While some celebrities and pro athletes now carry man-purses, those of us who are the more rugged, functional type use backpacks to carry our gear.  This can take on a myriad of different forms based upon the needs of the user.  For the preparation-minded man, a well-equipped backpack can really come in handy in a wide range of situations.  Consider it an extension of you everyday carry gear.

My current backpack is a Camelbak MULE® since two of my favorite activities are mountain biking and hiking.  Its the perfect size for the rides and hikes I go on, so I use it as my primary backpack.  It comes with a 3L fluid reservoir along with plenty of space for everyday carry gear.  I’ve had mine for over a decade and it has stood the test of time.

Camelbak MULE® w/3L hydration bladder

From this starting point, I add items based upon the planned activity.  Unless I am flying, these are the following items I carry in my backpack.

Core Contents

These include:

• Victorinox SwissCard Lite®
• Victorinox Tourist Swiss Army Knife
• LifeStraw®
• Cyalume SnapLight 12-hour light sticks
• First Aid kit
• Lip balm
• Pepto Bismol® in a travel tube
• Hand sanitizer
• Wipes
• Toilet paper
• Lifesavers
• Energy gel
• Sport Beans
• Rescue whistle
• PrincetonTec Pulsar II LED keychain light
• Road ID Supernova (set on flash mode)

These items are sufficient for day trips and traveling without weighing too much.  For specific activities though, I will add certain items to ensure I am better prepared.  If I am going for a bike ride, I will add these two items.

Pump and spare tube

Bikers should always carry a spare tube and an air pump.  Tires can and do fail during rides so its wise to prepare for this before leaving.  In addition to these items for my backpack, I carry a bike mini-tool, tire levers, and air pressure gauge in the small pack underneath the seat.  Of course I always wear my Road ID when I ride and if its dark, I use both front and back-mounted lights for safety.

If I am hiking or camping, I will remove the biking items and replace them with the following.

Zippo lighter and SuperCedar firestarters

The Zippo lighter is intended to provide both illumination and ignition if necessary.  The SuperCedar firestarters would be used for starting a fire even if it was wet and/or windy.

There are a few items I am thinking about adding to my backpack.  For hiking, I would include a folding metal trowel for digging a ditch in case I had to poop somewhere along the trail.  Another good item to have in the desert is a comb for removing pieces of cactus from skin or clothing.  There may be other items I should add but for now, this shows what I carry around when I am enjoying the great outdoors.

In the future, I may purchase a slightly larger backback for hiking and day trips and have a separate, smaller one for biking.  The fact is there are many ways to organize your backpack for additional everyday carry gear.  A lot will depend upon the activity as well as the physical dimensions of the backpack the items will go into.  For now, use this article as a starting point to figure out what should be in your backpack.