thoughts:

Drop the multi-blade knife in favor of a better one, add a hat and 500-1000 calories of food bars. Perhaps a 14 mile radio to help the searchers find you -- its a cheap investment and common enough that you might raise other hikers/ runners in the area.

Teacher

PS I'dd add some reflective striping to your gear, as well. and perhaps a one-sheet of survival info.

Another StarFlash! Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh! <img src="/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

I just brought one of the cam knives, Just out of curiosity. It's not THAT bad. Better than nothing.

Craig, i know from you other posts that you have strong preference to glass mirrors. I also prefer glass when it comes down on how well they reflect. But polycarbonate also has some advantages: they are much lighter, floatable and are considerbily less fragile.

It's really just a personal preference. I use both kinds.

I'll second or third the idea of a good map. Also a good quality compass.

I question the 24 oz. bottle; I'd go for a Nalgene brand bottle if I needed to guarantee that my water wouldn't leak out while bounding down the trails.

AMK has come out with newer "heat sheet" and emergency "bivvy" bags that offer more strength. I'd consider one of those along with the poncho.

As far as the radio is concerned, FRS and GMRS radios are decent, but a "ham" (amateur) radio would be better. You would have access to repeaters in your area and reach quite a few folks. Granted that's more weight, but there are quite a few smaller sized handheld "ham" radios available. To use an amateur radio you would first need to get an FCC license by taking a test. See the link below for more information:

www.arrl.org

Of course, after we all get done chiming in and adding things to your pack, you aren't going to be running, you'll be walking. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

How can you ask such a question?! <img src="/images/graemlins/ooo.gif" alt="" />

<img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Because he thinks, perhaps, that an obvious question is better than obvious ignorance?

And he is not the first person to ask that question. Nor, I suspect, will he be the last.

Hi Leigh,

I think you maybe took the question literally instead of rhetorically. The rhetorical answer is "because you can never have enough gear, nor enough redundancy". I don't know that it was meant to level a charge of ignorance against Redflare. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

The more literal answer to the original question is yes, it's somewhat redundant. To steal a phrase "not that there's anything wrong with that". As long as you don't mind the tradeoffs of additional weight, carrying a third blade is not a bad idea.

On the other hand, I like my gear, but I find a good multi and a pocket folder fit the bill almost all the time and feel a third is weight I can use on other things. A SAK is, however, NOT comparable to a good multi in my book. If I had a choice it would be for a multi over a SAK.

I find SAKs to be less "utilitarian" than a multi like my Leatherman New Wave. So, for me, It would be a folder and a multi and -depending on the circumstance- a fixed blade.

Let me explain my preference of the Multi over the SAK. First, it seems "meatier" and as a tool, I expect to be able to crank and torque it until my hand hurts. Most SAK I've used don't have that feel to them. Second is safety... sure some SAK have locking now, but most don't. I find it an incredible drawback. Third, my multi of choice has a real set of pliers, not to mention some real tools, like a plug and play screw-bit system. So I've always seen the SAKs as more of a nice toy with some decent features while the Multi's (good quality ones, at least $50+) as real tools. Certainly some tradeoffs with size and weight, but honest to goodness tools.

So, while I wouldn't call them equivalent redundancies, I can see carrying a SAK as backup in the field, especially the saw and knife. I think if I were the one carrying and I really liked the SAK, I would carry, a fixed, a SAK with locking blade and saw (mainly used as a folding knife), and a multi.

1. dump the utility knife
2. add some tinder to go with the fire starting equipment
3. beef up your first aid with a few sterile pads, antiseptic, min amount of meds (see Adventure Medical .3 and .5 kits for example), sunscreen
4. take a first aid course (12+ hrs)
5. upgrade space blanket to heatsheet survival blanket
6. do you need both poncho and space blanket?
7. replace water bottle with lighter weight bottle or delete in favour of second hydration bag; add purifying tablets
8. map(s) to go along with compass
9. more paracord - min. 10' + dental floss/needle
10. add note paper/pencil wrapped with duct tape
11. add small amount of money
12. insulating layer in case of a forced overnight?
13. add some sort of food - trailmix or powerbar, hard candy
14. are you wearing your sunglasses and a hat? if not put in pack
15. informed someone else of your jogging/hiking route
16. ALWAYS bring your sense of humour <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I carried one for years, and it served me well. I just bought another one, for nostalgia reasons. As I said, it's not bad. But there are better, lighter knives available nowadays, especially for backpacking/hiking.

Kevin B.