Here is a short list of items that you should take with you whenever you go on a hike or a camping trip. For general disaster planning, it is probably also a good idea to have the survival collection (from twelve to one) in a small box in the trunk (boot) of your car.
This website is viewed all over the globe, and no one list is appropriate for all times and places. There is probably no need to carry water when traveling down a fresh water river. Special situations usually require a special kit. Adjust this as necessary. Also, this is only a guideline – Be responsible for your own safety.
It was tough to make the list short enough for ListVerse, and yes I probably did omit some important things, but hey, in a survival situation do we really need toilet paper?
Selecting from an ultra lights solos at a bit over 2 Lbs to family affairs that need a car to transport can be daunting. A tent should be chosen based on what and where you expect to use it. This is often the most expensive item in the kit, and depending on your sleeping bag, also the heaviest. It is most important to right-size and right season your tent. You should insist on putting it together in the store before you purchase it. If they don’t let you – take your money elsewhere. And after you bring it home, put it up in rain / dark / etc. – just so you know how.
Like a tent the where and when are critical: wet / dry, warm / cold. Don’t over do the temperature rating. Buy for the coldest less a bit (10-20 degrees). There is nothing more uncomfortable than a minus 20 bag in a French hostel in the summer.
Take off your shoes in the store and climb in. Don’t worry when other customers think you are crazy – you probably are and it’s ok.
Also take fuel, a metal cup, and a soup spoon. I put these all together because these four items make the complete minimalist mess kit (the knife is at #3). The really cool stoves are tiny and can take almost any fuel. MSR has an XGK EX that I suspect can run on just about anything. Peak 1 has one called Xpedition with a twin burner but requires a propane/ butane canister.
Get it anywhere. 1/8th or 3/16th inch should do it. Not less than 10 feet, not more than is comfortable. Also about 20 to 30 feet of fishing line. Packs tight and, oh, so useful. Depending on where you are going, you should add a hook or two, but always take the line.
Just a plain ball type whistle and a flat metal mirror will do. Or get fancy and find a signal mirror, one with an aiming sight. ACR make the Hot Shot, but there are others. If you travel with kids, the whistle should always be with them. Even at the mall. Make a family signal and teach it to the little ones.
It is absolutely amazing how people can go into the woods without a map and compass. Sure Lewis and Clark crossed a continent without a map, but they had mad skillz! Don’t cheap-out on the compass. Read the instructions before you need it. Don’t rely on a GPS. Batteries fail and most electronics die when you fall into the river.
There are two types that never need batteries. A wind-up type or magnetic induction (Faraday). Neither one holds a light as long as a battery, you have to keep winding or shaking, but they will never go bad in the kit. Most have LED bulbs that last way longer than an incandescent.
I hope I get no flack on this entry, but I suggest that there is almost nothing as debilitating as a really bad burn – or even a slight one. A hat or bandanna at all times is critical as well, especially for anyone who has thinning hair. People tend to forget sunscreen up top and a scalp burn is horrid. Oh, do the lip thing also.
Sure the forecast says sunny. But don’t believe everything that you hear. The weather can change rapidly in the hills and nothing drops your core temperature faster than being soaked to the skin. I prefer ponchos to jackets, (except in windy conditions) they can also double as a tarp and rain collector. Some places sell emergency ponchos for a few dollars. Oh, and don’t wear cotton in the winter. Cotton holds the perspiration (humidity) next to your skin and you have a much better chance of freezing to death – not a good idea.
Get one or more of these light weight life savers. They can reflect about 90% of your body heat. Or check out the orange Space brand bags – that way if you don’t make it, someone can find you.
A general purpose first aid kit is rather basic. Customize it for your local conditions. Each person in your party should carry at least a small basic kit. Remember that iodine can be used as a wound disinfectant and to purify water (3 drops per liter, let it stand for ½ hour).
You can take water proof matches, but a flint stick is better – practice first. A basic flint stick is easy to carry and use. The Strike Master Magnesium makes an incredibly hot spark, probably enough to ignite whatever tinder that you can find. When you practice with this though, it probably best to do it outside.
