Awesome! It's easy to get caught in foul weather or with a delaying injury. A Heatsheet is a great, lighweight way to rig up some protection from the elements.

Great info, thanks. I'm also of the pack-heavy mindset. Friends would be shocked if they knew what I carry in my daypack for our walks and bikejoring just around DC.

In Minnesota this time of year, I'd need a Sherpa.

We're slated for our first "Arctic blast" to hit next Tuesday (high temp of 32, low 25).

So into the car goes long underwear and a sleeping bag. In those temps I don't want to risk even a car breakdown inside the Beltway - let alone outside the city.

By the way, in the past few months I've become a fan of the Becker BK series. Started with the BK-2, then the 9 and then the 7 (my fave of the three) and am now delighted with the Becker-Necker.

Have you used the BK-7 on your outings? Do you consider that your wood chopper? Have you carried an axe before?

I'm not sure if I'd choose the BK-7 or my little Gransfors Bruks axe.

LOL! I'm the same way. Better safe than sorry but better to avoid the ribbing too. That pack of mine looks like overkill to the unitiated until something useful comes out of it.

I lost track of how many cutting tools you were carrying. Redundancy is good but were you planning on a knife fight?

The Knife Knutt is not saying a word.

I posted on these extremely fashionable emergency sunglasses a while ago:
Chick Magnets

They're good for backups and as birth control.

"I should not have eaten 4 figs before heading into the bush....."

Glad you carried the 1/2 roll TP in your personal items....

Only the important stuff gets noticed on survival boards...

TW

Byrd, this is for a daytime trip right? What is your estimate of this loadout's weight? What ruck did you use, and how much do you think it weighs?

Also, why so many cutting tools? Is it just because you like them or do you have a system worked out?

Good post, Byrd....What stands out to me is the differences in environment and the related changes in gear. Only 27 oz of water? I always carry more than that(the West is a lot more arid than the Land of 10,000 lakes). To compensate, I carry fewer knives - typically a Wave and a SAK Classic. Depending upon the terrain, i might throw in a climbing rope (various sizes and weights), a harness, and a few other related items.

Always some food bits and Constant Comment tea - I really like that stuff in the outdoors. I have used the Trangia for years as a stove - simple and really foolproof.

Personally I carry more lights, but a headlamp (PT EOS) is the primary, supplemented by small single battery lights that share battery type with the headlamp, along with a few small pinch lights here and there. My backup light, a Fenix LD01, would be perfectly capable of all night use for hiking, if necessary.

I'm a heavy packer too. For comparison sake, this is what DS and I took on our Dec 27th hike. Temp was at just above 0 degrees when we started. It was windy, there was rain and snow in the forcast and the temp was expected to fall. We were hiking through forest and brush to a secluded beach on Lake Ontario.

DS carried:
-lanyard with whistle, LED and firesteel (neck)
-folding knife (belt)
-SAK-style knife with fork and spoon (belt)
-1 pair sunglasses
-extra fleece sweater
-extra wool gloves
-extra thinsulate hat (blaze orange)
-extra wool socks
-1 pair light rain pants
-1 fleece poncho
-1 waterproof poncho
-1 disposable rain poncho
-2 pairs chem hand warmers
-1 X 18oz kleen kanteen of water
-1 army mess cup *since swapped out for a tin can nested with KK in a small SS cup
-1 X 300mL SS thermos of hot turkey soup
-1 SS spoon
-2 cliff bars
-1 pack of ROLOS
-1 juice box
-2 LED headlamps
-1 chem light
-1 small crank LED flashlight
-1 person heat sheet
-1 AMK bivy
-1 mylar sleeping bag
-50 ft paracord
-1 small FAK
-1 bandana
-1 fire kit: 2 (wrapped) tampons, small tube vaseline, mini bic, 10 strike anywhere matches, 1 piece tin foil, 2 birthday candles
-1 mini AMK signal mirror

I CARRIED:
-lanyard with whistle, LED, firesteel, gerber mini multi-tool (neck)
-modified Ritter AMK PSK (pants pocket)
-Leatherman Wave (belt)
-1 pair sunglasses
-1 folding CRKT knife
-extra wool jacket
-extra wool gloves
-extra thinsulate hat (blaze orange)
-extra wool socks
-1 pair light rain pants
-2 disposable rain ponchos
-2 pairs chem hand warmers
-1 thermal sportsman blanket
http://www.thesportsmancave.com/coghlans-thermal-blanket.html
-2 person heat sheet
-1 regular mylar blanket
-1 AMK bivy
-3 X 52" bungee cords
-50 ft paracord
-thermarest ridge rest
-1 fire kit: large SS can with tight fitting lid holding - lrg garbage bag, med size tin can, small tin can homemade woodstove, 2 tea lights, mini bic, film canaster with 10 strike anywhere matches and 6 cotton balls, fire steel and a small tube of vaseline
-1 swede saw
-1 SS spoon
-1 pack micropur tabs
-1 bandana
-1 X 27oz kleen kanteen
-1 X 1L SS thermos with hot chocolate
-1 X 750mL SS thermos with hot turkey soup
-1 small fruit cake
-1 small container of uncooked instant rice
-3 packs instant hot chocolate
-3 tea bags
-3 packs instant oatmeal
-3 cliff bars
-2 LED headlamps with 1 set extra batteries
-1 chem light
-1 AMK signal mirror
-FAK with OTC meds

We were only out for about 4-5 hours, without any major incidents, apart from a lesson on the importance of stowing our gear and clothes properly when we aren't using them. Mother Nature threw a lot at us during that time. It started drizzling half way through our hike out to the beach, rained pretty hard while we were there, with the wind kicking up was well. The rain subsided slightly when we left the beach and then it started to snow on our way out.

Interestingly, the wikkiup we built this past summer was still there! Someone had obviously used it since we were there last. They removed the bench in favour to two stump stools and also built a nice wind block in front, with enough room to build a long fire between and the wikki. We added some more support to both it and the wikki, threw up one of the heat sheets to stop the rain from getting in on one side of the wikki, built a nice fire outside the entrance and had a great lunch. (Would have hung a mylar blanket inside if it was any colder or windier, to reflect the heat from the fire.

Kind of like the hunters who left you the chopped wood, we left a large tin can inside, as well as a nice pile of driftwood for the next fire.