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DISCOVER Equipment ADVENTURE Equipment gear list This page will help you prepare your gear list for your next hiking adventure |  |
Equipment - basic gear list It’s a good idea to make a checklist of gear and hiking gear for a day hike, overnight hike etc which you can adapt, based on weather conditions and where you will be going. Here is our gear list, compiled from many years of walking experience.
 Map: Although these are the days of GPS and mobile phones, having a decent map and the ability to read it is still a very important step in staying safe when you're out walking. A GPS without a reliable map won’t be much help. Hand drawn maps on scraps of paper don’t count.
| Compass: You needn't learn all the advanced map and compass techniques but at least learn to figure out the general direction "home" is and how to get there.
Food: If it's a day hike you're going on, simply pack a sandwich, a piece of fruit and whatever you enjoy snacking on. Whatever you pack, bring just a little extra in case your hike ends up taking longer than you had anticipated. Don’t take too much chocolate in hot weather. Try to avoid sandwiches with tomato, beetroot or sauce unless you like soggy, squished lumps of food. Pack your lunch in a plastic box to help keep it looking like it did when you made it. Water: Aim to drink around half to one litre for every hour. You should bring some drinking water with you and carry some means of treating water that you may need to drink while out. It is simplest, lightest and best to carry some iodine tablets for water treatment. If you're bothered by the taste of the iodine you can either purchase tablets that remove the taste or simply wait until the water has been treated and add a vitamin C tablet. use micropur tablets if you're allergic to iodine. | Rain Gear: It's not important to have the latest most expensive GoreTex rain gear but if you're going to be out for more than a couple of hours you really ought to have some protection from inclement weather. If you have gaiters and a jacket you can stay surprisingly dry. If you're going out in winter or the rainy seasons then you will need to take the next step and carry full rain gear including pants.  First Aid Kit: It doesn't need to be a complete pharmacy but the day will come when a simple band-aid or some ibuprofen (anti-inflammatory) tablets will be a tremendous blessing!
Bandanna: Always have a bandanna with you. It can be used as a water strainer, cap, scarf, water collector (dip into rock or tree pockets), flag for signalling, pot holder, lashing material, first-aid sling for injured arm, washer, and even a fire starter. There are even some bandannas that have useful graphics printed on them such as knots, animal tracks, and topographic maps.
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Whistle and signal mirror: If you become lost or injured having a whistle could make getting found much easier. It requires much less energy to blow a whistle than it does to shout. In an emergency and only in an emergency blow it in blasts of three every few minutes. The signal mirror can be seen from miles away in an emergency. And you can always check your hairdo. Torch/Head torch: With spare batteries. A head torch is preferable simply because it's easier to use while hiking or doing any camp chores. Ever tried squatting in the dark gripping a regular torch in your mouth? Always carry ID, even for a short walk in your suburb. That way if you have an accident it will be easier to notify the right people. If you have any allergies to medication, make sure that is noted. Matches/Fire Starter: Unfortunately this one is too often forgotten but if something should go wrong and you're forced to spend a night outdoors, having the know-how and the tools to start a fire could save your life! |
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