Years ago the basic tool was a knife. I still carry my Spyderco just about every time I leave the house. But in my camping kit is a Leatherman Multi-tool. With all of the garbage that people leave behind, a good multi-tool can be used to turn trash into gear. I haven’t tried their new Skeletool CX yet, but it looks sweet.
OK, this is a tough one. Even if you are intending to be back home for an early dinner, throw a couple of bars (Clif or power – not breakfast) into the day pack. Take things that make sense, though. If you are going into a place where water tends to be scarce, freeze-dried beef stew is probably not a good choice. And when faced with a truly survival situation, start the hunting and gathering as soon as you realize that you may not be home soon. Getting food in the wild usually takes time, if you wait it may be too late.
Assuming that you are in a low fresh water situation – take as much as you can reasonably carry. You will wish you had more. The human body needs this stuff more than anything else. I know there is controversy over the plastic, but I’ve been using the same Nalgene for years. In 2005, 22 billion plastic water bottles were tossed out in the US alone. World wide the estimate is 5 times that.
Contributor: stevenh
Yes, great list (again). I also take along a radio/GPS device and duct tape.
Nice list, but #4′s picture is a little off putting. What the hell are the keys and the fire starter laying on?
or you could go naked and become one with the wildnerness.
and get arrested
sam: haha – it is a lambswool rug
Must have been glitchy. I commented, then the list disappeared. Anywho, I’ll repost, (if I can ‘member what I said)
Does the fire starter really work? Would like one if it do.
I go camping w/ friends every year in W. Virginia, where it always rains. Have tried 3 different tents and they all puddled up inside. Anyone know a specific tent to try (avail. in the US)?
And sunscreen could probably go #1! I always look like a lobster
great list, makes me want to go camping!
excellent list……..
Assuming only guys go camping……as a girl, there’s a few things I’d add, but won’t mention
Wow, Great List!
Something you folks don’t know about me. I am great at orienteering. I could almost compete with that guy that does the survival show. Almost!
The only thing that is not on the list, that I have found oh so useful on my many excursions is a plastic tarp. A big one, they fold up small, add no weight and come in handy. We have used them as a roof for our privy; having a crap in the rain is awful on many levels. Also to make a wind break; easier to light stove or cooking fire in a gale, or provide a dry make-shift eating area.
The plastic tarp (put your tent on a high area) can also be used to make a fly for the tent. Prevents the rain from directly hitting the tent Islanderbst, keep you dryer.
Elsa; Those things you mentioned (sanitary napkins/towels), should be in the first aid kit. They are great as wound dressings, and wonderful pressure bandages. Even guys should have them in the woods.
Great list, though some of them seem a bit obvious…
maybe rename it top 15 items for a comfortable outdoor experience or something. i struggle to think of a camping/hiking trip that ive taken even a quarter of these items.
The only things I would add for camping would be bug repellent and extra clothing (especially extra socks). (Not a horrible idea these days to take a cell phone with you either- for emergencies.)
For emergency preparedness, I would add a portable radio.
davern; I don’t always take a cook-stove, but that’s because I am queen of fire. I also prefer the flavor of food cooked over hard-wood coals. I don’t take sun-screen, but I have an olive complexion and I have a hat. Space blanket is in the first aid kit.
It depends where you camp/hike. We camped on crown land leased by scott paper. We had to move boulders to get the vehicle even close, and then hike to our camping spot. There were no people for miles and miles and miles. We took most of this stuff, plus a rifle. Even hauling your food up a tree, away from the camp, is no guarantee against bears. The noise frightens them away.
I’ve never been on a camping trip where I didn’t get rained on at least a little bit. Keeping dry is just one of those things that makes the whole experience much more enjoyable. The last camping trip I was on it rained for two days. A good rain fly on your tent is essential. I packed extra socks and I can’t tell what a luxury that was to get back in the tent and put on those dry socks after slogging around in the slop for a couple of hours.
Some of the stuff mentioned you’ll probably never use, but it’s important to have most of it just in case something does happen where you’re lost or injured. My brother went camping by himself in the middle of July, he was so high up in the mountains that it snowed overnight and he had trouble finding his way back to the trail.
Or if you’re Bear Gryllis, just go to places where you can see the highway and can stay overnight in a nice hotel.
