[pct-l] To flare or not to flare

[Jason Moores]

Jamie,

I think that Ate Tuna has it about right. Bring what makes you feel safe and
whittle it down as you go. Which is not to say bring weapons and your
medicine cabinet. Be honest with yourself about what you feel that you are
likely to encounter in the first weeks on the trail and start there. You can
add or subtract as you see fit once you get going.

After a few weeks on the trail you will be fit enough to walk yourself out
of most difficulties that you may face. Contrary to most people's mental
picture of the trail, you are rarely more than a days walk from a road or
town and rarely more than a few hours ahead of the next hiker.

Some of us do carry little in the way of a survival kit and rely on
experience and planning to mitigate the few true dangers that exist on the
trail; but this by no means is the answer for everyone. Back in '06 I
carried a knife, multi-tool, patch kits, many types of tapes and bandages,
three forms of back-up fire starter, a dozen types of pills and on and on.
Through time and experience I've trimmed this down to some tape, antiseptic,
needle and dental floss, backup lighter, pocket knife and a few meds.. But
I'm comfortable with that, most wouldn't be.

Jackass



On Thu, Feb 10, 2011 at 10:33 PM, jamie szewczyk <jamieszew723 at gmail.com>wrote:

> Even people with military training, who don't pack their fears with them as
> we say, would bring a survival kit right? Yet most people on here say
> nothing bad will happen if you are not stupid basically.  The worst that
> can
> happen is you die of exposure or fall off a mountain...Correct? However
> when
> it comes down to it, hiking 25 miles a day, you feel every ounce of your
> pack's weight on your poor little feet and back...I will learn I'm sure...
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