Outdoor recreation may have tremendous benefits for the mind and body. Connecting with nature reduces stress and psychological disorders, and improves cognitive abilities. Nature can heal your soul, and the fresh air can clear your mind. Going outdoors also helps you get sunlight which is rare in today’s sedentary lifestyle.
Depending on whether you love running, biking, hiking, camping or just spending some time outside on a beautiful day, you always need to pack some essentials or tactical gear to prepare yourselves for breakdowns, danger or mishaps. These five outdoor essentials are a must for you to pack and are suited for any outdoor activity you have your heart set on.
Five outdoor essentials that you need to pack
1. First aid kit
It is always advisable to keep a first aid kit handy because not in all situations can you call 911. Even if you can, help may arrive late. Pack a basic kit for situations where you can call 911 and receive help in minutes. For longer trips, when you think help will be two or more hours away have a larger first aid kit on hand.
It’s also good to have some basic first aid knowledge or training, if you do not have already you may want to consider getting one.
2. Multi-tool
You never know when you might have to fix something, and for this, you should always pack yourself a multi-tool and a knife. Get yourself a durable and robust multi-tool that can cut a rope, open cans and bottles, tightening nuts and bolts. It’s portable and does not take much space in your bag. However, if you are with your kids, ensure that they do not get access to this multi-tool as children are curious for new tools and may end in trouble.
3. Water bottle
It’s not wise to underestimate the importance of staying hydrated while being outdoors. You may not want yourself or your child to get dehydrated after a long day out. Carrying a water bottle with you is vital to stay hydrated in the outdoors. When you are walking in the sun, you sweat a lot which also makes you dehydrated faster and gives you a headache.
There are many types and sizes of bottles available, and you can buy one suiting your needs. If you are going camping, you might like to take some tea for which you may require insulated bottles. An insulated bottle also keeps your water cold on a hot summer day.
4. Suitable clothing and footwear
Imagine a hiker wearing denim or a cyclist wearing flip-flops. Sounds like a ridiculous idea to you? Not wearing suitable clothing and footwear is not a great idea when hiking outdoors.
Now, clothing may vary according to the weather and the outdoor activities you are interested in. If you are going hiking to a high altitude, you may want to wear a lot of lightweight layers, one, to protect you from cold, and two, to make it easy for you to remove or wear layers according to the temperature. Clothing and footwear play an important role in the type of activity you are indulging in. It’s appropriate to wear hiking shoes on a hike and to wear running shoes when you go out for a run.
5. Lightweight backpack
Obviously you need space to keep all the above-mentioned essentials. You should always carry a lightweight but spacious backpack to fit in all your essentials and also not give you a backache from the weight. If you are going camping with your family, you may end up having a lot of stuff as you will be carrying tents, cookware, and food items, because you will be staying the night and cooking meals. This makes it more important to have a backpack which is lightweight.
So before you head outdoors, make sure you have a plan and supplies for staying hydrated with water bottles, warm or cool with proper clothing, first aid for mishaps, multi-tool for emergencies, and a bag to fit all of this.
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