I descided that when hiking, I carry way to much 'nice to have' equipment, so I went back to basics.

On body carry:

- Clothing to suit the weather. (moderate seaclimate, but a lot of rain here)

- Usual stuff like watch, wallet, keys, cellphone, etc.

- Modified AMK SOL: http://forums.equipped.org/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showthreaded&Number=169916#Post169916


Hiking-kit in maxpedition jumbo. I added their M2 pouch, medium rollypoly and a countycomm PCC-pouch for my cellphone:



I braided 2 lengths of paracord and SRB's to make straps which can be used to attach a rolled-up jacket to the bottom of the Jumbo.




Contents of the bag:



- FAK (reviewed later)
- PSK (reviewed later)
- BIC-lighter
- Lightstick
- Petzl e+lite with spare batteries
- LMF Spork
- Esbit folding stove and solid fuel tablets (need suggestions for a more compact emergency stove.)

- compeed anti-blister stick (testing this stuff right now, so far it seems to prevent blisters pretty good)
- small MSR packtowel
- Purell hand-sanitizer
- Cordage (about 10ft.)
- Benchmade Griptillian
- Fenix EO1
- Gerber sharpener
- AMK Heatsheet bivvy and 2-person blanket (both in amk stuffsack)
- carabiner
- Rite-in-the-rain notebook and pencil
- Spare pair of socks (essential)
- chemical hand warmers (in colder seasons)
- some energy biscuits and dextro tabs.
- small roll of TP
- Nalgene 32oz. bottle
- Stainless steel metal cup
- platypus 1l.

Missing in this pic are sunscreen and insect-repellant which expired and still need to be restocked.

The FAK:



- Wound closure strips
- antiseptic wipes
- tape
- 2x3 gauze pads
- tweezers
- tick-tweezers
- needle
- burn-gel (x2)
- Azaron sting relief
- O.R.S.
- Compeed blister patches
- cloth adhesive bandages
- basic meds: ibuprofen, immodium, cetrizine.

PSK:



- AMK PSP with standard contents
- 7 wind-waterproof matches+striker strip
- 10 Aquaclear tabs
- 1qt. ziplock
- 2 utility-knife blades (replaces original scalpel-blade)
- CC SOLED flashlight
- CC SERE-saw

Let me know what you think.

How do you store your Esbit tablets? I know you can fold them inside the stove, but mine stink up my whole pack if I do that (yes, the tablets are still packaged in their original box that came with the stove, but they still stink). I've found a small airtight box (like an Otterbox, but a cheaper brand in my case) will contain the stink, but that adds a lot of bulk.

+1 Very nice, not too much, not too little. You might want to stuff in a wool watch cap and some work gloves.

Nice paracord work!

So why carry a spork if the foods you're carrying don't need utensils?

You're looking for something smaller than an Esbit? Wow, that's gonna be tough to do. You could go with one of the tiny little alcohol can stoves but you'll pretty much have to bring a windscreen and a fuel bottle to go with it which will negate the space savings.

I can't think of anything smaller than an Esbit that works worth a damn.

Let us know if you come up with something.

Otherwise, I like your kit a lot. Does that bag sling over one shoulder?

JohnE

You have a well chosen bit of kit from what I see.
As soon as I saw the spare socks I figured you have a good idea of what you are doing.
Tho only two things I am not sure of are the chemical hand warmers and that little folding hacksaw.
I tend to carry a pair of insulated gloves in summer and mitts for over them in winter.
I have been pretty disappointed trying to use those little jigsaw blades for metal cutting in the past, so how well does it work for you?
I take a regular 12 inch hacksaw blade and seal it with a layer of tape on both sides. The tape overlaps and seals around the edges of it. They are cheap enough and light enough and the tape is there if I need it.
My pack is a little larger than yours and has the magnesium stays in it, the hacksaw blade rides inside the right stay pocket.

I gave up on wood pencils because I was always breaking the point, or even the whole pencil, inside the bag. I use the fisher space pen that slides together (the bullet shaped one), a mechanical pencil (2mm lead 2b) and a sharpie marker.
It might be too much in the pens and pencils, but I seem to use them all. I keep an all weather notepad with them, I like the Rite in the Rain hip pocket pads, but it more often one of my survey field books instead. I find them easier for making map notes in.

The stove? Yeah, that is a problem. One person I know uses the fondue heaters with alcohol. He just buys them in the thrift shops and that is it.
On the other hand I end up paying the weight penalty for white gas, but I seldom carry a stove and am more inclined to just light a small fire.

Thanks y'all,

Gloves are a good idea, will add some. In the colder seasons I add a watchcap and some fleece. I'll remove the chem. heat packs.

The fuel tablets come packaged in a plastic blister-pack. I also placed them inside a ziplock. I did try google and I found the esbit emergency stove: http://gear.camping.com/item/esbit-emergency-stove-with-fuel/C10292/





Anyone have experience with this stove? It looks rather flimsy, but it packs flat


Haven't used the SERE-saw for metal cutting, but it cuts small branches just fine. In previous kits I either use short hacksaw-blades or Jigsaw replacement blades. Since I already have another SERE-saw in my AMK SOL, maybe I should put a short hacksaw blade in the PSP?


The paracord handle: Never thought I could do it, but it's really easy.

Nice kit - but why not just put it all in a backpack?

That's because I had the bag lying around. Also, I only need this basic equipment and it all fits in the Jumbo with room to spare. If I used a backpack, I would start adding unnessesary stuff to my kit.

I've never seen that fold-flat model of Esbit stove before. I have the standard hinged model. Since you have to carry fuel tables anyway, and they fit inside the hinged model, I think I'd like that better. Except for my "stinking fuel tables" issue. Maybe I have one in my set that has a small hole in the packaging. They look sealed,but I can sure smell them anyway.