What do you carry on hikes?

Mikel_24 said:
The way you wrote it I was expecting it to be much heavier
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it's really only for one person.

many of the items I enumerated are couple of ounces each, the heaviest part "hatchet, saw, shovel, Bowie, tarp, poncho, survival blanket, paracord, canteen, billy pot, spork, grill, plate, kitchen tools, hydration system" that must be around 16-18 lbs right there and the rest is much lighter except the sharpening kit that I could improve my eze lap diamond stone is too heavy but it`s very good. The sleeping bag is the space age kind World famous sports made in the 80`s it weight a couples of ounces and it`s pretty good even at his age the fabric is excellent on that thing. I could also cut back on some cooking items but... I really like to cook on open fire, so I don't mind, a little bit more effort for a little bit more comfort.
 
Mikel_24 said:
Which kind of tarp are you suggesting? Curious to know... My space blanket is permanently installed at the bottom of my climbing pack, maybe it is time for retirement! And what you heard about the thin/cheap ones are absolutely true. They don't last a single use. I was forced to use one when my climbing pal and I got stranded at the top of a climb, at night, below freezing, windy, no extra clothes or sleeping bags. Trust me, the most miserable night of my life. And I have never hugged a guy so much or for so long in my whole life... XD XD. I pulled out my space blanket and it lasted.... 15 seconds? It shredded itself to pieces. We ended up picking the bits and putting them inside our clothes. We kept moving some rocks to create some kind of shelter just as means of staying warm.

From then on, I found a heavier space blanket that even allowed to be punctured without ripping apart. It saved our bacon (with that very same guy) when we screwed up big time in the Mont Blanc (unexpected storm) and had to dig a snow cave. We used the blanket for the door. It was comfy, we had sleeping pads and sleeping bags.



They look good. However I think that in a blanket form they give you more options. You can wrap yourself in it or use it as a tarp. If you go the sleeping bag route... well... there isn't much difference between those bags and real Gore-Tex (or similar fabric) bivy bag.

Mikel
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Like the Stansport Sportsman's Polarshield Emergency Blanket these are really good addition to a tarp.

Edit: and for tarps look out Aqua Quest they have a really outstanding product.
 
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SteelJunkee said:
My hiking backpack contains, a small hatchet, a Silky saw :thumbsup:, a folding shovel, a 12 inch D2 Bowie :thumbsup: , 8x10 camo tarp, HD poncho, 4x6 HD survival blanket, lots of paracord, a GI canteen, a billy pot, a spork, folding grill, cooking plate, couple wooden kitchen tools, an hydration system, a complete fire starting kit - ferro + striker + starter, Lensatic compass + maps, slingshot + ammo, a big can of triple action mace, sharpening kit, maintenance kit, hygiene kit, trauma kit, first aid kit, repair kit, fishing kit, sleeping bag, a sawyer mini filtration system, head light, mini lantern, batteries, twine rope, steel wire, humid swipes, TP, whistle, mirror, a SAK ranger :thumbsup:, Zip lock bags, garbage bag, duck tape... And I also have a small fixed blade, a folder and a couple Bic lighters on me...
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I have a 5.11 Rush 12 setup very similar to this, except with a Source water bladder and kukri knife instead of a hatchet. It mostly just stays in my car trunk as a quasi emergency bag. I'll take it on a normal hike when I just want to get a better workout since it's an added 25lbs. Normally I just take a Source hydration pack with a bag of skittles and my phone stuffed inside, and my Cold Steel Talwar clipped on the shoulder strap. If I wouldn't get the rangers called on me, and totally freak out other hikers (mostly trail runners), I'd carry one of my kukri knives every time for fun!
 
DustyBottoms said:
I have a 5.11 Rush 12 setup very similar to this, except with a Source water bladder and kukri knife instead of a hatchet. It mostly just stays in my car trunk as a quasi emergency bag. I'll take it on a normal hike when I just want to get a better workout since it's an added 25lbs. Normally I just take a Source hydration pack with a bag of skittles and my phone stuffed inside, and my Cold Steel Talwar clipped on the shoulder strap. If I wouldn't get the rangers called on me, and totally freak out other hikers (mostly trail runners), I'd carry one of my kukri knives every time for fun!
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That's a nice pack you got there, I have a WFS Tac TB-880 and quite fond of it, I was hauling a Ontario 18-1 instead of a hatchet for a while and went back to the hatchet because my Bowie is soooo badass it outperformed the machete hand down. and my hatchet is 6 ounces less than the ontario, takes less space and can chop wood all day.
 
I googled the backpacks you guys are discussing and while I see the benefit of having everything neat and tidy, the robustness (bombproofness I should say) and the capability of attaching even more stuff to the outside... I find hard to justify the weight/capacity ratio of those packs.

