I tend to overdo things and pack too much stuff. As a backpack traveler I was the butt of many jokes, but nearly always had what I (or others) needed in a jam. After getting serious about hiking over the last year, here's my current emergency kit:
Aspirin, Advil, glucosamine
Assorted bandages, moleskin, antiseptic cream, small bottle of iso alcohol
Assorted cable ties, a few yards of duct tape
A PLB
Spare phone cable
Spare USB battery (besides the one that I normally use)
Swiss army knife
Pens, paper
A compass (can’t remember the last time I used it)
A lighter
1 or 2 energy bars
A few plastic bags
I’m thinking about adding a 30-40' of thin rope or cord — not sure what kind, any suggestion? And thinking of adding iodine pills, or something else to purify water.
I’d like to know what other people carry. (There’s room for a few more items.)
What’s in your emergency kit?
I usually carry a super-cheap mylar space blanket (I actually needed and used one once!)
For water purification, the Aquamira two-part chlorine drops work great, but they weigh a bit over two ounces. Takes about a half hour and the water is germ-free and tastes fine. I use the drops when I don't want the hassle of filtering, especially when the water looks pretty clear to start with. Heavier than iodine tablets but iodine is truly an emergency item; tastes like crap and only works so-so.
https://www.aquamira.com/product/aquami ... 5edac1b83f
I also carry some 1/8" nylon cord, but the working strength is only 35 pounds or so, which is OK for gear. If you want a beefier line, try the 3/16" polypropylene braided stuff from Home Depot (90 pound working load), which would help get someone up a steep hill if most of their weight was still on their feet.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-3- ... t-overview
For water purification, the Aquamira two-part chlorine drops work great, but they weigh a bit over two ounces. Takes about a half hour and the water is germ-free and tastes fine. I use the drops when I don't want the hassle of filtering, especially when the water looks pretty clear to start with. Heavier than iodine tablets but iodine is truly an emergency item; tastes like crap and only works so-so.
https://www.aquamira.com/product/aquami ... 5edac1b83f
I also carry some 1/8" nylon cord, but the working strength is only 35 pounds or so, which is OK for gear. If you want a beefier line, try the 3/16" polypropylene braided stuff from Home Depot (90 pound working load), which would help get someone up a steep hill if most of their weight was still on their feet.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-3- ... t-overview
My hiking trip reports: https://hikingtales.com/
Duct tape is wrapped on my poles so it's not something I have to check. I use a Leatherman Style CS, scissors are way more valuable to me than pliers. I have some tyvek in my pack for sitting, a USPS envelope works great for that. I have a compass as extra weight in the hip belt of my backpack, also don't remember using it much. I have a SPOT Gen3 which is reliable enough to keep the home happy, not enough for me to go review a track or anything. Lighters and writing implements are in all my packs, I have five for dayhikes and two for overnights.
"Argue for your limitations and sure enough they're yours".
Donald Shimoda
Donald Shimoda
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Girl Hiker
- Posts: 1297
- Joined: Fri Apr 04, 2014 7:46 am
Carabiners & extra bandanas. They are great for wrapping wounds, sun protection & soaking in water to cool off.
*Extra TP. Extra food. Extra clothes.
*Map
*Headlamp. Extra batteries.
*Book of matches to back up the lighter.
*Water purification tablets. I also carry a clear plastic bottle. In a pinch you can set the water out in the sun to kill germs.
*Bug spray and head net
*Bandana for sun protection and emergency filtering of water.
*Spare shoelaces
*3-inch blade. I keep this handy for self-defense, but it's good to have something for an emergency operation in case your arm gets stuck in a boulder.
*Emergency blanket
*Electrolyte tablets (I prefer the Nuun brand). This will help you with energy if you run out of food.
*Bandages
*Tweezers, scissors
*A pencil is probably better than a pen. More reliable.
*Not just plastic, but Ziploc bags to keep your stuff dry.
*Driver's license, so they can ID my corpse.
*Map
*Headlamp. Extra batteries.
*Book of matches to back up the lighter.
*Water purification tablets. I also carry a clear plastic bottle. In a pinch you can set the water out in the sun to kill germs.
