Another SBM contributor tells us about her essentials bag. This time it’s Amelia Mayer. You’re not always hiking and backpacking, as much as you wish you were. What’s in the bag — the one that gets you from home to work to the trail or from the kids’ soccer games to weekend getaways — that makes it easy to move from here to there. Here’s another in our series from SBM contributors that answers the question: what’s in your day bag?
Tell us about your survival kit.
This is my get-through-the-day-with-two-young-kids bag. It is usually packed and ready to go, and gets me basically through the morning (which we usually spend off playing outside and adventuring.) We live in the mountains so the weather is changing constantly. We have to be ready for almost anything. Yes, even if we are only 10 minutes away from home. The speed that kids walk while they check out the world can be shockingly slow or fast.
What are your 10 essentials?
1. DucKsday rain/wind suits for the kids (an extra layer just in case…so we can keep on playing!) and a raincoat for me
2. The snack bag (I love these SugarSnap Files)
3. Water bottles for everyone
4. Hats and sunglasses to protect us from the sun
5. My cell phone (which includes the ever-important camera)
6. Bear Spray (We live in Yellowstone and the bison and elk are everywhere. Right now the elk are calving and crazy. This is essential.)
7. BobaAir. Super light weight, but a quick way to carry a sleepy kid home.
8.Wipes – for snot, dirt and anything else they find.
9. Small trucks for a little fun on the trail/playground
10. Changing pad (Patemm Pads are AWESOME) with diaper and wipes **The bear spray and BobaAir happened to be both in my pack when I took this photo**
I usually carry everything in my Osprey Mira 34 – it’s big enough to handle it all and keep it organized with plenty of pockets. Plus, it’s super comfortable to wear all day long!
What are the most frequently used items in your kit?
The snacks. I swear someone is hungry every 20 minutes. Otherwise, those DucKsday suits have saved our fun more than once or twice. They are easy to just throw on, don’t add too much weight (so aren’t hot) and keep everyone happy!
If you could add one more thing, what would it be?
I should probably be carrying some sort of small first aid kit. I honestly am not sure why I haven’t thought about that before. Bandaids are needed on a weekly basis. Also, hand sanitizer would be good after the kids play in the dirt (which also happens to contain a lot of scat pieces around here) since we are eating too!
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