Bears?? The worst we have in the UK is Midges and the occasional killer Rabbit. Having read the list I’m with bobbi I just want to get ou there especially as it’s such a beautiful afternoon where I am
Very close to the Boy Scouts 10 Essentials
1. Pocketknife or multipurpose tool.
2. First-aid kit.
3. Extra clothing.
4. Flashlight or headlamp with extra batteries.
5. Rain gear.
6. Water bottle.
7. Map and compass.
8. Matches and fire starter.
9. Sun protection and sunglasses.
10. Trail food.
I too woould say bug spray, but I buy Avon Bug Guard plus which is a sunscreen and bug spray and works well for both. Oh and if you have a sleeping bag and a tarp you do not “need” a tent. Since we were adding luxuries items, can I put a camping chair on the list. They have lil tripod ones that are very lightweight.
Great List StevenH. I will have to remember it is here.
Great List, but I have to agree with Elsa. Cotton or cloth would come in handy for most women.
This list came at a perfect time though; I just pulled my tent out the other day to inspect it and get ready for this season. I can’t wait to go camping!
Jwjw, we got an almost identical list in cadets back when i did it. The thing that no one ever brings enough of is sun protection, and i know it seems like a really minor thing, but if you’ve got no water and no food, even if it isn’t life threatening, a bad sunburn will just ***** you off even more than you need…
Sweet, I have most of this stuff already, and I go camping in our beautiful wildnerness quite often. I also go to the lake alot as well, but all you need for that is a tent, lunchables, a pair of board shorts (or if your prefer, speedos), and lots of booze.
If I’m carrying all this stuff, where do I put the beer?
Number seven mentioned cotton holding moisture. That is a big key if you’re out on the water. Wear something synthetic, it will dry much, much faster than cotton, and the cotton gets really heavy when wet. You can get a synthetic shirt to dry in like 5 minutes on a line.
And something for plants like poison ivy. I used to get it bad, but now if I get in it, I rinse the affected parts with soapy water right away and I don’t get it.
Compasses are essential, but if you somehow get lost without one, here’s a method to find north with your watch: Point the hour hand at the sun. The point directly between the hour hand and the twelve is south. North would be the opposite direction of that. (In the Southern Hemisphere, the point directly between the hour hand and the twelve is north.) Useful information.
PT; I live in Canada. We have parks as big as your Country.
I would think the how to be homeless list would be a related one.
MAD SKILLZ!! LOL
Sunscreen sunscreen sunscreen. It stinks, the aerosol ones taste bad, it makes you greasy, it dirties your skin and clothes, but it’s oh so very very very wonderful.
I don’t use sun block/screen. I don’t tan or burn. My cheecks will get slightly reddened but not burnt. As for a knife, I use a Gerber. I love that little thing. It is so wonderful. It is a nice multi tool.
trojan_man: silly question! In your stomach of course
What about iodine pills for river water? That can save alot of weight when it comes to not carrying your own.
jfrater: I’ll set ‘em up, you knock ‘em down.
Interesting list.
I have a question, though:
Do ALL these things fit into a camping backpack? It certainly doesn’t seem like they would to me…
Or do you expect to carry some of these things with your hands all the way to where you’re camping?
Sorry for my ignorance, I’m more of an ‘indoors trip’ kind of guy
Glad ya’all like this list.
Elsa re “lady’s supplies”: True – extra pads are all purpose – not those little panty liner things.
Mom424: True on the gun, but not legal or safe in many areas on this planet.
Trojan_man:Iodine is in the first aid lit – see #5.
BTW: the #3 photo is the Skeletool CX. I accept donations
trojan_man: suits me!
Kreachure: remember – there is a big difference between hiking and camping. If you are doing both, this list can be downsized. If you have fire-making items, don’t bring a stove (too heavy). If you have iodine, don’t bring as much water (again, heavy). Don’t take canned food. If you are on your way out the door and cannot stop to plan, the most important thing to remember is knowing where water is and staying warm and dry. Everything else can be attained in the woods.
jfrater: there are 500 comedians out of a job and you’re trying to be funny.
stevenh: I see the iodine now. Thanks. I’m from the south…reading is not our strong point.
trojan_man: “trying”? I succeeded!
