I sure do like to hike. And when I do, my Boy Scouts instincts kick in, and I feel most comfortable being prepared. Essentially, I want to be able to spend a night or two outdoors if I'm lost or injured.
Most of the places I end up hiking around are quite populated, and the most important survival kit item is probably a good 'ol whistle. Still, got to be prepared.
Resources I found useful when compiling these items, include: my weekend backpacking list, Field and Stream's Altoid Tins Survival Kit, United States Rescue & Special Operations Group's gear list, This wiki, and Doug Ritter's survival kits.
All right, onto the gear:
- A cheap LED - this is a backup, as I always carry a Photo X-light with me.
- A compass. Again, a backup to the one I carry every day.
- A roll of dental floss. Yes, dental floss.
- A package of Portable Auqua water purification tables. Including the very handy neutralizer tablets which make the water taste, well, like water.
- A safety pin
- A FireSteel for matchless fire creation
- A Scripto Micro Lighter
- Hand sanitizer (useful for cleaning up, as well as a fire stater)
- A heap of Toilet Paper. Probably the most useful item in the kit.
- A Lightload Towel
- About 3 square feet of heavy duty tin foil
- An Adventure Medical Kits Heatsheet - more durable and usable than a classic mylar blanket
- Blister treatment
- Benadryl
- Ben's Bug Spray Towelette
- Some bandaids
- A large black garbage bag
- An oven bag. This one was new to me: it's a durable, yet lightweight, way to carry water if you don't have a canteen handy.
- Somewhere around 20-30 feet of paracord
- A travel "purse"
(My wallet is next to the packed bag to show scale)
Like I said, I assume I've got my usual stuff, which includes a knife, whistle, and other critical items.
The above is a pretty basic kit, but I think I've got my bases covered:
- Fire: lighter, firesteel, rope (for a bow and drill).
- Shelter: garbage bag, heatsheet, rope, dental floss.
- Signaling: whistle, towel, notepad, cell phone, Photon X-light and fire.
- Food/water: tin foil, oven bag, fire, heatsheet (useful for "rock boiling water and chow in a hole in the ground").
- First Aid: band aids, blister treatment, Benadryl, Lightload Towel, Hand sanitizer, paracord, dental floss.
- Towel: yes.
As a bonus, I've been keeping the kit in one of our cars. It means that I'm already half-way packed for a hike (grab some food, water, maybe a sweater, and a pack to throw this all into) and I'm also more prepared if I get stuck on the side of the road.
What's in your day hike kit?
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