I am considering another pack for my outings and while I still haven't pulled the trigger, chances are I will probably buy the Salewa Randonnee 36.

I suggest you try at least once one of these backpacks. The narrow shape will not interfere with arm movement, nice supporting belt, lightweight materials and great weight/capacity ratio.

Mikel
 
It's October and time to head out and stomp some leaves.... I will probably carry my White River Backpacker Pro since I almost never use a knife on my day hikes. Will add whistle, compass, map (at least a trail map), poncho if it looks like rain, SAK, cap with large brim (my favorites come from Bass Pro), zip lock bags, small amount of first aid stuff, flashlight, water, cordage, matches +bic or two, pen & pad, and a small tarp if I am going more than a few miles. Add to that camera gear > 6-7 lb tripod, DSLR camera, a couple lenses, probably a revolver of some sort and a long sleeved shirt or sweatshirt if the nights are cool.
 
Quick day hikes are whatever is in the pocket already.

For hikes with the kids, typically an SAK for the tweezers (splinters!!!!)

For the week-long-fly-in-to-Montana trips or the 30-miles-in-two-days backpacking trips, I typically take a trusty Griptilian in D2 and have it professionally sharpened before I go. That way I know the edge will last me for whatever happens.

Then again, last time I went backpacking, I borrowed a friends ultralight backpack, and in the hip pocket was an SAK classic. When I got back from the trip, he told me that's all he uses as an ultralight backpacker. Suits him well, but I think he'd be up a creek if he got into rough weather or lost off-trail.
 
ddavis said:
.... and in the hip pocket was an SAK classic. ..... I think he'd be up a creek if he got into rough weather or lost off-trail.
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For being "under-knifed" you mean? I had to google the Victorinox Classic because I was not familiar with that model. True, that knife is not well suited tu build a log cabin. Enough for slicing some ham, sausages, fruits and opening packages... but not that great for cutting or notching wood.

I don't think we need to jump all the way to the Busse Basic 11 but I do agree that a bit more robust tool would be welcome. Sticking to the SAK route, I would chose, at the very least, a Vic Farmer. You get a robust saw, stout blade and usefull awl. If you don't mind going a tad bigger, a Vic Soldier / One Hand trekker / Rucksak would be my choice. Bigger saw, bigger locking blade, more hand filling handle.

Mikel
 
ddavis said:
For hikes with the kids, typically an SAK for the tweezers (splinters!!!!)
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I switched to carrying proper medical tweezers for splinters when my kids were young and they grew tired of me butchering their feet with less capable tweezers. IME, the SAK tweezers don't deliver enough stiffness nor enough of a fine point to easily grasp an embedded splinter. YMMV.

Then again, last time I went backpacking, I borrowed a friends ultralight backpack, and in the hip pocket was an SAK classic. When I got back from the trip, he told me that's all he uses as an ultralight backpacker. Suits him well, but I think he'd be up a creek if he got into rough weather or lost off-trail.
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An UL backpacker (like a mountaineer) will rely on their stove, fuel, shelter, and clothing to manage in bad weather and being off trail. People regularly hike America's major long distance trails like the PCT, AT and CDT with nothing but a Vic Classic. The trick is to consider the contents of your pack as an integrated whole. Theres is a saying with respect to pack weight and contents that "we carry our fears". UL hikers manage their fears of being cold and hungry by relying on other things in their packs.

This said, I think there are better choices for the UL hiker. Specifically, I think there is a whole host of gear failures that can be better managed with a small set of pliers. Failing zippers, stubborn knots, stoves, pushing a needle through webbing and fabric... I carried Vic Classic for many years but long ago switched to a key chain sized pliers tool. The Leatherman Squirt and Gerber Dime are two options in this class, either of which I think is more useful for backpacking than a Vic Classic.
 
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Hiking and woods wandering.... always have a SAK with me. It's usually the 111mm Adventurer model (tinker tool set). Will carry the One Hand Trekker (on belt or in pack) if I want the saw.

If I had kids (small ones especially), yeah, I'd carry a better tweezers than comes on a SAK. The classic is too small to be very functional for me, especially the tweezers. The SAK tweezers is what you have available if the use is every now and then versus some sort of common/regular usage.

The Ps4 Squirt goes too.
 
pinnah said:
I switched to carrying proper medical tweezers for splinters when my kids were young and they grew tired of me butchering their feet with less capable tweezers. IME, the SAK tweezers don't deliver enough stiffness nor enough of a fine point to easily grasp an embedded splinter. YMMV.



An UL backpacker (like a mountaineer) will rely on their stove, fuel, shelter, and clothing to manage in bad weather and being off trail. People regularly hike America's major long distance trails like the PCT, AT and CDT with nothing but a Vic Classic. The trick is to consider the contents of your pack as an integrated whole. Theres is a saying with respect to pack weight and contents that "we carry our fears". UL hikers manage their fears of being cold and hungry by relying on other things in their packs.

