An unforeseen accident or unexpected weather changes can alter your hiking plan, so carrying an emergency travel kit with you at every hike, long or short, is very important and can be life-saving as well. Travis and I created our own travel kit for our hiking trips. We’d like to share our list, hoping to encourage you to do likewise.
Keep in mind that this list is based on our personal research for two of us and our needs, so you may use this list as guide for creating your own list and may the need/add or change items that you and your family would need. Also, remember to include your medications if any and update your emergency kit semi-annually to avoid expirations.
Basic care:
- Antiseptic wipes
- Antibacterial ointment
- Tincture of Benzoin (bandages adhesive)
- Assorted adhesive fabric bandages
- Butterfly bandages/adhesive wound-closure strips)
- Gauze pads
- Nonstick sterile pads
- Medical adhesive tape
- Blister treatment
- Aspirin/other pain-relief medication
- Insect-sting relief treatment
- Antihistamine
- Splinter tweezers (fine point)
- Safety pins
- Comprehensive first-aid manual
Tools:
- Duct tape (small roll)
- Emergency heat-reflecting blanket
- Headlamps and/or flashlight
- Knife
- Multi-tool with knife
- Pealess whistle
- Small notepad with waterproof pencil/pen
- Waste bag
- Waterproof container to hold supplies
Personal Care:
- Sunscreen
- Lip balm
- Insect repellent
- Biodegradable soap
- Kleenex (My nose runs like a waterfall so it’s an essential item for me personally)
If you prefer buying a pre-packaged travel kit(s) instead, we recommend you visiting our vendor: Nitro-Pak has a wealth of knowledge of emergency cases and provide a great source of essential items, including emergency foods, survival kits, water filer & storage and other items.
As coffee lovers, Cathy and I usually start our morning with a cup of a fresh brewed Guatemalan whole bean -fair trade coffee. For us, our Guatemalan brew goes well with a bit of half and half and a touch of sugar to balance out any bitterness. There are a number of products these days that allow us coffee lovers to whip up a fresh pot of our favorite coffee while on the trail. One such item that caught my attention was Starbucks line of instant coffees. Lightweight and compact, these could be a very convenient way to pack coffee on our next backpacking trip. I know, “instant coffee, please!” It does bring back memories of my grandmother stirring hot water into Foldger’s Instant Crystals . So, to be fair, we decided this morning to try a little experiment. We took two pairs of different instant coffees from Starbucks and paired them up with 2 different packable creamers to see how they taste. I must admit, the results were surprising.
