I always carry a backpack. Even if the hike I plan on taking is 1hr long. It keeps you stocked with food, gives you a storage space for any clothes you may want to shed or rocks you want to pick up along the way! It also carries some very handy safety hiking gear in the worst case scenario of something going wrong. The following is a list of gear that’s always in my bag:
1. GPS, map or compass.
2. Camera
3. Knife
4. Tree Book
5. First Aid Supplies
6. Food & Water
My GPS tracks my hiking route, and shows me which way it is to get to my car. It is very easy to get disoriented out there in the woods, especially if you’re in unfamiliar forest, so a safety map like a GPS, a map, or a compass is a very good idea.
My camera takes all of my beautiful pictures so I can look back fondly on all the hikes. Some of the views that the trails lead to are simply beautiful. The Vancouver harbor, Squamish Valley, or a tree with fungi growing on it are all reasons why I hike, and why I take my camera with me.
A knife can be extremely useful. It can spread the butter on your bread, it can cut a torn sleeve, it can cut loose your foot from a nasty twig, or it can remove a splinter. In case of an emergency it’s a very precious tool to have.
I like to carry a tree book so I can reference the vegetation that I’m hiking through. Part of the reason why I love the outdoors so much is the marvelous vegetation that one can find. Even a plant book, bird book, or a soil book will provide you with very cool information if you’re interested in learning about the beautiful outdoors your hiking through.
First Aid Supplies are very essential. I never want to see anybody get hurt out there, but sometimes the unthinkable happens and a splinter, a sprain, or a cut occurs; when this happens it’s very reassuring to have safety supplies to bandage it up and get to safety. Some things in my first aid kit are:
Food and water are must haves. When you’re sweating that much walking for an extended distance, a drink of water or a handful of trail mix is very nice to have. Sometimes the water is drinkable from the creeks you’re going to run across, but often trails are close to the city and are not clean water to drink from. In case of an emergency too, if you’re lost out there, having a granola bar or an apple can provide you with the needed energy to sustain until safety is reached.
Some foods I like to pack are:
1. Trail mix (or Olympic mix)
2. Apples (some fruit can bruise so be careful)
3. Granola or energy bars
4. Carrots
Although nobody likes to think that anything bad will happen, it’s always best to prepare for the worst. If an emergency does occur you will be very thankful for the supplies that you prepared for just that reason. You never want to be out there saying: “Shoot, I wish I would have packed some (insert missing item here).” If this is happening, it’s too late. When packing your bag before the hike, try and put yourself at the top of the mountain and think, what would I like now, after hiking for this long, I could really use a (insert item to pack here).
