I bought the Bestglide NATO canteen kit: pouch, canteen, plastic cup, steel cup and cooker. In the winter it rides in one of our cars, but in the other three seasons I can’t find much use for it. So, I decided to create a summer “10 essentials plus” kit. I usually carry a lumbar pack while dayhiking in the Appalachians from late spring until early fall, when the night temps remain above freezing, with more gear than this. I’ll likely post it later, and I’ve already posted my winter kit elsewhere on ETS.

This is different. This kit is the bare minimum with which I’d be willing to walk into the mountains, and then only for a daylight trip with a forecast for warm and fair weather. I could cram more into the pouch, certainly, but I want to be able to easily remove and replace the canteen. I welcome any suggestions, but please bear in mind that my main goal is to keep this small and light.



From top left, moving clockwise:
• Bestglide canteen pouch with belt loops, webbing attachments and shoulder strap
• Millenium energy bar, 400cal
• 25’ paracord
• Mini-Bic lighter
• Paracord bracelet, containing 8’ cord
• Ritter MINI Mk1 lockblade knife
• 6 MicroPUR water purification tablets
• Heatsheet emergency blanket
• NATO 1L poly canteen
• Small first aid kit in waterproof bag: Ibuprofen, Benadryl, Pepto, Imodium, band-aids, gauze pads, tweezers, moleskin, butterfly strips, antiseptic towelettes, and antibiotic, burn and hydrocortisone ointments.
• Map. The NatGeo TOPO series are excellent, and they cover most of my stomping grounds in great detail. They are a good balance of scale: small enough to navigate by landform, but large enough to show road access.
• The Ritter PSK is in the center. Mine is beefed up with 8 wooden matches, 4 MicroPUR tabs and a Ritter Photon. I just realized while typing this that the kit also needs the Photon clip so that I will have a hands-free source of light. Consider it added.

The sweater is a back-drop only. I don't carry it in summer. It was 79 degrees today.

Nice. I might suggest a tiny sunscreen (spf 30 chapstick??)

Assumed as edc - hat sunglasses, cell phone, cash

Very good kit that.

I personally would add:

Lightweight disposable poncho to compliment the heatsheet.
SAK that has a saw on it to compliment minigrip.
A second powerbar or some boiled sweets. I normally try to carry a reserve of about 1500 Kcal.

If you have the metal cup, drop that in as well.

You could carry some of that in your pockets rather than in the pouch. In fact I would encourage you to do so.

You might add a flat pac (old credit card) of Duct tape in you medical bag. Nice kit.

+1 on the cup- something to boil in is always with me.

And I'm going to suggest my every present zip ties, 10' of wire, dental floss and a sewing needle or two for fixing the stuff that duct tape doesn't work with.

Bug Spray.
Bug Spray.
Bug Spray.

Even if you're getting eaten by West Nile-free skeeters, they'll still drive you nuts.

The discomfort/irritation/lack of sleep from being skeetered to death will drive anyone to make stupid/rash decisions.

You know, we just don't have any bugs here. I grew up in Michigan, and summered in the UP and the Boundary Waters of MN, so I am well-acquainted with the common mosquito. Here in the mountains of VA, there's nothing. It's like heaven.

Ditto on the sunscreen. It's necessary before leaf-out, but for the rest of the year you are traveling in the shade. The AT is not called "the green tunnel" for nothing. I love not having to cover myself in chemicals.

A good kit. You're way ahead of most folks that I've seen on trails in the Smoky's.

You might consider a splinter/tick picker in the FAK. I haven't had any problems with skeeters in the Smoky's but ticks are a possibility and occasionally some mean-spirited black flies. I usually carry a small bottle of bug spray but rarely have to use it there.

A bandanna might come in handy also.

I see a good map, but what about a good compass?

Bill

+2. I swear I could build a house with zip ties. And I second the bandana suggestion. Its the multitool of clothing.