Let’s Get Started
Imagine getting to the end of an awesome day outdoors, just to see storm clouds building on the horizon. Dark is falling faster than you expected, the rocks on the trails you’ve climbed throughout the day grow slick with rain, and someone takes a fall.
Now, someone’s hurt, no one can see, you’re probably tired and hungry, and you may even struggle to stay warm or dry, depending on whether you’d planned for something like this.
An injury like this doesn’t happen on every trip. But, it can happen on any trip. For that reason, it pays off to put some planning into how you’ll prepare for your time outdoors.
“Be Prepared.” It’s the Boy Scout’s Motto. Boy Scouts are even taught about the 10 essential pieces of gear that they’re supposed to carry with them during any activity. Here’s the thing, though…
It’s not just kids that get this list. The Mountaineers, a Washington-based training group focused on mountain climbing and mountain craft skills, has an almost identical list. The reason? Because we need to be prepared for the most common things that can go wrong.
Both of these organizations- and many more- agree on a handful of basics that ensure you’ll be ready for the unexpected.
What are the essentials? (And our picks for a basic load out to carry with you)
So, what are these ten essentials? We’ve listed them out below, and have explained what to look for or think about for each in this article. Along with that, we’ve shared some of our favorite picks.
The Ten Essentials:
- Navigation
- Light
- Weather Protection
- First Aid
- Knife
- Fire
- Shelter
- Food
- Water
- Clothes
- Tying it All Together: Packing Tips
Navigation
When to Use Smartphone
For many of us who focus on weekend day hunts, using our phone is the best all-around solution for navigation.
You already have it on you most of the time, and probably won’t be too far out of cell phone range on a 1-day hunt. When hunting like this, make sure your battery is topped up, but figure that Google Maps or a hunting-focused app can provide everything you need.
Making sense of public land records through your State’s website can be tough. There is plenty of information available for free most places. But if you don’t want the headache of sorting through out-of-date, and sometimes incomplete land info, you need OnX.
Recommended Product: OnX Maps
Pricing Options: $29 per year for 1 State, or $99 per year for all 50 US states
Why We Love It:
- Deep “layers” of detail, with clear borders & GPS positioning.
- Clear contact info for ANY land you want to ask about.
- TONS of historical information, like wildfires, weather, map management, and offline viewing.
Not the Best For:
- We’re struggling to come up with a downside here. OnX is a great product. If you are regularly hunting the same few spots that you know inside and out, though- you may not get much use out of it.
Bonus Tips:
- Look out for sales around holidays. For example, around Father’s Day they run a 30% off promotion.
About OnX
For many hunters focused on day hunts, navigation isn’t complicated. Many folks know exactly where they’re going and what land may or may not be accessed. For the rest of us, our smartphones have become a super handy way to keep track of where we are, and where we’re allowed to be.
It’s possible in most states to figure out for yourself what public land can be hunted. Possible, but not always easy. Here’s where OnX comes in.
OnX is the most popular mapping app for hunters around. For an annual subscription, you can get all the information you’d need on land in your state, or across the country. OnX shows users public vs. private land, and even contact information for private land.
If you’re not headed into deep back country, OnX can be a great solution for having a map with you everywhere you go. It’s also a huge help for hunters that want to reach out to private landowners for permission, but don’t know who to contact.
OnX Maps is available through the app store for your device. You can also sign up online here.
Maps
Paper maps are still incredibly valuable. Map makers create maps with lots of different kinds of information, and can provide more detail than online map tools for certain types of land.
Where you know you won’t have great access to cell service, or you’ll be in unknown country for longer periods, consider paper maps.
The kinds of maps to use will depend on what you’re doing.
- Topographic
- For backpacking or remote hunting, consider topographic maps of your area.
- Trail Maps
- For hiking and camping on established trails, look for Trail maps. When you get to super well traveled routes, you’ll have many different books to choose from.
- Hunting Maps
- Many states publish land maps by hunting units, districts, or other local naming. Your best bet when you want this kind of information will be to reach out to your department of wildlife for suggestions. In Washington state, for example, you can easily find these maps through a google search, or from companies like Mestker’s Maps.
If you decide to go the paper map route, consider some sort of weather proofing for the maps you carry. Most outdoor stores sell a paintable waterproofing, like this one. Alternatively, you can find clear map carriers that allow you to unfold part of your map for easy reference.
