#MINIMALIST DAYPACK FULL#
#MINIMALIST DAYPACK SERIES#

While exploring Missoula and familiarizing ourselves with what that part of Montana has to offer, we decided we had to assess the hiking scene in one of the many abundant parks nearby. The wilderness in North Western Montana, however, is a horse of an entirely different color. Simply put, carrying an emergency day-pack in the comparatively benign woods around our home always seemed unnecessary to me, and luckily chance never proved me wrong.

Furthermore, the sparsity of heavy vegetation and thick undergrowth at that elevation (8500ft) makes it easier to move through the forest, as well as get a bearing for direction. While I now realize the error in this way of thinking, it was my hubris and incredible familiarity with the land that led to this blindspot. Nestled high in the mountains, I grew up with distinct peaks and rock outcroppings to guide my way and determine my location. I never imagined getting lost or stranded in these woods. Historically speaking, my primary outdoor experience has taken place in a fairly focused portion of the Colorado rockies, which I have enjoyed for nearly 30 years. However, our recent trip to Montana has changed my entire perspective on the importance of the day pack, and completely rearranged my focus (at least for the time being) on the value of EDC & small packs. I honestly don't have a good explanation for you. So why is it, when I have spent years assembling my minimalist backpacking setup, and poured countless hours into its refinement, that I have never applied the same logic to my day-pack?. Instead I opt (with some shame I admit) for a small Camel Back with little more than water to sustain me not exactly best practice.

#MINIMALIST DAYPACK FULL#

For these more common and routine wilderness forays I do not carry my full minimalist backpacking setup. While it is great to be prepared for an epic journey or a hardcore survival situation, it is worth noting that the vast majority of my experiences in the bush consist usually of day trips and long hikes. However, those adventures are few and far between. I like to be prepared, nay over-prepared!Īs I've reassessed my gear in the Minimalist Monday series, I'm now confident Jacqueline and I will be well equipped, when it's all said and done, for most any prolonged adventure into the wild. This has been my general approach to life, and it has served me pretty well thus far. However, I'm sure you will agree it is always better to be safe than sorry. Because of this, my pack might be slightly heavier, and include more redundancies than you would ordinarily expect from a minimalist setup. The better my morale, the more likely I am to survive and thrive. The more comfortable I am, the better my morale. For me I place a very high value on comfort. This sweet spot for pack weight is different for each minimalist survivor. However, as is always the case when packing for a long trip (especially a wilderness adventure with indeterminate duration and varying weather conditions), there is a delicate balance between the weight of your gear and its functional yield which MUST be maintained. The goal of this exercise is to build the most complete and functionally useful setup for two people (Jax & I), so we may effectively and comfortably survive/thrive in a broad range of environments and conditions.

#MINIMALIST DAYPACK SERIES#

As many of you may know, I have slowly been building and refining my minimalist backpacking setup and documenting my progress in an ongoing youtube series called Minimalist Monday.

Minimalist daypack