what do you carry on trips?

What kind of gear do you tend to throw in your bag when heading out for the day? Overnight?

I am trying to get a good baseline of what I should always have in my bag.

Assuming you don't need a ten essentials recap or similar;

My vote for most overlooked goes to: Headlamp. A nice 1W LED, enough to actually ski or find a route in the woods. Even a for short trip on a nice sunny day.

I usually bring two. The spare is nominally in case the primary fails, but its actual use case so far has been to lend to someone who either did not bring a headlamp or whose lamp failed.

The other thing that most people here know, but a new skier might not, is a set of several Voile ski straps. They are for attaching skis together but, they (and sometimes some duct tape) can attach almost anything together for long enough to get down a mountain.

Day: Puffy, headlamp, fire starter kit, small repair kit, space blanket, small first aid kit, shovel, probe, snow saw, 2 x voile straps, water, GU , sammich and 2 packs of cigarettes, spare lighter.

Overnight: puffy, headlamp, fire starter, repair kit, bivvy bag, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, shovel, probe, snow saw, voile straps, jetboil, food, 4 packs of cigarettes, couple of joints, 2 tabs of LSD.

What kind of gear do you tend to throw in your bag when heading out for the day?

>shovel
>probe
>snowsaw
>puffy
>hardshell jacket
>map
>compass
>firestarter kit
>multitool (leathermen etc.)
>viole straps (2 min)
>water
>headlamp
>spare batteries for headlamp and beacon
>lunch
>sunglasses or ski goggles... depending on which one I'm actually wearing
>lightweight or heavyweight gloves... depending on which one I'm wearing
>sometimes I bring a hardshell pant depending on conditions
>sometimes... ok often I bring my GPS and because it has a 2 way radio built in.....
>emergency blanket

for overnight add:
>shelter
>sleeping pad
>bag
>jetboil
>more food

*edit to add emergency blanket...

2 tabs of LSD.

EDIT - computer puked, here is the whole of what I wanted to write..



Here's what I was starting with..

-camera +lenses +spare cards/batt
-skis
-poles
-boots


DAY:
-extra fleece layer(s) (depending on weather)
-headlamp
-flashlight (w extra battery)
-beacon
-2m/70cm ham radio w/longer ant
-GPS
-Steripen (w extra batteries)
-iodine tabs
-(2) steel liter water bottles
-fire starter kit
-lighter
-small first aid
-duct tape wrapped around pole
-shovel/probe
-saw
-MRE
-5hr energy, spare cliff/energy bar
-compass
-maps
-sunglasses/ski mask
-extra pair of light gloves (depends on weather)
-leatherman
-knife
-space blanket sleeping bag
-zip loc bags
-rag or kerchief
-hand sanitizer

OVERNIGHT:
above, plus
-bivy
-0deg bag
-penny stove +heet
-sleeping pad
-more food

Whats a steripen???
Flashlight seems excessive IMHO when coupled with headlamp.
2Steel liter bottles??? I only carry 1 liter EVAR but if you need more water than 1 liter.. a jetboil will provide 8 liters and be lighter.
I have a GPS but only carry it for more complicated multi-day tours...or a place I'm visiting for the first time...rest of the time I use a compass and map......old school I know but much lighter...... too much reliance on GPS these days in my opinion which causes people to forget good old situational awareness, using handrails etc...but that's another topic.

Shaving weight may seem frivolous but I think fast and light( within reason) aids with safety for winter touring as I've seen lots of people who are burdened with huge packs moving slowly, getting tired, in danger zones too long. etc....especially the" safety police type" of which many abound in WA and especially TAY.

Radios...nice to have in certain situations but 95% of the time....I don't bring.
Cell phone= camera plus I can check on my stock prices!( It's hell being a 1%'er) and some have GPS that can work OK.

Sure others will have different views but that's my 2 cents. Good subject .. thanks for bringing it up.

I edited my list to add emergency blanket...

which reminds me of something I need to consider more, is what does everyone carry in their day pack for first aid gear? say if you or your partner have a mishap and sustain some injury, especially one that prevents one from getting out on their own. I imagine there are many levels of injury, but in regards to keeping a light day pack what is a basic injury kit?

I have a GPS but only carry it for more complicated multi-day tours...or a place I'm visiting for the first time...rest of the time I use a compass and map......old school I know but much lighter...... too much reliance on GPS  these days in my opinion which causes people to forget good old situational awareness, using handrails etc...but that's another topic.

A great point.