GPS
Our third suggestion for navigation is sturdier than a cell phone, and more convenient than paper: Handheld GPS units.
Garmin is the king of this category. While people don’t buy very many standalone GPS systems for their cars anymore, Garmin has been able to continue making great products for the outdoors.
These can be especially useful when you’re driving into remote areas where Google Maps may not have you covered. They can also be a lifesaver out in the field. Especially when you’re somewhere that your phone won’t help you get back home, navigation is super important.
Our favorite pick for a handheld GPS is the Garmin 64s Series.
Recommended Product: Garmin 64s Series
Pricing At Time of Posting: On Sale for $249 (Original Price $299)
Why We Love It:
- Tons of maps available.
- High position accuracy & altitude measurement.
- Color screen that can be viewed in all light conditions.
- The device runs on rechargeable or normal AA batteries, so you can carry backup power.
Not the Best For:
- People who are uncomfortable with computers. Based on customer reviews, loading maps onto the device may take practice.
- People who love big screens. The interface is adequate and readable, but not as big as a typical smartphone. Those units will need more power, and are often more expensive.
Bonus Tips:
- Search around to find a sale on these. Additionally, Garmin has made many different variants of the 64s. Some come with Bluetooth, cameras, and more. If you like the idea of the device, shop around some more to find just the right combination of features.
Our second pick blends many of the features above with the peace of mind provided by devices in the next Navigation category, “Locator Beacons.” If you want a full-feature GPS that can ALSO help you get out of trouble, consider the Garmin inReach Explorer+.
Recommended Product: Garmin inReach Explorer+
Pricing At Time of Posting: On Sale for $349 (Original Price $449)
Why We Love It:
- Peace of mind. The Garmin inReach Explorer+ is a full feature GPS, AND guarantees you’ll be able to get out of tough spots or emergencies with two way communication and emergency signaling.
- Designed to keep you safe when things go wrong. The rechargeable battery lasts for up to 30 days in power-save mode.
- Easy mapping in and out of the field. You can pair the GPS with mobile devices for more easy communication with friends and family. Even better, you can pre-load routes onto Garmin’s online mapping tool, and share that map with family. The GPS will even show where you are, relative to your plans!
Not the Best For:
- Bargain hunters. While $349 is a fair price for many GPS’s, this is not the absolute cheapest out there.
Bonus Tips:
- Keep in mind that while locating GPS is free across all similar units, two-way communication costs. Expect to pay for a subscription for the ability to maintain two-way comms from the field. But if this is something you need anyway, it’s probably worth it.
- Friends reviewing this online have shared that alternative communicators have WAY more expensive subscriptions. Yes, it costs money to communicate with Garmin’s inReach network– but this is considered one of the more affordable services in the category. Personal plans can be bought for monthly or annual periods, and start at $15/ month (cheaper when bought annually, prices as of posting time).
- Garmin’s inReach network can cover you around the world, making this an awesome option if you may use this traveling abroad.
For Remote Hunts, Locator Beacon
If you want to give more intense, remote, and long trips a try, strongly consider an emergency locator beacon. No one wants or plans for things to go wrong on a hunt. But as you get into more complex plans for hunts, the degree that problems can impact you goes way up. When you run into problems in the backcountry, an emergency signal can provide a HUGE relief.
Locator beacons differ from other GPS tools because their primary focus is alerting people to your location in an emergency. Normal GPS units, by comparison, often can’t send your location to others.
But in the event you get stuck, you’ll have a way to reach out to emergency services or even loved ones not just to let them know you need help, but where you can be found.
The Garmin inReach Explore+ reviewed above is a great example of these devices. If you’re looking for something simpler to just serve for emergency use, though, consider a beacon.
Our main suggestion for this kind of device is the Garmin inReach Mini.
Recommended Product: Garmin inReach Mini
Pricing At Time of Posting: On Sale for $299 (Original Price $349)
Why We Love It:
- Just like with the Garmin inReach Explorer+, this offers peace of mind.
- The device is super small at less than 4 ounces.
- It still allows the best of Garmin’s inReach satellite service. With the device, you can text family and loved ones, or keep them up to date with your position through an online portal.
Not the Best For:
- People staying out of remote backcountry.
Bonus Tips:
- Virtually everything that applied to the Garmin above is true for the Mini as well.
- Consider the standalone beacon if you already have some alternative plan for navigation.
Light
For many hikers, campers, and hunters, treking can get us out before daybreak, and back after dusk. For emergencies light can be a life saver.
