The outdoors is always a great place to refresh and reenergize. But as fun as it can be, things can also go wrong along the way, especially if you aren’t prepared. To have a safe outdoor trip alone or with friends and family, you need to know what to pack:
Extra Clothes
When it comes to picking what clothes to pack, it all depends on where you plan to go. If your trip is purely an outdoor trip, leave the fancy clothes at home. The outdoors requires a particular kind of attire: something comfortable but protects you from external forces. If you plan on sweating a lot, make sure to avoid wearing clothes made of pure cotton. Cotton tends to soak a lot of sweat, but it also dries incredibly slowly, which can be uncomfortable or even lead to hypothermia.
Hypothermia occurs when your body is exposed to cold temperatures but cannot produce heat to regulate your body temperature. This results in organ failure and death.
When picking the proper outdoor attire, make sure it isn’t made of pure cotton. Polyester, nylon, and wool are better alternatives. They will absorb less moisture and dry faster, therefore, allowing you to regulate your body temperature much better. Make sure to pack an extra shirt, bottoms, underwear, and socks. And don’t forget to pack a jacket, preferably waterproof and with a hood or a poncho.
Flashlight
Whether or not you plan on staying overnight outdoors, you should always pack a flashlight. And don’t rely on your smartphone’s flashlight. The reason you should always keep a separate flashlight is that you’ll need your phone’s battery for communication. Using your phone’s flashlight will drain your phone’s battery life much faster.
You don’t want to lose light and communication at the same time. You shouldn’t rely on your phone’s flashlight because it can’t be used underwater. There are plenty of flashlights being manufactured nowadays that can be submerged underwater.
Waterproof Containers
Aside from protecting yourself from possible rain or an unexpected need to swim. You should also protect your equipment, especially those that aren’t waterproof. That may include your gadgets, extra clothes, first aid kit, or money. If you’re on a tight budget, you don’t even have to buy a fancy waterproof container. A Ziplock can do simply fine make sure that it’s tightly sealed and there are no holes. If you want it to be extra secure, you can double the layers of the Ziplock.
Portable Charger and Travel Adapters
Always bring a portable charger and travel adapters with you. Along with your charger and USB cable, of course. As important and useful our smartphones are, their battery life isn’t that great, especially if you use data and leave plenty of applications open. That’s why you should always pack your chargers with you. As for travel adapters, not all countries have the same outlet. Travel adapters allow you to plug into any outlet in the world to suit your gadgets. This way, you never go on a trip with a dead phone ever again.
Padlocks
Make sure to bring padlocks with you, especially if you’re traveling to far places. There’s no point in keeping your gadgets in waterproof containers if they get stolen in the first place. Don’t always trust strangers, and make sure to lock your bags when you’re in crowded places. And remember to keep some emergency money on your body. Don’t keep them all inside your bag or wallet.
First Aid
You must always carry a first aid kit with you. Luckily, there are readily available first aid kits in any pharmacy or drug store. First aid kits should have bandages, gauze, alcohol, antiseptic creams, pain killers, antihistamines, anti-diarrhea medicine, and ointments. It can also include any prescription medication you should be taking, an EpiPen, and an emergency blanket (remember hypothermia).
Additional items to pack include canned food, a Swiss army knife, duct tape, rope (at least 25 meters), trash bags, and tweezers. As great as the outdoors can be, it is not always safe. When you are outdoors, especially in the wilderness, you are exposed to several things. The weather is one. Wild animals and disease-carrying insects such as mosquitoes are another. Mother nature is kind, but she can also be a nightmare.
