Survival Gear: The Top Ten Things To Have To Be Safe On A Hiking Trip

by | Oct 2, 2011 | Asheville, NC, blue ridge mountains, hiking

Your Guide to Safety When Hiking the Blue Ridge Mountains in Asheville, NC

Hiking is the ultimate method to get out into nature and experience the world, it is also an incredible technique to get some exercise and stay physically fit. Sadly, it can be deadly if you don’t take the right precautions. You will be out away from civilization, moving through the unpredictable wilderness. The following is the top ten things you should have to make sure you are safe.

1. A Radio or Cellphone – One of the best pieces of field and survival gear you may have is a way to quickly communicate with the external world. A cellular telephone is excellent so long as you have telephone coverage.

2. A GPS – This should work wherever you are so long as the batteries hold out, and you can keep from ever becoming lost.

3. A Knife – You need to use these to clean fish if you need to eat or to build a lean-to out of tiny tress and branches.

4. An Emergency Medical Kit – This may give you a basic way to fix minor injuries. You won’t be able put a cast on a damaged leg, but you can confirm a minor injury doesn’t lead directly to major difficulties.

5. Additional Water – Folk are often thinking so hard about what tactical gear they require that they forget the fundamentals. You’ve got to have water to stop dehydration and heat exhaustion on your Blue Ridge Mountains hike.

6. Food That Lasts – Along similar lines, some of the best survivalist kit you can have is also the most obvious.  You need to have food that is in packaging and can be rationed out for a long time if you are lost.

7. Something To Build A Shelter – As discussed, a knife can be beneficial in this process. It’s also a great idea to have a poncho or some other kind of garment you can use to keep off the rain.

8. Layers Of Clothes – You want to have thin clothes for hiking under the sun and thicker layers for staying warm at night. Clothing to repel the rain, for example caps and hats, is also a smart idea. Having the layers gives you the power to adjust what you are wearing for whatever the weather is doing.

9. Boots – Having the right footwear is crucial.  You are going to be hiking for a long distance and you need your feet to be well placed to take the abuse. This is particularly true if you become lost because it is so hard to hike your way out of the woods if your feet are wounded.

10. A Flashlight – This can literally save your life at night. If you’re lost, hiking at night can be exceedingly perilous — this is true also regardless of if you know where you are. A torch can permit you to see pitfalls and hazards before you stumble on them in the dark.

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