Member Blog Post / Gear / Technology

Why I Pack My Fears

by Zachary

March 19, 2023

Packing your fears is not smart backpacking; it takes up valuable space, adds weight and is generally not warranted. However, for every backpacking trip I go on I pack an emergency kit that has compact backup essential items and a few specialty items that I have found are useful to have while in the backcountry. This kit is compact and lightweight so I can grab it and my 1^st Aid kit to toss into a daypack for a quick summit hike or foraging hike.

In this video, I explore the contents of my Emergency Kit and why I pack each item. Some of these items are stand-alone items that are not anywhere else in my backpacking system (multitool), other items are backups for my primary resources (water purification tablets). Obviously, this does not include things such as food, insect/sun protection, hygiene, etc. Those I will discuss in future videos.

Hopefully, you will find this information useful. Please leave a comment to help me see what information you found useful or otherwise. Thank you for watching and please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel. Thanks.

Discussion

This topic has 68 replies, 20 voices, and was last updated 8 months, 3 weeks ago by hillnaut.

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Mar 5, 2023 at 10:00 am #3776313

Zachary
BPL Member

@tropicalzach
Locale: Pacific Northwest

Companion forum thread to: Why I Pack My Fears

Packing your fears is not smart backpacking; it takes up valuable space, adds weight and is generally not warranted…

Mar 5, 2023 at 10:00 am #3774924

Zachary
BPL Member

@tropicalzach
Locale: Pacific Northwest

Packing your fears is not smart backpacking; it takes up valuable space, adds weight and is generally not warranted. However, for every backpacking trip I go on I pack an emergency kit that has compact backup essential items and a few specialty items that I have found are useful to have while in the backcountry. This kit is compact and lightweight so I can grab it and my 1st Aid kit to toss into a daypack for a quick summit hike or foraging hike.

In this video, I explore the contents of my Emergency Kit and why I pack each item. Some of these items are stand-alone items that are not anywhere else in my backpacking system (multitool), other items are backups for my primary resources (water purification tablets). Obviously, this does not include things such as food, insect/sun protection, hygiene, etc. Those I will discuss in future videos.

Mar 5, 2023 at 4:20 pm #3774949

R L
Spectator

@slip-knot
Locale: SF Bay Area, East Bay

Nicely done. Easy to watch. Kudos.

Mar 5, 2023 at 5:17 pm #3774963

dirtbag
BPL Member

@dirtbaghiker

Nicely done!

Mar 5, 2023 at 6:37 pm #3774978

Dan
BPL Member

@dan-s
Locale: Colorado

Good click-bait thread title, but I just can’t get myself to watch a 14 minute video. If you want to paste a list into the thread, that would be great. :thumbsup:

Mar 5, 2023 at 7:24 pm #3774980
Zachary
BPL Member

@tropicalzach
Locale: Pacific Northwest
Thanks for watching Dan. I fully understand your aversion to watching a 14 minutes video…time is the most precious resource we all have. Here is my list (I am not listing brands as it is just the item that matters rather than the particular brand/model). Please keep in mind that the list is the “what” rather than the “why”; please do not judge it too harshly. ;) The “why” is what the video goes through. Hope it helps.
- Quart Ziploc Baggie
- Cordage
- Fire Starters
- Sparking Device
- Super Glue
- Whistle
- Compass & Map
- Emergency Space Blanket
- Trail Marker Ribbons
- Multitool
- Tenacious Tape
- Cash/Credit Card/Identification
- Thumb Light
- Power Supply
- ZipTies
- Water Purification
- Problem Solving
Mar 5, 2023 at 8:44 pm #3774982

JVD
BPL Member

@jdavis
Locale: Front Range

Zachary, thanks for the list.

I can easily relate to all but two (though I don’t necessarily bring some of the others myself). Can you say more about what you’d do with Fire Starters. And most multitools I’ve seen have a lot more tools than I can imagine using. I’m curious about your thinking there, too.

Oh, and yes to backup Problem Solving. Nice.

Mar 5, 2023 at 10:12 pm #3774987

Zachary
BPL Member

@tropicalzach
Locale: Pacific Northwest

JVD ~ Primarily, the Emergency Kit is for “away from base camp” homes. I use the SOL TinderQuicks as a way to start a fire if I end up needing a quick way to start a survival fire. The multi-tool is primarily for pliers, screw drivers…used for gear/camera repair. I use a Gerber Dime. Pretty darn light/compact.