But for most of us, it’s a necessity to make these memories in the first place.
Headlamps have improved a ton in the past few years. With that in mind, we prefer carrying two lights in our bag as a ‘just in case’ for any day afield. Usually, this includes at least one headlamp, a small flashlight, and extra batteries.
Below, we share our favorite picks for an ‘essential’ source light across three main categories.
Headlamps
Our favorite way to source headlamps is from REI Garage Sales, hands down. If you’ve never heard about these sales before, it’s worth a look. Enrolling as a member with REI gives you access to returns sales, where merchandise is heavily discounted.
Frequently, expensive lights make it into these sales. When those aren’t an option, though, we’ll fall back to the Black Diamond Spot or Black Diamond Storm.
Recommended Product: Black Diamond Spot
Pricing At Time of Posting: On Sale for $31 (Original Price $40)
Why We Love It:
- Decent brightness in an inexpensive package. The Spot is capable of putting out 300 lumens.
- Waterproof! Taking your headlamp for a quick dunk or wearing it in the rain won’t end your fun.
- Lots of functions built into one small package. This is true for most Black Diamond headlamps, but worth mentioning! With multiple lamp powers, strobing, and red light, you’ll be able to use this for way more than just lighting the way.
Not the Best For:
- People who need tons of power.
Bonus Tips:
- Make sure to keep your lamp locked when it’s rolling around in your bag.
- Like just about everything that runs on normal batteries, keep extras on hand.
Recommended Product: Black Diamond Storm
Pricing At Time of Posting: On Sale for $31.99 (Original Price $349)
Why We Love It:
- More power! Compared to it’s little brother the Spot, the storm produces 50 more lumens for a total of 350.
- Great waterproofness.
- Several new alternative light colors. Black Diamond has included red bulbs in their lamps for a long time, but now also include blue and green in the Storm.
Not the Best For:
- Budget-minded shoppers. Often, more costs more. Black Diamond’s headlamps go on sale regularly, but this one costs a fair bit at normal price.
Bonus Tips:
- Make sure to keep your lamp locked when it’s rolling around in your bag.
- Like just about everything that runs on normal batteries, keep extras on hand.
Flashlights
For many, there’s a difference of preference between carrying a headlamp or a flashlight. Flashlights can produce incredible amounts of light, but aren’t always easy to hold on to in the middle of activity.
Our preference is to carry one of each. These flashlights are perfect for keeping in your truck as well, or including in your everyday carry.
Recommended Product: Wowtac A7 Tactical Flashlight
Pricing At Time of Posting: On Sale for $24
Why We Love It:
- Super Bright Light! The brightest light on our list, the Wowtac can produce over 1000 lumens.
- A variety of modes gives you control over how much light you want, and allows for strobing.
- IPX8 Waterproof Certified, meaning you don’t have to worry about getting it wet.
- Rechargeable battery, reducing the need for disposables. Additionally, it can be charged over USB, meaning you may be able to keep it fresh within your car.
Not the Best For:
- People looking for larger devices. The barrel of the flashlight measures just about an inch in diameter.
Bonus Tips:
- Some users point out that the click button on/off switch can be stiff.
- Additionally, some folks have wished it could come with a cord to be used as a hand loop. This could be an easy addition to the light with some paracord.
Recommended Product: Streamlight Sidewinder Boot Light
Pricing At Time of Posting: On Sale for $32
Why We Love It:
- It’s literally bombproof. If you’re looking for something that will last even after being put through the worst you can imagine, take a look.
- Uses normal AA batteries, making it easy to carry back ups.
- Rated with IPX7 waterproofing certification.
- Built in red filter.
Not the Best For:
- People who need ‘bright.’ It will keep working through just about anything, but produces a small amount of light on its highest setting: 55 lumens.
Bonus Tips:
- We love just about anything that can be operated hands free. This light’s rotating head means it can be set on the ground and still illuminate a space well when needed.
Weather Protection
Hopefully you will take weather into account before you take any trip. In general, it makes sense to have a plan for some basic weather protection wherever you go.
The form this planning takes will depend on the terrain and climate you’re working in. We’ve included below a few basic considerations for this kind of travel.
Clear Days
Even in the fall and winter, many of us in the US can need some reprieve from the sun. It may mean sunglasses or sunscreen; alternatively it can mean prepping for wind even when it’s not windy.
