Two questions about hiking gear for those who hike around the valley (price, moving)

[Fadelight]

Both are rather straight forward questions.

1) Pertaining to packs. Do you prefer to carry regular packs with water bottles separate, or do you use hydration packs when hiking?

2) I was doing some poking around for something in the way of an antivenom kit, but I have come up empty handed. Is this not something that exists? Do any hikers carry one?

[dgs92]

There are no commercially available anti-venom kits. Hospitals are the only place that has anti-venom. Rattlesnake venom has a 1-2 hour delayed effect, which would give you time to get to a hospital.

As for a hydration pack, it's totally up to you. For longer hikes we use a camelback and shorter hikes I use the fuel belt that I use for running. You just have to experiment to find what feels best for you.

Happy Hiking!

[MarianR]

Not sure I'd invest in a camelpack unless I was doing a lot of hiking. We hike about once a week in the winter and we usually use a light weight backpack with water bottles. We also have fanny packs that hold water bottles.
You can get snake gaiters at BassPro. Expensive and hot to wear, though.

[locolobo13]

For short hikes I don't even carry a pack. Just put a water/tea/juice bottle in my back pocket. For longer hikes just put more water in a regular pack. Those hydration packs look really cool, but seem pricey to me.

dgs92 is correct about the antivenom kits. The only way you could carry one around is if your Dr prescribes it for you. Not worth it. I've been hiking around the Phx Mtns for years and have only seen 2 rattlers, neither of whom were interested in playing with me.

Years ago, back in the 60s or 70s they used to sell a kit to get the poison out. They quit doing that because people were causing more damage to themselves cutting veins, tendons, muscle etc than the poison ever did. Nowadays the medical advice is get to a hospital pronto, forget the kits.

[Fadelight]

Ok, kits are out.


It did occur to me reading the responses that I left out at least a couple of very important details. lol.

For the shorter hikes, I would carry a water bottle around anyway... but I usually average about 4 hours a day / 7 days a week for hiking.

I'm moving out to AZ from a state that is sub-60's for all but maybe two months of the year tops, so I have a tendency to go completely inactive in the winter. (I cant stand cold weather... I just hibernate.) Consequentially I have become quite fat. In the past two years since moving back to New England from FL, I have packed on 60 lbs. It's time to lose the gut and get back into hiking.

I would imagine that the only times I will be cutting my hikes short is if I am either pressed for time, or if I go out in the middle of the summer. Anything sub-100 degrees, and I am good to go.


The antivenom kit question wasn't because the idea of being bitten scares me any significant amount. I just don't like being caught off guard and end up being royally screwed, so I thought I'd ask.

[azdr0710]

I hike a lot and got one those Camelbaks a few years ago, thinking it was an efficient way to stay hydrated....there are now several models with different set-ups

after the third or fourth use, my Camelbak's never seen the light of day since....it's just easier to throw a few water bottles (re-filled, of course) into the pack and take off....I make it a point to stop every half-hour or so, take off the pack, and drink...good chance to stretch a bit, wipe sweat, look around, too....

many people love their Camelbaks, though, and it is a very easy way to drink....I just didn't like the cumbersome filling process, cleaning it periodically with that hose cleaner thing, and not knowing when the water was going to run out....

[aztoga]

My response back to you is question. And I am not trying to be funny or rude, but I'm curious--how do you go hiking 4 hours per day, 7 days per week? Do you have job?

[Bungle]

I have two Camelbacks. One with a smaller bladder for short hikes/bike rides and a larger pack that will hold twice the water as well as bike repair kits/food/first aid. I never set foot on any of the mountains without one of my packs on. My wife has a hydration pack from costco which has surprisingly held up quite well and was much cheaper than Camelback brand.

I love the fact that I can fill the bladder with ice and have cold water for my whole hike.

[LocoAZnative]

Gotta say I throw on sneakers, shortsm and tshirts, grab a bottled water and go. No hat, no camelbak,no walking sticks, no special hiking shoes, no special clothing. You can always tell the tourists by all the gear they wear. My g/f dad comes every year form NJ and has all the stupid gear on.

[abcharlton]

Get the 100 ounce cambelback. The more water the better here.