Being safe on the trails is one of the most important things you should think about when planning your hiking trip. That starts with carrying the basic survival kit items on every hike. But what should you take?
While there are many factors to consider, such as the climate, the difficulty of the trail, and the type of environment you want to hike in, trail safety also includes being prepared for emergencies. This includes first aid emergencies as well as weather emergencies.
The first thing you should do to prepare for emergencies is to put together a first aid kit. Make sure to keep this kit in your day pack.
Every kit should contain the basic items. You can add additional items as needed depending on your hike. These are the must have items for any first aid kit:
Basic Hiking First Aid Kit
- Bandaids
- Antibiotic Cream (Neosporin)
- Blister Pads
- Antiseptic/Alcohol Wipes
- Tweezers (in case of splinters or ticks)
- Headache/Anti-inflammatory Medicine
Treating Most Common Hiking Ailments
In addition to the basic items, you should have items to treat the three most common hiking ailments after blisters: sunburn, bug bites, and cuts.
Sunscreen/Aloe Vera Gel – Always wear some form of sunscreen, even in winter. And if you burn easily, bring aloe vera gel to help soothe your skin. It’s always better to have it with you and not need it, then to need it and have to go shopping around to find it.
Bug Spray/Benedryl or Antihistamine Cream – Bring bug spray to keep the mosquitoes and ticks at bay, but bring the benedryl cream in case you do get bit.
Gauze Pads/Medical Tape – Gauze is needed for cuts that are larger than the band-aids. You’ll need medical tape to hold it to your skin.
Treating Bigger Injuries
If you’re going on longer hikes or hikes that have a higher difficulty rating, you should consider taking items to treat sprains/strains. It doesn’t take much to roll your ankle in the woods and while most of the time you can probably walk it off, sometimes, it may call for a little more first aid.
In order to treat strains and sprains, you should include:
Ace Bandage – Bring an ace bandage in case you twist your ankle or sprain a wrist while hiking. (Urgent Care clinics will often charge $40 just for one ace bandage and often it goes against your deductible. I found this out the hard way.)
Triangular Bandage and Safety Pins – This is not as common of an item but it’s still important to have. If you were to hurt your shoulder or arm, you’ll need to make a sling in order to hold your arm in place. These are super tiny and compact and also cheap to add to your kit.
Advanced Items for Advanced Hikes
If you are going to be doing difficult and long hikes, there are a couple of extra first aid items you should include. Just remember that the further the hike, the longer it will take for help to arrive.
The extra items you should consider are:
Blood Clotting Agent (Hemostatic Agent)
While this is not a common item carried by hikers, you should definitely consider carrying a packet or two. A blood clotting agent is a type of powder that when sprinkled over a cut or puncture wound will help the blood coagulate and help stop blood loss.
So when should you carry this? If you’re going on a long hike, a hike with steep drops or rocky terrain, or a hike in bear country, this should be in your first aid kit. If you become severely injured, this might just help save your life.
Also, currently with the pandemic, there are signs posted in the national parks to let you know that there are fewer rangers on duty. They are basically warning signs to let you know that if you are in need of rescue, it might take them longer to reach you.
Tourniquet
Tourniquets while not a very common item to carry with you on a hike, can be extremely useful in dangerous situations.
When do you need to pack a tourniquet? You should pack one for the same types of hikes as the blood clotting agent.
Tourniquets can be used in place of a blood clotting agent. They can also be used with a blood clotting agent. The blood clotting agent can help reduce the time that a tourniquet needs to be applied.
I highly recommend taking a basic first aid class before attempting to use a tourniquet so that you know how and when to use a tourniquet. The Red Cross currently offers online first aid classes for $35.00.
Surviving the Natural Elements
So now that you’ve packed up your first aid kit, let’s talk about packing for weather emergencies and other emergency items that should be in your day pack or backpack.
Emergency Shelter and Emergency Blanket
Weather on the trails can be extremely unpredictable and sometimes you might need to take shelter rather than trying to make it back to your car. Lightning strikes are more dangerous at higher elevations.
An emergency shelter is easy to pack and easy to put up if you are caught in a bad storm. And sometimes, there are huge temperature swings that accompany those storms. It can be hot and humid, and then the temperature could drop severely after a storm rolls through.
If all you have on is a t-shirt, an emergency blanket will provide some extra warmth. You should always take an extra outer layer of clothing with you on the trails, but an emergency blanket provides a little extra protection from the cold.
Compass
While you should always stick to the trail and follow trail markers, sometimes multiple hiking trails intersect and you may end up on the wrong trail. If you end up getting lost, you may need a compass to point you in the right direction towards the trailhead.
GPS devices can be useful also, however, they can also malfunction. You should always have a compass as a backup.
Flashlight or Head Lamp
Sometimes you may have to start your hike early. And sometimes on longer hikes, you may misjudge how long it will take you to get back to your car. If you end up taking the hike at a slower pace or you forget to check what time sunset is, you could be hiking in the dark.
Flashlights can be powerful tools, but head lamps are hands free. They are easy to pack and lightweight on your head and will keep you from tripping over rocks and tree roots as you make your way back to the trailhead.
Whistle
If anything bad should happen on the trails, a whistle is the most important tool you can carry to alert other hikers and let them know that you are in need of help. Three short blasts on the whistle are all you need to signal that you are in distress. This should be repeated once every minute until help arrives.
Repeating the signal helps hikers distinguish the sound from that of other animals. (When a marmot screams, it sounds exactly like a whistle!)
Pocket Knife
Pocket knives are not always a necessity but occasionally you may need them. You may need one to open food wrappers or to cut medical tape if it doesn’t tear easily. And if you’re hiking alone, it may offer some protection.
Poncho or Rain Coat
Rain and storms can happen suddenly in the mountains. Even if it’s sunny in the morning, it’s better to come prepared.
Bear Bell and Bear Spray
These will usually go hand in hand in bear country. You will know if you are in bear country because there will be signs posted everywhere. One dead giveaway is if you see a trash can that looks like it has a child proof lock on it. (That’s to keep the bears out.)
The bear bell should go on the outside of your day pack or backpack and the bear spray should be within reach while you’re hiking. You can attach it to your pack, or attach it to your belt loops.
Before you hit the trails, make sure you have read all the instructions for the bear spray and have tested it out safely. If you’re confused, find a park ranger. They will be able to help demonstrate how to use the spray.
Water
This is a common sense item but many people underestimate the amount of water they’ll need. You should always carry a little extra in case you need to wash off a wound or wash your hands before eating food.
Time to Pack it Up!
Now I know that seems like a lot of stuff to take with you, but it is always better to be prepared. And yes, all of it will fit in a day pack with room to spare! And you’ll even still have room for your wallet, phone, and your keys!
Just remember that being safe starts with preparation and knowing how to handle emergencies. And now that you have the essentials, it’s time to go have an adventure!
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