Outdoor Essentials

 

Sheepleg wants you to be prepared for your outdoor adventures. In any outing, there are some gear considerations you should consider essential to face situations you are likely to encounter should things turn from the ideal.

• Navigation: you’ll need to know where you’re going and how to get back. Carrying a GPS can be very handy, but it’s a much better idea to also have a map and a compass just in case the batteries on your GPS die. Unless you are going on a short day hike, forget using your iphone’s GPS for navigation; the battery will likely get you deep into the back country and sputter on the way out. If you insist on using the ‘App for That’, consider carrying a rechargeable battery to keep your device running.
• Sun protection: sunglasses, sunblock, sun protective clothing, and a wide-brim hat can keep the sun from crisping your skin.
• Firestarting: if you get lost or have to sit out unexpected bad weather, a fire can be a definite life saver. Have the means to reliably start a fire in wet conditions, and know how to do it. The FireSteel or Blastmatch are simple, sure-fire ways to uh, start a fire.
• Insulation: dress in layers, so you can adjust your insulation level to match the weather conditions. Sure, you could wear that giant coat your mother gave you for school, but there’s a lot of temperature variations between subzero temperature the coat is good for and the 90-degree temperature that your Justin Bieber cotton belly tee underneath is good for. Wearing a wool or synthetic base layer, topped by an insulated layer of fleece, polypro, or wool, topped by a water-resistant synthetic layer provides a much more flexible system to deal with weather. If it’s not windy or raining, shed the jacket. If you’re still sweating, shed the insulating layer. If you’re still hot, please, do us a favor, and keep your shirt on, Bubba.
• Shelter: If you’re lost, you might have to spend some time regaining your bearings or getting rescued. That usually goes better if you have a decent shelter to keep the elements at bay. If you’re backpacking, a tent, a tarp-tent, or a simple tarp will keep the rain off you. If your day-hiking, and don’t want the weight of a tent, you should still carry something like a Thermolite E-bivy to fend off hypothermia on an unexpected overnight.
• Food: Sure, you can make it for days without food. If you plan on being comatose through the whole harrowing ordeal. If you want to stay conscious, considering carrying some lightweight dehydrated meals (to save the weight of carrying cans of Dinty Moore in your pack) and some energy bars.
• Water: Water is heavy, and until someone figures out how to dehydrate it into a powder, it’s going to stay that way. The best approach is to carry a little water and a filter or tablets to treat water you come across. Otherwise, your going to have to carry enough water for the duration of your trip.
• Signalling: If you’re in need of rescue, make it easier to be seen with simple signalling devices. A signal mirror is easy to use, lightweight, uses no power, and can be seen for miles. A whistle carries much further than your terrified screams and won’t lead to laryngitis. Many headlamps include emergency strobe modes to save power while being visible for miles, this one includes a safety whistle on the headband. A cell phone can be handy, assuming (often a big assumption if you’re hiking somewhere you can hear dueling banjoes playing in the distance) you’re hiking where there is signal. A SPOT device can transmit your location to rescue personnel or to family members quickly and easily.

Have you had any harrowing experiences in the wilderness you’d like to share with us? Leave us a comment below.