Feeling Overwhelmed with Suggested Equipment

[Dogwood]

On 11/12/2015, 3:55:05, Aconcagua said:

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

This is for a day hike typical to the scenario you gave I assume?

Couple of thoughts and questions. I've hiked quite a bit on the Cali coast. I'm biased towards UL and against redundancy or possibly unnecessary items, wt, and volume. These are just thoughts.  Everyone has their comfort zones. I'm just offerering these for consideration.  

Based on what you said:

Do you always need to carry between 1/2 to 1 gal of water. That's about 4 -8 lbs of water. It snowballs into having a greater need for a heavier wt more voluminous backback should you carry a gal of H2O possibly unnecessarily.  

Could there be little to no absolute need for sunblock, insect repellent, or Chapstick on some of your day hikes? 

Spoon? Not seeing it needed in what you shared.

Small bottle of sanitizer? Seems with some savvy purchase the antiseptic in your medical kit could be used to sanitize hands or vice versa? 

Can't you do the same things with TP or paper towels rather than having both?

Can't it be a buff or a bandanna, not both? They usually can serve the same functions.

Bringing a vehicle key with you on the hike is more problematic than stashing it at/near the vehicle. If you have code number vehicular doorlocks or use a HIDE A Key box might that be better?

Mechanics Gloves? I see no wind/rain jacket on your list. If I was along the Cali Coast I'd want a light wt rain BREATHABLE jacket  that doubles as my wind jacket. With the addition of such a jacket with a hood and hand pockets the mechanics gloves could be left behind. The hood means  either a bandanna or a buff.  IMO, a rain/wind jacket is much more of an ESSENTIAL piece than any of your Optional pieces.  

I'd want my light-med wt micro fleece to at least have a deep chest zip for more versatility in venting.   

Just in case I'll include this. In several areas of Central Cali with my two carriers used by my cell phones I SOMETIMES  use when hiking  I did not and still don't  receive reception making carrying a cell phone In less of an absolute need.. It's largely dead wt. ie: southern Pt Reyes Nat Seashore  south to just before Bolinas on the coast, several of the different Redwood NP/SPs,, Shasta-Trinity and Mendocino Nat Forests(Northern Cali). There are websites that tell you if your carrier gets reception in what areas. Here's one site I've used:  http://www.deadcellzones.com/verizon.html#.Vkf1nvmrSUk   You'd know better about reception though with your likely greater central Cali coastal hiking experiences.

The UL headlamp seems like a good idea could you unexpectedly have to move in the dark. Seems you understand to make sure the batteries are new pre-hike.

If you're bringing along a chair, paperback, binoculars and expect to use them with regularity it's my assumption you will not be hiking extremely far from your vehicle on day hikes which should be factored into your Essential Day-Hike kit choices.  

Good luck. 

Since you're just getting back into day hiking could losing some pack wt WISELY be appreciated by your body and psyche?  

[Aconcagua]

5 hours ago, Dogwood said:

Do you always need to carry between 1/2 to 1 gal of water.

Yes I do.  There is very rarely water available on the trails that I hike.  Possibly better this winter?  I'll have to wait and see.

Could there be little to no absolute need for sunblock, insect repellent, or Chapstick on some of your day hikes? 

The insect repellent could be left behind much of the time.  The weight savings would be negligible though.

Spoon? Not seeing it needed in what you shared.

I take the spoon when I take canned ravioli (a guilty pleasure for me.)  It's usually a spork from Taco Hell.

Small bottle of sanitizer? Seems with some savvy purchase the antiseptic in your medical kit could be used to sanitize hands or vice versa? 

Good call.  I did ditch this a few days ago.

Can't you do the same things with TP or paper towels rather than having both?

Probably.  Again though, the weight savings would be negligible.

Can't it be a buff or a bandanna, not both? They usually can serve the same functions.

I wear a bandana almost all the time while hiking.  I put on a buff (in addition to the bandana) when it gets colder.

Bringing a vehicle key with you on the hike is more problematic than stashing it at/near the vehicle. If you have code number vehicular doorlocks or use a HIDE A Key box might that be better?

I have not found this to be a problem.

Mechanics Gloves? I see no wind/rain jacket on your list. If I was along the Cali Coast I'd want a light wt rain BREATHABLE jacket  that doubles as my wind jacket. With the addition of such a jacket with a hood and hand pockets the mechanics gloves could be left behind. The hood means  either a bandanna or a buff.  IMO, a rain/wind jacket is much more of an ESSENTIAL piece than any of your Optional pieces.  

I noted a rain jacket (OR Helium II rain jacket) on my list.  I wear mechanics gloves with my trekking poles. I cannot use the poles and keep my hands in my pockets at the same time.

The optional pieces I listed aren't essential by their very definition.  The rain jacket and kilt would be essential on some hikes -- but not too many around here, and even fewer that I would actually attempt around here and I wouldn't carry them "just to be sure."

Just in case I'll include this. In several areas of Central Cali with my two carriers used by my cell phones I SOMETIMES  use when hiking  I did not and still don't  receive reception making carrying a cell phone In less of an absolute need.. It's largely dead wt. ie: southern Pt Reyes Nat Seashore  south to just before Bolinas on the coast, several of the different Redwood NP/SPs,, Shasta-Trinity and Mendocino Nat Forests(Northern Cali). There are websites that tell you if your carrier gets reception in what areas. Here's one site I've used:  http://www.deadcellzones.com/verizon.html#.Vkf1nvmrSUk   You'd know better about reception though with your likely greater central Cali coastal hiking experiences.

I get reception with little problem.

The UL headlamp seems like a good idea could you unexpectedly have to move in the dark. Seems you understand to make sure the batteries are new pre-hike.

Check.

If you're bringing along a chair, paperback, binoculars and expect to use them with regularity it's my assumption you will not be hiking extremely far from your vehicle on day hikes which should be factored into your Essential Day-Hike kit choices.  

I hiked 11 miles today, round trip.  Not my longest by any means, but it was a grind -- up a mountain, down the other side, then up and down a final time.  Had I wanted these luxuries (1.9 pound chair, 9 ounce binos and 3 ounce paperback), they wouldn't have been a problem to bring a long -- in fact I did have a paperback.

Good luck. 

Thanks -- and I sincerely appreciate your critique.

Since you're just getting back into day hiking could losing some pack wt WISELY be appreciated by your body and psyche?  

Sure.  I will never fall into the trap of "filling available space" and I'm working on not taking along uneeded gear.  On the other hand I'm not really going to start removing the tags from my clothes...

 

Edited November 15, 2015 by Aconcagua

[Dogwood]

It's not just about wt though. It's getting back to the title of your thread. Taking less stuff onto hikes likely boils down to less complexity, less choices, and  less potential for overwhelm.

Although getting a bit off topic, it also factors into the Pack It In Pack It Out mentality of being a good steward of the trail and environment. One thing I've become aware of is reducing my refuse/waste on trail by making choices that reflect it pre hike especially in food packaging, TP, used canisters, trail runners, opting for recycled materials in apparel,  etc. Down the road, even if I do pack it out refuse has to be transported and  goes somewhere and it all isn't turned into new polyester fleeces, TREX decking, tin cans, Duraflame fireplace logs, trail runners,  etc   

That's my environmental speech for today. 

[Dogwood]

I couldn't help but think of your and many other's dilemma when hearing these TED talks.

 

 

https://www.ted.com/talks/barry_schwartz_on_the_paradox_of_choice

https://www.ted.com/talks/graham_hill_less_stuff_more_happiness?language=en