Two of the most thrilling outdoor activities for individuals and families would have to be backpacking or hiking. When choosing an outdoor activity with such an element of the unknown it is important to prepare for every scenario before heading off on the backpacking or hiking trail. Backpacking or hiking requires supplies and essentials to make the event more safe and secure.

Protect yourself from the sun. When backpacking or hiking the sun is your deadliest force. From the skin to the eyes, the sun can wreak havoc on the body from every angle. Sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 should be used by every person in the backpacking or hiking team. The sunscreen should also be waterproof to fight off that sweat from the sun. The eyes too need to be protected and a pair or two of sunglasses is the perfect way to add that extra bit of protection.

Safety is a priority. Being safe is essential for any backpacking or hiking trip. Safety can be covered in many ways, but one that is often forgotten is the aspect of getting separated from the group. When a backpacking or hiking team member gets lost, a whistle can help. If backpacking and hiking in the winter, make sure to include a whistle that is made of plastic and that does not contain a “pea” that may freeze inside the whistle.

Bring lots of water. Water is one of the heaviest things you will pack into your bundle when backpacking or hiking, yet it is essential to life. When backpacking or hiking, it is always better to have more than you need and a filtration device is the best way to ensure a constant supply of water. In case of emergency, a filtration device designed for the outdoors can filter any water supply making it drinkable.

Bring the heat. A firestarter or waterproof matches are essential when backpacking or hiking. A fire will be needed for those backpacking or hiking trips that last overnight. But, even for the day trips, matches and / or a firestarter are needed if only as a safety precaution. Safety is the number one concern and it is always better to be safe than sorry when backpacking or hiking.

First aid first. A first aid kit should be prepared for every backpack used during the backpacking and hiking trip. If only one packer has access to a first aid kit, the other hikers will be unable to provide first aid in the case that the group loses touch with each other. A first aid kit should include a pocket knife and a set of pocket tools for everyone.

Don’t get lost. Getting lost is one of the worst feelings of all time. A compass and a map can help to keep all backpacking and hiking team members on the right trail throughout the trip. These two essentials are the ones that are forgotten a lot of times when packing the bundles for the trip. Every member of the backpacking and hiking team should have access to a compass and map.

Hiking and backpacking are great ways to get a little physical activity and become better acquainted with nature and life outside. Together as a team, the backpacking and hiking group needs to make sure that every pack includes these essentials as a base and build the pack from there.

This entry was posted on Monday, May 12th, 2008 at 10:54 am and is filed under Outdoors. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.