If you’re in a climate where you’ll see a lot of sun, make sure to protect your eyes and skin. It’s just good sense.
Windy Days
Far more of a challenge for hunters is standing up to cold, harsh wind. Be prepared for windburn with chapstick and potentially lotion.
Your clothing choices can also make a big difference, for example by choosing a face cover.
Cold Days
You will likely run into plenty of cold days hunting.
First Aid
As you prepare for spending more time outside, preparing for the injuries that come with that time is important. Just like the notes on a few of our essentials above, not every trop will lead to something going wrong, but any triop could. Will you be prepared when something happens?
A first aid kit becomes absolutely critical to address mild to moderate injuries as your trips get longer or include more people. This is true of hunting as well as hiking, camping, and other outdoor adventures.
First Aid kits are a topic that cause some to nerd out. Our preference has been to build the right kit for us over time. Our recommendation starts with buying a decent kit, and adapting the gear in it for the way you hunt, camp, fish, or hike.
Basic Kit Content
Everyday Carry has a great guide to choosing and updating your basic first aid kit.
Their suggestions seem to focus on easy upgrades, such as adding shears and writing implements to good off the shelf kits.
In addition, if packing for hunting it could be a good idea to consider Quick Clot or other methods of addressing other possible lacerations or wounds. Additionally, items like snake bite kits can provide a ton of value for the space they take up.
Over time, you’ll be able to see plainly what you need when you’re outdoors, and adapt. Additionally, in the face of emergency, you’ll find that many of the items you include in your packing will be able to help in providing care for someone. For example, bandanas or scarves can help brace rolled ankles, paracord may help in securing splints for broken limbs, and more.
3 Examples to Get You Started
Part of one post doesn’t do the topic of field first aid justice. For now, we’re including our three favorite kits to get you thinking about what basic supplies should look like. These kits will be best suited for smaller groups, on shorter trips. Buying something like those in the list below will provide peace of mind and the tools to address emergencies, but also provide a platform on which to build the right tools over time.
Our favorite starter kit after searching far and wide is the First Aid Only All-Purpose First Aid Kit. As an alternative, consider buying up to something more robust, like the Everlit Survival First Aid Kit. Finally, if you’re ready to supplement all the basic care these first kits cover with readiness for far more serious injuries, consider the Everlit Trauma Kit.
Recommended Product: First Aid Only All-Purpose First Aid Kit
Pricing At Time of Posting: On Sale for $15 (Regularly $24)
Why We Love It:
- You have all the bare basics in one bag.
- For us, this feels like excellent value for the money. First aid Kits can get expensive quickly, but the amount of supplies included feels like a great value.
Not the Best For:
- Big groups or long trips. Remember, the potential illness or injuries you may need to treat within your part increase dramatically as you get more remote, or include more people in the fun.
Bonus Tips:
- There are a few basic additions that make great sense to include in any bag, but most first aid kit manufacturers don’t think of. Consider Pepto Bismol tablets, for example. Also consider adding in matches or a lighter and some needles. They can provide immediate relief if you end up with a blister a long way from the car.
Recommended Product: Everlit Survival First Aid Kit
Pricing At Time of Posting: On Sale for $43 (Regularly $50)
Why We Love It:
- Everlit is US-Veteran owned and operated. You’re supporting our freedom and freedom fighters here!
- Yes, it’s more expensive. But it also covers a vast variety of additional situations if you find yourself in an emergency. Included you’ll find a CPR mask, burn treatment, and emergency supplies, such as a blanket, cord, and knife.
Not the Best For:
- The dedicated camp medic. If you’re planning on a large trip, you may want to have more supplies than this on hand.
Bonus Tips:
- Just like above, matches or a lighter and needles are an easy way to bulk up what you’ll be prepared for. Pepto too. Mile 13 on the trail is a terrible time for your stomach to turn.
Recommended Product: Everlit Trauma Kit
Pricing At Time of Posting: $67
Why We Love It:
- If you need help with serious trouble, the tool kit gets specialized. This was prepared to get you out of serious trouble.
- Like our previous pick, we love that Everlit is a veteran-owned company. In this case, your trauma kit is being designed by people with battlefield experience. Personally, that gives me some confidence.
- Serious injuries do happen. With this kit, you’ll be prepared for massive bleeding, some respiratory care, stabilizing broken limbs, and further burn care.
