What is in your pack?

vermontana

Member
I'm sure there are other threads out there like this but couldn't find any recent ones and it might be helpful for some skiers just beginning to venture into the bc this year. The addition of a pandemic has made me rethink some aspects too. What do you bring?

35 liter pack when I head out the door:

Avy kit (beacon, probe, shovel ofc)

Repair: ski straps, thick zip ties, gorilla tape, lightweight leatherman with tool bits, super glue, might add some hose clamps

First aid kit: watertight .8 Adventure Medical Kit with sam splint (adding some disposable masks and sanitizer this year)

2 lighters

Headlamp with extra batteries (ideally also work for your beacon and your partner's)

Waterproof matches

Warm mittens/gloves in addition to lightweight uphill gloves

Extra buff and fleece hat

Extra wool socks

Extra wool base layer top

Helmet, goggles

packable down jacket

Insulated water bottle, sometimes small thermos for coffee/tea

Extra high-calorie snacks, electrolyte chews

toying with the idea of adding some sort of packable down pant or other extra insulation in case of extended evac situation.

May seem like overkill and it is a bit heavy, but nothing worse than needing something and not having it. What do yall bring? anything i'm missing?
 
topic:vermontana said:
I'm sure there are other threads out there like this but couldn't find any recent ones and it might be helpful for some skiers just beginning to venture into the bc this year. The addition of a pandemic has made me rethink some aspects too. What do you bring?

35 liter pack when I head out the door:

Avy kit (beacon, probe, shovel ofc)

Repair: ski straps, thick zip ties, gorilla tape, lightweight leatherman with tool bits, super glue, might add some hose clamps

First aid kit: watertight .8 Adventure Medical Kit with sam splint (adding some disposable masks and sanitizer this year)

2 lighters

Headlamp with extra batteries (ideally also work for your beacon and your partner's)

Waterproof matches

Warm mittens/gloves in addition to lightweight uphill gloves

Extra buff and fleece hat

Extra wool socks

Extra wool base layer top

Helmet, goggles

packable down jacket

Insulated water bottle, sometimes small thermos for coffee/tea

Extra high-calorie snacks, electrolyte chews

toying with the idea of adding some sort of packable down pant or other extra insulation in case of extended evac situation.

May seem like overkill and it is a bit heavy, but nothing worse than needing something and not having it. What do yall bring? anything i'm missing?

I would swap out the Insulated water bottle for a standard 48oz nalgeen. Unless this is a overnight or multiple day trip.

What would you use hose claps for?

Put lighters in and regular matches in a heavy duty ziplock.

You forgot flask.

Op did you go up Big mnt at all this week? It was a lot deeper than I thought.
 
14198583:50Kal said:
I would swap out the Insulated water bottle for a standard 48oz nalgeen. Unless this is a overnight or multiple day trip.

What would you use hose claps for?

Put lighters in and regular matches in a heavy duty ziplock.

You forgot flask.

Op did you go up Big mnt at all this week? It was a lot deeper than I thought.

Hose clamps are to splint a broken pole.

• I just picked up a rescue sled / guide tarp. It's added weight but good for an emergency situation.

• Depending on distance of the tour, weather and who is coming, I'll add in things like down pants.

• Skin wax/gloppstopper in the spring. Scraper for sticky snow on bases.

• Thermos with hot water or tea for cold days and/or longer tours. It helps warm you up and / or could melt snow to make more net water.

• I have stopped bringing goggles a good amount of the time now that I've been using good glacier rated sunglasses with solid wind blockers.

• Camera

• Summit cookie.
 
14198583:50Kal said:
I would swap out the Insulated water bottle for a standard 48oz nalgeen. Unless this is a overnight or multiple day trip.

What would you use hose claps for?

Put lighters in and regular matches in a heavy duty ziplock.

You forgot flask.

Op did you go up Big mnt at all this week? It was a lot deeper than I thought.

