Whether you’re a climber, hiker, mountaineer, or casual day hiker the Ten Essentials are a must! The Ten Essentials reference the ten essential items that back-country travelers regard as requirements to be ready to respond to an emergency in a remote setting. First appearing in “Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills” in 1977 the list has been augmented over time for the modern back country enthusiast. The list can, and arguably should, even change by activity, type of terrain, duration of trip, location, and experience level of individual.
SHELTER is often overlooked. The idea of carrying a tent on a day hike seems absurd. But doesn’t getting caught out after dark or in a storm seem daunting too? It should. Options are abound when considering what to bring. A shelter should be lightweight, compact, and weatherproof from wind and rain. Are you planning on using trail shelters, maybe you only need an emergency tube tent. If your main shelter is a tent you may leave at base camp, consider a bivy sack. These can be light, weatherproof and compact albeit a little pricy.
WATER is the obvious essential. What becomes less obvious is where more is located after you run low or out completely. And when you find it; can you purify it to be drinkable? Carrying 2 liters per person is considered standard but more may be required for high output activities. Consider carrying less if water supply is more than adequate and carry a highflow filter for filtering water quickly. Reference your map to find water that is more than a seasonal flow. Quality filters are made by MSR, Platypus, Sawyer and Aquimira.
FIRE is important for many reasons from heat to cooking and signaling and safety. The ability to stay warm and prepare food can make any emergency more bearable. Fire starters are simple. I personally carry a magnesium fire starter as well as a stove. I can use my magnesium lighter to start my stove or a larger fire for warmth. By carrying both, in separate pack pockets, I become redundant without adding much weight. My favorite starter is by Doan.
NAVIGATION is a tricky subject at best. GPS units and cellphones have come a long way over the past decade but as electronic units they can put us in a pinch. Map and compass is still the preferred method by professionals, at least as a backup. Carrying a map, compass, and altimeter can accurately orient you to your surroundings. Take a course through your local hiking club to become proficient in the case you get lost. I carry both a map and compass along with using my cellphone for way-finding in the backcountry. Gaia GPS mobile app is an effective tool allowing me to create a route plan, follow it, track my progress and photos to the route along the way. This app works wonders by using the GPS embedded in my phone allowing for Airplane mode to be turned on to conserve battery. Planning a larger trip to a remote setting? Consider a GPS Satellite Messenger like the Spot X communicator, see my review. The Spot X has a GPS, digital compass, hold custom waypoints, and even update friends and family in near real-time but also provide professional rescuers your exact location.
FIRST AID KITs are essential to any travel in a remote setting, defined as 30 minutes from professional medical help. Kits should factor in how many people are in your group and how long your planned trip is. A first aid kit is only as good as the person that needs to use it. This means every backcountry traveler should take a Wilderness First Aid and CPR class at minimum and then build or purchase a first aid kit suited for the level of training.
KNIFE can be interpreted as a tool or multi-tools. Again, thinking what we can combine or be multipurpose, a multi-tool has not only a knife but can also feature screw drivers, files, and even fire starters.
SUN PROTECTION is considered essential to preventing sunburn and snow blindness. Long term affects can lead to skin cancer or cataracts. Clothing has come a long way in aiding prevention. Clothing should be UPF rated (Ultraviolet Protection Factor). Garments should have a UPF rating greater than 50, meaning the clothing limits 1/50th of total exposure to pass through. Some fabric types contain natural fibers with an inherent UPF but don’t expect this from every piece of outerwear. Search from reputable brands that label clothing as UPF. Sunglasses should also be used. While glasses come in all shapes, colors, and sizes all should feature nose and side coverings that can be added or removed.
Sunglasses fall into 4 categories. Rule of thumb tells us the higher the number, the more protection. Make sure the pair you choose carries a VLT (Visible Light Transmission) and UV rating.
Sunscreen can do wonders if used correctly. It needs continually applied throughout the day to keep its protection level. Sunscreen should cover both UVA and UVB spectrum. Sunscreen can be cumbersome to apply while on the go. During long days in the sun you can quickly see why UPF clothing becomes worth the price.
EXTRA FOOD beyond planned rations should be carried. When an emergency occurs whether a storm comes in, in injury occurs, having extra food makes unplanned nights and days become a bit more bearable. A short trip into the back country may only require an extra day. Longer excursions, expeditions, or longer hikes may require a few days. Calories are king and key to warmth and energy.
HEADLAMPs bring a sense of safety to the otherwise scary “bumps in the night.” When traveling in the back country a headlamp becomes multipurpose; from a signaling device to a light source when cooking. Things to consider when purchasing a headlamp is battery type, rechargeable or not, weight, and lumens.
Batteries: When looking at the batteries, try to choose a headlamp/battery combo that matches with other electronics that use the same battery. Carrying extra physical batteries means more weight but doesn’t recharge and has a definitive end date once they’re dead. Rechargeable headlamps, with the right cord, can be charged from battery packs and portable solar panels. While it is an extra gadget to carry they can be the same weight as the extra batteries.
Lumens: How many lumens do you really need? The brighter the better? How about those high tech headlamps marketing raves about? Headlamps allow the adventurer to go hands free and have quickly become the flashlight of choice. Features to look for are dim-able beams, low red light beams and the ability to tilt the direction of the beam. A few headlamps even can save battery by automatically adjusting the intensity of the beam. So what is a lumen and how many do you need? Lumens are the total amount of light output by a single source. Lumen’s allow you to buy how much light you want versus how much energy will be consumed (watts). In general the higher the number of lumen the brighter the light. Other factors come into play that affect total distance the light shines. Some lights goal is to cover a wider angle thus more ground with light compared to shining far. Make sure to look at the manufacture packaging and determine what the headlamp is designed to do. Often headlamps will come with multiple modes, floodlight and focused beam. Headlamps should shine between 16 and 100 meters. The lower number for upclose tasks like tying a knot or cooking, and the larger number for running or hiking. Technology has advanced enough to allow some headlamps to automatically adjust beam intensity. Features like these can greatly extend the life of the battery!
EXTRA CLOTHS Extra layers refers to carrying additional layers beyond the layering system you plan on wearing and using during your trip. Wet cloths in cold conditions can elevate the level of emergency. Carrying additional layers will prepare you for the threat so you may change or add layers on top of your current system of layers. Hypothermia and heat exhaustion are no joke. Traveling in a group? Instead of everyone bringing extra jackets, plan to bring a sleeping bag. A bag can be used more ways than as a jacket and be a better aid if caught out after dark. Combine the sleeping bag with the lightweight bivy shelter for an unplanned night out.
Pro Tip: When you’re considering purchasing items above, try to see if the item can be used in more than one category. Can the emergency shelter collect rain water? Does the knife have a built in fire starter?
What would I add? Communication. When responding or working through your emergency, nothing can shorten the emergency than a way to communicate to professional rescuers. Communication can be a two radio if your in sight of town. But better yet a satellite based communication device like the Spot X 2 Way Communicator.
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