Feeling Overwhelmed with Suggested Equipment

[toejam]

some people seem to fill a 50L bag for a day hike while others have a quart of Gatorade and not much else in their fanny packs

I'm closer to the latter. Experience & familiarity with the trails allows it. It's my biased observation that the former people rarely hike, are out of shape, and have read a bunch of crap on the internet that makes them afraid they need all that stuff.

It sounds like you are carrying stuff that works for you, and that's what really matters. I'm not a proponent of the "10 essentials" - I can't remember that many things. In my mind there are 2 essentials - fuel (food & water) and protection from the elements/trail.

I consider a "systems approach" to these. The Fuel System and Protection System vary greatly depending on if it's an hour or two on wide trails at the edge of town, or a 26 mile death march deep into the wilderness. 

The Fuel System depends on length of the hike, heat, and if water is available on the trail. The Protection System is the clothing I wear, appropriate footwear, rain & sun protection if necessary. I suppose toilet paper is protection from things that happen on the trail. Compass, map & cell phone can be protection from the trail. As a noob I would think, "I'll carry this in case I fall and break my leg and have to spend the night on the trail." That never happened on hundreds of hikes or to people I know, so I consider it a very minute possibility and focus on being fast & light so I can bail out of bad situations.

[Aaron Zagrodnick]

I'm of the in between spectrum for dayhikes of any significant distance. Lightweight enough to not be of any hindrance but enough to be of utmost usefulness if the situation was to call for it, I use a 22 liter pack on day hikes with room to spare - I honestly barely notice the pack especially as the weight gets lighter as the hike goes on. (Water) I previously used an 18 liter pack just fine...Just broke down what I took on my last dayhike and the 10 essentials were covered and more.

While the possibilities of having to spend an unanticipated night may be remote it's a possibility that exists. An experienced outdoorsman and NOLS instructor went missing on a dayhike here several years ago, from a very popular trailhead, and tragically wasn't found until months later. It's surmised that this individual survived an initial fall, and crawled to a cave / overhang only to eventually succumb to their injuries and / or the elements, only around 5 miles in. I don't know what this person was carrying and how much of a difference something else would have made, but accidents can happen in the outdoors or in any situation really and even for experienced people.

As @toejam pointed out ultimately it's whatever works for you... For me that's having my take on the essentials packed and ready to go. Then, I can as @Dogwood mentioned, have the mindset to throw in a loaf of bread and some tea so to speak and go enjoy the outdoors. Plus, I frequently find a lot of things are often helpful even on a normal as planned hike!

[Dogwood]

I was attempting to offer constructive advice. I was not trying to be flippant, snarky, or cute. I would have expected SOMETHING could be gleaned from the John Muir quote. 

I took the OPs scenario into account when offering what I did.

Here are the givens:

1) a feeling of overwhelm from the  cacophony of gear suggestions needed(advised?) for a day hike

2) the OP specifically described his/her typical day hiking situations

a. typical fair weather , a "very mild climate", lacking extremes of temp. Knowing it's the Central California Coastline should take into account wind, rain, and sun protection though. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Coast_(California)

b. in densely populated areas

c. well established and well traveled paths

d. some elevation changes but "mountains" of central CA coastline should be taken in context of MOUNTAINS

3) a experienced day hiker familiar with day hiking in the area, indeed residing in the area?, having at least some familiarity with day hiking?  

Aconcagua is not a raw Newbie totally experiencing  day hiking, specifically day hiking in this area, for the first time.

All these considerations should be taken into account. The 10 Essentials or  "Fuel System and Protection System"  are only  general baselines from which to work from while taking into account these considerations. Situations and people vary widely which is WHY "some people seem to fill a 50L bag for a day hike while others have a quart of Gatorade and not much else in their fanny packs...". 

 

What I was attempting to convey with the John Muir quote is by making requirements for a day hike less complicated having to make fewer decisions having fewer "equipment essentials" we feel less overwhelmed. Was that so hard to notice for someone open minded seeking solutions to not being so overwhelmed?

When we take into account the typical day hiking situations of the OP PERHAPS the 10 Essentials are not so essential? PERHAPS, the long laundry list of "needed equipment" and/or procedures can be reduced making a day hike under the OP's shared typical scenario  less complicated? 

 

To be crystal clear I'm NOT suggesting, and I don't believe John Muir was either,  every day hike be approached with a most minimalist "throw a loaf of bread and a pound of tea in an old sack and jump over the back fence" approach. Muir was not an idiot. He was an intelligent  well versed man who had the ear of some of the most prominent powerful movers and shakers of his time. He did NOT approach every hike or every day hike equally! He took into account  many various situations.

