Ten Essentials

Last updated
A simple dry magnetic pocket compass Kompas Sofia.JPG
A simple dry magnetic pocket compass

The Ten Essentials are survival items that hiking and Scouting organizations recommend for safe travel in the backcountry. [1] [2]

Contents

The Ten Essentials first appeared in print in the third edition of Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills (January 1974). [3] Many regional organizations and authors recommend that hikers, backpackers, and climbers rigorously ensure they have the ten essentials with them. However, personal preferences and differences in conditions may dictate otherwise and with experience most adventurers add and subtract from the list depending on the situation. [1] Some ultralight backpackers do not always carry all of the items and believe it is an acceptable risk they take in order to travel light and fast. [4]

List

A multi-tool Leatherman squirt ps4 02.jpg
A multi-tool

The ninth edition of Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills, published in 2017, defines the Ten Essentials as:

  1. Navigation: map, altimeter, compass, GPS device, personal locator beacon
  2. Headlamp: with LED bulb and spare batteries
  3. Sun protection: sunglasses, sun protective clothing, sunscreen
  4. First aid: a first aid kit, wrapped in waterproof packaging
  5. Knife: hikers on a short trip may also carry a multi-tool, strong adhesive tape and cordage; on a longer trip, further small tools may be useful
  6. Fire: the means to both start and sustain a fire; either a butane lighter or matches, or other fire making device. Firestarters for igniting even wet wood, and in areas where no firewood will be available, a stove is highly advisable.
  7. Shelter: plastic tube tent, jumbo plastic trash bag or bivy sack
  8. Extra food: at least one day's food for a short hike, that should require no cooking.
  9. Extra water: drinking water and the skills and tools to purify water
  10. Extra clothes: additional items may be needed if spending the night in the emergency shelter

The first five items are intended to prevent and respond to emergencies, the second five to safely spend one or more nights outdoors. [5]

Other lists

A trowel that can be used to dig a cathole Cathole.png
A trowel that can be used to dig a cathole

Other outdoor organizations have variations of the Ten Essentials pertinent to local conditions.

Boy Scouts of America's "Scout Basic Essentials" are quite similar (Map and Compass, Sun Protection, Extra Clothing, Flashlight, First-Aid Kit, Matches and Fire-starters, Pocketknife, Trail Food, Water Bottle, and Rain Gear.) [6]

Utah's Wasatch Mountain Club lists extra water in place of food, as Utah is mostly desert terrain, and water is more difficult to find. [7]

The Spokane Mountaineers list "thirteen essentials", which supplement the list with emergency shelter such as a space blanket, signaling device, and toilet paper and trowel (for sanitary disposal of human waste; the toilet paper also doubles as tinder for starting a fire). [8]

The "Ten Essential Groups" is an alternative approach to essential gear selection. [9] Items from each group should be chosen depending on the season, geographic location, and trip duration. In 2011, Columbia Sportswear adopted the "Ten Essential Groups" concept for their iOS app "Take Ten to the Greater Outdoors". [10]

Central Arizona Mountain Rescue Association promotes the 12 Essentials, which includes Signaling Devices and Personal Items. [11]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mountaineering</span> Sport of mountain climbing

Mountaineering, mountain climbing, or alpinism is a set of outdoor activities that involves ascending mountains. Mountaineering-related activities include traditional outdoor climbing, skiing, and traversing via ferratas that have become sports in their own right. Indoor climbing, sport climbing, and bouldering are also considered variants of mountaineering by some, but are part of a wide group of mountain sports.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hiking</span> Walking as a hobby, sport, or leisure activity

Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century. Religious pilgrimages have existed much longer but they involve walking long distances for a spiritual purpose associated with specific religions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scrambling</span> Walk up steep terrain involving the use of ones hands

Scrambling is a mountaineering term for ascending steep terrain using one's hands to assist in holds and balance. "A scramble" is a related term, denoting terrain that could be ascended in this way. It can be described as being between hiking and rock climbing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Camping</span> Outdoor recreational activity