Hope that helps. The video provides more detail.

Mar 6, 2023 at 4:02 pm #3775063

Nick Gatel
BPL Member

@ngatel
Locale: Southern California

Zachary,

I generally dislike watching videos . . . I can read much faster. I operate in a very similar fashion as you with both an emergency and a first aid kit in separate ziplocks. I don’t carry as many items as you, but these are personal considerations.

I also watched your first aid video. Both are well done and I enjoyed. Good job!

Mar 7, 2023 at 10:39 am #3775126

Bruce Tolley
BPL Member

@btolley
Locale: San Francisco Bay Area

Trail marker ribbons???

Mar 7, 2023 at 12:30 pm #3775134

R L
Spectator

@slip-knot
Locale: SF Bay Area, East Bay

We used ribbons in Scouts, way way back in the day. I’ve used various colors for work related issues. I’ve used them a coupla times since when solo bushwhacking and want to return the same way. Almost becomes a game to retrieve all the ribbons so as not to litter. Easier for me to see than cairns, or broken twigs, or arrows scratched into the dirt, etc. The trip back is always faster than the trip out.

Mar 7, 2023 at 1:17 pm #3775146

Zachary
BPL Member

@tropicalzach
Locale: Pacific Northwest

Nick…thank you for watching and your patience while I learn to produce better content. I’ll include a more detailed written summary in future posts so you don’t have to slog through the videos, although it may not include all the nuances (aka nuisances) I have in the videos. ;)

Roger…thank you as well for the nice comment. I’ll see about doing a video from my TARDIS in the future (pun intended).

Bruce…I use them to help mark my path when I am bushwacking or going off trail in a manner that I think I may have a challenge finding my way back. Thanks for asking.

RL…100% spot on. Thanks for the backup.

Mar 7, 2023 at 3:00 pm #3775153

Matthew / BPL
Moderator

@matthewkphx

Y’all are welcome to judge me all you want but I have a couple feet of surveyors ribbon in my FAK. If I had to leave a note for my hiking partner I can’t think of a better way to do it than on a waterproof fluorescent pink ribbon.

Mar 7, 2023 at 5:03 pm #3775161

John S.
BPL Member

@jshann

I’ve seen the ribbon used on winter backpacks, but now I see they can be used in 3 season backpacking (leaving note for hiking partner would be my use).

Mar 7, 2023 at 6:10 pm #3775165

jscott
BPL Member

@book
Locale: Northern California

I also haven’t watched the video, so take that into account when I write:

I don’t bring a multi tool or power supply. Both are some of the heavier items in the list. Over many

Mar 8, 2023 at 2:07 am #3775180

Nick Gatel
BPL Member

@ngatel
Locale: Southern California

I also haven’t watched the video, so take that into account when I write:

I don’t bring a multi tool or power supply. Both are some of the heavier items in the list. Over many

I don’t carry that stuff either. The videos (this one and an earlier one on first aid kits) is about what the OP carries and why, but more important, he explains how he organizes his gear into compact packages such as a first aid kit, an emergency kit, an essentials kit, etc. The contents can change to meet the requirements of each trip.

Mar 8, 2023 at 7:35 am #3775189

Zachary
BPL Member

@tropicalzach
Locale: Pacific Northwest

RL, forgot to say thanks for watching and the comment from earlier so…thank you.

Dirtbag, same…thanks for watching and please keep your videos coming out; they are enjoyable to watch as well.

Matthew, thanks for the feedback (and guiding me where to place future videos – in the Blog section). Glad to hear your take on the ribbons as well. Never thought of them as a way to leave a note. Do you take a “Sharpie” marker with you on trail? I don’t know how else you would leave a note on it, so your insights are appreciated.

John, glad this gave you a new perspective. I had a girlfriend that went backpacking once with me and her hair tie broke so we used these ribbons to tie her hair into a ponytail. The point is that the weight penalty is nominal and the uses are multiple.

JScott, I agree on the weight penalty (multitool = 69g, power supply = 53g) if you are on a trip where you would not likely need them. For me, I do some backcountry photography/content creation so having a backup power supply is useful and the multitool is nearly an essential when dealing with camera gear. Could I get away without those two items? Probably, but they have kept the camera side of the adventure from falling apart more than once so I have come to count them as contingency items rather than luxury items. Obviously, the lesson is pack only what you need or realistically may need rather than what you fear you might need. ;)

Nick, thanks for the observation on the videos as you are correct. I’d also like to add that this is one video in a series about what makes up my backpacking gear system and provides all the gear I get to choose from when I pack for a particular trip. The point of the videos is to show what I have in my “toolbox” to choose from and why I may choose to pack a particular item for a particular trip.

