- What you will need for a Day Hike.
- THINK: Load Bearing Gear; Web Gear; Hydration; Carrying Capacity.
- Basic Essentials: What you need for a simple day hike.
- Secondary Essentials: For something more than a simple day hike.
Basic Essentials: These are Must Have items and considerations.
- Footwear
- Load Bearing Gear
- Water / Hydration
- Outerwear
- Rain Gear / Wet Weather
- Food
- First Aid
- Accessories
Footwear. It's Fundamental. More about Footwear (Below).
Load Bearing Gear: Web Gear / Back Pack / Day Pack / Fanny Pack: allows the flexibility, options and confidence to turn walking into hiking. Lets you carry water, trail food, jacket, rain gear / poncho, extra socks, bug reppellant, flashlight, camera, binoculars, compass, gps, weather radio, cellphone, maps, field guides / books / hiking journal, first aid, sunscreen, fire starter kit.
Water: Must Have. One canteen of water is OK. Two is better. Just make sure that one is filled with clean fresh water. Just water - nothing else. CRH recommends one water. And one with CRH Trail Juice ( weak lime juice flavored water).
Outerwear : For day hiking - we're talking basic outerwear.
- Headgear: bill (baseball cap) or brimmed hat. Like your car keys - don't leave home without it! Make sure the bill or brim is functional - large enough to deflect sun and rain. Also. Find a hat that ' stays put ' in a wind.
- Jacket or Windbreaker & Jacket Liner. A good jacket is another item you don't leave home without. "I'll bring a jacket along even on the hot days. I might leave the liner back in the car - but not the jacket. Just pack it or sling it thru the web gear ". - Tom.
Note: Pockets are Important. The deeper the pocket the better. Deep pockets won't spill your car keys, wallet, gloves, knit cap, sunglasses, cell phone, pocket camera, lighter, cigarettes ... you get the idea!
Rain Gear / Wet Weather / Foul Weather Gear: Regular & Emergency.
Regular:
- Poncho: Convenient. Effective. Inexpensive. " Ponchos work. They just get a little clammy " - Tom.
- Rain Parka / Rain Jacket : Very useful - like a windbreaker. " For an all day soaker in the field - use a parka " - Tom.
- Rain Pants: "Pants? I never wear 'em". OK - but the rest of the CRH crew recommends Frogg Toggs.
- Boots: Handy item to have along in the car at all times. But quality hiking boots can usually take quite a bit of wet rainy weather. "If I need rain boots - then I probably should have brought my waders" - Tom.
- Marine Foul Weather Gear: Highest quality; highest price; most effective rain & wind stopper - least appropriate for the day hiker.
Emergency: Simple. Cheap. A 'pack & forget' item.
Food: Always start with a good hardy 'rib stickin' breakfast (see CRH Breakfast). "Running out of gas on a long hiking trail is no fun. A big breakfast and staying hydrated is essential to avoiding a lot of misery outdoors".
Trail Food: Always bring something along. Our recommendations:
- Bananas: one for the trail / turn around point. One for the drive home.
- Cherry tomato: Packs & holds up well in a good quality food storage bag. Rinse thouroughly before packing. Surprisingly good energy food especially in hot weather.
- Fig bar / Fig Newton: good 'pack & forget' item. Put an unopened half pound stack in a storage bag. Will keep for weeks, months, all hiking season. Great energy food; emergency food; trail treat.
First Aid: Minimum - a long tailed pressure bandage is always a good item to keep in your kit. You will probably never have to use it. But - learn how too!
Accessories: The further you get - the more stuff you'll need.
- Hiking Pole / Walking Stick / Trekking Pole. "the heavier the load, the more difficult the terrain, the longer the distance - the more you'll appreciate bringing these along" - Tom.
- Binoculars, Compass, Camera, Note Book / pen / pencil
- Extra Socks, Gloves
- Insect Repellant (40% DEET)
- 5 Paper Towels or more: Fold into quarters; seal in storage bag; pack it; use as multipurpose paper. Fold and carry some more in various pockets
- Safety: Whistle, Signal Mirror, Matches / Lighters
- Personal Defense: Minimum - "A good hiking stick is basically a pointed stick - and a pointed stick can be a pretty effective deterrent".
Secondary Essentials: For more advanced hiking adventures; overnights; wilderness / expedition type.
- More water & food.
- Shelter / tent.
- Survival / Emergency / Signal / Communication.
- Personal Defense: Animal Repellants & Firearms.
In Car Items: Nice to have at the end of a Day of Hiking.
- 1 gallon of water (use a milk jug) and a cloth 'field towel' - for clean-up, great refresher especially after a hot weather hike.
- Clean towel.
- Clean pair of cotton cushion socks.
- Driving shoes ( tennis shoes ).
- Flip Flops, sandles or a slip on / off type shoe.
