10 Essentials for Hiking — Beginners Guide

LIST OF THE 10 THINGS YOU SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE IN YOUR PACK

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Whether you are hiking or camping, you should always have the 10 essentials with you. These are things that can ‘make or break’ your trip! While sometimes you may not even use them during your outdoors experience, it’s better to be safe than sorry!

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The 10 Essentials:

1- Navigation

2-Light Source

3-Sun Protection

4-First Aid

5-Knife

6-Fire starter

7-Shelter

8-Water

9-Food

10-Clothing

The first essential, Navigation! Mostly meaning, a form of GPS. This definitely means to NOT rely solely on your cellphone! Most places in the backwoods have very limited to no cell service. Weather conditions such as heat or severe cold can result in cell phone failure. If you plan to research with your cellphone, AllTrails is the best app. To properly make sure you have a back up, ALWAYS carry a hard copy paper topographic map! Along with your map, you should know the skills of map reading and how to properly use a compass. If you’re an avid outdoors enthusiast, some prefer Personal Locator Beacons, PLB’s. These are type of tech that use satellite messages like, ‘Garmin’s.’ These type of gadgets send alerts straight to emergency personnel, with an estimated pin of your location in case of a rescue.

-To be more prepared, search online for a map reading and compass skill teaching class! Check out your local REI store!-

The second is, a Light source! Also meaning, Don’t rely on your cell phone! Cell phone flashlights drain your battery quickly, when you may need it in emergencies. To be prepared, ALWAYS carry a headlamp and extra batteries! Walmart has $1 headlamps, they’re fairly bright and last for a day trip! Collapsible lanterns have been my go to for camping!

The third is, Sun Protection! The biggest type of sun protection you should carry is sunscreen! You won’t regret it on a hot summer day, just make sure the SPF is at least 30. You may also want to bring sunglasses or reflective goggles depending on your environment. Don’t forget, a sun hat! In severe environments, heat reflective clothing may come in handy!

The fourth is, a First Aid Kit! You can buy a complete standard hiking/camping first aid kit at your local box store. They retail around $10-$20 depending on which size you’d like. Any homemade kit should include the basics like bandaids, gauze pads, medical tape, disinfecting ointment, and even over-the-counter pain medication. One of the biggest problems I see while in the backcountry is, blisters! Wrong shoe sizes or unexpected conditions (like a sudden rain storm) can result in the smallest but most painful blister. Blister kits are completely optional, but so worth the few extra ounces!

-To be extra prepared, search online for a wilderness first aid class!-

The fifth is, a knife! You could use this one tool in so many ways. Food preparation, kindling, gear repairs, or even for first aid! A single-bladed foldable pocket knife is most common. To be even more prepared, pack a multitool! These not only have a knife attached, but also screw drivers, a small pair of scissors, and usually a can opener! A necessity under $5!

The sixth is, a way to form a Fire! The most common technique is a butane lighter. This works in most cases, but waterproof matches will drastically improve a cold or wet night in the woods. I carry both, just in case. In my Fire starter kit, I also have a flint kit. Flint and kindling is how I prefer to naturally start a fire, but everyone’s different. (I have seen some outdoor enthusiasts carry lint from their dryer vent as a form of Fire starter!)

The seventh is, an emergency Shelter! This is a form of protection from the rain, snow, or almost any element you encounter. I carry both an emergency poncho and reflective emergency blanket. They both pack down, weigh ounces, and cost less than $5 at your local Walmart! The reflective emergency blankets also doubles as an emergency shelter per most DEC guidelines. The best part of the reflective blanket, incase of rescues, whip that bad boy out to have a bigger chance of being found!

The eighth is, having and drinking enough water! It’s almost impossible to determine how much water you’ll intake during your outdoors adventure! Most people intake a half liter of water per hour. Outside factors such as temperature, physical level of body endurance, and terrain or altitude can play a role here! Once you run out of water, You can never be too sure if fresh water sources are safe for drinking. A packable filtration system, such as a lifestraw, or chemical treatment tablets will DEFINITELY come in handy! I swear by my lifestraw, it’s small enough to pack! While it doesn’t take the natural earthly mineral taste away, It does an incredible job filtering the impurities and also most of that sandy grit out of water! You can find these at your local sporting goods stores!

The ninth is, packing all the Snacks! The fuel for the body! The number one thing I’ve learned from exploring the back country, pack food that doesn’t need to be cooked! In most cases, Rangers say to pack enough food for a day ahead, in case of an emergency. The most simple but effective snacks I pack are Clif energy bars, nuts, sunflower seeds, jerky, dried fruit, and my fav- cold pizza. This is where your own tastebuds come in control! Anything protein packed and lightweight is great! Also keep in mind, how well it’ll hold up during your physical journey!

In addition to food, a simple hack is to invest in, a MSR PocketRocket2 cooking system. It’s a small packable stove, that uses a small tank of propane! Heats water in about 3 minutes 30 seconds— perfect for that hot cup of coffee on the summit! While they’re a little more pricey, they withstand most wind and work in cold temps. A must have!

The tenth is, proper Clothing to wear and pack! Conditions such as weather can flip in a switch in the backcountry! Emergency situations can result in an overnight stay. It’s crucial to pack extra clothing. The most common clothing to bring is extra socks, gloves, hat or balaclava, and extra layers. Weather permitting, things such as raincoats or snow gear. The most important thing, you should pack items with fabrics that is moisture wicking, synthetic, or merino wool. These type of fabrics will keep you dry while sweating and warm while it’s chilly! They should be easy to pack down and as lightweight but durable as possible!

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Ultimately, when deciding what to pack on your outdoors adventure, it varies from person to person. You don’t want to be in a nature vs you situation! So, when packing the main thing is to ask yourself...

Do I have all necessary gear to survive an emergency stay? This is the key to the 10 essentials! You can find more info here on REI website! https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/ten-essentials.html