As it stands right now the kit has grown to the size of a Maxpedition M-2 Pack fully stuffed. This is almost double the size it was when I started this thread! I did reduce the fishing kit to a couple #8-#10 1/16-1/32 weghted hooks and upgraded the mirror, but then I added more Imodium, a Storm Shelter Instant Pocket Tent (in the outside pocket of the M-2), 15 feet of paracord and a few other goodies. This is basically the oposite of my original intention. I'm not posting pics or a complete list yet though because Im still thinking of scrapping a lot of this stuff and making it a lot smaller. I keep staring at an empty Altoids tin on the desk in my office, thinking to myself "what would I keep if forced to carry only this tin". I went on a dayhike last Saturday with my son and was quite reluctant to strap on the M-2 even though I have spent about 2 hours on the treadmill with it strapped to my hip and it really isn't that uncomfortable even when jogging. Still, it's a lot of gear for me to carry and I am honest enough with myself to realize that there's pretty good odds of my looking at my M-2 kit on the seat of the truck (as I load up my gear for a hike) and thinking, "ah I'll be fine with just my EDC (knife/firestarter/flashlight/compass)" then end up leaving the whole darn kit behind. I know a lot of people EDC kits larger than this kit but I'm used to going on comfortable 2-3 night camp trips with not much more than a small day pack, so for me this is a lot to take on a day hike. I'm a minimalist when it comes to gear. I dont like to carry much but I like to have what I may truely need to survive (just survive in good health, no comfort items) and I like what i carry to be high quality, which somtimes means passing on the smallest versions of certain items. Okay I am digressing a little now.... sorry. Point is I need to get the kit small enough that I'm not tempted to leave it behind when I head out in to the wilderness but still have the most comprehensive kit possible with the best quality gear I can get my hands on.

Oh ya .. I know carrying the sting relief pads is contrary to my statements above. Basically they are just alcohol and a topical numbing agent. The reason I carry them is because of my little 2 year old boy. It's a comfort item for him because I feel so bad when he gets stung by and ant or a spider and I cant relieve his discomfort. I try not to shelter him too much, which is why I take him on hikes to begin with without worrying about him playing with bugs, dirt, etc, but he is so young that I have to balance that carefully with also making sure that he is comfotable and has fun because otherwise he won't want to go hiking as he gets older and will miss all that outdoors has to offer. Okay now I am really digressing. I'll stop I should probably remove the string relief pads and then just stick one or two in my pocket when the kid is with me. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />