Taurus's great post inspired me to get out my own stuff. Keep in mind that I live in a very different climate. Here's my kit for a winter dayhike in the Appalachians. I grew up in Michigan, so the weather here always seems mild by comparison. It got down into the single digits twice this year, which is like the start of an ice age as far as everyone here is concerned. This weekend is supposed to be 55 and sunny, and last year we saw 70 degrees in January.

Pockets:


The top row is always carried in the woods in winter.
- Swiss Army Teton (locking main blade)
- fox40 whistle
- lanyard to attach the two items above to my belt
- crackhouse lighter
- space blanket

The bottom row is an either/or. I don't carry both at once:
- DR PSK with added Photon and 4 Pur-tabs
- Ranger Rick survival kit on braided paracord

Pack:


Starting at 12:00, running clockwise and inside to out.
- MEC Northern Lites synthetic insulating pullover
- Sidewinder cell phone charger (waterproof bag and cell phone not shown)
- lip balm
- matchsafe with strike-anywheres, a bit of sandpaper & 2 spark-lite tinders
- 20' light nylon cord
- 4 esbit tabs
- TP and sanitizer in waterproof bag
- notebook, pen, pencil
- foil windscreen, a few tea bags, sugar packets and bouillon cubes
- possibles kit: FAK, Spark-lite, needle and thread, 3xAAA batteries, duct tape, 6 pur-tabs, waterproof bag
- titanium pot/mug, titanium wing stove sitting on top
- light gloves and fleece hat
- bivy bag
- rain pants (black)
- rain jacket (green)
- 2 food bars
- LED headlamp
- trash compactor bag and rubber band (used as pack liner to waterproof spare clothing, etc.)
- spare wool socks
- compass
- bandanna
- GPS
- map
- long underwear bottoms
- high-tech polymer water bottles, manufactured by Pepsi

Not shown: My emergency candle was camera shy. I found it after I uploaded the photo. Also, a few small ditty bags and stuff sacks did not make the shoot.

My pack is an LLBean Bigelow top-loader, which is the best daypack I've found. I usually have a staff with me, either aluminum or hickory.

Dig that crazy orange shag that I haven't gotten around to replacing yet. Can you tell my basement was refinished in 1973?