Well played, sir, well played.
As far as it all fitting in a camping backpack, there are lightweight tents and bags that can be used for hiking it in camping. And many camping backs have places to hook them on. Camel backs are also an easier way to carry water. There is a difference between car camping, i.e. driving your car up to a camp site and camping, and hiking to a camp spot. I also like the RV camping
Mom424 with 8ft killing machines you can keep your Parks. Good things come in small packages I’ll settle for home
Trojan_man:
It’s not a question of having firemaking items. If you are above tree-line, or scrub area, or even a pine barrens (a low slow growth zone), it is almost always better to carry a stove.
(1) it is much safer – and it can take dozens of years for an area to recover after an uncontrolled fire.
(2) even if everything stays under control, too many people visit most areas – the natural fuel sources would be gone in only a few seasons.
An open fire is not ever necessary though I agree with Mom424 about the taste of open cooking.
Stoves weigh in from less than 100 grams to a full size Viking range at many hundreds of kilos (Restaurant use only
. We are visitors to the wilderness and should only take pictures. Unless the land owner specifically approves of the use of open fire, I always use a microlite. I carry the firestarter for emergency use only.
JwJw: Yay for using Avon! My mom has sold the stuff since I was like 3 years old. I actually don’t like the stuff they sell as “bug guard” for me the plain old Skin So Soft oil works better, so I just put it on over my sunscreen.
An axe is also a good tool to have in the woods.
When I read through this list and thought of my question, I thought of a camper standing at the outskirts of town, with all the things in this list, staring into the great expanse of wilderness ahead of him/her, sighing, and saying “well, here I go!” as s/he entered the woodlands.
In other words, a situation where you’re going into the wild and really ‘getting into it’ for more than one day, not staying a few hundred (or whatever) feet away from your car instead.
I supposed that kind of situation was what stevenh would think of by recommending to bring ALL these items with you. Again, ignorant city dweller speaking 
So I thought that you’d need to carry all these things on your own, and wondered if that’s possible and practical.
JwJwBean: I was gonna make a joke about how bringing your RV up to the forest instead of all of these things would be much easier
before you mentioned RV camping.
You totally forgot tp (toilet paper). A must-have for me
stevenh: You are correct, of course, if you are on a short hike or close enough to your camp to haul stuff in by hand. I am talking about a hiking trip where you have to live off of what you bring for more that 24-48 hours. I hiked a good chunk of the AT many years ago and started out with a 85 pound backpack. When you have to carry that much weight, you learn to live without amenities or luxuries. A stove and the fuel (usually propane) can seem like 50 pounds when you have to haul it 10+ miles per day. So can a tent, water, etc. The good thing about long hikes, though, is that the pack gets lighter every day.
Great list, however some of the items are not “essentials”.
Instead of carrying a tent, carry two large tarps. Lay on on the ground as in insulator, and the other can be strung above you to protect you from rain/snow/sun.
Also, instead of carrying large quantities of water, carry a water filter/purification system. While water purifiers such as iodine tablets are useful, there quantity is limited. For this reason carry a field treatable system. This system should include a hand held pump. After purifying your water, you use a little bit of the water you just purified to backwash the filter, cleaning it.
Instead of a camp stove, carry a mess kit and some kindle. Make fires when you have to, and only use the kindle you have stored if you cannot procure any on site. Mess kits usually are smaller than a camp stove + fuel, and generally include a pan, a plate, a small pan that can be covered, and a cup. Combine that with a “hobo kit”, essentially a Swiss army knife that is a fork/spoon/knife instead, and you are all set.
great list!!! i would recommend frog type or tadpole tents,these are very stable and reliable against winds.MSR is a very good choice since most MSR stoves are universal which is very reliable in high altitudes. Trek shoes, Headlamps and cooksets should be included in the list coz’ these gears are also essential in outdoor life.
And always remember this mountaineering ethics:
“Take nothings but picture, kill nothing but time, leave nothing but footprints”
regarding ‘essentials’ vs ‘survival’ vs. ‘comfort zone’.
