Daytrip - what do yOU carry?
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For a day trip I don't take much as being in England I'm hard pushed to be a long way from civilisation.
Mine is usually, folding pen knife, lighter, flask of tea, bottle of water, sandwiches and flapjack in my small day pack.
Cotton primark trousers I don't mind getting grubbed up. Cotton t-shirt, thin or thick wool jumper, regatta rainshell, regatta walking boots. Castro peaked cap.
If I'm in the local steep forest all day I'll add my rowan walking staff, duluth folding saw, G.B. Forester axe or kabar machete, mora knife, side pouch for gathering stuff.
OH and I always tag interesting locations or useful plants/trees etc... On my phone on Google maps, so I can access their locations forever after on any device.
Mine is usually, folding pen knife, lighter, flask of tea, bottle of water, sandwiches and flapjack in my small day pack.
Cotton primark trousers I don't mind getting grubbed up. Cotton t-shirt, thin or thick wool jumper, regatta rainshell, regatta walking boots. Castro peaked cap.
If I'm in the local steep forest all day I'll add my rowan walking staff, duluth folding saw, G.B. Forester axe or kabar machete, mora knife, side pouch for gathering stuff.
OH and I always tag interesting locations or useful plants/trees etc... On my phone on Google maps, so I can access their locations forever after on any device.
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Some good recommendations. I've just looked up "sturdy umbrella" - something I shall need what with winter approaching and my brother unavailable for driving my mother around.
Funnily enough, this is a concept I've been mulling over in my head since I read the sticky on pausing to have a brew during minor/major dramas a week or so ago:
www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9951
Having returned to SW London from the West Country and unable to go far and for long (I'm a carer for my mother), I have a genuine fear of allowing the deterioration of my skills, ability and knowledge. I simply don't get much of a chance to get out and, when I do, it'll usually be to the common (Wimbledon Common) where, in the absolute worst weather conditions, I should still manage to walk home barefoot in only shorts! Knowing that environment so very well, I'd have difficulty losing track of North.
I have a very well compiled survival kit pouch (my avatar) but it isn't EDC compliant. Rather than modify it, I've devised a new EDC compliant pouch for casual trips. Instead of considering the "Five Cs" or the 4 essentials of survival, I based it on the bits and pieces that make a casual trip more comfortable and enjoyable.
I always carry, at least, a compact camera in it's pouch. There's a pocket for a spare battery and more but I leave it for camera stuff only.
Wallet (not always carried):
My wallet ALWAYS contains emergency tools: a Victorinox "Swiss Army Card"; a WWII Francis Barker button compass; a P38 type can opener with spoon handle; a small ferro rod; a medium size paper clip; a tiny sewing kit (polyester thread and needles); salt/pepper sachets; an alcohol wipe and; a condom.
When available, it has money in it which is rather useful, too...
Clothing:
There's no set clothing plan, it's whatever I'm wearing at that moment. I am near enough always wearing the wrong footwear! My hiking boots I forgot in Somerset so I've only my mid-1980s "Combat High" army boots which are no longer comfortable after hours of wear - plus they look odd when I'm wearing shorts. They probably are a museum piece these days...
If wearing shorts without cargo pockets, I'll have a pen/pencil tucked into my sock (instead of hooked into a pocket) and some card/paper in my pocket. In winter, I'll often have a small LED bikelight. Typically, an old type Victorinox or Wenger "Huntsman" knife would be carried on a lanyard - but, these days, I prefer to carry that in the pouch below.
I usually wear my now ancient JDPM bush hat. I wear a traditionally made rigger belt that now houses a 6mm quick link and 1 metre of genuine 550 cord.
Pouch:
*
Ideally, I want BOTH but haven't yet been able to fit them into a single pouch with all the rest of the items - unless I use a 90/95 Patt PLCE W/B or Utility Pouch which is too bulky, if worn alone.
The hammock contains all the cords needed to hang it - plus a spare whole length of parachute line. (The real deal, not the "paracord" you buy in shops which can be an unknown quality.) If I ever get to carry the poncho in the same pouch, I'll have to use strong twine to suspend the poncho above the hammock.
**
Using what I have lying around, I started out using a rigged up pouch near identical to the issue SAS "Escape pouch" but have since switched to a modified '58 W/B pouch because I made a hi-vis foraging bag that wraps around it to make it look less "army-barmy" and so less frightening to nanny state drones (ie: members of the public in this part of the world, unknown in quantity but seemingly always there).
Optional Extras:
In summer, I ALWAYS carry water, even if just going out to the supermarket. On some days this summer, I've drank the whole 2x pints in less than 2x hours of being out of the house.
Expansion:
After reading the sticky about carrying a brew kit, I'm keen to improve on the EDC pouch so that it caters for most trip requirements, especially if I actually get around to going on a day cycle trip.
