I think it might be worth going over why you are "out there" to begin with. Everyone has their own goals and objectives but, in my case, it is usually to cover a certain amount of ground by foot in a certain amount of time. I try to arrange or plan for a circle type of hike, going out one way, coming back another. Around here the ultimate trip, if you will, is the thru-hike on the Applachian Trail. I imagine you would have everything pretty much sorted out by the time you covered the first hundred miles and you would know what you need, when you need to restock, how far you can walk in a day (at least at first), and so on. This is not to say I have any interest in a thru-hike. I barely have the time and energy to cover the ground I hope to before the day ends and now the days are shorter!
The point is that in this case, there is no time for much of anything but walking, eating and sleeping--and no spare energy either.
However, even for the long distance walker on the A-Trail, there are differences in what people think they need to carry and are willing to. Furthermore, conditions change over the length of the trip, since the trip will cover more than one season. Although I imagine everyone carries some water, you can't carry much more than a day's worth. There is no real wilderness here, either, contrary to what some people think, and no part of the trail, except perhaps in Maine, is far from the beaten path--that is, far from other beaten paths. So it isn't a survival situation in the sense you usually think of but merely a very long walk in the woods.
Other conditions call for different gear, or kit. But you get the idea. I should also in all fairness point out that with all the thru-hikers there are on the trail anymore, it pretty much excludes any practical possibility of either having fires very often (though the shelters outside of parks do have fireplaces) or in any way living off the land.
The point is that in this case, there is no time for much of anything but walking, eating and sleeping--and no spare energy either.
However, even for the long distance walker on the A-Trail, there are differences in what people think they need to carry and are willing to. Furthermore, conditions change over the length of the trip, since the trip will cover more than one season. Although I imagine everyone carries some water, you can't carry much more than a day's worth. There is no real wilderness here, either, contrary to what some people think, and no part of the trail, except perhaps in Maine, is far from the beaten path--that is, far from other beaten paths. So it isn't a survival situation in the sense you usually think of but merely a very long walk in the woods.
Other conditions call for different gear, or kit. But you get the idea. I should also in all fairness point out that with all the thru-hikers there are on the trail anymore, it pretty much excludes any practical possibility of either having fires very often (though the shelters outside of parks do have fireplaces) or in any way living off the land.
