Whether venturing out in the backcountry for a day hike, or multi-day excursions, you want and need to put your safety first.
Nature is a beautiful thing, but it is also powerful and unpredictable.
No matter if you are a beginner hiker, or a more experienced one, you want to make sure you build good packing habits and bring the necessary equipment with you.
In the 1930s The Mountaineers, a Seattle-based organization for climbers and outdoor adventurers, developed a list of equipment to prepare for emergencies while hiking.
The list sought to answer two questions:
- Can you prevent emergencies and respond positively should one occur?
- Can you safely spend a night outdoors?
Over the years the list has evolved more into a safety system, rather than a list of “must-bring” items.
The list was formalized in 1974 and is in many ways the go-to guide for everyone wanting to spend time on the trails and up in the mountains.
However, don’t forget that this list is a guide, and the list should be tailored to the hike and conditions ahead of you.
The Ten Hiking Essentials
- Navigation
- Headlamp (illumination)
- First-aid
- Fire
- Shelter
The first seven items on the list tend to be what you bring on all your hikes, while the last three will depend greatly on the type of hike you have planned.
Navigation
Navigation skills are essential for serious hikers.
Knowing where you are in the terrain, and how to find you your way to your destination, or back to where you started, can mean the difference between life and death in extreme cases.
There are many smaller hikes with well-established paths and signposts etc where you may not require navigation. However, having access to navigational tools in your backpack offers a lawyer of security.
When it comes to navigation, It is better to have it, and not needing it, than needing it, and not having it!
The more experienced and “hard-core” hikers, especially those who do multi-day hikes, will have a topographic map and a compass (one is not good without the other).
Today with technology being so abundant and available, many hikers invest in a GPS device. If you do get one, make sure you get one that is built for the outdoors and is both waterproof and rugged.
Most smartphones will also come with a compass app built-in, or with the ability to download one. There is a wide variety on the market. However, be mindful that you may not have cell service up in the mountains, so make sure you get a GPS-enabled app!
Do not exclusively rely on a mobile phone while hiking and don’t forget that phones will run out of battery. And if there is no cell service, the device will use more power trying to search for a connection, thus emptying the battery faster than usual.
Bringing some sort of battery bank is wise if you use your cell phone for navigation.
Headlamp
In case you get caught by the dark, you want to have some sort of illumination in your backpack.
With the original list, and up until fairly recently, this point would say a flashlight. However, with the convenience and availability, we recommend having a headlamp vs a flashlight.
A flashlight will get the job done, however, having a source of light attached to your head and having your hands free makes everything much easier.
Just remember to check your headlamp before your hike, and have extra batteries in the backpack.
A word for warning. Smartphones today come with a flashlight function. However, this light is too weak to replace a flashlight or headlamp as a meaningful light source. Therefore, don’t rely on your phone as your only light source!
Sun Protection
There is nothing more magical than spending time up in the mountains on a sunny day.
But a beautiful sunny day out in nature can quickly turn into a nightmare if you do not have the proper protection and care.
Weather changes fast, and even if you set out for a hike and it is cloudy and grey, it can clear up fast and the sun can start to bake.
Make sure you have these sun-protecting items in your backpack:
- Sunscreen of at least 15 SPF. You want to apply it to your skin about every 2 hours. And don’t forget places like the back of your neck, your ears, under your chin and nose.
- Lip balm with SPF protection. Burned, bleeding and sore lips are no fun!
- Sunglasses to protect your eyes. If you are hiking over longer distances in the snow, you should look into getting glacier sunglasses, too.
- Hiking hats. Protecting your head from overheating is important. A cap is good, but for long days in the sun hiking with a full brim hat is recommended.
- You may want to consider buying sun-protecting hiking clothes. We have an abundance of options available in our flagship retail store.
First-aid
Always have a first-aid kit in the backpack. Accidents happen and having access to medical aid is always a plus.
You can buy pre-assembled first aid kits, or put them together yourself. We highly recommend utilizing our Grab-N-Go as your own DIY first aid kit pouch.
At a very minimum you want to make sure you have bandages of various sizes, gauze pads, adhesive tape, disinfectant, pain-killers, pen and paper, latex gloves, and blister treatment.
Make it a habit to fill up your first aid kit as soon as you return home if you use any during your hike.
Knife
A knife is a versatile tool for hikers. A knife can be used for anything from cooking to gear repair and first aid.
Knives come in many forms and sizes. Which one you bring may vary depending on what kind of hike you are embarking on.
A multitool can be a great choice for smaller trips, and maybe you want to add a bigger knife in addition if you are going on a longer hike.
Fire
Being able to light a fire to keep warm or to cook outdoors are great skills to have.
Bringing regular lighters or matches work, but should not be your only fire source.
A firestarter/flint is a neat device that takes up very little space. And if you pair this with a couple of our wax fire starters, you have a great tool for easily getting fires started.
Shelter
Bringing some sort of shelter along your hike in case you have to spend the night is wise. A lightweight tarp or bivy is a great option for those going on day-hikes. They do not weigh a lot and can even be used as shelter from the sun if it is an extremely hot day.
Those on a multiday hike will bring their tents for sleeping outdoors, so this point is more than anything targeted for the day hikers.
Nutrition (and extra food)
You should always bring more food than you need, seriously.
A day (or several days) on a hike will burn a multitude of calories and it is important to fill up your energy resources.
It is also important to have extra food in case of an emergency and you get stuck overnight in the backcountry.
We recommend bringing along energy-dense food like nuts, seeds, dried fruits, nutrition bars, and jerky.
We also offer a delicious selection of camping food in-store and online.
Do not forget that hiking is also fun and a great way to spend time with friends and family. So bring some snacks as well and have a great ol’ time together in nature!
Hydration (and extra water)
If you will only take one thing away from this whole article, then it is this: bring water!
Hydration is essential for human function and you will sweat and lose lots of liquid when hiking.
If you do not hydrate enough, you will start to feel sluggish and lose power. And we certainly do not want that! We want to enjoy and feel great, and water (and nutrition) is key for that!
Depending on how long you will hike, the amount of water you will need varies. If you have a full day planned, or even two or more, carrying all the needed water will not be feasible. Therefore you should check if there are water sources available along the trail, in the forms of rivers and lakes.
Bringing a backpacking water filter can be smart if you don’t know for sure there are clean water sources available.
Our Wanderer Pack has two large water-bottle side pockets that fit up to a 40 oz water bottle.
Extra clothes
You should be aware that the weather on the mountain can change very quickly. Just because it is sunny and warm at the start of the hike, is not guaranteed that it will stay this way, or that the same temperatures will be higher up.
Bring extra clothes beyond what is required for the trip!
An extra lawyer at a minimum, preferably merino wool, and some sort of windbreaker and possibly a synthetic layer like a fleece. An extra pair of woolen socks are advised as well.
Wool clothes may sound a bit strange for summer hiking. But wool is a natural material that will wick water and sweat away from your body and keep you dry. This technology keeps our body temperature regulated. A pair of merino wool socks will feel like a good hug around your feet while hiking. We highly recommend these American Made socks by Darn Tough.
A word of warning about cotton. Cotton t-shirts in particular are not recommended for hiking. They get wet, soggy, cold, and do not transport sweat/water away from the body as wool does and you risk getting cold faster. At a minimum wear synthetic sports clothing/t-shirts.
Wishing you all a safe and enjoyable hike. Continue unplugging from the indoors and recharging in the outdoors.
– Happy adventuring, friends!
- Guest post was attributed by Thomas Sorheim of Lesiurehiking.com.
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