Camping is a form of outdoor recreation or outdoor education involving overnight stays with a basic temporary shelter such as a tent. Camping can also include a recreational vehicle, sheltered cabins, a permanent tent, a shelter such as a bivy or tarp, or no shelter at all. Typically, participants leave developed areas to spend time outdoors, in pursuit of activities providing them enjoyment or in a form of educational experience. Spending the night away from home distinguishes camping from day-tripping, picnicking, and other outdoor activities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outdoor cooking</span>

Outdoor cooking is the preparation of food in the outdoors. A significant body of techniques and specialized equipment exists for it, traditionally associated with nomad in cultures such as the Berbers of North Africa, the Arab Bedouins, the Plains Indians, pioneers in North America, and indigenous tribes in South America. These methods have been refined in modern times for use during recreational outdoor pursuits, by campers and backpackers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Outdoor Leadership School</span> Non-profit outdoor education school

NOLS is a non-profit outdoor education school based in the United States dedicated to teaching environmental ethics, technical outdoor skills, wilderness medicine, risk management and judgment, and leadership on extended wilderness expeditions and in traditional classrooms. It was previously known as the National Outdoor Leadership School, but in 2015, this label was retired in favor of the independent "NOLS". The "NOLS" mission is to be the leading source and teacher of wilderness skills and leadership that serve people and the environment. NOLS runs courses on six continents, with courses in a variety of wilderness environments and for almost any age group.

<i>Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills</i> Mountaineering textbook

Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills is often considered the standard textbook for mountaineering and climbing in North America. The book was first published in 1960 by The Mountaineers of Seattle, Washington. The book was written by a team of over 40 experts in the field.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Backpacking (hiking)</span> Outdoor recreation of carrying gear on ones back, while hiking for more than a day

Backpacking is the outdoor recreation of carrying gear on one's back while hiking for more than a day. It is often an extended journey and may involve camping outdoors. In North America, tenting is common, where simple shelters and mountain huts, widely found in Europe, are rare. In New Zealand, hiking is called tramping, and tents are used alongside a nationwide network of huts. Hill walking is equivalent in Britain, though backpackers make use of a variety of accommodation, in addition to camping. Backpackers use simple huts in South Africa. Trekking and bushwalking are other words used to describe such multi-day trips.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Backcountry skiing</span> Skiing in unmarked or unpatrolled areas

Backcountry skiing (US), also called off-piste (Europe), alpine touring, freeriding or out-of-area, is skiing in the backcountry on unmarked or unpatrolled areas either inside or outside a ski resort's boundaries. This contrasts with alpine skiing, which is typically done on groomed trails benefiting from a ski patrol. Unlike ski touring, backcountry skiing can – and often does – include the use of ski lifts including snowcats and helicopters. Recent improvements in equipment have increased the popularity of the sport. As the sport does confront the individual practicing it with the dangers of natural, unprepared alpine terrain like avalanches, it is generally recommended to carry standard safety equipment and to learn beforehand how to behave safely under such conditions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Survival skills</span> Techniques for sustaining life, typically in adverse conditions

Survival skills are techniques used to sustain life in any type of natural environment or built environment. These techniques are meant to provide basic necessities for human life, including water, food, and shelter. Survival skills also support proper knowledge and interactions with animals and plants to promote the sustaining of life over time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Survival kit</span> Emergency equipment

A survival kit is a package of basic tools and supplies prepared as an aid to survival in an emergency. Civil and military aircraft, lifeboats, and spacecraft are equipped with survival kits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hazards of outdoor recreation</span>

Outdoor recreation, such as hiking, camping, canoeing, cycling, or skiing, entails risks, even if participants do not recklessly place themselves in harm's way. In some circumstances, such as being in remote locations or in extreme weather conditions, even a minor accident may create a dangerous situation that requires survival skills. However, with correct precautions, even fairly adventurous outdoor recreation can be enjoyable and safe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mini survival kit</span> Small kit containing essential survival tools

A mini survival kit contains essential outdoor survival tools and supplies. It is intended to be carried on one's person at all times, be appropriate to all environments, and be a comprehensive kit without being too large. Mini survival kits are intended to provide the basic needs of a survival situation, self-rescue, assistance or a return to normalcy in optimum situations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ultralight backpacking</span> Style of hiking

Ultralight backpacking is a style of lightweight backpacking that emphasizes carrying the lightest and least amount of gear. While no technical standards exist, some hikers consider "ultralight" to mean an initial base weight of less than 4.5 kg (9.9 lb). Base weight is the weight of a fully loaded backpack at the start of a trip, excluding worn weight and consumables such as food, water, and fuel. Base weight can be lowered by reducing the weight of individual items of gear, or by choosing not to carry that gear. Ultralight backpacking is most popular among thru-hikers.

