My Woods Kit

A good place to start, I think, would be to talk about what I take into the woods for an afternoon hike or forage.

1. Shelter kit- a poncho and 550 cord
2. First aid kit- band aids, 4x4 gauze, roller gauze
   
3. Water bottle
   
4. Metal cup- cook with or boil water
5. Petzl e+lite- the best headlight I've owned
6. Snare wire
7. Multi tool
8. Mora #2 sheath knife
9. Fire starting kit-a fire steel, piece of candle, and man made tinder
10. Diamond steel and ceramic rod
11. Gerber saw
12. Wetterlings hatchet
13. Bug dope (seasonal)
14. Sunscreen

I carry all of this goodness in a Mountainsmith day pack. With this kit I can set up a waterproof shelter, boil and store water, start a fire, and possibly catch food. This may seem like a lot of stuff to carry on a short hike, but I like to have it with me in case I get the itch to practice some sheltercraft, firecraft, or any other rusty skill.