How to load a day pack

From WildernessWiki.org

Day Packs are small bags taken on short, day-long hikes. Often, such things as a simple haversack are used, a type of lumbar pack (fancy fanny pack) or a shoulder sling bag.

A day pack will contain the basic essentials to make your trip comfortable, be it hiking, canoing or rock-climbing. Many items will depend on the exact environment, but there are several things that are fundamental to all trips.

Basics

• Food - Often, a trip will last from after breakfast to before dinner, which means that a person will likely need to carry a lunch and snacks. Basic foods are common, such as sandwiches, cookies and granola bars
• Water - It is sometimes difficult to determine how much water you will need if you are inexperienced. It is better to err on the safe side and carry more than you think you will need. With experience, you can adjust for future trips.
• First Aid Kit - Only the basics are really needed for day hikes. Bandaids, antiseptic ointment, and an ace bandage. Just something to take care of bumps and scrapes. In remote territory it is wise to pack a complete First Aid Kit.
• Simple repair kit - thread, needles, duct tape. Just enough to fix rips in clothing or packs will suffice.
• Knife and/or multitool - It is important to always have a cutting tool in the wilderness, and the extra tools in a multitool can be handy for fixing gear on the trail.
• Extra clothing - It is a good idea to bring along an extra layer or two of clothing to accommodate changes in weather, including those associated with altitude change. Either a warmer/cooler baselayer or warmer/cooler outerwear is a good idea. Also, basic rain gear can keep a trip from becoming miserable.
• Personal Survival Kit (PSK) - Though it may seem like overkill, you should never proceed into the woods without a PSK as a companion to your First Aid Kit. You never know when you may become injured or lost and need to spend a night in the woods. The kit should contain at a minimum, provisions to cover the essentials: Shelter, Fire, Water, Navigation and Signaling.

Luxury Items

Some people also like to include "luxury items" in their day pack; things that aren't essential, but make the trip more comfortable or fun. Cameras, a backpacking stove (for making tea or cocoa, or heating up lunch), a book, and radios are all things that are not needed, but that some people like to take into the woods to make their trip more enjoyable.

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