PERHAPS,  John Muir WAS on the UL bandwagon based on how  UL might have been defined for his time? That heavy wool coat of his did multiple duty functioning in a range of Sierra's conditions as his apparel, shelter, sleep system, and sometimes duffel(backpack).

What Muir didn't do is get incapacitated by  an overwhelm of large "equipment choices" or the "perfect checklist" or "conditions" to exist  for all of his day hikes.

 

[TeeJay]

You bring up a good point in terms of researching online. A lot of sites are geared (pardon the pun) towards less experienced hikers and I think the tendency is to really push the safety message. I think that's part of the reason why newer hikers and backpackers will "pack their fears." And the media running with stories of people having accidents in nature doesn't help.

It's pretty easy to eliminate redundancy in a pack. But I would say most of the ten essentials are just that. Essential. Maps and compasses for a day hike? That can be dropped if you stay on the trail. But there are enough lightweight emergency tools, including med kits, that you can just toss in a baggie and keep them in your pack. But obviously, lot of the other stuff we carry depends on the length and difficulty of the trail and, of course, weather and availability of water.

That said, I think it's a good idea to always consider the possibility of having to spend the night. For instance, I didn't see a headlamp on your initial list. That's a must have outside of the fact that it's fun to hike at night. In the winter you obviously need to gear up. If I'm dayhiking in the rain or snow I'll even toss a sleeping bag in my pack. And a dry baselayer shirt and a pair of socks is really nice to slip in to at the turnaround point. 

So I guess "mandatory" for some isn't mandatory for others. That's why the phrase "Hike Your Own Hike" is such a good one.

I'm not really sure what advice you were looking for but I'll offer some up anyway. You mentioned a Jansport daypack which I'm assuming doesn't have a frame. I'd highly suggest investing in an internal frame pack. A few extra pounds on your hips is a different animal than if it's on your shoulders. 

 

 

 

Edited November 12, 2015 by TeeJay

[Aconcagua]

5 hours ago, TeeJay said:

You bring up a good point in terms of researching online. A lot of sites are geared (pardon the pun) towards less experienced hikers and I think the tendency is to really push the safety message. I think that's part of the reason why newer hikers and backpackers will "pack their fears." And the media running with stories of people having accidents in nature doesn't help.

It's pretty easy to eliminate redundancy in a pack. But I would say most of the ten essentials are just that. Essential. Maps and compasses for a day hike? That can be dropped if you stay on the trail. But there are enough lightweight emergency tools, including med kits, that you can just toss in a baggie and keep them in your pack. But obviously, lot of the other stuff we carry depends on the length and difficulty of the trail and, of course, weather and availability of water.

That said, I think it's a good idea to always consider the possibility of having to spend the night. For instance, I didn't see a headlamp on your initial list. That's a must have outside of the fact that it's fun to hike at night. In the winter you obviously need to gear up. If I'm dayhiking in the rain or snow I'll even toss a sleeping bag in my pack. And a dry baselayer shirt and a pair of socks is really nice to slip in to at the turnaround point. 

So I guess "mandatory" for some isn't mandatory for others. That's why the phrase "Hike Your Own Hike" is such a good one.

I'm not really sure what advice you were looking for but I'll offer some up anyway. You mentioned a Jansport daypack which I'm assuming doesn't have a frame. I'd highly suggest investing in an internal frame pack. A few extra pounds on your hips is a different animal than if it's on your shoulders. 

 

 

 

Thanks for your comments.  Two weeks ago I found myself at the top of a mountain where I was running out of daylight (thanks to the time change and my underestimation of the length of the top of the ridge hike) without a light.

As I was descending quickly (heaven forbid I finish after dark and incur a $561.00 fine from the the local city) I hung-up one of my trekking poles in a rock crack and went down very hard -- huge contusion on hip, cut knee/shin and a elbow raspberry.

Two minutes later I was back on the move (thank God I didn't break anything) sans the poles.  I made it down before dark but the anxiety and the physical pain (and recovery) just weren't worth it.  I should have turned around earlier -- or not even started.

When I got home I found my Petzl headlamp, replaced its batteries and placed it in my backpack before I ever sat down.  Wal*Mart replaced the poles -- although even the most expensive would have broken given the same scenario.

I have found that actually getting out and hiking is giving me the best idea of what I actually need to carry on hikes.  My backpack is slated to be replaced.  I just can't tell if I should get a 20, 30 or 40L model?  Now that my kit is getting fairly well defined, I suppose I should take it all in to a shop to see what it will fit into?

