Items you always have with you??

[Bos_84]

Hi Team,


Just seeing what 5 items you feel you must have when setting off on an adventure?
Not including food..

I personally have a first aid kit, torch, compass, water filter and water bottle.

Let me know your 5 items.

Cheers

[Mark F]

I would add a method of starting a fire and possibly replace the water filter with a way of purifying water (Puritabs, Aqua Mira etc or device). I also always carry some form of rainwear/shelter; often my Gatewood Cape on day trips.

[Strider]

1L of water
Headtorch
Firesteel
First aid kit
PLB

For all walks, including half day walks.

[wayno]

scenario? any length walk including day walks or overnight only?

[Strider]

scenario? any length walk including day walks or overnight only?

Shouldn't really make a difference. Day walk gear simply gets added to for overnight walks.

[wayno]

locator beacon or cell phone depending on cell reception
water container
jacket, (type depends on the forecast)
first aid kit
food

[Strider]

locator beacon or cell phone depending on cell reception

Seriously? Who buys a PLB and then leaves it at home on the assumption it might be redundant?

[tigercat]

PLB, GPS, rain jacket, warm gear, map

[Happy Pirate]

Hi Team,
Just seeing what 5 items you feel you must have when setting off on an adventure?
Not including food..
I personally have a first aid kit, torch, compass, water filter and water bottle.
Let me know your 5 items.
Cheers

Bos...
It would depend entirely where you were walking.
Warm clothing for me in FNQ would be an overnight luxury but not an necessity.
Depending where I was walking I may not even carry water. And a compass usually assumes a map or an open straight walking trail. Useless in many dense forest situations.
A map however, assuming I'm not slavishly following a path, is a pretty useful item.
So for FNQ rainforest...
-1st Aid Kit
-Map/Guide book (usually more for interest than need)
-Energy food
-Torch
-Knife (utility)
I usually find a good knife the least useful item in my pack despite the general idea that it is essential.
In a genuine remote emergency it could prove invaluable of course.
Steve

Last edited by Happy Pirate on Mon 16 Sep, 2013 9:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Happy Pirate]

Hi Team,


Just seeing what 5 items you feel you must have when setting off on an adventure?
Not including food..

I personally have a first aid kit, torch, compass, water filter and water bottle.

Let me know your 5 items.

Cheers

I usually find a good knife the least useful item in my pack despite the general idea that it is essential.
In a genuine remote emergency it could prove invaluable of course.
Steve

Well I suppose that also applies the First Aid Kit. I keep a knife in my FAK though.
S

[north-north-west]

I don't think there's anything that goes on every walk regardless of length except my body. Even my brain is occasionally absent . . .

[dannnnn]

all of my day walking is in seq where rain is more of a problem than cold, and rain can usually be predicted... so

food + water, obviously, plus..

knife
basic first aid kit (bandaids, pawpaw ointment, dettol ointment, bushman, bandaids, strapping tape, toilet paper)
head torch (i usually walk in the afternoon, and usually find myself cutting it fine with the daylight)
iphone
some sort of map - usually a PDF on the iphone, but a paper one if needed

[andrewa]

Um.....

Back to basics....

shelter
something to keep you warm at night....( quilt, space blanket, partner, in no particular order)
something to eat
something to cook on
something to amuse yourself...chess, partner, book, kindle.......in no particular order.

A

[Happy Pirate]

I don't think there's anything that goes on every walk regardless of length except my body. Even my brain is occasionally absent . . .

Feet?

[Happy Pirate]

Hi Team,


Just seeing what 5 items you feel you must have when setting off on an adventure?
Not including food..

I personally have a first aid kit, torch, compass, water filter and water bottle.

Let me know your 5 items.

Cheers

Actually after all my glib replies I got to thinking about past habits - not just "what is essential" but what would I not walk without? (and these are very different).
And for about 20 years the answer to this was 'my camera'!
As someone treating wilderness photography as more than a hobby I had become so accustomed to the wilderness experience requiring the filter of photographic perception, that to walk without a camera was like walking without eyes.
I couldn't see the point and often didn't bother if I couldn't 'lug the gear'.
It wasn't that I didn't love being out bush regardless but my camera was so much a part of my experience of wilderness that without it I felt diminished.

