You can take it with you

by Chris  6/21/2001
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Although equipment and clothing needs will vary from trip to trip, we can offer some general guidelines that will cover the typical hiker's needs. In our day packs, we each always carry a small homemade emergency first-aid kit, flashlight, compass, toilet paper, knife, map, pencil, extra bandana, sunglasses, snacks and water. We usually wear hiking shorts, cotton shirt, bandana and some kind of wide brim hat or baseball hat. Some hikers may prefer to wear loose fitting long cotton pants to prtect their legs from cuts and scratches. In the winter and in periods of changing weather, we always add a breathable waterproof jecket with hood and a wool hat. If the weather is cool or really looks nasty, we take polypropylene long underwear tops and bottoms that can be worn under our shirt and shorts. If we expect rain or snow, we take rain pants and a poncho. We alternate between low top hiking shoes and light weight hiking boots with wool socks. If we will be hiking off-trail, we wear short gaiters to keep the stickers and foxtails our of our socks.

All our first-aid items are stored in a mesh bag that is six inches tall and four inches in diameter. The emergency first-aid kit contains:

For overnight camping trips you should consult one of the many instructional books on backpacking and develop your own list of equipment.