Gotta remember that liquid warmth

Wish I was out there now, currently in vermont but I think I will make it there around the end of the month. Pre season looks like its been going off, hoping for attack of la nina round 2.
 
kit looks solid! My weird thing that i throw in is the the tiny little square gas station ponchos for summer and winter travel. I used one on a summer ski mission that went longer than expected to make a janky shelter. Also another layer if a bad storm rolls in. They are small enough to fit in the first aid kit and cost like 4 bucks. I also keep a couple hand warmers in the kit. Happy shredding!
 
Solid list

I feel like so much of my pack is "just in case" items I've never used but one day will be so happy I have it.

One thing I always keep is dryer lint in a medicine bottle. Lot of it packs in there and lights up real nice.
 
This is every item I carry with me most days. It's exactly what I need and nothing I don't.

• 35L backpack.

• Transceiver.

• Probes.

• Shovel.

• Skins.

• Ski Crampons.

• Headlamp + extra batteries.

• Goal Zero Flip 10 and Cable + Adapter.

• First Aid (CPR face shield, 4 in 1 universal dressing, elastic adhesive bandage, mole skin, latex gloves).

• Emergency Bivvy.

• Ski straps.

• Sunglasses.

• Goggles.

• Extra gloves.

• Balaclava.

• Down Jacket.

• 1L soft flask water bottle.

• x4 clif bars.

• Ice Axe.

• Crampons.
 
Emergency bivy & Goal Zero Flip 10 portable chargers as D.B. said above are both good adds. The Flip 10's are perfect size and pack so easily. Emergency blankets are always in my packs too and could be a happy medium for insulation needs. Real lightweight, pack small, and dirt cheap (like 4 bucks) though $15-20 for a bivy isn't outrageous for possibly life saving survival gear
 
Bumping this in hopes of hearing what some of you are carrying out there in the field in terms of First Aid kids and stuff along those lines and how often some of you maybe even practice first response/first aid skills. Would like to get into a habit of that along w/ companion rescue stuff too and everything else.

**This post was edited on Dec 7th 2020 at 11:46:11am
 
Surprised you don't keep an emergency blanket in your first aid kit, I keep one in there just incase. Their nice to have for longer days.
 
I have 3 bags at this moment that I use.

1: 12L Dakine Heli Pack. I use this for short day backcountry missions, Spring missions where I need less layers, and nearby sidecountry. Just enough space for packing my shell away, a puffy, a few small provisions, a small E-kit, an extra lens, a litre of water, and my smaller Avy gear. The Spade head slides into a convenient outside carry like on all Dakine Heli packs since forever, and I can usually pack my skins under there too while skiing down (or stuff in my chest for faster transition) I could even throw in my crampons (Petzl Irvis - They fold up) and other light mountaineering essentials. Helmet can strap to the outside pretty easily, Its amazing what you can get into a small bag if you pack efficiently.

2: 26L Dakine Poacher RAS. I use this for bigger missions where I need to pack more shit. Its usually too big to be honest, as Im a pretty light packer, and 26L is more than enough. I will usually pack more food, and water. Sometimes I'll also bring a 600ml yeti thermos thing and fill that with tea or soup so I always have something warm on me.

I can fit in my camera kit - I bought a drop in divider (similar to an Fstop ICU, but like way fucking cheaper) and it can carry my DSLR, a 28-70 and 70-200, as well as a Prime or 3, extra batteries, and whatever else. I have a smaller one that can fit just the camera with an extra lens as well if I want to save on weight or just bring less gear. It all sits low in the bag, and allows me to have a camera bag that I can still blow a balloon for avys. Pretty damn choice.

I can fit extra gloves and socks, a larger E-kit, an emergency bivvy, perhaps a backpacking stove if I want to cook lunch in the field. I usually have everything consolidated into colour coordinated stuff sacks (IE: extra gloves and socks fit in a grey sack, Crampons go in an orange stuff sack, and if I bring my stove and boiling pot, it all fits in a red MSR stuff sack, etc) so that I dont mix anything up or have to dig around a bunch.

