The 10 Essentials for Hiking & Backpacking

The 10 Essentials for hiking is a list of items that can help you in the event of injuries, weather changes, or unexpected events on the trail.

The original list was assembled in the 1930s by a Seattle-based organization for climbers and outdoorsy adventurers, to help people be prepared for emergency situations. 

Wether you are going on a short day hike or multiple days in the backcountry. It’s always important to be well prepared. You might not need all the 10 Essentials of Hiking for a short easy casual hike but it’s a good habit to get into, regardless of the difficulty of your hike.

The 10 Essentials are the basic items you should have with you. You might need additional items depending on the area you are hiking in, the terrain or the weather. For example, If you are in bear country, it’s essential to bring things like bear spray, a bear bell or a system for food storage.

The 10 Essentials of hiking & Backpacking are: 

• Navigation 

• Sun protection 

• Insulation 

• Illumination 

• Fire 

• Nutrition 

• Hydration 

• Shelter 

• First aid

• Repair kit & tools