The Ultimate Guide To The Ten Essentials

When you go on any outdoor adventure, one of the biggest headaches is choosing what to pack. To make things easier, look to the Ten Essentials.

Walk into any outdoor store, and you'll find thousands of items you could pick up. From shoes to stoves to shovels, how do you decide what the heck to bring?

The Ten Essentials were created by The Mountaineers, a Seattle-based outdoors organization. The list grew out of their climbing courses in the 1930s and was formalized in 1974 in the book Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills.

It's built to answer two questions. Can you prevent an emergency and respond if one happens? And can you safely spend a night or more outside?

The Ten Essentials have since become the standard framework for preparing for a trip, and the National Park Service uses it too.

In this article, I'll give you an overview of each essential, including why you want it and what to bring.

Let's do it!

What Are The Ten Essentials?

Without beating around the bush, here are the Ten Essentials. Click on each item to jump to it, or read on for the details.

Navigation
Sun Protection
Insulation
Illumination
First-aid
Fire
Tools
Food
Water
Shelter

First and foremost, you have to make sure you don't get lost. Even if you're on the trail, it's still possible.

Navigation supplies help you figure out where you are and how to get back. Here are some options to point you in the right direction.

Cell phones are great for maps, but you can run out of battery or leave your coverage area.

If you rely on your phone, download the maps for offline use and pack an extra battery. Then bring a physical map as a backup, which is what the National Park Service recommends.

Map

As old-school as they are, physical maps are timeless for a reason. They're easy to use, lightweight, and affordable.

If the park hands out a map at the entrance, grab one. That'll give you trail details and local geography.

Outdoor stores are another good place to find maps. Staff can often show you which map to get and how to use it.

Here are some places to view maps online or buy physical ones:

National Geographic Trails Illustrated – All United States, plus some Canada
Tom Harrison Maps – California Only
Green Trails – Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, New York
Beartooth Publishing – Wyoming, Montana, Arizona

Pro-tip: put your map inside a Ziploc bag to keep it dry.

Compass

Now that you've got a map, you need to know which way is which. Using a compass is the answer.

Outdoors compasses show you much more than where north is. They help you distinguish between true north and magnetic north, and give you the tools to find your route.

Compasses are lightweight and affordable, making them a no-brainer even for day trips.

Learn to use both the map and the compass before you need them. The trail is a bad place for a first lesson.

Altimeter

An altimeter shows you what your altitude is (get it, altitude-meter, altimeter?). This is useful in nailing down exactly where you are.

Most trail maps include elevation data. Matching your altimeter reading to the map is a good way to confirm your location.

Altimeters come in several forms, and which you choose depends on your budget and how you hike:

Mobile Apps – affordable and easy to use, but less accurate and dependent on your phone battery.
Analog – more affordable than a watch and doesn't need batteries, but requires calibration.
Digital watches – pricier with better data, but they can run out of battery.

#2 – Sun Protection

It's always smart to protect yourself from the sun, and it matters even more in an emergency.

If you get injured on a mountainside, you might be stuck in the sun for hours. Make sure you have proper sun gear.

Hat

The most basic sun protection, and also one of the easiest!

A baseball cap will cover your face, but it won't protect your neck or ears. A quality wide-brim hat protects your entire head, face, and neck.

These are some of the most exposed areas of your skin, so a hat is a crucial piece of gear.

Sunglasses

Now that your face is protected, it's time to look after your eyes.

UV exposure increases as you gain altitude. UV rays also pass through clouds and bounce off snow and water.

Sunglasses aren't just a fashion statement. Look for a pair that blocks UV, and you'll be more comfortable outside for longer.

A common question I get is, "should you get polarized lenses?" They were first popular with fishermen for cutting glare on the water, and they're great for hiking too.

They help reduce the blinding light that reflects off water or snow.

Sunscreen

I'm not trying to sound like your mom here, but make sure you wear your sunscreen.

Sunscreen cuts down the UV that reaches your skin. It's also super easy. All you have to do is put it on.

There are hundreds of sunscreens on the market, but make sure yours checks these two boxes:

Broad Spectrum – this means it protects against both UVA and UVB rays.
At least SPF 30 – go up to SPF 50 if you're prone to sunburn or somewhere crazy hot like Arizona.