I intend to add a (disused) '44 W/B mug, small brew kit, hexi block piece and ferro rod. The problem shall always be fitting all this into a single pouch that's smaller than a PLCE W/B or Utility Pouch - a work in progress.
I avoid using backpacks because I have nothing below 100 litres that works happily for me. I also have a natural inclination to more than half-fill any backpack. Because I carry a rucksack everywhere I go, NOT wearing one adds to the sense of freedom I enjoy in the woods.
Funnily enough, this is a concept I've been mulling over in my head since I read the sticky on pausing to have a brew during minor/major dramas a week or so ago:
www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9951
Having returned to SW London from the West Country and unable to go far and for long (I'm a carer for my mother), I have a genuine fear of allowing the deterioration of my skills, ability and knowledge. I simply don't get much of a chance to get out and, when I do, it'll usually be to the common (Wimbledon Common) where, in the absolute worst weather conditions, I should still manage to walk home barefoot in only shorts! Knowing that environment so very well, I'd have difficulty losing track of North.
I have a very well compiled survival kit pouch (my avatar) but it isn't EDC compliant. Rather than modify it, I've devised a new EDC compliant pouch for casual trips. Instead of considering the "Five Cs" or the 4 essentials of survival, I based it on the bits and pieces that make a casual trip more comfortable and enjoyable.
I always carry, at least, a compact camera in it's pouch. There's a pocket for a spare battery and more but I leave it for camera stuff only.
Wallet (not always carried):
My wallet ALWAYS contains emergency tools: a Victorinox "Swiss Army Card"; a WWII Francis Barker button compass; a P38 type can opener with spoon handle; a small ferro rod; a medium size paper clip; a tiny sewing kit (polyester thread and needles); salt/pepper sachets; an alcohol wipe and; a condom.
When available, it has money in it which is rather useful, too...
Clothing:
There's no set clothing plan, it's whatever I'm wearing at that moment. I am near enough always wearing the wrong footwear! My hiking boots I forgot in Somerset so I've only my mid-1980s "Combat High" army boots which are no longer comfortable after hours of wear - plus they look odd when I'm wearing shorts. They probably are a museum piece these days...
If wearing shorts without cargo pockets, I'll have a pen/pencil tucked into my sock (instead of hooked into a pocket) and some card/paper in my pocket. In winter, I'll often have a small LED bikelight. Typically, an old type Victorinox or Wenger "Huntsman" knife would be carried on a lanyard - but, these days, I prefer to carry that in the pouch below.
I usually wear my now ancient JDPM bush hat. I wear a traditionally made rigger belt that now houses a 6mm quick link and 1 metre of genuine 550 cord.
Pouch:
- A few sheets of toilet paper folded into Sainsbury carrier bag - the latter VERY useful for foraging. Sainsbury carrier bags being bright orange, they're better than most for visibility. (Useful if you unexpectedly need to walk along rural roads or need to wave for attention)
- A few metres (2-5 metres) of cord ("paracord" or strong twine).
- Hypothermia sheet.
- Insect repellent stick.
- Collapsible water bottle (300ml).
- String hammock OR* very lightweight imitation '58 poncho.
- Collins tree recognition book (depending on the pouch**).
*
Ideally, I want BOTH but haven't yet been able to fit them into a single pouch with all the rest of the items - unless I use a 90/95 Patt PLCE W/B or Utility Pouch which is too bulky, if worn alone.
The hammock contains all the cords needed to hang it - plus a spare whole length of parachute line. (The real deal, not the "paracord" you buy in shops which can be an unknown quality.) If I ever get to carry the poncho in the same pouch, I'll have to use strong twine to suspend the poncho above the hammock.
**
Using what I have lying around, I started out using a rigged up pouch near identical to the issue SAS "Escape pouch" but have since switched to a modified '58 W/B pouch because I made a hi-vis foraging bag that wraps around it to make it look less "army-barmy" and so less frightening to nanny state drones (ie: members of the public in this part of the world, unknown in quantity but seemingly always there).
Optional Extras:
In summer, I ALWAYS carry water, even if just going out to the supermarket. On some days this summer, I've drank the whole 2x pints in less than 2x hours of being out of the house.
Expansion:
After reading the sticky about carrying a brew kit, I'm keen to improve on the EDC pouch so that it caters for most trip requirements, especially if I actually get around to going on a day cycle trip.
I intend to add a (disused) '44 W/B mug, small brew kit, hexi block piece and ferro rod. The problem shall always be fitting all this into a single pouch that's smaller than a PLCE W/B or Utility Pouch - a work in progress.
I avoid using backpacks because I have nothing below 100 litres that works happily for me. I also have a natural inclination to more than half-fill any backpack. Because I carry a rucksack everywhere I go, NOT wearing one adds to the sense of freedom I enjoy in the woods.
