The Essential Hiker

For as long as I can remember (unfortunately, a very long time) I've heard about "The 10 Essentials" -- the things every hiker is supposed to carry on every hike.

But I have a slightly different list. I call it "Tim's 11 Essentials." These are the things that ensure you not only survive on your trek through the wild, but actually thrive, have fun and want to go again, and again.

Tim's 11 Essentials:

1) The Right Attitude. The first essential is desire to get outside. You have to want to feel rocks and earth under your boots instead of pavement, hear the sounds of wind in the trees and bird calls instead of the tunes on your iPod, to see a widescreen view of miles real countryside, not views measured in inches on a TV screen. The right attitude also includes understanding that the sun isn't always going to shine, the rain isn't always going to hold off, and that the trail is sometimes going to be rough, slippery, steep and hard to follow.

2) Common Sense. This is the single most important thing you can pack along on a hike. Common sense tells you, for example, to let someone else know where you are going and when you intend to return. It tells you to slow down when the trail is wet and slippery; not to try a 20-mile loop on wilderness trails when you've only done short day-hikes before; not to head out onto that exposed ridgeline when there's thunder rumbling in the distance. If you take along only two things on your hikes, the right attitude and a dose of common sense are what you want.

3) Appropriate footwear. If your feet hurt, or you are slipping with every step, you aren't going to enjoy hiking. You want your footwear to provide adequate support and protection while being as light,  flexible and comfortable as possible.

4) Appropriate clothing. Hiking clothing needs to keep you comfortable not only in starting conditions, but in anything you might encounter while you're out. In the summer, that means a wicking base layer, long sleeved shirt and zip-off-leg pants for protection from sun and insects, a light fleece top, raingear top and bottom, and a hat. No cotton clothing allowed.

5) A Good Backpack. Carrying all your other essentials will be a pleasure if you have a good backpack that fits you. It's better to put less in a slightly bigger pack than to try to cram everything into a too-small pack.

6) Water and Food. A little more of both than you think you need, in case you are out longer than you plan. Water is more important than food. If you get dehydrated, your common-sense generator stops working. If you need more water than you can carry, carry a filter or water purification tablets.

7) Map and Compass -- and the know-how to use them. None of the three is much use without the other two. The place to practice is in your back yard, not when you're turned around on the trail.

8) Tools. I usually carry a lock-blade Swiss Army Knife from Wenger or Victorinox. Other folks like the versatility of a multi-tool like the Leatherman or one of the many others on the market. It's a matter of personal preference. Read Edward Abbey's classic book, "Desert Solitaire," to see what a knife can do for you.

9) First Aid and the know-how to use it. You don't need to able to do brain surgery, but you should be able to pad a blister, bind up a sprained ankle, clean an abrasion and close a cut. Here are the  ingredients of a basic kit.

10) Emergency Kit and the know-how to use it. Don't leave home without it! Here are the essentials.

11) Sunscreen, sunglasses, insect repellent. If you don't think these are essential, you're fooling yourself.

With these 11 items, you're prepared to go out on the trail, have fun, and be safe. What more could you ask?

First Aid Essentials

Mine fit neatly in a small zippered pouch, and weigh about 8 oz.

• Prescription meds
• Pain pills (I like ibuprofen)
• Anti-diarrheal
• Blister coverings (moleskin or blister pads)
• Bandages, butterfly closures, superglue
• Tape
• Sterile Compresses
• Sterile wipes and antibiotic ointment
• Needle and tweezers
• Dental filling repair kit
• Small elastic bandage

Emergency Kit Essentials

Mine is carried in a bright orange (harder to lose) 4" x 4" x 8" zippered nylon case which can ride on my belt.

• Knife and sharpener (not the one you carry in your pocket)
• Matches in waterproof match-safe, butane lighter, flint-and-steel
• Firestarters (two kinds) in film canisters
• Spare compass
• LED flashlight with spare batteries
• Whistle
• 55 gal. contractor trash bags (2)
• 15 feet heavy-duty waterproof tape
• 30 feet nylon parachute cord
• Large twist ties (12)
• Large safety pins (4)
• Needle and thread

The Original 10

First outlined, as near as I can tell, by a Seattle-based group called the Mountaineers in the 1930s, this is still a good list.

You'll notice everything in it is in "Tim's 11 Essentials" and that none of the lists include a cell phone or global positioning device, both of which can be useless in the wilderness.

• Map
• Compass
• Flashlight/headlamp
• Extra food
• Extra clothing
• Sunglasses
• First-aid supplies
• Pocket knife
• Matches
• Fire starter