Whether going on a small day hike, bagging a difficult summit, or paddling river rapids, there are precautions that outdoor enthusiasts take to remain safe. A few of these involve leaving a trip plan, becoming physically and mentally fit to complete the activity, however, the most important step that an outdoor enthusiast can take is having the proper gear.
In outdoor culture, there is a concept known as the 10 Essentials. These 10 Essentials include everything that you need to complete a hike, as well as survive a night in the backcountry if something goes wrong. The 10 Essentials include:
1. Navigation: maps, compass, GPS, satellite messenger, and any other tools used to navigate the terrain you will be traveling through
2. Headlamp with extra batteries: being able to see at night is crucial to being able to safely navigate in the off chance that you need to travel during the night unexpectedly
3. Sun Protection: whether this be sunglasses, especially if you are traveling on snow or a glacier, or sunscreen for days exposed in the alpine
4. Knife/Multitool: this is good for when you need to cut something and perform field repairs on gear
5. First-Aid: this includes all general first aid including band-aids, alcohol wipes, gauze, polysporin, painkillers and wrap for various injuries
6. Fire Starters: this includes waterproof matches, lighters, at-home fire-starters, and can also include a stove
7. Shelter: this does not necessarily mean a tent, but the materials needed to create shelter. A tarp and a few lengths of paracord are great for this, can also be as simple as an emergency bivy (a low profile tent, with not much space designed to shelter one from the elements)
8. Extra Food: this is food beyond what you need for the day. MREs, (meal ready to eat) freeze-dried food, and emergency rations work great for this
9. Extra Water: the average human needs 3L of water per day while in a backcountry setting, so having extra, especially if visiting areas without clean freshwater sources. Along with extra water, water treatment pills and drops are essential as well
10. Extra Clothes: bringing an extra puffy jacket and extra layers are crucial, especially if base layers get wet throughout the day
These 10 Essentials are preached by many outdoor companies, and Search and Rescue teams across the world and have been proven to extend the time for rescue teams to locate and extract victims in a survival situation. Brent Richter from North Shore News wrote an article about a mother and her 2 children who had to spend the night in the backcountry due to poor planning.
Read about a family who left unprepared and ended up having to stay the night in the backcountry here
After being turned around, and not having enough phone battery or another way to reach North Shore Rescue, they were found approximately 4 kilometers off the trail from where they should have been. Adding that they were ill-prepared, the NSR Manager said that because of calls like this, it distracts from other more high-priority calls with patients who are injured but otherwise well prepared.
This story is one of the main reasons that carrying the 10 Essentials with you is critical when going for even the simplest day hike. All outdoor enthusiasts and rescue teams should be able to recite the 10 essentials off of the top of their heads and are usually the first thing they pack before a trip because they are the most important. I believe that more people need to learn about them, and as more and more people flock to the outdoor amidst lockdowns, this information has never been more important.