What should you bring with you when you go into the woods? Pictured below is my basic kit. (Which is always a work in progress!) There are a lot of other important things you can carry with you to make a trip safer and more comfortable, but these items are ones that I find essential to day hikes or longer.
Things a kit like this should cover:
SHELTER – WATER – FIRE – FOOD – FIRST AID – NAVIGATION
So starting at the top left to right I have:
- Rite in the Rain notepad and pen
- BK11 and Sagewood Gear sheath – one of my favorite smaller fixed blades for basic bushcrafting
- Nalgene 32 oz water bottle – Water is life!
- Paracord
- Handkerchief
- Lighter
- Alan wrench – for Becker knives
- Ferro rod
- Pitchwood – easy to carry tinder you can use multiple times
- Knife sharpener
- Leatherman Wave and a variety of bits
- Electrical tape – also doubles as medical tape, sticks to lots of things and is small and easy to carry
- Another pen
- Wet Fire starter – just in case
- Leather gloves
- Ibuprofen
- Aleve
- Benadryl
- Bandaids
- Neosporin
- Moleskin
- Steristrips
- Dental Floss
- Nail Clippers
- Chapstick
Not pictured:
- Plastic Bags (garbage sized and quart sized ziploc)
- Feminine hygiene products (i.e. gauze)
- Bahco Laplander Saw
- Appropriate clothing for the weather
- Sunglasses
- Food (almond butter, jerky, etc.)
- Flashlight (and backup light on key chain)
Things I need to add:
- Compass/Signaling items
Comment below and let me know what you think! What are your woods essentials?
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5 thoughts on “Basic Hiking Gear”
Glad to see you’re still enjoying the light up lid! You may want a small package of baby wipes a d possibly a small sharpening stone.
Good idea! I definitely had some nearby in my camping box, but not in this little kit.
Sorry, just noticed that there is indeed a sharpener.
Yep 🙂
Chocolate