Loadout: Hiking Pack
Last weekend I joined a walking team for an 18 mile hike. Here’s what I carried with me…
I’ve not been able to get out for a serious hike for a while, so I was glad we started off on the flat by following a disused railway track for the first 8/9 miles. However it did mean we saved all the hills to the end of the day. As with most good hiking groups we ended up in a local pub that brews their own ale.
It was the first time I could justify using the PDW Trail or Fight Belt pad but I was seriously impressed by it’s performance. After an initial fitting of the pack before setting off, I didn’t have to adjust it once and found no hotspots developed over the 7-8 hours we were hiking.
Here’s what I packed:
- Petzl Carabiner
- Rope from an old parachute (self whipped ends!)
- Magpul DAKA Pouch as a waterproof charging location with:
- GOPUCK
- Anker Charging cable (not show)
- iPhone 6
- EXPED Ultralight Drybag
- 1000mile Fusion socks – spares
- Microfibre Towel
- PDW SHADO Pack
- PDW Platoon Patch
- PDW Gear Trap
- Mechanix Covert Wolf Grey
– Lined with SealSkinz Merino Gloves - PDW ToF Belt Pad
– PDW Stash Pouch with snacks and a basic self assembled trauma kit
- PDW EDCO Panel
- Thrym Cell Vault with CR123 Batteries
- Spork
- TAD BC4 with spare camera battery
- Storm Whistle
- Glowstick
- PDW AO2 with self assembled general Boo-Boo Kit
- PDW Stash Pouch with some paracord, emergency Altoids fire kit
- Grimloc Carabiner
- FOURSEVENS QUARK Tactical 123 – discontinued
- PDW Expedition Watchband Compass
- Camelbak Water Bladder
- Israeli Trauma Bandage
- Nikon D3000 with Prime 35mm lens in a shemagh in a drybag – Not pictured
My loaded up SHADO Pack.
Nat Wagstaff Editor-in-Chief
While I was researching packs for a 100km endurance hiking challenge, my interest in how we organise our gear gave birth to Pack Config, a place that inspires its readers to improve their own packs. What I carry, either daily or out on a hike, is constantly being refined as I discover new methods and products. More…




Interesting choices. I typically carried a more food, water and first aid gear for a longer dayhike, but less tech. What’s in your booboo bag? Personally I liked to carry a sam splint, silk tape, self-stick wrap, CAT and kerlex for serious injuries. For booboos and blisters I brought alcohol wipes, abx ointment, benadryl, NSAIDs, 22g needle and moleskin. Takes more space/weight but unfortunately I had to use most of that kit at some point so I kept bringing it.
Thanks for asking Lauren. My general boo boo kit has things like blister plasters, zinc oxide tape, a few standard plasters, sterilising wipes, some gloves, ClimbOn!, tweezers, pain killers etc. My trauma kit has things like different sized dressings, trauma sheers, some tape, resuscitation shield, gloves, quikclot and I obviously have the Israeli bandage too. I took this shot after I got back so I’d eaten my lunch(!) and I took about 2L of water in my bladder but didn’t quite finish it. It was a comfortable temperature day in the United Kingdom so more would have been over kill! I hope that gives you a bit more perspective. Thanks for sharing your first aid kit carry too!