By analogy, in a SCUBA class filled with twenty-somethings, they all could read the little electronic dive planner to tell them their non-decompression limits but not a single one of them would know if the thing gave them a completely wrong answer, for instance due to fat-fingering the entry. The instructor later vowed to stop teaching the electronic planner to anyone who could not prove that they could read (and understand) the manual card.

Compass, map, altimeter is a great combination.

I didn't get to finish what I was writing above.. I ALWAYS carry maps and a compass. I don't rely on my GPS, but it comes in handy in white out conditions.

I'm trying to figure out what I can leave out to keep light. I always feel like a packhorse haha. My camera gear weighs a lot... 3 lenses, a body, extra batteries tend to add a lot.

I always carry atleast 2L of water on any trips over a few hours. Sometimes it isn't a good idea to rely on melting snow or purifying water along the way. I'm tempted to go back to the water bladder, though.

Maybe I'll cut out the extra flashlight/batt and ham.

never heard of the Voile straps. I have just used rubber bands or duct tape. interesting.

I edited my list to add emergency blanket...

which reminds me of something I need to consider more, is what does everyone carry in their day pack for first aid gear? say if you or your partner have a mishap and sustain some injury, especially one that prevents one from getting out on their own. I imagine there are many levels of injury, but in regards to keeping a light day pack what is a basic injury kit?

Duct tape
TP
Voile straps

Don't forget condoms~ Never know in the outdoors~

>Beacon/shovel/probe
>Emergency kit:
-Duct tape
-Ibuprofen
-2 Heat packets
-Couple band aids
-Sterile pad (could be used with duct tape)
-Space blanket bivy
-Lighter/waterproof matches
-Extra batteries that will work for beacon or headlamp
>Micropuff jacket
>fleece hat
>3 ski straps
>Sunglasses/goggles
>Map/compass/altimeter (on watch)
>Headlamp
>Knife/multitool
>Food for the day plus one extra 5hr energy, couple extra cliff bars/gels
>2-3L combo of water and gatorade
>Sunscreen/chapstick
>Purell
>Ziplocks
>light gloves for skinning, heavier gloves for skiing

Seems like a lot in a list, but doesn't seem like too much in the pack.

I don't have a GPS, but it would be nice for whiteouts and long approaches/returns through trees. I can think of a couple times this year that it would have saved me a good chunk of time if I'd had one.

JPH I like your list, close to mine. I should add I picked up one of those CPR barriers are REI to put in my emergency kit. I also always carry duct tape but didnt think about it because I wrap it around my ski pole. I'll consider adding some of the items on your list like Ibuprofen, heat packs and sterile pad. Thanks for sharing.

I also agree with there being too much reliance on a GPS device. Mine has a built in 2way radio which has proven invaluable with groups that tend to split up or get spread out so I always go back and forth on bringing it depending on the group and objective. more and more Im not using it for anything. I'm starting to ween myself off bringing it on routes I've done before... but part of me considers it a safety tool since most often I can pick up other radio users in the area if I needed to ask for help. I also leave a note with my family including the radio channel if I don't return they call SAR and can give them the info. thankfully, I've never needed it for anything other than a beeline to the car in a whiteout because I decided it was beer30.

Don't forget condoms~ Never know in the outdoors~

Saxybrian didn't you say your from Texas? :

>Purell

????? for cleaning hands after going pooopy? You guys are way too fastidious.......handful of snow...rub vigorously.. then wipe hands on back of pants= invigorating!

I'm confused about the lack of enthusiasm for GPS. Maybe I am just younger, but I feel otherwise.

I always bring a map and a GPS with a map loaded onto it. Never a compass. When I need orientation most is in a white out or in the trees. In both situations it would be impossible to find a reference point to orientate myself using a compass and a map. In those situations a compass is only good for a bearing, which isn't much use if I don't know where I am.

The paper map is more of a luxury in my routine because it is easier to get a feel for the land on that map rather than the small screen. But I use the GPS to figure out where I am on the map.

Sure, a GPS can break or it can be used incorrectly. Maps can tear and get wet, compasses can break too. It seems as though it would be much more likely to use a compass incorrectly than a GPS.

Am I missing something? Exiting a tour on skis through a whiteout or thick trees is often aided by frequent reference to the GPS (and my track log). For example, descending the Muir snowfield following my old track log is a cinch. Whereas using a compass is more complicated and less reliable if you don't realize you are not skiing straight. Seems much safer to me.

