Monday, July 20, 2015

5 Outdoor Essentials



There is something to be said about the sheer pleasure of traversing the great outdoors with nothing but your survival know-how and a pack full of supplies and gear. But while there are a few things here and there that you may think are extremely important for documenting your trip or just making your entire trip memorable, there are certain items that you would probably want to bring constantly in case of an emergency.

Here is a list of five items that you would want to have while backpacking. Having these items will definitely make you extra ready for those times that you find yourself in an unexpected situation.

  A Knife - Bring out the Rambo in you with a tough, decent-sized survival knife. You will be surprised at the sheer number of choices you have in this category, but you can pretty much break it down into two types of outdoor knives: (1) Dedicated knives, that are built to last a century, perfect for whittling any other essentials you would need out of wood (among other great functions), and (2) Tools: Swiss Knives, multi-tools, and other sorts of knives that literally have other tools built in to cover other functions.  

A Head Lamp (or at least a Flashlight) - If you miscalculate and find yourself in the dark sooner than you expected, it's a no-brainer to have some sort of light ready. If you're standing to stay a night out, then nothing beats a fire, but until you have that fire going, you're going to have to have some sort of light. No, a cellphone won't exactly do the job - it's best to have a dedicated flashlight, or better yet, a headlamp to keep both hands free while you sort things out as the sun sets.

Fire-Making Implements - As mentioned, you may not want to rely on just a flashlight if you're going to be out for a night. It's always best to build a fire when you can. Since the beginning of time, fire has proven to be an essential for survival in many ways. Though you can opt for the tough knife and spark rod combo, there's no honor lost in lugging a simple cigarette lighter around. Be sure to bring some tinder with you as well.

A First-Aid Kit - When you're out in the open, you're definitely going to be more at risk for any injuries while trekking the wilderness. Always keep yourself covered with a first-aid kit to take care of these injuries. You aren't going to be doing any triple-bypasses, but a good, medical kit should help you out with anything from cuts to even minor fractures. Be sure to choose first-aid kits that are developed especially for the outdoors, as these are generally lighter, and some are even contained in a waterproof casing.

Food For The Trail - These usually come in the form of bars, or your good old trail mix bags. Trail food is designed to be as light and portable as possible, while providing you with the carbohydrates, protein, and electrolytes you will need before and after a grueling hike through the mountains and the valleys. You could pack a good number of trail food packets into your backpack, and that will last you a few days without having to cook or return for more lavish grub. You also might look for the best backpacking stoves 2015 for cooking.

Having these essentials means that you can stay put in a given area for a longer period of time, for proper rescue personnel to find you. But at any rate, if you have these items with you, you can be more confident in enjoying the entire backpacking experience, knowing that you have what you need in case of an accident or emergency. Make sure to have them stashed in your bag before you take the first step into the wilderness.