In no small part, these videos are a way for me to put a timestamp on where my system is today so I can compare it to where it was five years ago (a written list, which I also have for my current gear) and where it will be five years from now. As a side benefit, if it helps someone in their journey of developing a more effective/efficient backpacking system, then it was worth my time to create.

Thanks to all for your comments, insights and views.

Mar 8, 2023 at 8:52 pm #3775265

Matthew / BPL
Moderator

@matthewkphx

I do take a mini Sharpie. I’m not sure why I landed on a sharpie rather than a pencil or pen. Hmm.

Mar 9, 2023 at 2:40 am #3775272

John S.
BPL Member

@jshann

David Thomas had recommended the mini sharpie several times.

https://backpackinglight.com/forums/topic/79583/#post-2005487

Mar 9, 2023 at 11:19 am #3775318

Bill Budney
BPL Member

@billb
Locale: Central NYS

I’m not sure why I landed on a sharpie rather than a pencil or pen.

Because sharpies can write on ziplock bags?

I found mini mechanical pencils on Amazon. Had to buy a dozen. They are compact (3.5″/9cm long) and, according to my scale, they weigh nothing at all. About the same length as a Write-in-the-Rain notepad.

Mar 9, 2023 at 1:28 pm #3775325

Nick Gatel
BPL Member

@ngatel
Locale: Southern California

I thought we resolved the writing utensil conundrum 10 years ago in these two BPL threads:

Which Pencil for the JMT?

A Pencil for the JMT — Solution Found!

About a year after these conversations, I was able to tie this all together — that is, John Muir himself — on the trip to the Cedars of Lebanon. Here are the findings on my blog post.

Backpacking the Cedars of Lebanon

And then, finally, Mr. Muir got the true respect he deserves

Mar 9, 2023 at 2:07 pm #3775330

Jerry Adams
BPL Member

@retiredjerry
Locale: Oregon and Washington

There are some pencils around my house but all their erasers have become stiff and useless. Good technology for the year 1960 maybe.

I agree that a box cutter is a good way to sharpen a pencil

It’s raining out so I am wasting my time chasing down links

In geological map making class we used pencils. The object was to get super thin lines. We used sandpaper to sharpen the pencils. I don’t remember what type of pencil.

I better find something more useful to do : )

Mar 20, 2023 at 2:30 pm #3776398

Scott Walker
BPL Member

@scottkingwalker

I have a bag like this that goes with me every time I am outdoors. I call it my “Essentials bag”.

I loved the suggestion of single use superglue. I plan to add that to my kit already.

There is some duplication in the emergency kit, as several parts of the multitool could strike a spark from any ferro rod. As a result, you could upgrade to a better ferro rod than the tiny one in the knife.

I liked Zachary’s justification for most of the items, but personally, I can’t see myself ever carrying a secondary power charger that is only an emergency backup. I grew up going into the woods as a scout B.C. (before cellphones) so the idea of being disconnected doesn’t scare me enough, I guess. I consider all of my electronics secondary, backup, or non-essential.

Mar 20, 2023 at 4:43 pm #3776408

Zachary
BPL Member

@tropicalzach
Locale: Pacific Northwest

Scott, great idea on the ferro rod. If I can find one that is lighter than the knife/sparking device. Any suggestions for something lighter than 20g?

As for the power backup, it is more for my family back home than for me. Most of my trips are solo and I am fine being disconnected, but my family does like to know that I have what I need to be “safe”. Because the emergency power bank is specifically for my inReach, I don’t generally take it on trips that are less than three days because I conserve power pretty well. More than three days out, yep…it goes in case my primary power bank becomes discharged.

Any other suggestions?

Mar 21, 2023 at 6:10 pm #3776690

Alan W
BPL Member

@at-reactor

Light My Fire Jr:

8.5 g ferro stick only

13.9 g stick + tethered striker

Some say the stick is too easily broken; but I’ve had no difficulty on that.

It is my backup, high altitude igniter for when stove piezo fails. Quick and sure, even in “normal” winds, rain.

It also easily, directly lights cotton-fuel puffs.

Scrape some dust onto Fritos, etc. before striking to light those.
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