My gear list so far. (Feel free to chime in with suggestions)

[SnakeOilWilly]

So I posted this in the gear list thread but it's deep into it an chances are no one will read it. None of these decisions are final. I haven't even bought half of this stuff so please add critiques and point out things I SHOULDN'T bring. thanks, here's the gear list:

Large ALICE pack w/frame & straps (molle kidney pad)

USGI 4 piece sleep system

US Army surplus bedroll

Alps Lynx tent (?)

Space blanket

US Surplus canteen w/steel cup

Microfleece blanket (?)

Magnesium fire starter

Matches

Two lighters

Food:
Cliff bars (4-6)
Sardines in oil (6)
Canned tuna (2)
Beans (2)
Bag 'o' beef jerky
Trail mix

Sansport cook kit (or other brand, just my preference.)

p38 can opener

Insulated coveralls

Thermals

POW MIA bandanna (personal choice as I have relatives who served in 'nam and/or korea)

Beanie

3 shirts (2 long sleeve 1 short sleeve)

Tank top

Warm jacket

Rain jacket

Underwear (3 pairs)

Shorts/pants zipper thing

Goretex boots

Gloves

Toothbrush

Toothpaste

Floss

Dr. Bronners

Toilet paper

Chapstick

Rail spike

Pocket multitool

Fixed blade knife (good brand; not Chinese knockoff) maybe LMF 2

750 cord 11 strand 100-200 feet

Duct tape (?)

Carabineers (if necessary)

Sewing tools (use floss as thread)

Zip ties (?)

Small fishing kit

Compass

Baseball cap with Cyclops headlamp

Bear spray if in bear country

Spork

Sharpie

Markal (?)

Playing cards (?)

Wallet, cash

Books (?)

Camera (?)

Tracphone (?)

Solar charger (?)

Instrument and/or juggling balls (if busking)

Cardboard (will find in dumpsters)

Tablet/laptop (?)

*(?) denotes optional

Thanks guys.

 

[autumn]

You're going to end up throwing a lot of that out.

Ditch the tent... If you already have and will be using a bivy bag, a tent is a huge waste of weight.

No space blanket. No cantene. A gallon jug works just fine

You don't need a tablet or laptop. They weigh way more than you think and will brb fairly useless unless you plan on spending most of your time stealing wifi from mcdonalds. Just go to a library. Also, if you're hopping, it will get destroyed or stolen.

Sewing can be simplified. Shove a needle down the crack of a dental floss container so its with the roll inside. Theres the only sewing kit you'll need

Fixed blade will get you arrested or killed. You only need the knife in your multitool. Trust me, this is coming from someone who carried one for 4 months.

Duct tape, toilet paper, yes, but wrap it around a pen, you don't need whole rolls. Resupply in bathrooms.

Bring ziplock bags. You're going to be angry when all your shit is soaked.

Weigh down your alice pack, put fourty pounds of shit in it. Keep it on for 3 hours. If you're not hurting, you're lucky. If you haven't bought it yet, consider a medium. Larges will just encourage you to carry way more shit than you need. I've been traveling with a medium for close to a year and I have everything I need.

You don't need a lot of clothes, especially shirts.

Get a shemagh instead of a baseball cap.

You don't need to carry a spike. They're everywhere

Fishing kit will be useless unless you actively go out of your way to find places to use it

 

[landpirate]

You didn't mention socks. Personally in my bag socks are my main source of happiness. pack as many as you can fit. Cold/wet/infected feet will ruin your day, I now know this from bitter experience!

 

[Deleted member 20]

Wow look at @zim spitting traveling wisdom. This whole post is just racked with paranoia & inexperience. Please bring it all & more. Just leave it at the jungle for everyone else, piece by piece as you smarten up.

I think some of the stuff like fixed versus folder, baseball versus shemagh are all personal preference. (don't think you are gonna be invisible by a railroad worker running around like a specops warrior).

Who the fuck needs 100-200 feet of 550 cord? are you gonna be making bracelets to sell at flea markets??? lol

Stop being so scared! Bear spray? really?

Pow/mia bandana? lol take it from an actual vet. By carrying all that camo mil surplus gear everyone who wasn't in the military is gonna think you were. Every veteran Is gonna know that you are full of shit & think you are just impersonating a vet to spange & or get sympathy. Get a purple skank. (it is the official color bandana of all oogles)

I don't take sand to the beach so I never carry railroad spikes. They are everywhere on the ground when you need 1. just look down.