Not the Best For:
- Casual adventurers. If you’re not going deep into the woods or your outdoor recreation doesn’t include broadheads or bullets, this may be overkill. No pun intended.
Bonus Tips:
- Don’t mistake this for a first aid kit. This is an “if things go very wrong” bag. You’ll want to treat it as a supplement to your normal first aid kit. Additionally, if you’re considering something like a trauma kit, it may be well worth your time to look into training as a Wilderness First Responder or similar.
Knife
Entire books, websites, and TV shows exist to nerd out on knives. We love them too. The everyday carry crowd in particular spends a ton of time thinking about the finer details of a well-crafted blade.
While we do love the incredible attention paid during the knife making process by top manufacturers, knives can get expensive fast. If you’re just assembling your ‘essentials kit,’ there are some very practical picks that you ought to consider.
For our focus on ‘essentials,’ we’ll share our favorite starter ‘everyday’ knife, and favorite starter hunting knife. For a beginner everyday carry, consider the inexpensive (but far from cheap) CRKT Pilar. For a utility hunting knife that can handle virtually any task you might come across when handling game, consider the Outdoor Edge RazorLite.
Our Favorite Everyday Carry Knife
Recommended Product: CRKT Pilar
Pricing At Time of Posting: $30
Why We Love It:
- We’re big fans of Columbia River Knife and Tool. In this case, they’ve managed to make an incredibly solid and cleverly designed EDC blade at an extremely affordable price.
- The moderately sized blade should be legal in most places. Keep in mind you need to know and follow the local regulations on blade size wherever you may be!
- The thumb hole, in place of a traditional thumb stud, allows for comfortable opening of the knife.
- The liner lock leaves you feeling very secure. No slipping!
Not the Best For:
- Hardcore EDC’ers. This is an excellent value for a knife you won’t feel bad putting through its paces in life. But for many people focused on everyday carry, there’s a premium placed on the best quality they can get, or the most unique and innovative product development around. This is a cleverly designed knife, but it’s not one of a kind or a breakthrough in metal composition.
Bonus Tips:
- Scout around in this space. On the list of great value for money, our go-to’s are CRKT and Kershaw. If you don’t like the cleaver-like blade shape, there are many alternatives out there for you.
Our Favorite Hunting Knife
Recommended Product: Outdoor Edge RazorLite
Pricing At Time of Posting: $37
Why We Love It:
- A fresh edge whenever you need it. While there’s a soft spot in our hearts for a well-made blade that can stand the test of time, that’s not always practical in hard jobs. Particularly, jobs like processing game animals.
- Makes a serviceable EDC. The single blade Outdoor Edge comes in black and orange, with the black making a great everyday tool. Your everyday knife can pull double duties on the weekends if needed.
- Hunters call out that this can handle some of the toughest jobs in handling the next job after punching your tag on a big game animal.
Not the Best For:
- The Purist. For someone with a strong sense of heritage in their hunting, this probably seems like heresy.
Bonus Tips:
- If you love the idea of a swappable blade hunting knife but want something like a gut hook for processing game, Outdoor Edge still has you covered. One thing we don’t like about most traditional hunting knives is how the gut hook seems too capable of tearing into your game’s organs in a way that’ll cause a big mess. Outdoor Edge’s answer to this is a “zipper knife,” with a totally rounded and blunted tip but perfectly sharp blade for dressing animals. It’s packages with the Razorsafe swappable blade of the Razorlite in the “RazorPro.”
Fire
Most days you find yourself heading into the wilderness, you’ll know if you plan on starting a fire. But as this article has explored, there are many ways things don’t go to plan in our world.
Plan on stashing a lighter, flint and steel, or dry-packed matches and some small tinder on every trip. Yes, it means another ounce or two in your pack. But the cost of this insurance policy more than pays for itself.
Any of those three options work well: lighter, matches, or flint and steel. We typically carry a lighter, flight and steel, and a small package of fuel for emergencies. As with knives, people can get deeply passionate about lighters. But if you’re just beginning to fill out your bag of essentials, make this easy: one or two BIC lighters from the gas station can save you in a pinch.
For a flint and steel, there are options everywhere. Aside from ergonomics, you won’t find much difference between those options. Here is one good option for a pair of flint/ steel combos.
Finally, you may want to have a little bit of fuel with you. This can be prepared at home using dryer lint, or perhaps a small container of cotton balls covered in petroleum jelly.