Gas mask bag filled with, good torch you can put in your mouth, us army soft water bottle, small coffee flask, high energy scoff: choc, nut & fruit etc, cord, loo roll striker rod, then strap a British army poncho to this, and on my person a good EDC, compass, good boots on yer feet! and my DPM aircrew smock an a scrim scarf plus good leather gloves, and I'm all ready to go!
For a daytrip? Not really much need to carry stuff. My body is in a hyperhydrated and hypernourished state in any case.
Most weekends, I get up at around 07h30 and start at it with a half pint of pomegranate or cornelian cherry juice diluted with a half pint of St Yorre mineral water and don't have anything else until about 19h00. On Saturday my day starts with a couple of hours up at the stables, for a riding lesson, followed by the rest of the day working in the garden and workshop with breaks now and again at the computer. Sunday is much the same, but without the riding.
Some days, if I'm not riding and if the rest of the family is away, I'll take off into the woods for a long walk. Like, I set off around 07h30 or 08h00 and just put one foot in front of the other and keep my eyes and ears open for eight hours or so. No pack, no supplies, no compass. Just a Leatherman on my belt and maybe an Opinel folding saw and a couple of six-foot lengths of hemp rope (for catching runaway horses or dogs and for bringing back useful looking bits of wood).
The terrain is easy (boringly flat sandy soil) and mostly chestnut, oak, hornbeam and sycamore forest and it is really not easy to get lost. The biggest danger is being hit by a galloping horse or a mountain biker (on one of the few downhill trails that are really not steep anyway).
Most weekends, I get up at around 07h30 and start at it with a half pint of pomegranate or cornelian cherry juice diluted with a half pint of St Yorre mineral water and don't have anything else until about 19h00. On Saturday my day starts with a couple of hours up at the stables, for a riding lesson, followed by the rest of the day working in the garden and workshop with breaks now and again at the computer. Sunday is much the same, but without the riding.
Some days, if I'm not riding and if the rest of the family is away, I'll take off into the woods for a long walk. Like, I set off around 07h30 or 08h00 and just put one foot in front of the other and keep my eyes and ears open for eight hours or so. No pack, no supplies, no compass. Just a Leatherman on my belt and maybe an Opinel folding saw and a couple of six-foot lengths of hemp rope (for catching runaway horses or dogs and for bringing back useful looking bits of wood).
The terrain is easy (boringly flat sandy soil) and mostly chestnut, oak, hornbeam and sycamore forest and it is really not easy to get lost. The biggest danger is being hit by a galloping horse or a mountain biker (on one of the few downhill trails that are really not steep anyway).
Your body runs on a pint of diluted fruit juice for nearly 12 hours? 
How does this hyperhydration and hypernourishment actually work? When is it introduced to your body? When you get home do you spend the rest of the days hours on a drip, or drinking and eating to hyper yourself again?
Seems a bit odd to me?
How does this hyperhydration and hypernourishment actually work? When is it introduced to your body? When you get home do you spend the rest of the days hours on a drip, or drinking and eating to hyper yourself again?
Seems a bit odd to me?
During my service, I hated the '58 Poncho and replaced it with an Aussie Shelter Sheet which fits into a '58 Waterbottle Pouch with cords and pegs. We were never permitted to wear the things, anyway. Made in 1966, I still use the Aussie Hootch after patching a few tiny thorn holes but - ironically - have gone back to the Poncho concept for casual trips - no need to carry rainwear.
Rather than use a British '58 Poncho, I've picked up a US "ACU" version - it's rip stop and packs down MUCH smaller. The snapper studs are incompatible, being plastic. It fits into a MOLLE pouch that's 16cm x 20cm x 8cm. The cam pattern being kookie grey shades is non-military looking (to people in the UK) and could pass as "fashion cam". It (new) cost me £16 on eBay, from a UK seller. You might want to check out one.
http://www.qm-supply.com/product/poncho-acu-camo/
It always makes me laugh when people demonstrate outdoors kit indoors, it just looks so weird. Perhaps his roof leaks...
I also picked up an imitation '58 Poncho. Made from very thin fabric, it's probably nowhere near as strong as the real deal but it packs down to about a third of the volume of the ACU. It's already proven it's worth when taking my Mum out on walking journeys. As with the ACU, if only I could get another.
This is my second "58" I like them! I have a mate who is cracking at all things camo so I'll see if he's got any US types, thanks womble
Your body runs on a pint of diluted fruit juice for nearly 12 hours?
How does this hyperhydration and hypernourishment actually work? When is it introduced to your body? When you get home do you spend the rest of the days hours on a drip, or drinking and eating to hyper yourself again?
Seems a bit odd to me?