*Bug spray and head net
*Bandana for sun protection and emergency filtering of water.
*Spare shoelaces
*3-inch blade. I keep this handy for self-defense, but it's good to have something for an emergency operation in case your arm gets stuck in a boulder.
*Emergency blanket
*Electrolyte tablets (I prefer the Nuun brand). This will help you with energy if you run out of food.
*Bandages
*Tweezers, scissors
*A pencil is probably better than a pen. More reliable.
*Not just plastic, but Ziploc bags to keep your stuff dry.
*Driver's license, so they can ID my corpse.
I read the book many years ago, what stuck in my head is that you should cut through the elbow joint rather than the middle of the forearm.
"Argue for your limitations and sure enough they're yours".
Donald Shimoda
Donald Shimoda
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David Martin
- Posts: 85
- Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2020 7:08 pm
Thanks for chiming in! After reading your replies I think I'll add this stuff:
Aquamira tablets
Bandana
Pencil
Spare shoelaces
Head net
A copy of my driver's license with phone numbers, email address, emergency contacts added.
Maybe some kind of cord, still thinking about that.
And maybe a mylar space blanket
I already carry a strong bicycle light. I used to carry paper maps, but almost never used them, partly because they usually didn't have enough detail to really be helpful. But I almost always have a custom map for the day's route loaded into my phone and use that frequently, and my usual hiking buddy does the same for backup. Maybe I should re-think the paper map thing, in case my phone dies or is lost and I'm alone, or with someone other than my usual buddy.
Aquamira tablets
Bandana
Pencil
Spare shoelaces
Head net
A copy of my driver's license with phone numbers, email address, emergency contacts added.
Maybe some kind of cord, still thinking about that.
And maybe a mylar space blanket
I already carry a strong bicycle light. I used to carry paper maps, but almost never used them, partly because they usually didn't have enough detail to really be helpful. But I almost always have a custom map for the day's route loaded into my phone and use that frequently, and my usual hiking buddy does the same for backup. Maybe I should re-think the paper map thing, in case my phone dies or is lost and I'm alone, or with someone other than my usual buddy.
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Girl Hiker
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- Joined: Fri Apr 04, 2014 7:46 am
David R- Sean carries maps that are waterproof. If yours are paper might be a good idea to put them in a zip lock bag.
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David Martin
- Posts: 85
- Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2020 7:08 pm
I keep all my small stuff (including maps, when I use them) in ziplocks to protect from moisture, food spills, and general wear and tear, and to keep it all grouped.
People talk about the essentials but not so much about the essential backups. If you don't have a map because your electronic gadget died, that could be a real problem in a bad situation. If you stick to maintained trails in familiar territory during good weather, it's not such a big deal to have a map. But going cross-country in an unfamiliar area maybe during bad weather, that's different. It might come in handy to have a physical map of the area so you can lay it out, see what you're dealing with in every direction and plan a journey back to civilization. Part of the value of a physical map is the context it provides at a glance. On my old Garmin machine (which I lost bushwhacking) I could see very little context of my surroundings. I only used it to create tracks. I use my Harrison and USGS maps to plan trips, and that's what I want to have in a difficult and stressful pinch when I absolutely need to plan a viable escape from a life-threatening situation. I don't want to be struggling with my gadget hoping the batteries don't die. I also carry a physical compass for emergency navigation but I think I only used it once when I was very dehydrated and confused.David Martin wrote: ↑Maybe I should re-think the paper map thing, in case my phone dies or is lost and I'm alone, or with someone other than my usual buddy.
Depends on whether you know how to use the map. Just because you got lost that doesn't necessarily mean you can't use a map. Maybe you missed a turn somewhere and ended up at an unfamiliar place. You could use the map to figure out where you are and get back to where you need to be.
Things not to bring IMO: --
- The need to purify water supplies in backcountry areas is largely a myth. If an emergency kit is for emergencies, then forget the water purification stuff -- if you're really in trouble, getting giardia is not going to be your main worry. (About half the population already has giardia already in their gut.)
- Forget extra toilet paper. Wiping with rocks works.
- Forget extra food for emergencies. The typical human body has 100,000 calories of energy stored in fat. That's enough to keep you alive for a month.