Then I went and did an ecology degree and realised how limited my vision had been anyway.
Then I went and got old and realised how age-limited my limited vision had been anyway.

Steve

this raises interesting questions - might make a new post

[inxs]

As others have mentioned it depends on other variables like the type of walk, remoteness, water availability and season as well, but If I'm going on a walk where I may not see anyone on the track then I wouldn't compromise with anything less than at least 10 items I'd class as "important".
PLB, GPS, Map, Water, Wet weather gear.
First Aid Kit, Torch, Mobile Phone, Compass, emergency blanket.

[Onestepmore]

My glasses
A hat
A jacket of some sort, may just be a raincoat
First aid kit (includes matches, space blanket, iodine tablets, whistle etc as well as the usual bandaids, panadols and safety pins)
My phone (can double as basic compass, camera, GPS etc)

That's five used up - I need more!
I always also take
Sunscreen
Water
Head torch
Some sort of snack
PLB
Some sort of shelter if a longer day walk where I could get caught out, not a half day walk in familiar territory
Gloves and beanie in winter
Map or track notes or guidebook if unfamiliar place

Edit - forgot lighter or matches


A smile!

[DanYong]

I'll have:

- light weight cook kit
- multitool (yes they're one item to me)
- water bottle, wide mouth to collect water.
- first aid
- PLB (if things go bad)

[Strider]

I'll have:

- light weight cook kit
- multitool (yes they're one item to me)
- water bottle, wide mouth to collect water.
- first aid
- PLB (if things go bad)

You cook on day trips? Peanut butter sandwiches have always been my staple!

[DanYong]

I'll have:

- light weight cook kit
- multitool (yes they're one item to me)
- water bottle, wide mouth to collect water.
- first aid
- PLB (if things go bad)

You cook on day trips? Peanut butter sandwiches have always been my staple!

yea. I like a hot meal. Sit down, relax, enjoy the surrounds. Cook a nice hot soup noodle on a flat rock and watch the scenery. Hot soup helps replenish salts and is easier on the body... u waste less energy digesting warm food than cold food. Besides I hate cold food, especially dry stuff like the bread and stuff u get here at the bakery. Hot food is a must especially on winter day walks too. In winter I use it to replenish hot water for my thermos.

[Spartan]

Sun hat, wind shirt, zippo lighter, 1 litre nalgene water bottle (with Platatac steel mug attached), and my Victorinox swiss army knife.

[north-north-west]

I don't think there's anything that goes on every walk regardless of length except my body. Even my brain is occasionally absent . . .

Feet?

Don't they fit in the 'body' category? They do seem to be permanently attached . . .

[tigercat]

I'll have:

- light weight cook kit
- multitool (yes they're one item to me)
- water bottle, wide mouth to collect water.
- first aid
- PLB (if things go bad)

You cook on day trips? Peanut butter sandwiches have always been my staple!

yea. I like a hot meal. Sit down, relax, enjoy the surrounds. Cook a nice hot soup noodle on a flat rock and watch the scenery. Hot soup helps replenish salts and is easier on the body... u waste less energy digesting warm food than cold food. Besides I hate cold food, especially dry stuff like the bread and stuff u get here at the bakery. Hot food is a must especially on winter day walks too. In winter I use it to replenish hot water for my thermos.

Getting the stove out great way to relax, rest and appreciate the surroundings, especially when walking alone.

[MartyGwynne]

Phone
PLB if going out of phone range.
Food if going of more than 3-4 hrs
1st aid kit if going for more than 3-4 hrs
Day pack if stuff won't fit in pockets
Rain coat if rain is likely
Maybe multi tool if I can find one.
Fishing rod if near fish able spots
Camera (but would mostly use phone camera)
Water bottle/bladder

[Zone-5]

Garmin Etrex H, the yellow one!

When I park the car I set a waypoint, then it tells me how to get back to the car, too easy!



Great write up on it here and why it is so much better than the new models!

http://www.wolfs.es/garmin%20eTrex%20H_English.htm