Boots, socks, long johns, thermal blanket, power bars. Anywhere along I5 I can access water easily. So carrying more than 2 liters is not needed. Keeping warm however is tricky.
Power bars or other high calorie compact food is handy. Keep in mind... I've gone without food, sleep, water, and warmth before. Your personal ability to do so and for what length of time is different than mine. I will take warmth over food any day of the week. A set (or 2) of wool or silk long underwear are easy to pack. So is a wool or thermal blanket. Hell, the Merlin sleep sacks are tiny as well. Warmth, water, food.

Shelter. water. food. I can go a while without eating and thats without military training. But I do love being warm.

Everyone is different but the best way to learn is get out there and figure it out for you.

I'm a smaller guy so weight is key for me. But this is what I take with me on an overnight to 4 day type hiking.

For me I prefer comfy running type shoes over hiking boots. Less weight on my feet and find them to be better suited for me.

Clothes wise (season depending) ill usually bring my ski pants ( just a shell which serves as rain pants and also just normal pants for walking in) then bring a pair of fleece pants for nights and to sleep in. Then a t-shirt or two. A lightweight fleece top. Then my hardshell jacket for rain and also cold. Plus two pair of boxers and then 3 or 4 liner socks and two wool type socks. All that doesn't take up much room and has kept me comfortable in weather from 10 degrees (with addition of gloves and hat mind you) up to 70/80. But if I know it'll be warm ill do shorts too. But since I'm wearing most of that it doesn't take much room in the pack.

That's pretty much all I do for clothes. Sure you'll get dirty and smelly but who cares is how I feel.

Gear wise is a tent and sleeping pad and ground pad. A jetboil for cooking, melting snow, and eating out of. A fork and spoon and knife combo thingy. First aid kit. Some parachute cord. Headlamp. Usually two two litre waterbottles and often a liter waterbladder. Plus a waterfilter of some sort....might be tablets or an actual filter or if its snow I just do more fuel for melting.

That's all the real stuff I bring with. Again I like to keep things light. With four days of food I'm often around 20-25 pounds which isn't bad.

Add in a gun and ammo and is be up to 40 pounds or so. And I've carried 45 for a week straight which wasn't to bad.

I also generally have more gear since when I go out its for mountaineering so I keep the basic stuff as low in weight as possible.


Anyways that's what I've found works for me!