Saxybrian didn't you say your from Texas?  :

Saxybrain , sorry for my fellow TAyers condescension and eye rolling just because you are from Texas. I'm afraid you are going to have to get used to that for a while as these young, super smart urban-mountaineers are going to act very superior for a while until you get acclimatized.

Only 120 days or so until you come over the pass like some Mormon pushing his hand cart to the promised land with all your boyish enthusiasm I've come to appreciate.

Shortly thereafter you'll be skinning up to Muir ( make sure you actually get to Muir..Amar is checking) with your pack overflowing with ibuprofen, iodine tablets, hand-sanitizer and condoms; your pack festooned with Voile straps.

A few more months here and you'll be driving at 10 mph below the speed limit in the left lane and pontificating on TAY with the rest of us.

I'm confused about the lack of enthusiasm for GPS. Maybe I am just younger, but I feel otherwise.

you have some good points Erik. I'm not an expert compass user but I feel fairly competent, I know in some situations I have relied on my GPS. I like to not rely on the GPS to keep up on the skill with the compass.

Scotsman, my remark was in good humor reply and not condescending I think you took it out of context and I don't know why.

thought it might be worth mentioning that its not a bad idea to use a waterproof liner in your backpack... ie-trash bag (or bivy sack if on an overnighter) to protect all the gear. I don't have much faith that backpack fabric along will keep my gear dry on a stormy day.

and if you're using a water bladder, keeping the bladder outside of the trash bag liner is a decent way to prevent a soaked sleeping bag disaster should your camelback start leaking.

Thread drift but actually Eric in all honesty I think some of the statements you make in your post over the superiority of GPS over map & compass actually reinforce my personal belief regarding the over reliance on GPS.

Firstly you should know where you are ALL the time. Indentify handrails, changes in elevation, benches, rock walls etc from your map before you go...constantly check your position against your mental map, or actual map, take a back bearing with your compass if the weather looks like it's coming in. Turning your GPS to find out where you are is too late....especially if it doesn't work and you're in a white out. There are techniques for navigating by compass and map...even in a white out.

Sure..it takes a bit of effort and time to learn ( as does GPS) but it's an essential skill.
I know of no professional guide who also isnt an expert with map and compass as well as GPS.
Read Cosley and Houstons Alpine Climbing....very good ..also Volken's book.

Map tearing and compass breaking seems like a tenuous argument to me. Map in plastic cover etc.

Not an old codger skill.....its an essential skill regardless of your generation.

Scotsman, my remark was in good humor reply and not condescending I think you took it out of context and I don't know why.

Correct etiquette would have been to use the grin emoticon rather than the rolling eyes emoticon.
Grin emoticon= good humor
rolling eyes emoticon= condescending.

My job as Chief Etiquette Officer of TAY is a never ending burden....but its a labor of love. ;D :

Saxybrain , sorry for my fellow TAyers condescension and eye rolling just because you are from Texas. I'm afraid you are going to have to get used to that for a while as these young, super smart urban-mountaineers are going to act very superior for a while until you get acclimatized.

Only 120 days or so until you come over the pass like some Mormon pushing his hand cart to the promised land with all your boyish enthusiasm I've come to appreciate.

Shortly thereafter you'll be skinning up to Muir ( make sure you actually get to Muir..Amar is checking) with your pack overflowing with ibuprofen, iodine tablets, hand-sanitizer and condoms; your pack festooned with Voile straps.

A few more months here and you'll be driving at 10 mph below the speed limit in the left lane and pontificating on TAY with the rest of us.

darned hilarious ~ blew margarita ice through my nose.  99'rs, take note.

btw, Saxy, the left lane crawl speed technique is only truly useful in the HOV zones where lane changes are strongly discouraged.  In any event, you will need a blowup doll, and I suggest you inquire discreetly, PM, perhaps,  among the authoritative voices here.

Best wishes, and safe journey..

edit for content to be a bit more family friendly

????? for cleaning hands after going pooopy? You guys are way too fastidious.......handful of snow...rub vigorously.. then wipe hands on back of pants= invigorating!

Ha, I'm really about the least germophoby person out there, but there's something about poopy hands and eating... 

Exiting a tour on skis through a whiteout or thick trees is often aided by frequent reference to the GPS (and my track log).

This is the one reason that I've been looking at GPS's.

Saxybrian didn't you say your from Texas?  :

Steers and queers! 

