The top 5 items every outdoorsman / woman must have:

You know, readers, I could just get on here every week or so and rant about my crazy hectic life, but I won’t do that to you. It’s been a while since I have made a post in series format so I will humor the Google search engine and compile yet another list for you fine people.

^^^ “Dude, did you seriously eat ALL the Fig Newtons?” It’s happened before.

Recently I have been focusing on re-vamping (or creating from scratch, rather) my collection of outdoorsy paraphenalia. There are just certain things that you should have on your person when you are partaking in any outside activity. This accounts especially for hiking, kayaking, mountain biking, and whatever else people might do outside besides a leisurely game of badmitten. So here it is! The top five items you should seriously think about investing in when it comes to outdoor sports:

1. A pocket knife- Now, I actually went all out and got the Leatherman Skeletool multi-tool that includes a nice blade, changeable screwdriver sets, and pliers. However, since we’re only talking bare essentials (and a Philip’s head usually doesn’t make the difference between life and death on the trails), I will simply say that all you REALLY need is a good pocket knife. Define good pocket knife: A GOOD knife has a straight tip and is nicely serrated towards the base of the blade. It will LOCK in place upon being opened but also opens easily (even with the use of one hand). The most important thing to consider is how you as the wielder feels with the knife. Is it comfortable and natural to you? Do you feel confident and safe with it? These are all questions you should ask yourself. TRY OUT THE KNIFE IN THE STORE! Make the clerk take it out of the case and show you how it works before you fool around with it. The reason you want a straight tip with a serrated base is because you might need to cut rope. So many people carry around tiny little straight blades but I’m telling you now, when you are out in the wilderness, that isn’t gonna cut it…no pun intended (haha!). Also, your knife should be large enough to cut something but not so large that it is unruly to carry. A good rule of thumb for knife size- when your knife is folded up, it shouldn’t extend beyond your middle finger when laying flat in your hand.

^^^ This is my beauty. The blade is relatively small but it has a really strong base and is quite tough for its size.

^^^ I don’t know why the knife says “Police” on it so I am going to assume that this is a standard knife used by the Police. And it’s the only image of a desent knife I could find on the web. This is a good small to medium size pocket knife that will cut rope or skin an animal if you really need it to… if you get stranded.  : /

2. A flashlight! Always always always carry a flashlight with you! You never know when you are going to get stuck on the trail or on the water in the dark. This is REALLY important if you are a caver! Going caving has a whole new set of implications with flashlights. Recently, I purchased a “Surefire” flashlight that is actually bright yellow so it’s easier to find it in the dark. FINALLY! Someone realized the irony of black flashlights. This particular flashlight is small, lightweight, and has a tough polymer exterior designed for dropping and tough excursions (you know you will). Also, it uses high output lithium batteries, producing stronger light and the battery life is longer. If you are doing some serious through hiking or caving, consider a headlamp and a hand crank emergency flashlight along with your regular flashlight just in case your batteries die.

3. Good hiking boots. A good pair of boots these days contains two things: Vibram soles and Gortex. Vibram is, “Designed to perform in diverse and rugged terrain. Exclusive Vibram compounds guarantee maximum traction on both wet and dry surfaces.” Many different brands will offer Vibram soles but only some offer water-proofing Gortex, where “The outer layer keeps liquid moisture from penetrating, and yet its microporous structure aids your body’s natural cooling process by allowing perspiration vapor to escape.” Pretty nifty! Also, you want your boots to fit, but always make sure you have room for thick socks. You should be wearing thick socks with your hiking boots 99% of the time anyway. Choose a lightweight pair that offers all these features and you should be good to go! Here’s the pair I just purchased.

^^^ This boot is aparently named “The Siren.” HOLLER!

4. FOOD! Never never never hit the trails / rivers/ rock walls / caves without food. For one, you don’t want to flake out in the middle of your fun adventure. Always stay hydrated and comfortably fed. More importantly, however, if by some chance you DO get stranded, you will have something to hold you over JUST IN CASE before cannibalism sets in. Take trail mix with lots of dried fruit and nuts. Make sure its relatively low in sodium so you don’t get dehydrated! That’s important! Take a couple apples/ bananas/ random produce (more than you need for one trip). Jerky could work too. The only thing about jerky is that it is very salty (it will dehydrate you) and you will end up expending more calories by simply chewing the jerky than you will gain from eating it. Nevertheless, in a dire situation, anything is better than nothing. Complex carbohydrates are good- whole grain crackers and such. I am also a big advocate of peanut butter…the crunchy kind. You should always come back from a hiking trip with food you haven’t eaten.

^^^ I would also add, “Bring lots of water…as in, more than one bottle,” but I hope that goes without saying.  : )

5. A rain coat. Again, very critical. Even when it’s summertime, I always take my raincoat Let me be clear that I’m not talking about a random poncho I bought at a football game when I was ten years old. Go to a local sporting goods store and pick out a REAL rain slicker with a mesh lining. I got a rain coat on clearance a couple years ago and I’m not gonna lie, the zipper stinks and it constantly getting stuck but that jacket has kept me impeccably warm in dry on some of the coldest, rainiest days. And I can get very cold, very easily! I have also worn than jacket on a blistering hot hike out in the open fields of Grayson County highlands because I had forgotten my sunscreen and was starting to get severely burned.  The point is, this jacket should keep you warm when its cold, but should still be wearable when it’s hot. Last but not least, make sure the HOOD WORKS on YOUR HEAD! Try it on. Pull the drawstrings. If the hood doesn’t fit, move on, because wet hair is the last thing you need on the trail.

^^^ Like I said, my jacket was a discounted Nike jacket. But it’s a sporting jacket so it serves its purpose. However, if you have a little more cash to burn, the North Face has really good rain jackets. Also, check out Patagonia.

And there you have it, readers! The top five things to have on the trails with you, in no particular order. As a side note, always carry a cell phone, even if you don’t have a signal. For one, you never know when it will pick up. Number two, you can actually ignite a spark with a cell phone battery. Don’t ask me how…that’s another entry. But I’m sure if you were trapped in the woods long enough, you’d get around to figuring it out (or at least trying). One last thing, always carry your ID on you. As cynical as this sounds, if something happens to your, ahem, body, officials will be able to identify you. : )   YAY! I love this stuff! Now go have fun out there!

^^^ “Oooo, ahhh…”