Alternatively, if you’re looking for something a little more professional and with better ‘wow’ factor, consider the types of dry fuel bars used by the military. Trioxane packs well and burns very hot. The one downside is that it can lose its potency if you don’t use an entire bar at once, and don’t have an airtight container to store leftovers in.
Shelter
In a discussion about how to handle things going wrong, you’ll want some basic plan for how to handle getting stuck in weather, or stuck somewhere overnight. A lot of preparedness for these types of situations comes down to building basic outdoor skills. But again, the insurance policy is pretty cheap.
Something as simple as a kitchen or yard-sized trash bag can be used in many different ways to keep you dry and block some wind if you find yourself stuck somewhere you don’t want to be.
Take a couple, and use one to pack out all the garbage that others have left. The feeling you get making the world a better place is almost better than leaving the land better than you found it.
Food
You’re probably seeing a theme by now. Yes, some of the items on this list may seem like added weight to whatever you’re doing. In the case of food, though, you are probably already considering bringing some food with you on any trip outside lasting more than a few hours.
Just about anything you plan for your normal trips will adapt well to your essentials packing as well. Focus on having a small amount set aside for emergencies. The ideal food is high in calories, ready to eat, and isn’t messy. Good examples can include protein bars (our go-to), individual serve packs of peanut butter, or more classic hiking food like beef jerky and trail mix.
If you’re reading this, you’re capable of picking your favorite snacks for your next trip outside. There’s no selling to be done here. But, we will give a nod to one of our favorites for the sake of easily packing some no-fuss backup food.
For their size and weight, we’re big fans of Costco’s protein bars. They normally come in at about a dollar apiece and taste pretty great for a shelf-stable bar that lasts a very, very long time. There’s no thought required to keep a couple of these in the bottom of your ‘go bag’ for romps in the wild.
Water
Your water needs will be heavily influenced by where you’re going, and how long you’ll be gone.
On the shorter end, you may just need a Nalgene stashed in your bag for a simple partial day in the field. We also have a soft spot in our hearts for Camelbaks, if you normally hunt with some sort of backpack.
For longer trips, though, you’ll need to consider how to collect and treat water as you go. A small backpacking filter is an excellent solution for this. If you want to pack a light backup, though, the right answer is the LifeStraw. At about $17, it’s an easy buy that can give you confidence when you leave home, and only weighs about two ounces.
Clothing
Dressing for your activity, and dressing well, is an enormous topic, as are all of the items on the list of essentials. To get you pointed on the right path, you’ll need to consider the activity you’re embarking on, where you’ll be, and what you know about the weather in that area.
Based on the activity, you’ll have a sense of what might be required to dress for success. Duck hunting, for example, is way more pleasant in waterproof waders than jeans. Deer hunting, on the other hand, isn’t as likely to force you into water.
After considering the basics of what you’re doing and what you need out of your clothing to enjoy that activity, focus in on where you’re going, and the weather you may encounter. Stalking deer through mountains and valleys just ahead of the first snowfall will require a different set of layers and colors than laying on frozen earth waiting for geese to fly into a field.
What does the temperature swing look like where you’re headed? How about precipitation and humidity? Do you anticipate storms of any kind? All of that may influence the right set of clothes for the occasion.
Once you have a basic understanding of what’s going to keep you comfortable, plan on making your clothes adaptable for the situations at hand. In most outdoor activities, you’ll find two lighter layers can do a better job than one thick layer- and they allow for more flexibility, too.
Finally, we normally plan on keeping one simple layer in addition to what we think we’ll need. It’s better in a pinch to have something small to take the edge off the cold, than to freeze. With so much of our hunting taking place during fall and winter in the US, it’s just good sense to be ready for the cold.
How to pack for the outdoors
If you didn’t plan it out, this could be a ton of stuff to lug around…. But especially if you made it to the end of this, it’s clear you take planning and preparation seriously. And that’s sure to pay off.
The thing is, after putting so much thought into the basics you want to have on hand for anything the world throws at you, you don’t need to pack that much heavier than you would already for whatever you’re doing.
If the basics included above don’t fit well into the bag you normally use for the kind of hiking, hunting, or camping you do, consider a small Molle pack or similar to organize these essentials. A small organizer like this one can make it very easy to transfer and keep these essentials with you. Ours normally lives in the truck, and gets swapped into any bag we take into the wild.
Feeling ready to conquer some new adventures? We’d love to hear about gear you love, and how we did in making our picks.Let us know what you think!