My job as Chief Etiquette Officer of TAY is a never ending burden....but its a labor of love. ;D :

Darn emoticon etiquette. Keep up the good fight Scotsman, I now have greater emoticon awareness  ;D  ;D  ;D

somewhere in here there was a thread about gear  : oh wait....  ;D

Interesting thread here. While this banter of GPS or not to GPS, was occurring I was having the same with some folks 8500 ft'ish on Mt. Adams. I will leave the details out they are not important. Weather moved in and things changed for this party. I experienced the same and turned back early being solo and without GPS. I have to say, despite their bad luck. It was a pleasure to meet you guys.

Talking over the day on the way down. I think the concensus was to have a combination of both old and new school technology would be advantages. Despite, being long in the tooth, with birthdays. I am still a baby to mountaineering. Why not both. I have firsthand stories of GPS 's being fatal and nearly fatal in whiteouts. Snow and terrain changes frequently. What was there 24 hrs or 2 hours prior. May not be there when your following the line back. Watch the weather, listen to your gut, live to tour another day. Wrap your GPS with the condom so it doesn't get wet.

Thanks for your attention.

H

I'll be working from home so the HOV lane issue shouldn't be to much of a problem. As far as being from TX. Yes I'm from TX and everything here is bigger including our egos!

And yes, skinning to Muir is something I plan on doing a lot, done it once already, and i've never been on the mountain where I didn't make it to Muir so I Don't think Amar would be to upset!

Though speaking of that, can you say you tagged Rainier's summit if you only stood in the crater and not the true Columbia Crest? If that's the case then I've only summited 2x vs 3, but hey who's counting.


132 days baby!

BTW My pack essecentials for climbing include (not to sure about skiing) however here's what I would take for skiing.

Shovel
Probe (For avalanche stuff nothing else, us Texans aren't that crazy)
Saw - don't have one
Beacon - PING
Down puffy will always be in there regardless, you just never know.
Fire starter kit
Compass. YOu can ADD a GPS, but you can never subtract a compass
Water
Wands? Depending on what I'm doing
Whistle
About 8 AA batteries (WTF)
Entire ROLL of toilet paper (WTF)
And I end up always takign way more food than I need for some reason.

On a side note, we should start a thread of things we've taken on trips that just stand out.


However, I can say my stats are a bit different because they've mostly been for mountaineering not skiing when weight is a HUGE thing. My first trip to Rainier my pack weight around 55-60lbs, my last trip I had it tagged under 33lbs including group gear
Such as, my entire wallet, phone, entire HUGE key chain, and beer are things I've taken that I should have left in car. Mountaineering boots + AT Boots.

Saxybrian didn't you say your from Texas?  :

Hell Yeah I'm from Texas. And only 2 things come from Texas, Steers and Queers. And I sure an't no steer, so when you're skinning above me on the slopes you better keep eyes on the back of your head!

;D

I always bring the Three Essentials of duct tape, cell phone, and Red Bull:
1. Duct tape to fix anything that breaks.
2. Cell phone to call for a helicopter rescue if whatever broke can’t be fixed with duct tape.
3. Red Bull to drink while waiting for the helicopter rescue.

In more detail, spring & summer pack:
www.wildsnow.com/5309/backcountry-skiing-rucksack-packing/

Thoughts on fix-it tools to bring (or not):
www.wildsnow.com/5308/multi-tools-backcountry-skiing/

Bunch of good stuff here.

I always have a space blanket or two, as well as a 8x4' SilTarp (packs to about a soda can size), to fill out the emergency shelter.  I left the SilTarp behind on the day of the Phantom slide and it would have been a big oversight if we'd been farther from help.

Lots of Voile straps -- I have 6 in my first-aid/repair kit.

I use a GPS with some regularity, but I rarely rely on it solely.  Carry a map of the area and know how to use it.  Like Chris said, you should always know where you are and have good "spatial awareness". 

I always have a big trash compactor bag lining my pack too -- great for emergency wind-water protection.  My wife carries her Montbell UL bivy sack (again, soda-can size) and between that, the tarp and my trash bag, I think we'd be able to get some decent protection if we were stuck out for the night.  Know how to make some quick snow-shelters and augment them with the above.

Be familiar with what you have and spend some time thinking about why you're bringing it and how you think you'll use it.  Ingenuity with limited gear is just as important (if not more so) as carrying the kitchen sink.

3. Red Bull to drink while waiting for the helicopter rescue.

Swap the red bull out for a 5hr energy to save a little weight on the emergency energy boost.

Swap the red bull out for a 5hr energy to save a little weight on the emergency energy boost.

With four calories, sounds like it should be more aptly named five-second energy.