Well it is summer now and that means lots of beautiful hiking weather for my family. It is our favorite way to get in a good workout during the nice days. We are looking to find some day hiking equipment and I was wondering what kind of items you all carry in your day packs. We are not ready to venture out for overnight hiking trips just yet. What kind of things should I invest in?
Some things you should have are a wicking kind of t-shirt or long sleeve shirt-also quick drying pants or shorts would be nice as well. You could pack some waterproof sandals along with wearing your hiking boots or shoes-also a sun or rain hat with rain jacket and pants. A extra pair of socks would be good with a drinking cup and lunch utensels would be nice as well.
Depending on how far out into the wilderness you're going to go you really need to think about water purification and containment. I strongly recommend you investigate purification tablets, but also buy a hand-pumped filter. Most streams can be valuable water sources while out in the woods so long as you have that equipment and don't try to take water from down stream sources. I'll also echo the "extra socks" comment FolkArtist made. There is something uniquely icky about walking around in wet socks. It will give you horrific blisters and make you very cold, which is not something you want in the middle of the woods at night. If you're still in the market for this type of stuff you can check out REI.com. They are having a pretty decent 40%-off sale through labor day. While it's getting close to the end of traditional camping season, there is always next year to consider. You can be better stocked up for 2018 and have a more comfortable experience.
