Disaster Planning 101

My hiking/biking kit, front and back:














contents:
















Each item and use(s):

Camelbak H.A.W.G. -100 oz hydration day pack


Went hiking to test this pack this week -- See related story below.

The HAWG is a hydration pack --one whole compartment is for a 3l water bladder, and a drinking hose comes out of the top of the pack over the shoulder to clip to one strap for easy access. ( Not visible in pic.)

Size: 3l water bladder plus additional pockets (5) for gear.
Comfort: excellent*
Use: Day hiking, mountian biking,

Straps-- The shoulder straps looked thin, but when used with the adjustable waist belt the load is very easy to carry.

The one pictured and tested is an older model; these tend to be re-designed every few years.

Recommended?: Yes. Great for hiking and biking -- it carries alot of gear.

Labels: backpack, gear test, hydration

March gear test

Went hiking today to test out my brand new Camelback H. A.W.G. -- -- I feel the only way to know if some gear is useful (or if I know how to use it) is to actually use in the field. You can only do so much shopping and playing with it at home and then you have to test it out and see that actually works.

The things I found that had nothing to do with the pack, but were fairly important anyway ....

conditions:

Temperature 50°

wind light

six to 8 inches of melting snow

test: 50 minutes of hiking in a large park

The first thing I found out is the can't have too many AA batteries. I wanted to try my GPS which powered up when I checked it, but when I took it outside of course it was out of juice.

The second thing I found out is that snow melts. Although this should be self-evident but half a dozen places under the snow there are six-inch puddles. This led me to discovery of:

Third -- -- my hiking boots are not waterproof. They are not 'kind of 'waterproof, they're not water resistant they're not water light or anything like it. Soaked in right through.

And of course I was wearing cotton socks.

Fourth when hiking on hilly snow water muck ice, a walking stick would have been very useful.

Teacher

(I'll review the Camelback later.)