It's easy.
Unless you're a really skinny long distance runner, you're carrying enough fuel to run your body for a long time without needing to eat. And my day out is, as I described, just walking in the forest (so in the shade) on the flat; not strenuous exercise likely to give me dehydration and heat exhaustion.
If you know any people who fast, either for religious reasons or for a purported health benefit, ask them how they get on with their life during the fast. I have Muslim friends who wake before dawn to have a big breakfast and then have a feast at night before going to sleep. They put their bodies into this hyperhydrated and hypernourished state so they can work during the day. On a Friday night I usually drink a couple of pints of water when I get home, three or four pints of beer while cooking a big meal, and a couple of glasses of wine with the meal. Another pint of water before going to bed and the next day, as long as my mind is occupied, I can go until early evening without feeling hungry or thirsty.
Sometimes too much, and sometimes too little. Essentials would be water, a waterproof, maybe a warm layer to put on later if it is hot and I am not wearing much, mobile phone, wallet, keys, and on my keyring I have an energiser LED from way back, a leatherman squirt, spare pound coin container for emergency change, £20 note in a small stash, and a small magnifying loupe. Usually I will also have my SAK farmer in a belt pouch which also contains a maglite solitaire (led version) a hacksaw blade/firesteel striker a tungsten blade sharpener, ikea pencil, and on the outside of the pouch a light my fire firesteel, a peanut lighter and another stash containing cotton wool as emergency tinder. Sometimes I will have a brew kit, sometimes a flask of tea, depends how long I am out. Oh and a spare pair of prescription sunglasses.
A quart of water, a SAK, some powerbars or a pack of M&Ms, and a daypack to keep it all in. With all that space, I usually throw a compass and spare socks in too.
I wouldn't call drinking a pint of liquid in the morning Hyperhydrated, not even close. I typically drink 2-3litres of liquid a day, and if I'm exerting myself in hot weather that can go up considerably. On a cycle ride in summer 2015 I drank over 5L in 6 hours, and was still severely dehydrated to the point where it was a medical concern. Oh, and without peeing in that period.
As to the original question, what do I take on a day hike?
Water proof jacket, sun cream, map, compass, leatherman Juice CS4 (or increasingly a PS4), something to eat, emergency bag or space blanket, water (1-2L), sawyer filter, FAK, Sense of adventure, and my delorme inreach explorer. That's pretty much my load out. It all fits in a PLCE side pocket, or my new 15l backpack.
J
What wasn't clear enough from my original post was that I'm overfed and overwatered in general; it wouldn't be even uncomfortable for me to wake up at 06h00 and go to work without eating or drinking, and not take a break until 13h00. This is basically what I did over the summer. My body is still running on what I had eaten and drunk the night before.
A pint of liquid before going out for a walk is just a top-up.
You can not be over watered. The human body can not store a reserve of water, the body gets rid of it straight away. The body has to keep a very delicate balance of the electrolytes. Dilution of these is more dangerous than a concentration.
What you see as over watered is the optimal level of hydration. If you drink more then, all that happens is that your kidneys start working.
There is no need to drink all the time like the current fashion is. In the temperate climate you can go easily a day or even two without drinking. No harm will be fone. Yes, your prestanda will drop a bit, but that is all.
On average, out bodies have enough energy stored for weeks and weeks.
What you see as over watered is the optimal level of hydration. If you drink more then, all that happens is that your kidneys start working.
There is no need to drink all the time like the current fashion is. In the temperate climate you can go easily a day or even two without drinking. No harm will be fone. Yes, your prestanda will drop a bit, but that is all.
On average, out bodies have enough energy stored for weeks and weeks.
Yes you can.
Hyponatremia.
Often caused by a high fluid intake.
It has killed a number of ultra runners in recent years.
I'd rather be slightly dehydrated after a very long run than hyponatremic.
Hence some runners weigh themselves during the likes of 100-mile ultras: not to see if they are losing too much weight (which many people assume they are doing...), but to make sure they are not taking in too much water.
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Technically Hyponatremic is low sodium, not excess water. It's about electrolyte balance rather than quantity of fluid.
Yes we can all go 3 days without drinking, and 3+ weeks without food, doesn't mean to say it's a good idea. I'd rather take an extra bit of water with me on a walk, and have to visit a tree en route, than be dehydrated. I've had severe dehydration in the past, and it's far far far far from a pleasant experience.
J
Hence I said 'caused by'.
We can only go 3 days without water if static. Add movement etc to the equation and you'll be dehydrated far quicker.
PS I'm not advocating dehydration - I'm simply saying after a very long run it is preferable to be slightly dehydrated than hyponatremic. As most ultra runners err towards, given the devastating effects of hyponatremia on distance runners (which, if you've seen it, isn't pleasant).
