My current day hiking kit is a camelback + jacket. Its really a tiny pack with a hydration bladder so its hard to not take with. Inside is water a comfort kit ( fak+ survival kit) about .5 kg plus some water and snacks. Great for hiking/ hunting because its small.

Cheap enough* to get one to stash in the truck for unplanned hikes.


TRO


(* buy em used at Goodwill or on ebay)

I have a big Camelbak as my primary BOB -- I've learned not to keep water in it, but I do have water to put into it if I need to walk and I have time to transfer it.

A smaller Camelbak is my go-to bag for any sort of hiking. It's got a large bladder but otherwise very limited room inside. Perfect for a PSK, a small FAK, some sunscreen and a snack. I have a couple of MOLLE pouches that get attached to it when I need a little more storage.

My smallest Camelbak is a lumbar pack that holds a little water and a few other things. I use it mostly for running and biking.

I use a CamelBak Rogue for summer 3 gun matches (I go through 70oz and a couple of GatorAides a match)... picked a Blackhawk 100oz Cyclone pack off the prize table at Ft Benning and use it for my car's GHB... like ChaosMagnet don't keep it filled but have bottled water available... like the bite valve on the CamelBak much better than the Blackhawk..

I was never a fan of older Camelbaks, as they always leaked on me. The newer ones though, are excellent. Much more durable and no problems with leakage. Here's what I usually take hiking, give or take a few items depending on where I'm going:

I bought myself a camelbak transformer this year. I didn't need a military pack specifically but ran across it somewhere and liked the removeable pouches. So I take just the basic pack when biking which has a small sipper pocket at the bottom where I put a basic PSK. Then if we hike or travel I add on the other one or two pockets.
Wife thought it was silly at first then decided she wanted one so we got her one and my son the skeeter.
Both kids have mini-mule's ar wrapped for Christmas now.

I think mine might get them too!

and I corrected my spelling, hate being stuck with a sub-standard web browser
We are starting to do hiking now, kids enjoy it a little more that biking since they can interact more.
I just wish they had something between the mini-mule and the scout, the mini-mule is a little small but the scout a little too big.

If you cannot get, in the pockets:
1 x RSK or Altoid survival kit.
Poncho or Heatsheet.
Knife / Multitool.
Head torch.
Map & Compass.

bin it because it is too small.

These mini-mules are pretty small, but do have a couple small pockets.
Thats one reason for the buckle whistle, one less item in the pockets.
I want to find some kid sized ponchos, not the one time throw away ones but not too expensive either since they will be growing out of them.
My son's birthday is January, he will be 6 then, I'm thinking of getting a small multitool like the Leatherman Squirt PS4.
I found Wigwam makes good kid sized hiking socks and they look like they stretch to span several sizes so they shouldn't grow out of them in a year, so I plan to get two pair for each, one to wear and one spare in the packs.
I don't know if they are quite old enough yet to need a psk, we don't go on long hikes way out in the woods where they could get lost, it would be more of a wander off if we turn our backs for two seconds, so thats why the whistle so they can blow if it they can't see us and we can listen for it.

And I forgot the little Rite in the rain notepads which came today, yes they are not survival related but I bought the outdoor journal one after they saw the freebie in with a recent order I made and wanted their own.