Apply sunscreen about 15 minutes before you go out in the sun. Reapply every couple of hours, and after sweating or swimming.

Your lips can burn too, so pick up a lip balm that contains sunscreen. It'll list the SPF on the label.

For your face, mineral sunscreens with zinc oxide are a good option (you know, the white stuff lifeguards put on their noses). Zinc oxide sits on the skin and blocks UV.

Clothes (The Original Sunscreen)

The easiest way to block the sun's rays is to wear clothes that cover you. Instead of applying sunscreen to your arms and legs, you can simply wear long sleeves and pants.

Today, there are even clothes that come with sun ratings. Sunscreen uses SPF (Sun Protection Factor), while clothes are rated by UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor).

The difference is that SPF measures only UVB protection, while UPF measures both UVA and UVB.

A thin white t-shirt has a low UPF, so it blocks the sun only slightly. Sun-protective clothing is rated up to UPF 50+.

Definitely consider high-UPF clothes if you burn easily.

#3 – Insulation

When you leave the house, you usually dress for the weather you feel outside your door. However, things can get cold real quick if you start gaining elevation.

Temperatures tend to drop as altitude rises. That's why you see mountain peaks covered in snow while the ground below is clear and dry.

Another factor is the time of day. Maybe you start your hike when the sun is warming you up.

As the sun sets, temperatures drop, and you'll quickly be reaching for a sweater!

Here in Arizona, the desert can go from hot in the afternoon to genuinely cold after dark. Needless to say, we watch the forecast pretty carefully.

For these reasons, we recommend that you always pack extra clothes. The National Park Service suggests an extra layer that reflects the most extreme conditions you could encounter.

Depending on the location and season, that could be anything from a light jacket to a full coat.

It's also worthwhile to bring a spare pair of thick socks. If you sweat through your socks or step in a creek, you don't want to be stuck with a thin, wet pair on your feet.

Rain Jacket

Extra clothes are mostly about staying warm, but they're also about staying dry.

As much as the weatherman says he knows what'll happen, the truth is we never know for sure when it's going to rain. That's why it's crucial to pack a rain jacket (or at least a waterproof poncho) when you go hiking.

A thin, lightweight rain jacket packs down small enough to bring everywhere. Keeping a spare in the car isn't a bad idea either.

You might think that rain is no big deal, but that's because you're used to living in civilization. In town, you can hide under an awning or duck into a Starbucks to avoid getting soaked.

Not so much in the outdoors. Even if you find shelter under the trees, you're still stuck outside.

When it starts raining, you don't want to be trapped under a tree. You want to get going before the rain gets worse.

Getting wet is also how people get dangerously cold, even in mild temperatures.

That's why a rain jacket is an absolute necessity in my book.

#4 – Illumination

The next essential is illumination, A.K.A. light, A.K.A. a flashlight.

You might be wondering, "why would I need a flashlight when I'm hiking during the day?"

Just like you should prepare for being cold at night, you should be ready in case you're stuck in the dark.

You might overshoot your route (or underestimate your walking pace) and end up hiking without daylight.

When the sun goes down, a light is incredibly useful for finding your way, staying on the path, or digging through your bag.

Lights can also be used to signal for help. Some have a strobe mode that blinks the beam to make it more noticeable to rescuers.

Just like with maps, your cell phone can work as a flashlight in a pinch. Unfortunately, a phone's light is nowhere near as broad or intense as a real flashlight.

It also drains the battery you may need for navigation or calling for help.

Before you grab any old flashlight, consider that using one in the wild is a different beast than home improvement.

I used to carry a massive Mag-Lite. It was super reliable, but it felt like it weighed about 300 lbs, so it wasn't the best thing to pack in a bag.

Instead, here are some better options for lighting your trip.

Headlamps

The standard go-to light for the outdoors is a headlamp. The National Park Service recommends them because they're hands-free.

Compared to regular flashlights, headlamps:

Are lightweight and affordable
Use minimal battery thanks to LED bulbs
Free up your hands

That last point is critical if you're cooking, or if you're hiking with poles and want both hands available. Headlamps might look dorky, but they're incredibly useful.

Tactical Flashlights

If you don't want a headlamp, another lightweight option is a tactical flashlight. These are small enough to fit in your hand, but bright enough to cut through thick forest.

