Hi Mandy. Congrats on the job first, and second, you're really not going to need much of anything. You might want to buy a good compass as that's always good to have, or a GPS unit if you are really ambitious. However, both of those usually are provided by the job. Clipboards are good, because you will be writing quick field reports, a mechanical pencil with plenty of lead, a hat, and a backpack. Outside of that, just a good bag to pack your lunch in, and water bottles. Some people prefer a Camel Back, but I find that Nalgean bottles are preferable. That's about all I use when I do surveys. Also, if you have a chance, break your boots in before you actually start the survey, as it makes them much more comfortable.

Per Diem is usually not provided on days off, but some companies do. Ask your director, but don't count on getting it on the days you aren't working.

Hope that helps!

Usually per diem is doled out for days worked - the Federal structure is 75% for first and last days of a work period, and 100% for full days in between (e.g. on a mon-fri gig, mon and fri are paid at 75% of the per diem rate for the area in which work is occurring, and tue thru thur is 100%). However, most companies play fast and loose in this area so you're going to have to ask what the deal is for your project. You can expect anything from the company pays for the hotel and gives you 35 bucks cash to do as you like to getting a big chunk of cash and you figure out where you sleep and eat, to you pay for everything and submit receipts and hope that you get repaid later. Generally speaking days off are on your own dime, but occasionally the company will pick that up if you are in the middle of absolutely nowhere and it's a huge deal to leave and return. Again, you're going to have to ask.

You should have in your personal field kit: a hiking day pack/backpack that has an internal hydration system (e.g., Platypus or Camelback) and will fit a clipboard, various writing/drafting supplies: mechanical pencil, small engineer rule, lead, erasure, sharpie.... You should have a metric/SAE tape measure, a good compass (e.g., Silva Ranger 15 or the like), UTM reader if you are using 1:24,000 maps, a copy of the IMACS catalog so you can identify historic-period resources, a small notebook to keep in your pocket to write notes quickly without having to dig into your pack.... the list can be endless.

I uploaded this photo for some ideas:
My North Face Ion 20 (no longer made) has numerous carabiners attached to secure a 10X loupe, a whistle, a leatherman, another gen purpose knife kit, my digital camera, and a 10X25 binocular. I also carry a pointing trowel, gloves, a line level, a clip to hold paper to the clipboard on windy days, and a large silk scarf to keep the sun off when needed, a toothbrush to clean artifacts if necessary....

Hope this helps,
Richard

Forgot to mention: There is also a bottle opener attached - shouldnt be w/o one of those while in the field...

Mandy -

Good Luck to you. One thing that no one has mentioned yet,- and this may be a geographically related item - a good bug spray is a must in the Northeast. Not becuase the bugs can be annoying (though they definitely can be) but because these days there are some potential health hazards that they carry which were not a concern in my younger days. Lyme Disease and Erlichiosis are two biggies you can get from ticks and both- especially Lyme - have become a huge problem for archaeologists here in in the Northeast. Be sure to be aware of possible issues in your area an be prepared to prevent or treat them if necessary. Lyme can lead to lifelong health issues if not treated immediately.

Likewise, it is always good to have a small first aid kit in your pack. The company should provide a larger kit for the crew, but if that is in the vehicle and you are miles in to the woods, it is not of much help.

DM

Thanks everyone! These were all very helpful. :D

A couple more suggestions:

I would bring either a small first aid kit, or just a baggie with a few bandaids, and some sunscreen.

Make sure your pack has enough room to carry your gear and your lunch plus maybe a few items that your employer will want you to carry, like a camera, munsell, bags, flags, etc.

If you use a hydration pack and are not used to regulating your water with them it can help to bring a extra water bottle in case you suck all the water out of your camel back before you can get back somewhere you can refill.

Finally, I like to bring some toilet paper and some hand sanitizer for those times when you can't get to the bathroom. Just put it in a ziplock bag.

As far as backpacks, I noticed the medium size military camel backs you can get at surplus stores look like they might be pretty cool for field work. They don't come with the actual bladder and hose, but the packs are like $40, seem very durable and are loaded with daisy chains on the outside, plus lots of little pockets for crap. Has anyone used one of these things?

I typically carry...

A $20 backpack from Walmart, a compass, boonie cap, clipboard, trowel, gloves, water bottle, bugspray & sunblock, and usually some trail mix or jerky.

I try to not invest too much money in Phase I equipment because it invariably gets trashed quickly.

When I was in the Army, it seemed like we always had to pack for every conceivable scenario. As a result, in CRM I appreciate packing as little as possible and realizing that I'll be back at the hotel in less than 8 hours.

KB,

Your point is valid to some degree with regard to expense, but I'll counter that it is a wise policy to buy quality where necessary - comfort and durability in this case. While a less expensive pack (or boots or what-have-you) may be easier to toss after it's been trashed, carrying a load all day long is a lot easier to bear when the pack (etc.) is engineered for such activity. Also, having paid a bit more for the quality, you tend to look after your gear a bit more, and as a wise person told me, take care of your tools and they'll take care of you.

Cheers

[quote:="FireArch"]KB,

Your point is valid to some degree with regard to expense, but I'll counter that it is a wise policy to buy quality where necessary - comfort and durability in this case. While a less expensive pack (or boots or what-have-you) may be easier to toss after it's been trashed, carrying a load all day long is a lot easier to bear when the pack (etc.) is engineered for such activity. Also, having paid a bit more for the quality, you tend to look after your gear a bit more, and as a wise person told me, take care of your tools and they'll take care of you.

Cheers

I do agree in regards to boots and try to buy the best available. But for everything else, I just try to pack as lightly as possible. In the summer, I'd rather risk being wet all day than carrying a rain jacket and don't mind being cold until 9:00am if it means I don't need a sweat shirt. I try to carry as little as possible and that generally means the type of pack doesn't really matter for me. I try to save my good equipment for my free time and ever infrequent backpacking trips. Though, it's entirely possible that my time in the Army has given me a somewhat high tolerance to discomfort.

I've just worked with so many temporary field techs who show up to surveys in $2,000 worth of neoprene & gortex, sporting extremely technical equipment, like they were going to trek through Nepal.

well there is certainly a difference between really expensive gear and wal mart priced goods. But, you can get quality items without having the best of the best. I tend to buy quality items for the field and they have served me well. I just retired a North Face day pack I have had for 10 years (think I paid $60 for it), and only because I finally decided to get a hydration pack ($80, camel back 3L bladder). Prior to that North Face pack I had gone through 3 packs in the course of a year, and not particularly tough field work mind you. Cheap packs I picked up at Target or Wal Mart and zippers would break, seams would tear, clips would break, etc. The key is taking care of it, but sometimes you just get crap. I still sport my $2 toolbox I picked up at wal mart as a dig kit.

One thing that is dangerous is making a big initial investment in expensive gear. Your pack and your boots are key elements, but getting some experience in the field before dropping a lot of coin on fancy compasses, GPS, Gore-Tex this and that, and fancy brand name apparel is a prudent measure. I've certainly wasted money on things I didn't need that I thought would be great for the field, but now they just rot in house somewhere.

I'll second Prisoner's observations, as those match mine quite closely.

The pack in the photo above was also approx. $80, is accompanied by a 3L bladder (~$30), and has faithfully served me everyday (I use it for more than just the field) for the last five years. I've gotten a significant return on investment on that particular purchase.