When you are hiking, camping, etc. "off duty" and just for fun, do you carry extra gear, "just in case'?
I've been doing EMS for almost 25 yrs now, LE for 15, and SAR for almost 10. By nature, I am not an ultralight kinda guy, but I do like to minimize weight/bulk when feasible. When on a call out, there is a certain minimum amount of gear that must be carried, and most of us go a little beyond that. However, when hiking or bushcrafting for fun, many of my companions leave virtually all their gear behind. I don't question their skills or mindset. I think that they are perfectly capable of getting themselves into and out of the woods and pack accordingly. I however, can't quite get there. What if you find someone who needs assistance? What if someone comes to you, asking for help? Wouldn't you feel helpless or at least handicapped if but for a piece of kit, this would be easy.
No, I don't carry a full tech rescue kit when a go hiking for fun; but I do bring webbing and maybe 25'-50' of static line. I don't hump a full BLS EMT bag, but I easily carry at least twice what most hikers have in their 1st aid kit. I always have extra layers with me. My water is in both a bladder and canteeens. You get the idea. Maybe this old Eagle Scout takes "Be prepared" a little too far.
I'm very interested in everyone's responses. I'll probably never jump on the UL bandwagon, but less weight is always a good thing. Thanks for the input.
I've been doing EMS for almost 25 yrs now, LE for 15, and SAR for almost 10. By nature, I am not an ultralight kinda guy, but I do like to minimize weight/bulk when feasible. When on a call out, there is a certain minimum amount of gear that must be carried, and most of us go a little beyond that. However, when hiking or bushcrafting for fun, many of my companions leave virtually all their gear behind. I don't question their skills or mindset. I think that they are perfectly capable of getting themselves into and out of the woods and pack accordingly. I however, can't quite get there. What if you find someone who needs assistance? What if someone comes to you, asking for help? Wouldn't you feel helpless or at least handicapped if but for a piece of kit, this would be easy.
No, I don't carry a full tech rescue kit when a go hiking for fun; but I do bring webbing and maybe 25'-50' of static line. I don't hump a full BLS EMT bag, but I easily carry at least twice what most hikers have in their 1st aid kit. I always have extra layers with me. My water is in both a bladder and canteeens. You get the idea. Maybe this old Eagle Scout takes "Be prepared" a little too far.
I'm very interested in everyone's responses. I'll probably never jump on the UL bandwagon, but less weight is always a good thing. Thanks for the input.