The benefit they have over headlamps is that they're usually more durable. They're typically built with a metal body made to take a beating.

Headlamps definitely have the edge when you need both hands. However, a small flashlight can be clipped to a hat brim or strapped to your pack when you're walking.

Bright Ideas

On top of choosing the right light, here are some tips to make sure it works when you need it.

Start with fresh batteries, or a full charge if your light is rechargeable.
Bring extra batteries, especially on long trips.
If you store a light for months, take the batteries out so they don't drain or leak.

Follow these tips, and your trip will be brightened up in no time.

#5 – First-aid

At first glance, this essential might seem like overkill. Most outdoor trips don't lead to injury, so why would you need first aid?

Well, the few that do can turn serious quickly when you're far from help.

You never know what'll happen on the trail. Between me, my friends, and my family, I've seen cuts, bruises, sprains, you name it.

That might sound dangerous, but the good news is that first aid kits are affordable, light, and easy to pack.

Pharmacies and outdoor stores sell compact, waterproof kits you can just grab 'n' go. There's really no excuse for not having one.

I carry HART Outdoor first aid kits and a Hiker Medic first aid kit. Each one comes with an emergency blanket, which covers part of the shelter essential too.

First-Aid Kit Recipe

I'll admit, there are a million different items you could put in a first-aid kit.

Instead of worrying about what to bring, the simplest route is to buy a first aid kit and add to it. The National Park Service suggests starting with a pre-made kit and modifying it to fit your trip and your medical needs.

If you're more of a DIY-er, here are some suggestions for what to pack.

Bandages, skin closures
Gauze/dressings
Brace or wrap
Antiseptic, blister prevention/treatment
Nitrile gloves
Tweezers
Pain relievers
Antihistamines and an upset-stomach remedy
Topical antibiotic
Your own prescription medications, including an epinephrine auto-injector if you've been prescribed one
Tourniquet (learn how to use one first)

You don't need all of these, but they're a good starting point (we also have a detailed post about this!).

A kit is only as useful as the person carrying it, so a basic first aid class is worth the time.

#6 – Fire

As old-fashioned as it seems, fire is one of the most important tools in an emergency. A well-built fire can help you signal your location, cook food, and stay warm.

The bad news is that creating a fire from scratch is not easy. The good news is that there are plenty of great fire-starting tools on the market.

Here are some of the most popular choices:

Basic matchbook (like you find at a bar) – these can start a fire but are too flimsy for outdoor use. They're also useless once they get wet.
Disposable butane lighter – These are small, available everywhere, and will light under most circumstances. The downside is that the butane can run out, and they struggle in wind and cold.
Stormproof matches – these matches are designed to stay lit in wind and rain. They usually come in a waterproof container with a striker attached, making them a convenient and portable option.
Ferro rod – a more advanced tool, a ferro rod is made of ferrocerium, which throws a shower of sparks when struck with steel (like the back of a knife). They're weatherproof and long-lasting, but they take practice.

At a minimum, bring a butane lighter. The National Park Service recommends matches, preferably waterproof, or a lighter, plus fire starters.

If you'd like to be extra prepared, a pack of stormproof matches or a ferro rod will go a long way and last you for years.

One caution: fire restrictions are common in dry months. Outside of a real emergency, check the rules for where you are before you light anything.

#7 – Tools

The seventh essential is tools. This category is pretty broad and can be interpreted in a hundred different ways.

To me, it means anything that lets you do more than you can with your bare hands.

The most important tool is, of course, a knife. A knife will help you prep food, repair gear, start a fire, and give first aid.

You can get even more out of it by bringing a multi-tool such as a Swiss Army knife. This'll equip you with not only a blade, but scissors, a screwdriver, and much more.

Lastly, a bit of paracord goes a long way. It has an endless list of uses, including fixing bags and tents, hanging food, and rigging a tarp.

For only a few dollars, it's well worth packing.

Repair Kit

Beyond tools, it's also a good idea to bring repair supplies. This can include anything from fabric patches to zip ties or duct tape (which famously fixes everything).

Depending on your gear, you might have some repair parts already. Many tents come with a repair patch or a pole splint so you can deal with a tear or a broken pole.

