10 Essentials; you need them to “Get outside!”

Whether you’re going into the backcountry for an extended trip or just out for a day hike where you’ll be miles from help, you’ll need to understand the 10 essentials. Forgetting any one of the 10 essentials could, at best make for a miserable experience, and at worse threaten your life!

Today I’m going to introduce you to the Ten Essentials in a broad sense. The Ten Essentials is a great starting point for those learning how to “get outside!” I will publish in-depth posts on each of the Ten Essentials in turn. I’ll also post about some additional items to make your trips more enjoyable, more safe, and adhere to “Leave No Trace” principles.

The Ten Essentials was created by The Mountaineers in the 1930s and formalized in Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills, 3rd Edition, 1974. Remember that book?

The Quintessential Guide Revered By Mountaineers Around The World

The 10 essentials are:

1. Navigation (map, compass, altimeter, GPS, and Personal Locator Beacon [PLB])
2. Headlamp
3. Sun protection (sun glasses, sun protective clothing, “broad spectrum” sunscreen)
4. First aid (including foot care and insect repellent)
5. Knife and repair kit (multi tool (optional), tape, cordage)
6. Fire (lighter and fire starters)
7. Shelter (tent or bivy sack, insulated sleeping pad) – picture below shows a bivy sack
8. Extra food (should require no cooking)
9. Extra water (means to carry additional water and to purify)
10. Extra clothing (extra layers to survive extended hours of inactivity during a bivouac)

That’s a lot to remember, so to help you can use the following:

The Mountaineers Ten Essentials Limerick
By Steve McClure, 2014

To navigate, head for the sun
With first aid and knife on the run
Bring fire and shelter
Extra food is a helper
But water and clothes weigh a ton

So what do I do? Do I have to lug all of this stuff every time for every situation? I know, it seems like a lot, but the list isn’t rigid or strict, and it doesn’t have to be cumbersome or expensive. Item 1-7 are, more or less consistent, for all trips. Items 8-10 will be adjusted depending upon location (remote and isolated, or likely to encounter other people), weather conditions, etc. All of these items are relatively light and not too bulky. However, carrying a tent and extra clothes may require you to bring a larger pack.

Do I have to go out and drop a bunch of money on the Ten Essentials before getting outside? The short answer is, “No.” most of these items you already have. Yes, you may have to purchase a map and compass, but most of us have a cell phone that can assist with navigation (if you’ll always have reception). You can also buy a cheap headlamp for under $20 (I would recommend upgrading as soon as possible, though). the rest of the items, you could cobble together from stuff you already have.

For my usual day hikes around the area where I live, like heavily travelled cement walking trails and well-populated wooded trails, I pare down this list considerably. I’ll usually take only 3-5, and 8-9.

However, when I’m going out on a trail that’s far from emergency help (whether heavily travelled, or not) I will bring them all, opting for a bivy sack over a tent.

Look out for subsequent posts where I’ll cover each of the ten essentials.