A couple of weeks ago I shared with you what I carry in my day hiking backpack when we go on an adventure with the dogs. Then I held a contest to give some of that stuff away (the winner was Kate Volz – congrats to her!).
I got a lot of questions about the items in my backpack. Specifically, a lot of you wanted to know where to get them. (If you are not curious, this post might be a little dry…so skip to the bottom to watch a cute picture of Chester and Gretel hiking)
I am happy to oblige so, leaving out the obvious stuff like water, poop bags and a handkerchief, here are the specific items again and where to get them (be sure to see my previous post to get the full list of everything I bring).
The backpack I use is an Osprey hydration pack. Specifically, it is the Synchro 15. However, I am going to upgrade to the Osprey Manta 28 because I need a little extra space inside.
Here is a little more info on the things INSIDE my backpack, including where to get them.
- Small First Aid Kit – The REI Day Pack First-Aid Kit was the one in the photo. I am currently not carrying any extra first aid supplies for the dogs on day hikes.
- Ultra-light Flash 18 pack (for carrying a small dog out of the woods in an emergency)
- Headlamp (in case you get stuck out after dark). I can’t find the one I have but the Petzl Pixa 3 Pro Headlamp is pretty close.
- Collapsible Silicone Dish – Dexas Popware for Pets Travel Cup. I love this one because the silicone is stuff enough that it continues to collapse easily after 100s of uses.
- Water flavoring (to encourage the dogs to drink – added to the water before we leave) – K9 GoDog Sports Drink for Dogs is Chester and Gretel’s favorite. We recently started using Drool Fuel but they don’t like it as much.
- Cell Phone – Samsung Galaxy S4. I mention this just because I sometimes take pictures on the trail with it and the quality of the photo is awesome.
- Camera – Panasonic LUMIX DMC-ZS19. Again, listed because some people ask me what camera I use. Occasionally I use a DSLR but this camera seems to do 80% of what a bulky DSLR camera does.
Let me know if you have any other questions about our gear or preparing for a hike with your dog.
And now for a gratuitous video of Chester and Gretel gobbling a banana on a hike
Amber DaWeenie says
August 6, 2013 at 4:01 AMOMD……I just Love Love Love bananas!
Hap-Pee ToesDay!
houndstooth says
August 6, 2013 at 4:29 AMI always love seeing what other people carry in their backpacks. I am currently looking for a new one, but haven’t found one that I like yet so far.
Jackie Bouchard says
August 6, 2013 at 7:06 AM“Drool fuel” is a great name. Too bad they don’t like it. Congrats to the winner!
Jan K says
August 6, 2013 at 9:10 AMLucky Kate – congratulations! This was such a great giveaway. The video was adorable, but thanks for the great information too. I need to start a list of things to get. With so many products out there to choose from, it’s great to have recommendations. I need a new cell phone too and would really like one that takes good photos, so I am writing that one down.
Jules says
August 6, 2013 at 10:29 AMRufus would be a lot less docile when eating that banana. I’ve seen him eat things with one giant swallow that I couldn’t even believe. You are the most prepared hiker I know… I’d probably be that rogue hiker that you had to “save” along the way. 😉
Jules of Canines & Couture
Jessica Rhae says
August 7, 2013 at 7:16 PMFunny. I do see a lot of under-prepared day hikers out there. And, yes, since I am uber prepared I could probably help out at least one person in a pinch 🙂
Aimee @4TheLoveofAnimals says
August 6, 2013 at 5:43 PMGreat information! 🙂
BoingyDog says
August 6, 2013 at 10:48 PMCongrats to Kate! I’m building up my and Kayo’s pack piece by piece! Thanks for all the tips!
Roberta says
August 7, 2013 at 7:06 PMNot a hiker but loved the banana video. FYI, the two Dachshunds I’m fostering for a family teaching in Mongolia (they’re on their second and final year) lost a total of 9# since they’ve been here. The wee one, Luna, lost 5# and his “sister,” Angel, lost 4#. And oh, they needed to – look so much better.
Jessica Rhae says
August 7, 2013 at 7:15 PMAt first I thought you said the Doxies were from Mongolia 🙂 That’s super great that they lost 9 lbs together. I bet they feel better and it is easier for them to move around. Good job.
emma says
August 8, 2013 at 9:03 AMIs there a dog that doesn’t like bananas? When Katie was younger Mom left her with a friend for a week while she came back to the US to visit. The friend did not know that Katie ate a banana with Mom every morning. When Mom got back her friend said how Katie followed her around every time she had a banana which she found creepy and Katie made a big scene! Katie still loves them and so do I.
Susan says
December 21, 2013 at 4:12 PMI am a long distance hiker that has just adopted a rescue dog. He is a Snauzher terrier mix, a healthy little guy at 18 pounds. I began walking him immediately, 1 mile, 3, 5 he is up to 6 with no issues that I can see. These are on flat trail (we are in Florida) and without any real breaks. I would like to take him on some short 7-8 day hikes in the NC mountains. We would most likely do 12 m/p/d, of course that would be over a 8+ hour day with lots of rest breaks. — Everyone tells me that a dog of this size can not hike in the mountains for that long. Even the vet says a dog of this size should not be walked more then 2-3 miles. Am I wrong to have this goal. He seems so happy when we are out walking. I can tell when he tires, which isn’t often. Is it true I can walk him to death? I would love to share my passion with this little guy.
Jessica Rhae says
December 21, 2013 at 8:13 PMHi Susan. Congrats on your new adoption! I don’t know who your vet is but saying that a 18 lb dog can’t walk more than 2 – 3 miles at a time is just silly to me. As long as the dog is healthy, and is used to regular walks, can hike more than 3 miles no problem. My dogs are 10 lbs and our hikes average 6 miles. They have gone longer than that too when we were all in better shape. I know someone who regularly does 5 – 10 mile hikes with their Chihuahua. As far as Schnauzers go, take a look at the book Following Atticus. That little guy hiked all 48 of New Hampshire’s White Mountains peaks in winter! Terriers tend to be high energy as they were bread to hunt over long distances in th woods. I say as long as the dog is healthy, and you start slow increasing mileage to get them in shape (which sounds like exactly what you are doing), Your dog can hike as far and long as they are happy doing so. It IS important to keep an eye on them because dogs will tend to push themselves beyond their limit to please us. It is up to us to notice when they get too tired and stop before that point. It sounds like you are aware of that too though. I would definitely take your pup on some hilly hikes and a couple of overnight trips to see how he does before taking him out for multiple days in the NC mountain. If he seems fine with those shorter trips, I say go for it. While it COULD be possible to “walk your dog to death”, it would be very rare and most likely due to dehydration, preexisting medical conditions or a skirmish with wildlife gone bad.