[Inside] Gearhead's Closet: The Packs & Stuff Inside

Life After 50--One Man's Perspective

[Inside] Gearhead's Closet: The Daypack & Stuff Inside

I own way too much hiking stuff. Camera stuff too.

Without question, I have too much stuff in general.

Osprey Stratos 32 Daypack

Click to read more about this pack

Most of my hiking is with a daypack. Next to a good-fitting pair of boots I feel a daypack is the most important piece of equipment I use. I give the Osprey Stratos 32 the blue ribbon for daypacks. Read all about them then go see one for yourself. Bottom line: 20 lbs in this pack feels more like 15 lbs.

Be sure to pick up a rain cover and a water bladder. I like Camelback 100 oz. water bladders (you don't have to fill them all the way full for short hikes you know).

These packs come in two sizes which vary the torso length and the waistbelt range--I wear a large and my friend Jan a medium. Check the fit on your body before you buy.

I'm not a fan of trekking poles or a hiking stick. Usually I have my camera with attached tripod in-hand while hiking. When crossing a tricky creek/river I'll use my tripod as a hiking stick to help my balance. When hiking with a partner we hold hands and cross creeks together. You'll fall in the creek many fewer times with this method (we've never fallen in the creek when holding hands).

Always carry a bit more water than you think you'll need. Otherwise, carry a water filter. Don't forget the headlight--we've often had to walk out after dark--sometimes unexpectedly. If hiking solo then you should be prepared to spend the night in the woods (think about the weather vs. your gear). Sometimes this means you need at least a bivy sack and a poncho or ground cover. Without proper protection you can die from hypothermia during a single 40 F. night in the woods if it is raining. And forget about a fire--nothing in the Smokies will burn when it has been raining.

Cell phones are generally worthless in areas like the Smokies. One year I carried one on every hike and most of the time there was no signal and even when there was it was nearly impossible to get a strong-enough connection to communicate (they receive better than they transmit).

GPS units are fun to use but unless you are standing still in a lightly wooded area near the top of a ridge or in a very open field with no nearby ridges then they don't work well enough to be of much use. Trust me on this. I still sometimes carry mine but in wooded areas it is very slow to acquire a usable signal set and then the signal lock breaks once I start moving. Only in more open terrain do the small hiker-type GPS units work great (Rockies, Florida, Nebraska, lakes & oceans, etc.). I use a Garmin eTrex Legend.

	Dayhiking Gear Planner
	Dayhiking Gear Planner			Grand Total, lbs….	18.7
Qty	Item Name	Item Wt., lbs.	Item Wt., oz.	Extended Weight, lbs.	Cumulative Weight, lbs.
1	Osprey Stratos 32L Pack (2,200 cu in). Rated best for 20 lb max.	3	0	^3.0	^3.0
¹	^{First Aid Kit, custom w/EpiPen}	¹	1	^1.1	^4.1
¹	^{Meds (Advil, Sudafed, Benadryl, etc.)}	⁰	1	^0.1	^4.1
¹	^{Water Bladder, CamelBaK 100 oz, empty}	⁰	4	^0.3	^4.4
⁶⁴	^{Water, Enter number of ounces - adjust amount as necessary}	⁰	1	^4.0	^8.4
¹	^{Rain Cover, Pack, small size}	⁰	4	^0.3	^8.6
¹	^{Rain Coat, Bellwether (yellow) w/hood}	⁰	15	^0.9	^9.6
¹	^{Headlight, Black Diamond w/batteries}	⁰	7	^0.4	^10.0
¹	^{Map, waterproof}	⁰	3	^0.2	^10.2
¹	^{Insect Repellent/SunBlock (OFF Skintastic)}	⁰	4	^0.3	^10.4
¹	^Compass	⁰	2	^0.1	^10.6
¹	^{Clothing: Hiking Shirt, short sleeve, synthetic 5 oz ea, adjust total weight}	⁰	5	^0.3	^10.9
²	^{Clothing: Socks, Synthetic Hiking 2 oz pair, adjust total weight}	⁰	2	^0.3	^11.1
¹	^{Clothing: Hat, Columbia Synthetic Floppy}	⁰	3	^0.2	^11.3
¹	^{Clothing: Bandana, cotton}	⁰	1	^0.1	^11.4
¹	^{Clothing: Solomon TechAmphibian Water Shoes}	¹	8.5	^1.5	^12.9
¹	^{Food: Chicken Pack/Fish Cup, 3 oz per package (adjust).}	⁰	3	^0.2	^13.1
¹	^{Food: Tuna/Salmon Foil packs, 6 oz per package (adjust).}	⁰	6	^0.4	^13.5
¹	^{Food: Dried Fruit, 6 oz per pack, adjust}	⁰	6	^0.4	^13.8
¹	^{Food: Ritz Crackers, 5 oz per stick, adjust}	⁰	5	^0.3	^14.2
³	^{Food: Snacks (granola, fruit, candy, cookies), 1 oz per serving, adjust}	⁰	1	^0.2	^14.3
¹	^{Eyewear: Sunglasses & Eyeglasses in cases}	⁰	4	^0.3	^14.6
¹	^{Camera: Canon A620 w/case and 1 set of extra batteries}	¹	8	^1.5	^16.1
¹	^{Tripod: Manfrotto 785B MODO}	²	3	^2.2	^18.3
²	^{"D" Ring Caribiner for hanging small items on pack, 1 oz each, adjust}	⁰	2	^0.3	^18.5
¹	^{ZipLock Bags, extra for misc.}	⁰	1	^0.1	^18.6
¹	^{Matches & Butane Lighter in ziplock bag}	⁰	2	^0.1	^18.7

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