The 10 Essentials

Thinking of escaping into the wild this weekend? Jake has the essentials you should bring along with you.

By Jake Sonderman

For any backpacking or camping trip in the wilderness, there are 10 things you must bring. These 10 things could be the difference between life and death in a survival situation, but they could also be the difference between having a pleasant hike and being miserably uncomfortable. While I am no wilderness survival expert like some other people in the senior class, I have been a Scout since middle school and have recently finished my Eagle Scout. Early on in Scouting, you learn the importance of always having these 10 things on you when venturing out into nature. The Scout motto is “Be Prepared”; and with these 10 things, you will be prepared for anything the wilderness throws at you.

1. Navigation

In the days of electronic navigation and GPS, maps have become obsolete. But, in the wilderness, batteries only last so long. While it is definitely smart to bring an electronic navigation device, you should make sure to not only bring a physical map and compass, but the skill to use them. Bringing proper navigation tools and knowing how to use them helps you to not get lost, which, in the wilderness, is very dangerous.

2. Knife

Food, Fire, Shelter–the knife is the most versatile tool and absolutely necessary for feeding, sheltering, producing warmth. A multi-tool–like a Swiss Army Knife–is also very useful, though you should probably bring one or the other and not pack the weight of both. 

3. Fire

Waterproof fire starters are a commonly forgotten item but 100% necessary for any trip. Fire is needed to cook food, melt snow, purify water, and provide heat, among other things. I always carry matches in a waterproof case, but a better option is probably a disposable butane lighter. The lighter is most waterproof. If water gets into your match case you’re pretty screwed. The lighter also gives you more lights than matches will. It is also a good idea for cold/wet weather to gather some dry tinder and put it in a plastic bag. This will make starting a fire significantly faster and easier. Another common solution is to put some cotton balls soaked in petroleum jelly in a small container. They are good fire starters. Please do not forget this; it is so extremely hard to start a fire without a fire starter, and it is highly likely you won’t be able to do it your first try (I’ve never lit a fire without a fire starter). If you do find yourself without a fire starter, your best bet is probably to make a small bow to spin your wooden spindle. Check out this video on how to do that: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dptkV1mYZU0 

4. Water 

How much water you should be drinking will differ on where you are camping/hiking. Always, though, bring at least a one-liter water container and a way to purify more water–the best probably being water purification tablets. 

5. Sun Protection

This is definitely the most forgotten item, especially in cold environments. It is always important to have protection from the sun not just to shield yourself from sunburn, but to prevent skin cancer and potential dehydration. Sun protection includes a lot of things, such as sunscreen, hats, clothes, sunglasses, etc. If you’re somewhere cold, you probably won’t need as much sunscreen because of your clothes, but the sun can still get you where you’re not covered and can even reflect off the snow to burn you. 

6. Headlamp

This category used to be “light,” but headlamps are the best option for light by far, so you can do other things with your hands while you have light. It also is smart to bring some extra batteries for a longer trip. 

7. First Aid

It is not only important to bring a first-aid kit but to know first aid, especially for wilderness situations. Also make sure that your kit is fully equipped. There are many short courses you can take to learn first aid, and getting CPR certified is a good idea, too. It would be good to know what to do for small and large cuts, shock, hypothermia, and dehydration.

8. Shelter

The Boy Scout handbook actually says “rain gear” for this one, but many people put “shelter” instead, and I am inclined to agree. It is very important to carry a rain shell at all times because you never know when it will start raining. Obviously, your tent is also pretty important if you are camping, but make sure you also have the proper stakes and a rain fly for your tent to shelter you from the elements. It is also important to always have some small emergency blanket or, even better, a small bivy sack, which is basically a very small tent/sleeping bag. You should always have shelter ON you, and not just back where you set up camp. 

9. Food

This varies on where you are going and how long you will be there. It is necessary to always have these certain ready-to-go foods on you: bars, nuts, dried fruit, beef jerky. Additionally, if you have a bunsen burner, or another way to cook food, then oatmeal, hot cocoa, and other small things are good options. Always bring more food than you need. 

10. Extra Clothes

This obviously varies a lot depending on where you are going. For every trip I always bring an extra pair of socks (trust me there are not many things worse than hiking in wet socks). For cold trips, some long underwear isn’t a bad idea either. It adds an extra layer. 

Bonus: Duct Tape

This one was listed in the Scouting magazine, and I instantly thought “of course.” Duct tape has come in handy so many times, mostly with fixing water containers and clothes/tarps. While this might not sound huge, having a leak in a tent or your water bottle can be absolutely devastating, leaving you or your stuff totally soaked.

Note: All of these things are totally necessary, but it is also important not to overpack. Overpacking only applies to backpacking, not car camping. The right weight for a loaded backpack is about 20% of your body weight. There are pretty lightweight options for all of the items listed above, and it is smart to split up different items like your tent and food if you are camping with multiple people. 

Wilderness Editor: Hannah Hall

Sources:

https://scoutingmagazine.org/2019/08/the-10-essentials-a-21st-century-update/

The Scout 10 essentials: Items every Scout needs in the outdoors

https://www.mountaineers.org/blog/what-are-the-ten-essentials

The Boy Scout Handbook(2012 edition).