Hiking poles may also come with spare tips or caps.

#8 – Food

Food is easy to overlook on a short trip, and it matters more than you'd think. Unless you plan to catch a fish with your bare hands, bring some snacks with you.

Even if you're just going for a few hours, it's worthwhile to pack extra. You never know when foul weather or a wrong turn will keep you out longer than expected.

The National Park Service recommends packing an extra day's supply of food, preferably items that need no cooking.

Food becomes even more important when you remember that eating helps keep you warm. A hearty snack helps you fight off the cold while also giving you energy.

How To Choose Your Outdoors Snack

Before you go rushing to the trail mix, let's discuss what makes a great outdoors snack.

Portable – sealed and easy to carry. In bear country, store food the way the area requires
Non-perishable – so you don't have to worry about it going bad
Pre-made – you don't want to have to fire up the stove just to have a bite to eat
NOT spicy – trust me on this one.
Calorically dense – so you don't have to carry a lot of weight

Looking at this list, you can see why energy bars exist. They meet all of the qualifications!

Some other great snacks are almonds, beef jerky, pistachios, or even peanut butter & jelly sandwiches.

P.S. for the coffee fiends out there, it might be worthwhile to pack some instant coffee.

#9 – Water

This should go without saying, but…water is essential!

No matter what you're doing outdoors, make sure you bring enough water. How much you need depends on the heat, the altitude and how hard you're working, so carry more than you think you'll use.

The National Park Service's advice is to prepare your water before you need it and not let yourself get dehydrated.

At a minimum, bring a sturdy, lightweight water bottle. I prefer stainless steel bottles over Nalgene, since they don't give you that plastic taste.

Many people like CamelBak-style water packs because they're easy to drink from. However, I'm not a fan.

The bladder is prone to leaking, the hose can freeze in cold weather, and the whole thing is hard to clean. I stick with a bare-bones bottle.

Water Purification

A water bottle should be enough for a short day hike, but it won't last you overnight or over a few days.

It also won't help if you get stuck in the wilderness and have to find your own water.

That's where water purification comes into play. Instead of carrying all your water, you treat what you find.

A simple option is water purification tablets. They use chemicals to kill many of the germs in water, though they take time to work.

Different tablets use different ingredients and treat different things, so read the label and follow the wait time.

If chemicals aren't up your alley, you can use a water filter. No, not the Brita that you have in your fridge.

There are plenty of lightweight filters made for the backcountry. The LifeStraw is one example: it's affordable and light, and you drink straight through it.

Keep in mind that no single method handles everything. Filters and tablets each have limits, so check what yours is rated to remove.

#10 – Shelter

Last but not least, the final essential is shelter.

If you're just going on a day hike, you might think this is overkill. However, consider what happens if you get lost or hurt.

You'll end up stuck in the wild for much longer than planned, and you may have to spend the night.

The National Park Service lists a tent, tarp, bivy sack, or emergency space blanket as lightweight options.

For a day hike, I recommend at least an ultralight tarp or even a large, heavy-duty trash bag. Remember, this is only temporary.

Emergency space blankets are another useful tool. They cost only a few dollars and reflect your body heat back to you.

This is what I carry. The first aid kits I use each come with an emergency blanket, so I always have one in my pack.

A Step Up: Emergency Bivy

If you want more protection than a blanket, look at an emergency bivy. A bivy is like an ultralight sleeping bag made of heat-reflective material.

It can be used inside a sleeping bag or by itself in an emergency.

The one we recommend is the Don't Die In The Woods Emergency Survival Bivy. It's made from thick thermal mylar and packs into a small stuff sack.

It comes in bright orange, which helps rescuers spot you.

Wrapping Up The Ten Essentials

There you have it, the Ten Essentials.

I know that's a lot to digest, but it's important to remember one thing: the Ten Essentials are a framework, not a set of rules.

Instead of stressing about being 300% prepared, use this guide to think about what could happen in an emergency. Most people never consider what it would be like to be stuck in the woods overnight.

By reviewing the Ten Essentials, you've already put yourself ahead of most new campers and hikers.

You can make this easy by preparing in advance. Make a list of what you need to cover all ten.

Then put it all in one bag, so you can grab it for your next adventure.

Above all, remember to be safe and have fun!

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