Answering wasoxygen's gear questions here: I'm going to be adding gauze to my kit for day-hikes, because it would have been REALLY useful to have last Wednesday. Other than that, I agree with the stuff you're saying - I can't hike that far in a day, and too much more would feel like overkill personally. That being said, I'm going to err on the side of caution now for solo hikes (which...I mean, it's gonna be awhile) and take more than I need as long as I can comfortably carry it. It's a good question, and I haven't put much thought into it yet! Boyscouts has given me an inflated sense of confidence in what I can slap together, so I think I'll need to reevaluate some things before heading out there again. Hear, hearAlways bring a fixed blade knife.