target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="#fb3_img_img_24a86732-e178-5380-aac5-99269c4ca7c3.jpg" alt="images"/> Don’t leave rainwear behind, even if the day dawns clear and sunny. Tuck into your day pack, or tie around your waist, a jacket that is breathable and either water-resistant or waterproof. Investigate different choices at your local outdoor retailer. If you are a frequent hiker, ideally you’ll have more than one rainwear weight, material, and style in your closet to protect you in all seasons in your regional climate and hiking microclimates.
Essential Gear
Today, you can buy outdoor vests that have up to 20 pockets shaped and sized to carry everything from toothpicks to binoculars or, if you don’t aspire to feel like a burro, you can neatly stow all of these items in your day pack or backpack. The following list showcases never-hike-without-them items—in alphabetical order, for easy reference:
Duct tape: One of those small rolls you get at the drugstore will do. It can hold gear together if needed, and it’s good for blisters if you apply it to the swelling early enough.
Extra clothes: Raingear, warm hat, gloves, and change of socks and shirt.
Extra food: Trail mix, granola bars, or other high-energy foods.
Flashlight or headlamp: Include extra bulb and batteries.
Insect repellent: For some areas and seasons, this is extremely vital.
Maps and high-quality compass: Even if you know the terrain from previous hikes, don’t leave home without these tools, and consult and carry more than one map (in addition to those in this guidebook). Though phones have GPS receivers in them, lack of service can render the GPS-based maps inoperable.
Matches (ideally, windproof) and/or a lighter: A fire starter is also a good idea.
Pocketknife and/or a multitool: Never hike without one of these implements.
Sunscreen: Note the expiration date on the tube or bottle; it’s usually embossed on the top.
Water: As emphasized more than once in this book, bring more than you think you will drink; depending on your destination, you may want to bring a water bottle and iodine or filter for purifying water in the wilderness in case you run out.
Whistle: This little gadget will be your best friend in an emergency.
First Aid Kit
In addition to the items above, those below may appear overwhelming for a day hike. But any paramedic will tell you that the products listed here, in alphabetical order, are just the basics. The reality of hiking is that you can be out for a week of backpacking and acquire only a mosquito bite—or you can hike for an hour, slip, and suffer a bleeding abrasion or broken bone. Fortunately, these items will collapse into a very small space, and convenient, prepackaged kits are available at your pharmacy and on the Internet.
Consider your intended terrain and the number of hikers in your party before you exclude any article cited below. A botanical garden stroll may not inspire you to carry a complete kit, but anything beyond that warrants precaution. When hiking alone, you should always be prepared for a medical need. And if you are a twosome or with a group, one or more people in your party should be equipped with first aid material.
Ace bandages or Spenco joint wraps
Antibiotic ointment (Neosporin or the generic equivalent)
Athletic tape
Band-Aids
Benadryl or the generic equivalent diphenhydramine (in case of allergic reactions)
Blister kit (such as Moleskin/Spenco Second Skin)
Buttery-closure bandages
Epinephrine in a prefilled syringe (for people known to have severe allergic reactions to such things as bee stings, usually by prescription only)
Gauze (one roll and a half dozen 4x4-inch pads)
Hydrogen peroxide or iodine
Ibuprofen or acetaminophen
General Safety
The following tips may have the familiar ring of your mother’s voice as you take note of them:
Always let someone know where you will be hiking and how long you expect to be gone. It’s a good idea to give that person a copy of your route, particularly if you are headed into any isolated area. Let them know when you return.
Always sign in and out of any trail registers provided. Don’t hesitate to comment on the trail condition if space is provided; that’s your opportunity to alert others to any problems you encounter.
Never exclusively count on a smartphone for your safety. Reception may be spotty or nonexistent on the trail, especially in deep valleys enveloped by mountains, a common occurrence around Asheville.
Always carry food and water, even for a short hike. And bring more water than you think you will need. (I cannot say that often enough!)
Stay on designated trails. Even on the most clearly marked trails, there is usually a point where you have to stop and consider in which direction to head. If you become disoriented, don’t panic. As soon as you think you may be off track, stop, assess your current direction, and then retrace your steps to the point where you went astray. Using a map, a compass, and this book, and keeping in mind what you have passed thus far, reorient yourself, and trust your judgment on which way to continue. If you become absolutely
