10 Outdoor Gear Essentials

Every man has a different idea of what constitutes a “necessity” when venturing out into the wilderness. For one man, a fire source and a good blade may be all that is required, while for the next, GPS and a full outdoor kitchen setup might be considered indispensable. While experienced hikers, climbers, and other adventurous sorts most likely have their packing list down to a science, those who are just beginning to branch out into the wilderness can certainly benefit from a standard, universal checklist. The Ten Essentials and the Ten Essentials (Systems Approach) Originally published by The Mountaineers (a Seattle-based outdoor recreation group) in the 1930s, the Ten Essentials is a list of necessities that every hiker, climber, camper, and adventurer should have on hand while in the wilds. MapCompassSunglasses and sunscreenExtra food and waterExtra clothesHeadlamp/flashlightFirst aid kitFire starterMatchesKnife Fire: There are a lot of options when it comes to fire. Sources:

Winter Camping Winter conditions can exist at any time of the year! Why do I winter camp? For me it’s a natural extension of my snowshoeing day trips. It also seemed a shame for me to have a six-month hiatus every year from my favorite activities, which are backpacking and backcountry camping. I found that as I was going to higher alpine destinations during the other times of the year, I was encountering winter-like conditions and if I could do this, I could certainly winter camp. What are the benefits of winter camping? While we spend a majority of our time worrying about being safe from the elements, we sometimes forget what the benefits are to winter camping. You can camp almost anywhere. My History? I have been backpacking ever since I was twelve years old but did not seriously get back into it until eleven years ago. “It’s all about layering” Clothing There are two different classes of clothing necessary to be outfitted with for winter camping; trail clothing and camp clothing. Sleeping Bag Shelter Boots

The Universal Packing List Using Tarps in the UK It was a big mental leap for me to consider 'throwing away' my tent and instead relying on just a piece of fabric for protection. The driving force behind this was the thought that I could shed over 1Kg from my pack weight by ditching the tent and I could also have something that I could use in a much wider variety of terrain and also be more in touch with nature. I well remember on several trips to Scotland I was carrying for the time a very light 1.6Kg tent. The problem was that I was having real trouble finding somewhere to pitch it. There was lots of peat bog around but nothing that was remotely close to flat for even a small tent. The problem was always that if I could find somewhere that was not too bumpy I still could not pitch the tent in a way that ensured that the inner and outer would not touch. Flat Tarp or Basha - Low pitch The picture above is of my tarp in the Brecon Beacons on a recent overnight outing. Flat Tarp or Basha - Two trees and a 'Roof' Micro-Tarps and Bivi Bag