3: 48L Gregory Optic. I use this when Im going on overnights or Hut trips. add in extra clothes, socks, hats, extra layers, more food, and a synthetic 0 degree bag to the above ensemble. in the past Ive also carried the 12L heli pack in this bag as often Ive used this bag just for access alone.

**This post was edited on Jan 31st 2021 at 12:52:07am
 
I'll play! This is a copy-n-paste from my packing list (if it works). I refine it each trip that I go on so you'll see some note on items I'm looking to improve/replace. My first aid list and repair kit list are separate. My experience has been multi-day hut trips, so all of this is for a 3 day/2 night hut trip in a 70L pack with a group of 6 people (including me). Some gear is shared. This is only what is in my actual pack, not what is on my person (that is a different category...I'm anal! :) )

Someone above asked about first aid. I carry a fairly comprehensive kit that weighs in around 2 lbs. It covers all of the basics, plus lots of extras. I'm a ski patroller with ~20 years experience, and I carry items that your typical guy off the street might not. I'm considering adding a SOL Escape or Escape Lite bivvy to the list.

Item

Qty

Note

Avalanche probe

1

BCA Stealth 270, alum

Avalanche shovel

1

Ortovox

Pack

1

Mystery Ranch Glacier 70 (4272 cu. in.)

Cards Against Humanity

2

Both decks

Midlayer 2

1

Down puffy

Sleeping bag

1

Big Agnes Cros Mountain 45*, sub-2 lbs.

Sleeping bag liner

1

Sea to Summit Reactor (-15*)

Pillow case

1

flanel (huts have pillows)

First Aid Kit

1

splint, moleskin, alcohol wipes

Cook kit + stove

1

Radio

1

TERA TR-590

Headlamp (w/ alkaline batteries)

1

Petzl Actik Core

Leatherman

1

Skeletool

Leatherman accessories

1

Bit driver + Pozi #3 bit

Helmet

1

Pret Cynic X (2019/20 model)

Eyeglasses + case/sack

1

Goggles

1

very useful in 2020

Phone/camera

1

Pixel

Ski/pole repair kit

1

Duct tape, Zipties (several), Hose clamps (3+)

KleanKanteen

1

Cuts down on washing cups; store toiletries

Magazine

1

Ziplocs

Freezer quart - several

Hut slippers

1

something lighter (current = LLBean)

Hut pants

1

R1 - for sleeping and lounging

Socks - Hiking

1 pair

Farm to Feet - lounging at hut

Underwear

3

no cotton; pack 2, wear 1

Shirt - T-shirt

2

merino wool; pack 1, wear 1 (Duckworth = 123g)

Shirt - Long sleeve base layer

1

Melanzana

Shirt - Hooded fleece

1

Melanzana

Long underwear, thin

1

UnderArmour

Afrin

1

plastic bottle

Ibuprofen and acetaminophen

many

Migraine relief

some

Claritin

1/day

SPF lip chap

1

Sunscreen

1

Lactaid

2/meal

5 meals = 10 total

Beano

7

Toothbrush

1

Toothpaste dots

7

use regular paste toothpaste (no gel) and dehydrator

Deodorant

1

Wet wipes

1

Ear plugs

many

soft foam, disposable

Water

in 2 Klean Kanteens

Oatmeal packets

2

flavored packets from Whole Foods

Dried fruit

some

no fresh!