Current Dayhike Kit:

 

Food and Drink:

2-4q liquids 

Peanut/raisin mix

Pretzels/jerky

Hard candy/gum

Optional: apples (1-2) and/or canned food (yes, canned ravioli!) if there is a lunch stop

Back-up: 4 energy bars

Med Kit - Ibuprofen (600ml/6hrs), Diphenhydramine tablets, Pepto/antacid tablets, band-aids, pre-cut moleskin, small tubes of sun block and 40% DEET, antiseptic, and Chapstick.

Kitchen Sink Kit:

Swiss Army knife

Light spoon

Bic lighter

Duct tape (wrapped around lighter)

Whistle

10’ of Paracord

Emergency Mylar blanket

Headlamp

Small bottle of hand sanitizer

Paper towel

TP

Glasses/sunglasses

Paperback

Rosary

Single vehicle key with safety pin

Photocopy of ID

Clothes:

Fleece pullover

Buff

Bandanna

Mechanics/bike gloves

Communication/navigation:

Cell phone

Map  

Compass

 

Trekking poles

Backpack

Winter additions: Second fleece/vest (or down jacket in really cold weather), OR Helium II rain jacket, ULA rain kilt, mittens and beanie. 

Optional:

Binoculars

Camera

Hiking chair

Edited November 12, 2015 by Aconcagua

[TeeJay]

Well, that's the good thing about hiking and backpacking. To do it for any length of time means you learn a lot of lessons. Good call to keep that light in your pack.

With what you're carrying you could probably get by in the 28L range but I might consider something bigger for the flexibility. I carry a 38L for my day hikes (Osprey Kestral....great pack) which is light enough for summer day trips but big enough for winter gear or a couple of nights of warm weather backpacking. I like having one pack that covers a few bases. But no matter what you go with, investing in a high-quality pack (with a good warranty and return policy) will more than pay for itself.

Enjoy the pack hunt.

[Aconcagua]

19 hours ago, TeeJay said:

Well, that's the good thing about hiking and backpacking. To do it for any length of time means you learn a lot of lessons. Good call to keep that light in your pack.

With what you're carrying you could probably get by in the 28L range but I might consider something bigger for the flexibility. I carry a 38L for my day hikes (Osprey Kestral....great pack) which is light enough for summer day trips but big enough for winter gear or a couple of nights of warm weather backpacking. I like having one pack that covers a few bases. But no matter what you go with, investing in a high-quality pack (with a good warranty and return policy) will more than pay for itself.

Enjoy the pack hunt.

Other than weight, what's the downside of buying say a 40L pack instead of a 25L pack?

The reason I ask is that I would like to do some very light overnights and would like to get by with one pack if possible.

An REI Trail 40 is 2 lbs. 14 oz. while the 25 liter version is 1 lb. 9 oz.  Is that 21 ounces the only real difference I will feel on the trail or will the smaller pack also be more comfortable if loaded the same as the larger pack?

[HikerJen]

One addition to your gear that I would recommend is a bag for your garbage.  Ziplock type is good - you can compress the air out of it to save space in your pack.  Have fun out there!

[TeeJay]

3 minutes ago, Aconcagua said:

Other than weight, what's the downside of buying say a 40L pack instead of a 25L pack?

The reason I ask is that I would like to do some very light overnights and would like to get by with one pack if possible.

An REI Trail 40 is 2 lbs. 14 oz. while the 25 liter version is 1 lb. 9 oz.  Is that 21 ounces the only real difference I will feel on the trail or will the smaller pack also be more comfortable if loaded the same as the larger pack?

A larger pack typically has a frame structure that will provide more support for heavier loads. An additional 21 ounces for a day pack in summer is negligible in my opinion. It starts adding up when the load gets bigger.

The only thing to watch out for is taking extra gear with you just because you have the room for it. But as long as a bigger pack has compression straps that lets you cinch down a smaller load, and you want the flexibility for overnights, I'd definitely consider a bigger pack.

[Aconcagua]

4 hours ago, TeeJay said:

A larger pack typically has a frame structure that will provide more support for heavier loads. An additional 21 ounces for a day pack in summer is negligible in my opinion. It starts adding up when the load gets bigger.

The only thing to watch out for is taking extra gear with you just because you have the room for it. But as long as a bigger pack has compression straps that lets you cinch down a smaller load, and you want the flexibility for overnights, I'd definitely consider a bigger pack.

I am definitely aware of the "if there's space, fill it up" syndrome.  It's all over Youtube...  That's why I thought I would wait and get my dayhiking kit and overnighter kit in order before I bought another pack.

It's nice to know that a larger pack can work just as well as a smaller pack -- even if the load will fit in the smaller pack.  Thanks for the input.