Always one in the group lol. My EDC is always on my side it containsI have a fanny pack that goes with me all the time. It has everything I need to spent a night out in the wilderness. The one thing I want to have, ( and always do.), is that fanny pack.
That's a heap better then one item.I would make a pack out of willow branches and bring everything.
For day hikes in the summer I don't bring much. I could be out there with a knife, a matchsafe, a water bottle and little else.
Sorry but I just have a hard time understand these types of questions. If a person is that stupid to be in a wilderness setting and not have but one item on his person. Best thing to do is find a comfy place to lay down and wait for the inevitable. There is no good answer for the situation that you present. A person has two hands so a person can at the very least carry two items.
:tinysmile_grin_t: What? No TP?I would never be in a wilderness without adequate equipment. But I have met people in the Smokies headed 6 miles in with nothing more than a swig of water in a Dasani bottle. When you tell them it will be dark on them if they don't turn around they think you are trying to keep them from seeing something. I saw a hiker tell a woman with 2 small kids she was on the wrong trail and she needs to head back. She got pissed. We walked on and my buddy commented "Your car is that way, your date with Darwin is the way you're going."
FWIW, my general day hiking gear is
1.5 liter Nalgene
2 Platy bags
Sawyer squeeze filter
Knife
First aid kit
snacks
ground cloth
small tarp
cordage
rain gear or jacket
fire kit
map and compass
titanium kettle
I even keep a tube tent and a mylar bivy bag in my day pack. Some people pick up my day pack and ask me what the heck is in it. It probably runs about 12 lbs before I add water and food.Some people bring everything on a day hike that would bring for overnight backpacking except a tent and sleeping bag. I think that is overdoing it in warmer weather. It is very useful be a minimalist even for a day.