Dried cherries - some

Jerky - 1 - only 1 bag

Sandwich thins - 1 pkg - durable, can be used in many situations

Asian noodles - 2 - from Whole Foods (Ramen-like)

Babybel cheese - 4

Salami - 1 - dry, unsliced - slice the first section for trip in

Energy bars - 4 - store in pockets; froze in pack

Chocolate - 1 pkg - Dark choc. chips

Peanut butter spread - 2

Kodiak Graham crackers - 1 pkg

Trail mix/Gorp - 1 pkg - cheerios, choc. chips, honey cashews, fruit

Complete Care Tea - 4

Sugar (packets, Suger in the Raw) - 10 - lighter than honey, less risk of mess (2/cup)

Rum shooters - 2 - easier than flask

Beer - 2 cans

Breakfast - Group - Kodiak Cakes Buttermilk pancake mix

Dinner - Group - Chili Mac

**This post was edited on Jan 19th 2021 at 11:34:52am
 
Okay, that copy-n-paste sucked...and now I can't edit. Let's try again:

Item - Qty - Note

Avalanche probe - 1 - BCA Stealth 270, alum

Avalanche shovel - 1 - Ortovox

Pack - 1 - Mystery Ranch Glacier 70 (4272 cu. in.)

Cards Against Humanity - 2 - Both decks

Midlayer 2 - 1 - Down puffy

Sleeping bag - 1 - Big Agnes Cros Mountain 45*, sub-2 lbs.

Sleeping bag liner - 1 - Sea to Summit Reactor (-15*)

Pillow case - 1 - flanel (huts have pillows)

First Aid Kit - 1 - splint, moleskin, alcohol wipes

Cook kit + stove? - 1

Radio - 1 - TERA TR-590

Headlamp (w/ alkaline batteries) - 1 - Petzl Actik Core

Leatherman - 1 - Skeletool

Leatherman accessories - 1 - Bit driver + Pozi #3 bit

Helmet - 1 - Pret Cynic X (2019/20 model)

Eyeglasses + case/sack - 1

Goggles - 1 - very useful in 2020

Phone/camera - 1 - Pixel

Ski/pole repair kit - 1 - Duct tape, Zipties (several), Hose clamps (3+)

KleanKanteen - 2 - Water for trip up, No cups to wash

Magazine - 1

Ziplocs - Freezer quart - several

Hut slippers - 1 - something lighter (current = LLBean)

Hut pants - 1 - R1, for sleeping and lounging

Socks - Hiking - 1 pair - Farm to Feet - lounging at hut

Underwear - 3 - no cotton; pack 2, wear 1

Shirt - T-shirt - 2 - merino wool; pack 1, wear 1 (Duckworth = 123g)

Shirt - Long sleeve base layer - 1 - Melanzana

Shirt - Hooded fleece - 1 - Melanzana

Long underwear, thin - 1 - UnderArmour

Afrin - 1 - plastic bottle

Ibuprofen and acetaminophen - many

Migraine relief - some

Claritin - 1/day

SPF lip chap - 1

Sunscreen - 1

Lactaid - 2/meal - 5 meals = 10 total

Beano - 7

Toothbrush - 1

Toothpaste dots - 7 - use regular paste toothpaste (no gel) and dehydrator

Deodorant - 1

Wet wipes - 2/day

Ear plugs - many - soft foam, disposable

Water - in 2 Klean Kanteens

Oatmeal packets - 2 - flavored packets from Whole Foods

Dried fruit - some - no fresh!

Dried cherries - some

Jerky - 1 - only 1 bag

Sandwich thins - 1 pkg - durable, can be used in many situations

Asian noodles - 2 - from Whole Foods (Ramen-like)

Babybel cheese - 4

Salami - 1 - dry, unsliced - slice the first section for trip in

Energy bars - 4 - store in pockets; froze in pack

Chocolate - 1 pkg - Dark choc. chips

Peanut butter spread - 2

Kodiak Graham crackers - 1 pkg

Trail mix/Gorp - 1 pkg - cheerios, choc. chips, honey cashews, fruit

Complete Care Tea - 4

Sugar (packets, Suger in the Raw) - 10 - lighter than honey, less risk of mess (2/cup)

Rum shooters - 2 - easier & lighter than flask

Beer - 2 cans

Breakfast - Group - Kodiak Cakes Buttermilk pancake mix

Dinner - Group - Chili Mac
 
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