Hiking equipment is the equipment taken on outdoor walking trips. The duration, distance, planned activities, and environment impacts equipment selection. For example, a short day hike across flat farmland versus trekking in the Himalayas would call for different types of equipment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fastpacking</span> Combination of backpacking and trail running

Fastpacking is a combination of trail running and ultralight backpacking. It is described by writer Clint Cherepa as "hiking the ups, jogging the flats, and running the downs", depending on the gradient, because of the weight carried. Participants carry a light pack with essential supplies, including a sleeping bag and tent, or similar form of shelter, if mountain huts or other accommodation is not available. The weight carried will vary but fastpackers aim at no more than 15 pounds (6.8 kg) and some achieve less than 10 pounds (4.5 kg). This activity may be undertaken either unsupported, self-supported, or supported. "Unsupported fastpackers make no use of outside assistance along the route", while self-supported fastpackers will leave caches of supplies along the intended route.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Self rescue (climbing)</span> Technique used in climbing

Self-rescue (self-extraction) are a group of techniques in climbing and mountaineering where the climber(s) – sometimes having just been severely injured – use their equipment to retreat from dangerous or difficult situations on a given climbing route without calling on third party search and rescue (SAR) or mountain rescue services for help.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Camping food</span> Food designed for camping and backpacking

Camping food is food brought on or designed for camping, hiking, and backpacking trips. The term also encompasses ingredients that can be used to make said foods. The primary differences relate to campers' and backpackers' special needs for foods that have appropriate cooking time, perishability, weight, and nutritional content. To address these needs, camping food is often made up of freeze-dried, dehydrated, pre-cooked, pre-prepared, or otherwise preserved foods that can last extended periods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Repair kit</span> Collection of tools and spares

A repair kit or service kit is a set of items used to repair a device, commonly comprising both tools and spare parts. Many kits are designed for vehicles, such as cars, boats, airplanes, motorbikes, and bicycles, and may be kept with the vehicle in order to make on-the-spot repairs. Some are considered essential safety equipment, and may be included survival kits. In the military, personnel crossing large water bodies in aircraft may be equipped with a raft and raft repair kit. Other kits, such as those for watch repair or specific engine components, are used by professionals. Depending on the type, a repair kits may be included when buying a product, or may be purchased separately.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Backpacking with animals</span>

Backpacking with animals is the use of pack animals, such as a horse, llama, goat, dog, or donkey to help carry the weight of a backpackers gear during an excursion. These animals need special considerations when accompanying backpackers on a trip. Some areas restrict the use of horses and other pack animals. For example, Great Basin National Park does not allow domestic animals at all in backcountry areas.

References

  1. 1 2 "Ten Essentials". Great Outdoor Recreation Pages. Archived from the original on 2015-11-25. Retrieved 2015-11-25.
  2. "Ten Essentials". National Park Service.
  3. "What Are The Ten Essentials?". The Mountaineers. Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  4. Jardine, Ray (2000). Beyond Backpacking: Ray Jardine's Guide to Lightweight Hiking. AdventureLore Press. p. 124. ISBN   9780963235930.
  5. Mountaineers, The (5 October 2017). Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills (9th ed.). Mountaineers Books. ISBN   978-1-68051-005-8 . Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  6. "Packing Checklists for Camping Trips". 16 May 2017.
  7. "Precipitation in Utah" . Retrieved 2009-06-06.
  8. "The 13 Essentials of the Spokane Mountaineers". Spokane Mountaineers. Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-08-26.
  9. "The Ten Essential Groups". Dallas Sierra Club. Archived from the original on 2011-06-02. Retrieved 2015-01-28.
  10. "Take Ten to the Greater Outdoors". Columbia Sportswear. Retrieved 2015-01-28.
  11. "Central Arizona Mountain Rescue Association". 2018-03-20.