I don't think in terms of a single emergency kit but in terms of what's likely to be of practical use to me in different styles of activities.
For mountain trail running, I bring:
- fanny pack
- 500 mL water bottle
- $20 bill
- needle for getting rid of splinters
- gorp and cookies
- map
For a multi-day backpacking trip, I would bring a lot more stuff, such as:
- PLB
- duct tape wrapped around a pencil, for toe blisters
- moleskin
- pen and paper
- ibuprofen
As meta-advice, I would suggest starting a word-processing file with different checklists for different activities. Then as time goes on, you'll find yourself adding items (like my needle for trail running) or taking them off (stuff you never use and realize you never will). Also read accident reports and think about what would have been helpful in actual reported situations. Good sources are the annual Accidents in North American Climbing and the Riverside Mountain Rescue Unit's newsletter, which they'll send you if you donate to them.
- The need to purify water supplies in backcountry areas is largely a myth. If an emergency kit is for emergencies, then forget the water purification stuff -- if you're really in trouble, getting giardia is not going to be your main worry. (About half the population already has giardia already in their gut.)
- Forget extra toilet paper. Wiping with rocks works.
- Forget extra food for emergencies. The typical human body has 100,000 calories of energy stored in fat. That's enough to keep you alive for a month.
I don't think in terms of a single emergency kit but in terms of what's likely to be of practical use to me in different styles of activities.
For mountain trail running, I bring:
- fanny pack
- 500 mL water bottle
- $20 bill
- needle for getting rid of splinters
- gorp and cookies
- map
For a multi-day backpacking trip, I would bring a lot more stuff, such as:
- PLB
- duct tape wrapped around a pencil, for toe blisters
- moleskin
- pen and paper
- ibuprofen
As meta-advice, I would suggest starting a word-processing file with different checklists for different activities. Then as time goes on, you'll find yourself adding items (like my needle for trail running) or taking them off (stuff you never use and realize you never will). Also read accident reports and think about what would have been helpful in actual reported situations. Good sources are the annual Accidents in North American Climbing and the Riverside Mountain Rescue Unit's newsletter, which they'll send you if you donate to them.
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David Martin
- Posts: 85
- Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2020 7:08 pm
Lately my wife and I have been watching survival stories on I Shouldn’t Be Alive. We used to catch occasional episodes on cable but that they’re all on Amazon we’ve been watching the ones we missed. In general they’re really well produced and realistic. One good episode we saw last week was Date From Hell — "A couple go on a tour of the San Jacinto Mountains, only to find themselves stranded and alone for 4 days fighting for their lives." (Season 3, episode 2.) Because of the location, I think that one would resonate with most people here. Their rescue occurred thanks to an amazing coincidence involving John Donovan, an experienced hiker who became trapped in the same place a year earlier. Here’s a good write up of their experience: https://www.dmagazine.com/publications/ ... mber/lost/
In almost all these episodes the survivors run out of water very early on. Of course, it’s almost impossible to carry enough for days and days of survival in a difficult environment, but it’s surprising how many inexperienced people bring just a minimal amount. In many cases the victims have food, water, and emergency stuff, but lose it or abandon it. In some cases the victims or survivors are very experienced and have most of the things they need, but can’t access them.
One highly experienced survivor mentioned that he always carried a whistle and a mirror. That seems very sensible and those items are light, so I'll add them to my own list. In fact just yesterday I took a slight detour to see a peak, and was unable to get my buddy’s attention, though I could see him. I think he’d have heard a whistle, though.
In almost all these episodes the survivors run out of water very early on. Of course, it’s almost impossible to carry enough for days and days of survival in a difficult environment, but it’s surprising how many inexperienced people bring just a minimal amount. In many cases the victims have food, water, and emergency stuff, but lose it or abandon it. In some cases the victims or survivors are very experienced and have most of the things they need, but can’t access them.
One highly experienced survivor mentioned that he always carried a whistle and a mirror. That seems very sensible and those items are light, so I'll add them to my own list. In fact just yesterday I took a slight detour to see a peak, and was unable to get my buddy’s attention, though I could see him. I think he’d have heard a whistle, though.