 

[wombatt]

If you haven't already purchased it you should get a medium Alice instead of large.
Ditch the tent (the mss is perfect with the bivi)
As far as sewing you should deffinately bring multiple needles of various widths and maybe two rolls of floss (keep em in a film canister) if yer hopping there is gunna be a LOT of repairs you will need to do and you will need difforent needles for different tasks
I carry a fixed blade but as far as legality it depends on how big it is (and the big difference is on yer belt vs in your pack)
Get the MOLLE straps too if you can
Don't leave the mil surplus canteen with cup. They are fuckin bomb proof and if it has the stove too makes a great all in one cook kit (plus the padded carrier thing keeps yer water from freezing)
Ditch the sleep pad (those mil surplus ones actually break down after a bit and cardboard is free)
Deffinately get the zip ties (they come in handy for shelter making and repairs)
I wouldn't suggest a laptop (I carried a small one for a while and they get ruined) if you like electronics get an MP3 player (like the 2006 iPod which I like because it's tough and you can watch movies as well as listen to music/podcasts)
Fuck not bringing a space blanket it can seriously help a cold night for others yer traveling with or yourself
Safe travels

 

[wombatt]

I didn't even see the bear spray part, what the fuck.
Also when it comes to yer skank I don't think it matters that much just pick one you like (I Cary like four bandanas for different uses of difforent colors and patterns)
Also since you have the canteen kit you don't really need another cook kit unless your feeding multiple people

 

[WanderLost Radical]

You seem to be scared of being cold xD You know yourself best, but personally, combines, warm clothes (hoody and thick pants), a good sleeping bag and a small tent is more than enough to handle pretty much any weather in the US. I'm canadian, and when I go out drinking with friends, I can sleep with only regular clothes and a 0 degrees sleeping bag in my car and I'm fine. so i dont see why you need all that space blanket and shit

Also, your multi-tool should have a can opener

 

[wombatt]

Everything is colder if you are sleeping outside and riding trains. And as someone who has lived in and continues to some a lot of time in Canada I have a feeling that you have yet to appreciate just how cold it gets.

 

[Deleted member 20]

sorry @zim but you can legally carry a fixed blade as with any folding knife providing they are within the legal length (all states vary), not double edged, mechanically assisted etc. There was a thread about knives here on stp. We have threads that debate about every type of gear that anyone can think of.
I think a lot of the inexperienced think of traveling as a vacation or some grand expedition & worry about the "what ifs" way too much.

Traveling is just another part of living for me & I own lots of gear but cant bring it all. The reality is that my load always changes based on the seasons/regions. I am not homeless & not running away forever so it will be safe when I get back.
I can improvise, adapt & overcome any situation. I also still need to obtain replacements/upgrades on the road when something is lost or unrepairable.

I too have been advocating goretex bivy sacks since first using them around 1996. They work good when riding on the exposed backside of an IM in the rain. They aren't perfect but the best I have seen in the variety of situations. I have woken up covered in snow before & was still comfortable (the insulating factor all depends on the sleeping bag/s that are used inside). In the summer I will only carry a $5 fleece blanket/throw & the bivy sack & the whole setup works great & weighs but a few pounds. I like how hey are getting there due respect now with new travelers. They are washable too, that keeps them waterproof by being clean.

My gear load is small & fits in a 3 day assault pack. I carry lots of clean clothing & have a system of regrouping & doing my laundry every 4-5 days. I do not carry much food (just an emergency can of something jik) & zero cookware! I normally carry a military canteen & aluminum canteen cup (that can work as a bowl if eating in a communal camp type situation). All that being said, I don't need any of it to travel. I have decided to hitch/hop away from situations while with zero gear & the most impractical clothing/footwear with no planning at ll. Since there are thousands of Army/ Navy stores, thrift stores & craigslist posts selling affordable quality gear I will never go without. Thankfully the working class has always provided enough cash for me to obtain everything & anything I wanted or needed I have little fear about my gear. All gear is temporary, our ability to adjust is priceless. I implore all new travelers to practice trial & error as well as research, that way you can see what you like best.

I am intermodal & will hop trains, hitchhike use rideshares & ride buses all in the course of a week sometimes. Sometimes I have not had my RR atlas, bibs, gloves, compass, smart phone, boots or hearing protection but still traveled for thousands of miles using all methods. I take advantage of what is available.

THIS IS MY ROUTINE ON THE ROAD:
I will find a truck stop (even if I am riding trains,buses,rideshares). I will spange up cash for food/laundry, beg a shower credit from a trucker. Take a hot shower & put on my last clean set of clothes while I wash all the rest. Then I hang out in the truckers lounge, swapping stories with truckers (sometimes soliciting rides), charging my phone & checking craigslist/couchsufing & stp for rideshares or places to crash. I also see what concerts are playing for that night & at touristy type stuff I want to visit. The notion that you can write a travel itinerary using the inconsistent modes of travel that we use is just a pipe dream.

This process regroups me & fits into my lifestyle of living in the moment. I like to get clean & be social with strangers that I never met before & be spontaneous in what I do. I have met plenty of dirty kids who carry huge ruck sacks & have nothing but a piss smelling filthy sleeping bag inside it, that just get drunk & high every place they visit. That aint me.

