Planning a camping trip? Going on a long hike? Spending the day relaxing at a lake?
These are all awesome plans but they might not be awesome if you’re not prepared!
Below I have listed out 10 top must haves for adventuring in the outdoors!
Sunscreen - The sun is gnarly and does NOT mess around. Always have sunscreen with you to prevent burns and the heightened risks of skin cancer!
Water - Being dehydrated is extremely dangerous and you should prevent that at all costs. Hydration packs or water filters are amazing because you can drink while you're moving or have access to making more clean water as you go! A good rule of thumb is to have at least 2 cups of water per each hour spent outside and double this if in an extremely hot and dry climate.
Snacks/Meals - It is so easy to underestimate the amount of calories you are going to burn hiking or biking around. Always make sure to bring some high quality snacks and even meals if you plan on being out longer than 4 hours. Some snack examples would be nuts, granola bars, beef jerky, energy gels, cheese sticks, or raw fruit and veggies.
Extra Layers - Depending on the climate, extra layers are essential to staying dry and warm. If you are planning to adventure in a cold or high alpine environment, make sure to pack synthetic or wool layers, and always avoid cotton. If you are planning to adventure in warm, tropical, or desert environments, make sure to always pack light, long sleeve, sun shading layers to protect from sunburn and heat exposure.
First Aid Kit - Probably one of the most essential on this list, but I know plenty of people who travel without a first aid kit (which is just NOT safe!). Any time you are traveling, you should always carry a first aid kit because you truly never know what could happen! A basic first aid kit would include bandages, adhesive tape, gloves, gauze roll/pads, thermometer, elastic bandages, emergency blanket, antiseptic wipes, saline solution, scissors, triangle bandage, whistle, tweezers, CPR mask, extra medications… to just name a few! It really is up to you how in depth your first aid kit is, so it may be dependent on how dangerous the activity or how far you are from rescue resources.
Wipes - These come in handy way more than you think! They’re the best for a quick wipe bath, hand cleaner, or backcountry bidet, if you know what I mean!
Full Change of Clothes - You really never know what can happen when you're outdoors so having a full change of clothes is important! A random flash storm could appear and soak you to the bone which means risk for hypothermia or just generally a crappy time. You can either keep the change of clothes in the car or bring with you, but I do suggest putting inside a plastic bag or dry bag to make sure they don’t get soaked before you even put them on!
Hand Sanitizer - Unfortunately, mother nature doesn’t provide sinks so keeping a tube of hand sanitizer will keep the bacteria at bay and your hands clean enough to eat with!
Back Up/Emergency Plan - While you probably don’t need much of a back up or emergency plan for short adventures, you should always let someone know where you are going and when you expect to return! If you plan on backpacking or camping out remotely for any period of time it is good to have a contact who knows where you are, a back up plan if weather or emergencies arise, and have a way to communicate with family or emergency services. Even just letting some friends or family know where you will be and how long you intend to stay could help in a search and rescue type event and be the difference between life or death.
Entertainment - Sometimes there is downtime while adventuring, especially if you’re backpacking. Bringing a pack of cards, a set of dice, or maybe even a small notebook to paint or draw goes a long way. Most of the time you won’t have much service or wifi so phone entertainment is nonexistent. Having some good old fashioned entertainment can keep you and your friends occupied until it’s time to pass out in the tent!
And that’s it! You can always bring more things on your adventures but these basics will make sure you are prepared for anything to happen!
Have fun trekking!
-T
Comments