type knife/fork/spoon, and a canteen. I clearly recall when I asked about knives or a weapon, she pulled out an old Camillus Barlow pattern knife and said that she carried it throughout the trek and still carried it daily.

She'd said she had encountered a few weirdos but never had any real human problems. She'd had a close call with a rattler somewhere in the southwest and a few problems with dogs.

I don't know about anywhere else, but I travel a lot in the northeast and southern states. I can't remember the last time I saw a hitch hiker.

Mike
 
Hitchhiking is still common in the West, or at least it is in Oregon. California doesn't allow hitchhikers to stand along freeways, but in Oregon it's all okay. A lot of people get along like that. I've picked up a few, including a couple that had just got out of prison. Kind of spooky, but they were alright to me. I've also hitched my own way around, and everybody seems pretty cool.

Sorry - no recommendations on the pack. I'm mostly familiar with day traveling.
 
We don't have a public transportation here, but people hitchhike all the time. Especially in the non-tourist season.

My mother and I went back to the mainland this morning to pick up a boat. We had no trouble hitchhiking into town from the ferry dock to get to the marina. And we gave several other folks a lift back in the boat.
 
Back in my teens and early 20's (which was back in the 60's - Summer OF Love......et al) I crossed America a couple of dozen times by thumb. Living in New York City, my usual route was a short bus ride to New Jersey where I could get my first ride on to the New Jersey Turnpike. From there it was straight sailing thouugh the toll roads to Chicago and then on to Route 66 to L.A. That was the "fast" way. Senic route took other roads and wasa lots more fun.

As to gear, my most important items were a clean, neat looking outfit (at least, something that looked clean and neat to passing drivers!) and a marking pen. Actually, the pen was even more important. Early on another traveler advised me of the advantages of holding a sign with my destination.

Holding a sign showed drivers where I was going, and usually helped get longer rides. If you are in a "good" hitchiking spot (like the entrance ramp to an interstate) you don't want an ride 3 miles down the road. My record for a single ride is from just outside L.A. to St.Louis - about 1600 miles.

I don't see many hitchhikers these days - more's the pity for a lot of reasons......
 
Did a bit of hitching 20+ years ago, it was fun, no really bad stuff ever happened. Don't see hitchers any more. All this "stranger danger" stuff :confused: :(
 
I've hitched across the U.S. 3 times in 3 different summers. Never ran into anything dangerous, but that doesn't mean it isn't out there. My best friend's former girlfriend (this is 20 years ago too) was murdered by a hitch hiker.

Only knife I carried at the time was a SAK. Besides some clothes, something to read along the way, other small essentials like flashlight, first aid kit, light rain tarp, bottle of Dr. Bronners soap (used for evertying from shampoo to laundry), I carried a loaf of dense black bread, some sardines, and honey. Also don't forget a good dense broad-lined permanent marking pen for making signs on pieces of cardboard as you go along.
 
First time I ever saw the ocean, I was on a summer trek anywhere I could getr a ride to. I took a gerber gator, (no studs back then) a change of clothes, rain suit, and sleeping bag. (light spring version.) I was very surprised how cool it could be certain nights, even in the summer. I never had any problems, I was also picked up by a just released felon. No problems, I was more afraid of dogs. When I was walking. There are some good web resources out there. After marriage, 3 kids and a kidney transplant, I will say it is something I will never be able to do again. But, I am happy to say, "been there, done that". :)
 
It’s been 20 years or more since I went on a long hitchhiking trip.

As I recall a typical load I used to carry,
SAK tinker model
Water bottle
Sleeping bag
Plastic groundcloth
poncho
Pot
Rice and/or beans, ramen noodles
Matches
Large black felt tip marker
All in an old “trapper nelson” wood frame pack.

Only got in people trouble once, and the little SAK did help me out.

The rice and beans took time to cook. Less time if you soaked them first. A poor choice but I was poor and dumb too.

The last few times I’ve picked up hitchhikers they’ve been drunk. I spent my time wondering if they were going to throw up in my vehicle. I think it is a different crowd hitchhiking than in my youth.

I did pick up a homeless American Indian fellow on a nearby reservation the other day. He was pretty neat.
 
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