Because we’re into hunting season, I thought it’d be good to cover the items you ought to be carrying in your daypack.
It might just save a few lives. I always say that in an emergency, you never have enough gear, and yet when you’re hiking on a clear sunny day, anything more than 8 ounces is too heavy. So we need to decide on a bare minimum of what we need to carry.
The first rule we have to agree to is that you’re not leaving your truck until you throw on your daypack. I can’t count how many times I’ve pulled over and walked over a nearby hill just to see what was there and wondered where my truck was four hours later. You can have the best equipped pack in the world, but if you don’t carry it, it does you zero good.
Also, make sure your small kids have a whistle and a small pack. Lose your kid out in the mountains even for a few minutes and that will scare the heck out of you.
So let’s get started. I’ll list out the items I recommend and why.
Daypack: For my day hikes, I like a small, lightweight pack. Keep it stocked. If you have to repack it every time you go out, I can guarantee you that you’ll forget at least one key item. That can be a life-threatening mistake. If the pack is too heavy, you’ll end up leaving it in the truck. Can’t do that.
Whistles: You’ll need a whistle if you get hurt. If you yell for help, you’ll wear yourself out, but if you have a whistle, you can alert someone that you’re in trouble with little effort. And don’t let your life depend on some cheap whistle you won at the carnival. I carry a Fox 40.
Poncho: Throw a compactable Gore-Tex raincoat in your pack. Storms can blow up in the mountains fast and if you get wet and the temperature drops 50 degrees you’re in trouble. Especially if you have to spend the night out.
Firestarting gear: Carry waterproof matches and a few cheap lighters. If necessary, you can break one and pour the fuel over wood. Carry two fuel bars to help light damp wood.
Water bottles: I recommend two smaller bottles in case you puncture one. I also like to carry an Aquamira water filter. They’re super lightweight and allow you to drink out of rivers.
First-aid gear: I carry Adventure Medical Kit gear. I like their Moleskin and Blister Medic packages. I also carry some of their adhesive wrap. That way you can tape up bad cuts, sprained ankles, etc.
Duct Tape: You knew I had to throw this in the mix, didn’t you? I’ve had to use it to splint broken tent poles, soles of my boots when they’ve fallen apart and tears in my tent.
As you can see, this is only a handful of items, but in a panic situation they can save your life. Again, never leave your truck without your daypack. One time I was going down a trail only 2 miles, so I figured I could be back at the truck in 45 minutes no matter what blew in. Little did I know that I’d spend the next 23 hours hung on a cliff.
If you get out of your truck, grab your pack.
Tom Claycomb lives in Idaho and has outdoors columns in newspapers in Alaska, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Colorado and Louisiana. He also writes for various outdoors magazines and teaches outdoors seminars at stores like Cabela’s, Sportsman’s Warehouse and Bass Pro Shop.