 

[Harmonica Bruce]

Smart phone, working credit card. Why do you need matches, fire starter, AND 2 lighters?

I'm just a dumb hillbilly, but can't you get arrested for "riding the rails"?

 

[Deleted member 20]

Smart phone, working credit card. Why do you need matches, fire starter, AND 2 lighters?

I'm just a dumb hillbilly, but can't you get arrested for "riding the rails"?

I do have a phone that I rely on daily for email, gps, maps, stp,cl & couchsurfing + phone calls/texts.

I don't have any bank accounts or any electronic debit/credit cards besides an ebt/snap card. I don't have any cash either now that I think about it. I think redundancy is a commodity rarely practical while traveling out of a backpack. I do carry a cheap bic lighter just in I gotta start a fire & a fuzee isn't available.

You can get arrested for riding the rails, so please everyone stay off of them.

I didn't think Dumb hillbillies ever travel outside of Appalachia?

 

[Harmonica Bruce]

didn't think Dumb hillbillies ever travel outside of Appalachia?

Ha ha. I've spent very little time in Appalachia, mostly the mid-west and Florida. I do it out of a van. Just checking out what you guys are about on this forum.

 

[Deleted member 20]

Cool. Welcome @Harmonica Bruce . Perhaps an introduction post will help you introduce yourself to the whole forum community. We are as diverse as any other group, weve got everything from rubber tramps to online rubber necks. Feel free to share, learn, teach, dream, live or what ever your into. We have had much luck with our rideshare section, maybe some of us could ride a ways with you if your down & or have room.

 

[SnakeOilWilly]

OK lemme try to update this

Medium or Large ALICE pack w/frame & straps (molle kidney pad)

USGI 4 piece sleep system

Space blanket (small one)

US Surplus canteen w/steel cup

Microfleece blanket (?)

Magnesium fire starter

Matches

Food:
Cliff bars (4-6)
Sardines in oil (6)
Canned tuna (2)
Beans (2)
Bag 'o' beef jerky
Trail mix

Sansport cook kit (or other brand, just my preference.)

p38 can opener

Insulated coveralls

Thermals

2 bandannas (purple and other dark color)

3 shirts (2 long sleeve 1 short sleeve)

Socks (3-4 pair)

Warm jacket (?)

Rain jacket (lightweight)

Underwear (3 pairs)

Shorts/pants zipper thing

Goretex boots

Gloves

Toothbrush

Toothpaste

Floss With 1-2 sewing needles inside

Dr. Bronners

Toilet paper wrapped around pen

Chapstick

Pocket multitool

Fixed blade knife (good brand; not Chinese knockoff) maybe LMF 2

750 cord 11 strand 50 feet (use strands for fishin')

Duct tape wrapped round pen

Carabineers (if necessary)

Zip ties (?)

Lures

Compass

Baseball cap with Cyclops headlamp (?)

Spork

Sharpie

Markal (?)

Playing cards (?)

Wallet, cash

Books (?)

Camera (?)

Tracphone (?)

Solar charger (?)

Instrument and/or juggling balls (if busking)

Cardboard (will find in dumpsters)

Tablet/laptop (?) (Small cheap one)

Still tryin' to pair down. Please suggest more things to leave.

 

[SnakeOilWilly]

Also maybe a tiny cook can w/bottle of alcohol.

 

[Deleted member 20]

Is this a packing list or like an xmas wish list?

 

[wombatt]

I understand that some things that @SnakeOilWilly wants to bring might not be based on decades of experiance or whatever but dont be a dick. theyre just getting to know how stuff works. as for the alcohol stove if you plan on doing any serious squatting deffinately bring it if not see how much yer pack weighs and carry it around for a while then see if you can carry a whole bottle of alcohol without feeling like its weighing you down.

 

[Killjoy]

Id skip the p38 can opener if your pocket tool has a can opener, which it should if it worth anything.
Maybe add to your list a tarp, which could be used for a make shift shelter or to protect your bag from ripping if you dont have cardboard. You can tuck your tarp between your back and your alice pack frame and it can double as padding.
I also recommend the medium Alice pack to help keep your pack list in check.

 

[wombatt]

normally a tarp is next to mandatory but the military modular sleep system's bivi bag makes tarps unnecisary

 

[Deleted member 20]

Perhaps only clueless travelers should issue advice to other new travelers. I think the blind leading the blind system will surely control the population of wannabe travelers on the road. Apparently @SnakeOilWilly figured that this section about backpacks & pouches was a free for all for him to post his laundry list of every single item he wants, has or thinks he needs.

Big Thanx to @wombatt & his French sense of decency for pointing out how wrong I was in asking if " this was a xmas wishlist. Perhaps you dont celebrate Christmas or are just on the naughty list. All I know is santa always gets me socks, multitools, compasses, 550 cord bracelets & other cool usefulll travel trinkets & I am turning 38 in a few months. My apologies for not being as sensitive as some.