If you’re taking a trip into the wilderness you should consider what essential items are appropriate for you and your situation. The list of ten essentials has changed over the decades, and varies from list to list. I don’t know a single hiker that carries the complete list, so essentials always vary. A typical “what to take hiking” list usually has items like these:
Hydration
First Aid kit
Map
Knife
Light
Extra Food
Extra Clothes
Light
Emergency Shelter
Sun Protection
It’s a good list, but I’d like to break it down.
- Hydration – I can’t stress enough, how important water can be. The Deserts in the Southwestern U.S can get incredibly hot. Carrying extra water, a filter or purification tabs, can save your life, or someone else’s.
- First Aid kit – This is also super important. Typically a pretty small medical kit should contain a few bandages, blister treatment (moleskin and needle) Make sure to include extra medications, and allergy treatments.
- Map – A topographical map and compass weigh next to nothing, don’t need batteries, and won’t lose signal.
- Knife – A multi-tool or Swiss Army Knife are invaluable on any hike or camping trip.
- Light – This is the first item on the list , that I think is less than “essential”. I would replace Light with a cell phone. It can function as a flashlight, plus, navigation aid, and in emergency, even call for help.
- Extra Food – Another not quite “essential”, I’m not sure how many hikers actually starve before rescue.
- Extra Clothes – Take some extra clothes, even if you think you won’t need them. Some great ideas are a breathable, lightweight rain jacket, a hat or buff, a lightweight packable jacket, lightweight pants. A mosquito headnet and some light gloves can offer protection against bugs.
- Fire – Keep it simple, a butane lighter and some waterproof matches. A sandwich bag of cotton balls covered in petroleum jelly can serve as emergency fire starters.
- Emergency Shelter – I don’t know many hikers that carry a shelter on short trips. If an unexpected campout is required, a shelter can usually be improvised.
- Sun Protection – I wouldn’t call this “essential” either. If you make good decisions about your extra clothes you should have sun protection already. Sunglasses are really nice unless there’s snow on the ground, then they’re required.
See how we put the list to work on our trips