These are different to different people and different times / places. I prefer a tent to a tarp, and it’s worth the extra weight. I do not carry anything electronic or electric (except a small faraday torch and headlamp). A big part of why I would go out is to get away from our cell phone / electric world. However, I do use a mini stove (with a gas canister) so as not to take fuel from the wilderness.
Perhaps inconsistant, but it works (for me).
Hey JF,
Who won yesterday’s competition? Where is it going to be posted?
-Bam
JF,
Just went back to the list–I’m shocked. Thanks for the gift. That just made my week! Email on the way.
-Bam
What Obama said.
“However, I do use a mini stove (with a gas canister) so as not to take fuel from the wilderness.”
What…you mean dead sticks? Lord knows, there arn’t enough dead sticks to go around out in the middle of the woods.
6 things guys need to bring if they go camping with their girlfriend.
1.Your surfboard carrying case so she can pack her full length mirror
2.Good set of sound canceling headphones to drown out the nagging and whining.
3.Make her pack all loose clothes so she won’t keep asking you “does my butt look big in these pants”.
4.Extra backpack so she can bring more makeup than you can shake a stick at even though you will be the only one looking at her in the wilderness. Besides herself when looks in the full length mirror you packed.
5.Memorize at least 3 reasons why peeing standing up is not that much easier so she doesn’t feel too sorry for herself.
6.GPS system to guide you to the nearest hotel so you won’t end up in jail for killing your girlfriend.
Sorry ladies, please forgive me I’m sure there are plenty of women out there that would make me look like a wimp if I went camping with them.
I just never had good luck when I went camping with my girlfriend a long time ago.
Writing this list helped me get it off my chest.
How can you go camping w/o beer? Thats the best part for those of us who are of age.
Lewis & Clark didn’t have “mad skillz”, they had a wonderful Native guide (Sacajawea), who helped with direction and translation, even shortly after having a baby! If anyone had the mad skillz, she did!
jestr and dont forget those of us who are *almost* of age. lol!
Melissa: Nope, Lewis and Clark did have mad skillz. They were bangin mad. Everyone knows Sacajawea was regulated to washing dishes and reading maps, ever plotting to finally kill Lewis and Clark in their sleep and free herself from bondage in an insidious conspiracy to get her face on the $1.00 coin. That would have happened too, if not for Lewis and Clark’s mad skillz.
Wait…wait…her face *is* on the $1.00 coin?
Hmm…guess their skillz weren’t so mad after all. Bummer.
Slick; I’m with you, if you aren’t at a provincial park, and are actually camping in the woods, there is tons of dead fall to burn. I’m not irresponsible, I don’t have an open fire when there are drought conditions, and I leave the woods as I found them.
Blogball; You don’t have the right woman. You would be hard pressed to keep up with me in the wilderness. I can deal.
Seriously we used to camp on Crown land, leased by Scott Paper. The only thing that could make it that far up the logging road were those giant tree hauling things. And then there was a couple hour hike from the end of the road. An elevated area between 2 lakes with a flood control damn. We would block the damn, clean out the rocks and leaches, open the damn part way and voila, a whirlpool in the wilderness.
Great fun. And Bears. And Beer. (the only time I really like beer is in the woods, my canadian heritage showing through)
if you need this much stuff theres a problem, if so then you might as well get a camper
Mom, if I knew you 20 years ago I would have asked you.
I know most Canadian girls are good campers.
Mom242:
I would place good odds that anyone who is outside of the provincial / state parks already have this stuff in a rucksack ready to go. Yes, there is tons of ready deadfall out there, and it is usualy no problem to use. But the operative word is ‘usually’. Many people over harvest, and over burn wood. And open fires can get out of control.
I envy you in where you live. I am very close to one of the major population centers of the USA (NYC) and it is not easy to get to places where numbers of potential visitors doesn’t count.
Oh, and about the beer:
There is a story that Jon Krakauer (I think) once told…
He and a partner were doing a multi-day climb in Yosemite. After strappping in for the night on the side of the rock wall, Jon asked his partner if he’d like a beer.
“What?!?”, the fellow exclaimed, “You hauled beer up the face of this rock?”.
“No”, was the reply, “I put ‘em in your haulbag”.