Whether you are heading down the trail for a quick hike or gearing up for a long trek, you don’t want to forget these essential items. You’ll need to start somewhere and this list is a place to start the discussion. There are many versions of these essential things and infinite options for each item. Of course you will want to scale down or up these items based on your specific outing needs. For example, the first-aid kit I take with me on a week long backing trip is vey different from the first-aid kit I take with me for a local day hike. So lets walk through the 10 essential items.
Flash light
For me, a simple headlamp works well for almost all situations here. Light weight and easy to pack even for a day hike when you maybe coming in around or after dark. Seldom have I ever needed a handheld style flashlight when hiking. As a trek pole user I prefer the headlamps as it keeps your hands free for other purposes. I would not recommend overly fancy lights or headlamps needing special or button batteries. I’ve seen hikers left in the dark because they couldn’t find replacement batteries in town. Keep it simple, AAA or AA batteries are every where. For short hikes, just make sure you have fresh batteries. For longer treks maybe pack an extra set of batteries.
Pocket Knife
Useful for light cutting and trimming. My primary hiking knife is a small simple folding two blade pocket knife. It’s useful for cutting moleskin, opening meal pouches, chopping beef jerk, even getting out the occasional splinter.
Extra Clothing
This can be a simple change of socks, or a change of underwear, or several days of layered clothing. For a local day hike, I might take an extra pair of socks if I thing the trail will be wet. It’s nice to change in to dry socks for the drive home. For backpacking, a hiker travels on their feet so socks are important. For clothing, I usually only pack a change of base layer/underwear, but will always take at least 3 pairs of socks. One pair for today, one pair for tomorrow, and one pair only for sleeping. I try to keep my sleeping socks clean, dry, and reserved only for sleeping. I’ll hike in a pair, then swap them out the next day. My yesterday pair will hang and dry/air on my pack and become my “tomorrow” pair.
First-aid Kit
You can pick up a simple first-aid kit just about any where not much bigger than a deck of cards or even make your own. However you really do need to know how to use what you pack. If you’ve never had any first-aid training, look up an organization like the Red Cross for training in your area, you can even do some of the training on-line. For a day hike a small zip-lock bag with a bit of moleskin and a few bandages is probably enough to get started. For longer hikes I carry a small group kit (I often hike with small groups) containing things like bandages, gauze pads, tape, extra mole skin, antibiotic ointment, ace wrap, KT-tape, some simple over-the-counter meds like aspirin, Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Benadryl, Imodium, small scissors, small tweezers, and the such.
Matches or Fire Starter
What’s really needed here is a way to start a fire incase you get lost. This is a survival type situation item here. A butane lighter with some sort of fire starting aid like dry lint or tinder, in a small container works too. My stove has a piezo lighter/igniter, but I also carry a small butane lighter or a small box of water proof matches, just in case the igniter breaks (it has).
Map and Compass
Even when starting out on a well marked trail you need to know where you’re headed and be able to navigate basic directions. I did a day hike from Newfound Gap with my dad a few years ago in the Great Smokie Mountains. We came across a hiker heading our same direction. Long story short, he was lost on a well marked trail and had to backtrack to his start. If you’re using your cell phone or an app as many people (including myself), a compass is a great battery free, water proof, quick and easy to use tool to aid you in finding your way and help keep you from getting lost. This is the compass always take with me backpacking. It’s a older Silva Starter compass I’ve had for years. It’s simple and works well enough to navigate with.
Water Storage
For a simple day hike I typically use a standard 1-liter Nalgene style bottle or something of equal capacity. When backpacking, my number 1 recommendation and go-to is the Platypus hydration bottles. I always carry two Platy 2-liter flexible bottles as part of my hydration system. They are very light, tough, fold flat when empty and form to the pack contents. Having two of these bottle gives me flexibility in my water carry based on weather and trail conditions for only ounces. For long treks where potable water may not be available, you also need to consider water treatment options.
Trail Food
This is snacks to maintain hiking energy between meals. Any kind of favorite trail mix or granola is a nice treat to nibble on as your walking. This can be a simple homemade trail mix or can also be something like trail snack bars such as Cliff, RxBar, Nature Valley, & PowerBar. These generally pack and keep well. Watch out for some of the snack bars with chocolate drizzle or coatings, when the weather is warm they can be a mess. Pack an extra bar for those “just in case” times.
Rain Gear
This can be as simple as a disposable poncho or as complicated as a full rain suit. From my experience, if it rains, you will get wet. Regardless of the rain gear. My preferred rain gear is the light wind rain jacket with a hood shown. It breaths well and keeps most of the rain off me. It’s great for short or long hikes, it packs down nicely, and it works well when used as an outer shell over layer or alone as a light rain jacket. An umbrella is also a good option I’ve used on some trails. If I know I’ll be out in a monsoon, I may pack a full rain suit with jacket and pants. A lot of rain can be chilling, carrying away a lot of body heat, and lead to hypothermia.
Sun Protection
Here again, an umbrella pulls double duty and works well. Hats, long sleaves shirts, and sunscreen lotions are also great picks. Consider where you will be hiking and the forecasted weather. Look for a small sport stick sunscreen. At just a couple ounces it can help cover the high burn areas like the tops of ears, nose, cheeks, and shoulders without adding lots of weight to your pack.
It’s a good habit to pack some version of these “Ten Essentials” whenever you head out into the backcountry. Even for day hikes, consider carrying with you water, a snack, maybe a pocket knife, and small first-aid kit. You may use only a couple items or even none at all. But when something goes astray, you will appreciate being prepared.
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