This said, I think there are better choices for the UL hiker. Specifically, I think there is a whole host of gear failures that can be better managed with a small set of pliers. Failing zippers, stubborn knots, stoves, pushing a needle through webbing and fabric... I carried Vic Classic for many years but long ago switched to a key chain sized pliers tool. The Leatherman Squirt and Gerber Dime are two options in this class, either of which I think is more useful for backpacking than a Vic Classic.
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Very good post. The thru-hiker crowd has a base of knowledge that few of us achieve. Like you said, there's no need to have tools to create a shelter when you're already carrying a shelter. Fires don't require sawn logs to burn. Creating tinder (if you actually need it) doesn't require an ESEE 6 or LTWK genesis.

A nice pair of an Opinel No.8 and Leatherman Style PS handles needs wonderfully, and weighs about 3 oz total. And even then the blade is likely overkill. The Style PS is a little bit under-appreciated as a supplement to a blade. Even the more robust bottle opener becomes appreciated for when someone gets a sixer, or as a stout hook to handle a hot pot bail or stubborn tent peg.

Calling this the ideal set up assumes that we all enter the woods with the same goals. For thru-hikers, they're trying to cover miles, and they don't get the same enjoyment out of tools. For many of us, part of the draw to the woods is the opportunity to exercise our dominion over it, and build a camp chair next to a tidy camp fire and pot hanger. And so answering the question "what do I carry on hikes," I'm not really answering "what blades do you need to survive a hike." Just depends on what gets me to the woods that day.
 
Hello,
Great thread. My wife and I thru hiked the AT last year- March 15th thru Sept 2nd, Georgia to Maine. There are not a lot of knife nuts in the thru hiking community! Some points-

1. I carried a Hogue EX01 that I ground the button down a little so I wouldn't inadvertently activate the lock under stress or monkey grip. I also carried a leatherman squirt for the scissors, but the spring broke about quarter of the way thru the hike. I replaced the squirt with a Swiss army executive, again for the scissors- beard trim and nails, mostly. My acid like sweat ate the safety spring away in the hogue so I just took the safety off. I tried keeping the hogue oiled with olive oil, but the sweat prevailed. Carried hogue in waistband of running shorts.

2. Most thru hikers carried a cheapy knife or none at all, borrowing yours.

3. I believe one must carry a knife that one can get to quickly- just like real life. One thing almost no one takes into account is running into wild dogs or dogs that attack. Kind of helps to have something to dispatch them with instead of bare hands and feet.

4. Lots of cheap, heavy knives are left in shelters and hiker boxes at hostel/motels. Minimalist equipment hikers don't even bother carrying knives because of the weight.

Hope this helps. This fall we will be hiking in TN, GA, and VA. Will probably carry a Spydey Delica.
 
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i hadn't posted, b/c my walks in the woods had always been for a specific purpose such as hunting, fishing, etc. and I was prepared appropriately.

until Sunday, my wife decided we needed to hike up this mountain and see the views - i dont know why, people had been there before and took pictures of the views already....:)

I clipped my Spyderco Domino in my pocket like I do every day and we walked on the mountain
 
Great discussion and I appreciate the feedback and perspective on the ultralight backpacker and through hiker. Im neither a thru hiker or a dedicated UL backpacker, and I was just surprised at how a dedicated hiker would carry nothing but a tiny knife. I guess I watch too many survival shows. I think pinnah and TommyG have very valid points, and I'd agree that knowledge and experience and reliance on proper equipment as a whole will treat all hikers much better than just having a bigger knife.

And I'm going to take the advice get a pair of good tweezers for my daypack. Last time I used the SAK tweezers on my two year old, we got the splinter out but I imagine it would've been easier had I had better tweezers.
 
My Manix 2 lightweight. I slightly reprofiled the spine to give it a more paramilitary blade shape.
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First aid kit and a Leatherman PST. Water and appropriate clothing. I rarely take a fixed blade, ever. Too much unnecessary weight.
 
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Usually carry my Maxpedition bag with a Nalgene 32oz, a Blackdiamond headlamp, paracord, different protein bars and usually my Leatherman Skeletool CX, also a camera (cellphone) and a homemade walking stick. My wife has a similar but smaller bag.

The best trip I went on though was one where I hardly took anything. On a 4 day church canoetrip here in AK I thought the food was provided so didn't bring any, it wasn't... I also didn't bring any guns since it was a church trip, everyone else did. Didn't have a tent so I slept in the bottom of a canoe every night and ate people's leftovers. It was the funnest trip ever! And all I had was a couple knives.
 
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