Every time I set out to climb a mountain, I’m wearing a pack. Even for a simple, short climb I wear a day pack. For anything overnight, which I guess we should call back-packing, I use a much bigger pack. Sometimes I wonder if I’m bringing too much stuff, because my day pack feels pretty heavy. So, I sat down and emptied everything out on to the floor of my house and took an inventory. There were a few surprises.

Packs seem to be commonly rated by size, or more specifically by volume. I wonder how they determine that. For example, my day pack is 28 liters. Assuming it could hold water, do they pour water into it until it is completely full, then say “Okay, that’s it, this model holds 28 liters.” Probably nothing so goofy, though – just measuring length x width x height, huh? My day pack is made of light (and therefore flimsy) materials, and only weighs 1 lb 7 ozs. The trade-off is that it won’t last as long. So here’s a list of what is always in the pack:

1 pair leather gloves – full leather front and back, with reinforced palms – necessary for desert bushwhacking.   4.1 ozs

1 pair polypropylene gloves and 1 polypropylene balaclava – for cold days or nights. 3 ozs

1 camera – a small shirt-pocket Panasonic digital model in a case.  6.2 ozs

2 spare camera batteries, always fully-charged. 1.4 ozs

1 powerful headlamp with 2 batteries.  11.3 ozs

4 spare batteries for the headlamp – BRC 18650, each is 3,000 mAh, always fully-charged, total weight is 5.1 ozs

As you can see, there is over a pound of weight devoted to my headlamp. It is a crucial item, and I won’t compromise on it.

1 Garmin GPS in a light case  9.0 ozs

1 cell phone with the best service plan I can buy for remote areas   6.1 ozs

1 wallet  4.7 ozs

Keys for my truck 1.9 ozs

Papers (emergency information, permits)  0.5 ozs

Flagging tape – very useful for marking routes, etc.  2.2 ozs

Glasses in a case  4.4 ozs

First-aid kit (more details on this item later)  1 lb 10.4 ozs

1 Delorme emergency rescue device in a case  9.5 ozs

1 small leatherman tool  3.2 ozs

Extra batteries – at least 6 AA, but could be more, and AAA if needed  5.3 ozs

Spare boot laces  1.2 ozs

So, if I add up all of this stuff, it comes to a tiny bit over 8 pounds, including the pack. None of this is expendable (for me, at least). And of course, I’m wearing a long-sleeved shirt, long pants, rugged boots and a hat with a wide brim and a neck shield. Also, it’s  obvious that all of the above does not include any food, drink or extra clothing.

For a long day, I’ll carry 1 to 2 pounds of food. Depending on the temperature and how many miles I need to cover and how many peaks I’ll climb in one push, I’ll carry 3 to 5 quarts of electrolyte to drink. One US quart weighs 2 pounds, so let’s say I carry 3 – that plus a minimum of food adds 7 more pounds. Added to the 8 pounds of essentials, we’re up to 15 pounds. This assumes no climbing gear and no extra clothing. Often I’ll bring a light fleece jacket, for another pound of weight. And depending on exactly where I’m climbing (meaning how dangerous it is), I might well be bringing along my little friend for the ride, for another 1 pound 5.5 ounces.

You might be wondering why my first-aid kit is so heavy. Well, it includes quite a lot of stuff that isn’t exactly first-aid but I still consider essential. Here’s how that 1 lb 10.4 ozs is broken down:

1 Epipen – I’ve never had to use this, but I carry it in case I get attacked by a lot of bees. I’ve been stung plenty of times over the years, but only a few at one time. I used to keep a hive of bees, and I know I’m not overly-allergic to bee venom, but if a hive of Africanized bees (commonly called “killer bees”) stings you hundreds of times, it’ll ruin your whole day. So it’s just in case.

1 compass – the good old-fashioned kind, mine is a Suunto with a clinometer and a signalling mirror. It’s no fancy Brunton like I used to carry back in my geologist days, but it works fine and it gets dusted off and used several times each year.

1 tiny tripod, about 5 inches long, for taking special photos.

1 polarizing filter for taking special photos.

1 rosary, made in the Holy Land from olive wood – a gift from my sister, for good luck.

1 large-toothed comb, useful for removing teddy-bear cholla cactus from your flesh.

1 folding knife with 3-inch blade, which I found next to human remains in a remote canyon a few years ago

1 large bunch of assorted bandages, plus tiny packets of Neosporin

1 small roll of duct tape, useful for all kinds of repairs

1 tiny packet of dental floss, useful for repairs

1 whistle for signaling

1 Swiss army knife with many functions

1 Bic lighter

1 tweezers

1 nail clipper

1 pack of 10 assorted sewing needles, including ones meant to sew rugged material

4 sealed lens-cleaning wipes

1 Taylor thermometer, reads in Fahrenheit, in a protective metal case. I also have a Celsius model for foreign travel.

20 chloride dioxide tabets, for purifying even the foulest water

1 big piece of Moleskin

30 Aleve tablets

20 assorted safety pins

5 two-inch pencils

1 paper with emergency medical information, phone numbers, etc

As you can see, much of the weight of the first-aid kit is comprised of things like compass, tripod, knives and thermometer. It’s just a convenient place to keep it all.

So that’s the story of my pack. Sometimes I think it’s way too heavy, but now that I’ve broken it down like this, it’s just about right.