The Ten Essential Systems
-
- Navigation: A topographic map & compass/GPS (plus extra batteries for the GPS) are essential, but only useful if you know how to use them. Practice frequently in familiar territory. Copies of route descriptions from guidebooks (photocopied and placed in a Ziploc bag) are good to have also.
- Recommended topo maps: Gem Trek waterproof maps. If your map isnβt waterproof, keep it in a Ziploc bag.
- Recommended compass: Suunto A-10 or Silva Ranger. Call me an old school geographer, but I prefer a compass to a GPS as it doesnβt rely on batteries (and is a lot smaller and lighter!). The sighting mirror on the Silva can be used for signalling too!
- Recommended hiking books: Kananaskis Country Trail Guide, Take a Hike With Your Children, Scrambles in the Canadian Rockies, Wilderness Navigation: Finding Your Way Using Map, Compass, Altimeter and GPS, Rich Johnsonβs Guide to Wilderness Survival
- Recommended blog post: How to Avoid Getting Lost
I always carry a Gem Trek map and compass.
- Hydration: Water is critical for survival, so be sure to carry a water bottle/hydration pack filled with at least 2 L of water, as well as a water filter, purifier, or water purification tablets/drops to treat more water on the go.
- Recommended products: Katadyn Hiker Microfilter, Potable Aqua PURE Hydrolytic Water Purifier, Steripen UV Water Purifier, LifeStraw Personal Water Filter (for emergency use β light enough to put one in each of your kidsβ packs).
- To learn more about the Potable Aqua PURE device and how it compares to filtration and UV purification, please see: Potable Aqua PURE Electrolytic Water Purifier Review.
- Special Note Re Cold Weather: When itβs around/below freezing, I carry my ultralight backpacking stove, so we can melt snow for hot drinks. Donβt forget a pot, cups, and cocoa!
The Potable Aqua PURE can treat up to 20L at once!
- First Aid, Medications, & Insect Repellent: Keep all first aid supplies in a waterproof bag with any medications you use (inhaler, epipen). I recommend adding the following items to your first aid kit if not included: Benadryl, Advil/Tylenol, pointy tweezers, Polysporin ointment or Polysporin To Go Spray (contains topical anesthetic to dull the pain; great for kids!).
- Recommended first aid kits: We have Adventure Medical Kits in various sizes. 0.5 is good for day trips; get the 0.7 or 0.9 for family multi-day trips. All items are packed in high quality zipper sealed bags and the outer silnylon bag is waterproof, made of ripstop fabric, and ultralight.
- Recommended insect repellents: PiActive contains 20% picaridin which repels mosquitoes and ticks, and does not dissolve synthetic clothes like DEET. Benβs is a concentrated 30% DEET formula which protects against ticks and comes in a small pump bottle which is just the right size to keep in the top of your pack.
- Recommended post: Which Tick Repellents to Use and How to Use Them.
Adventure Medical Kit Ultralight 0.7
- Insulation & Sun Protection: Needs will vary depending on where you live, but in the mountains near Calgary, you should carry one insulated layer and one waterproof, breathable layer, insulated gloves, a hat, and mesh headnet to protect against biting insects. A toque (beanie) that covers your ears is great for cold weather or breezy summits, and in winter, I strongly recommend mittens and hand warmer and foot warmer packets. For sun protection, wear long, lightweight, breathable layers (pants, not shorts), a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen.
- Recommended insulating layers: MEC Spicy/Commix Down Hoodie or Patagonia Down Sweater. A Primaloft or fleece hoodie is a more affordable option that is very warm for its weight (but not as compressible as down).
- Recommended outer layers: MEC Goretex shell, Patagonia H2No shell, Outdoor Research Clairvoyant /Axiom Jacket β basically, you should get something durable, waterproof, and breathable.
- Recommended sunscreen: Thinkbaby SPF 50+ Sunscreen has a pleasant (very light citrus, hardly noticeable) scent compared to other natural sunscreens we have tried AND it doesnβt leave as thick a white film as other zinc based formulas (it will still leave a whiteish cast to your skin though).
- For more information, please see Keeping Warm in Spring/Fall and Keeping Kids Warm in Winter.
Toasty warm on the summit of Mount Fairview
- Emergency Shelter: Our #1 choice for family trips is made from a Siltarp (silicone impregnated tarp), paracord, and hiking poles, but other options include a bivy sack, space blanket, plastic tarp, convertible tarp poncho, and large, orange garbage bag (orange for visibility). While weβve never had to camp under the tarp, it has come in handy as a sun/rain shelter and gear shed at camp!
Siltarp Gear Shed - Signalling Devices: A whistle, mirror, and headlamp are the basic signalling devices that everyone should carry. You can signal SOS (Save Our Souls) with 3 blasts on your whistle. To signal distress with your mirror/headlamp, make 3 short flashes, 3 long flashes, then 3 short flashes. Use your mirror during the day and headlamp at night. You can purchase a signaling mirror, or use the sighting mirror on your compass (my preference so I donβt have to carry multiple items). If you can afford it, a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) such as the Garmin inReach SE Plus is an excellent tool that allows you to send messages with your location to check in with family or request assistance. Other options are cell phones and satellite phones but cell phones are not of much use once youβre out of range.
- Recommended whistle: A high quality, pealess marine whistle like the Storm All Weather Safety Whistle, Ultimate Survival Technologies Jetscream Whistle, or Fox 40 Classic Whistle.
Every person in your party should have a whistle. Storm whistle shown above.
- Recommended whistle: A high quality, pealess marine whistle like the Storm All Weather Safety Whistle, Ultimate Survival Technologies Jetscream Whistle, or Fox 40 Classic Whistle.
- Fire Making Kit: I strongly recommend carrying more than one fire ignitor and some fire starters in a watertight container so you can get a fire going in case of emergency (best practice is one on you and at least one in your pack). After our canoe capsized, we lost our stove, but still had our fire making kit, so we could warm up and dry off. A fire not only keeps you warm and provides a sense of well-being, it can also be used to signal for help (3 fires in a triangle is a universal distress signal)!
- Recommended fire ignitors: UCO Stormproof Matches, butane lighter
- Recommended fire starters: ZIP Firestarters (they burn up to 15 minutes and even get wet wood burning!)
- Navigation: A topographic map & compass/GPS (plus extra batteries for the GPS) are essential, but only useful if you know how to use them. Practice frequently in familiar territory. Copies of route descriptions from guidebooks (photocopied and placed in a Ziploc bag) are good to have also.
UCO Stormproof Matches & Waterproof Case |
-
- Illumination: An LED headlamp and spare batteries should live in your pack at all times. Check the batteries frequently and replace as needed.
- Recommended headlamps: Petzl Tikka XP, Black Diamond Spot.
Petzl Tikka XP |
- Nutrition: Always bring several extra nonperishable snacks in case you are delayed. While itβs possible to survive for weeks without food, itβs hard to stay positive when youβre hangry. Calorie dense foods like protein/energy bars, chocolate bars, and beef jerky keep well and provide a lot of energy for their size. *Pack enough calories for at least 1 day.*
Snacks my kids like - Repair Kit and Tools: Always carry a knife, several metres of paracord (for rigging a shelter, making a gurney, tourniquet etc), duct tape, and zip ties. A multi-tool or Swiss army knife is handy, and an ice ax β and knowing how to self arrest β is a must for glacier/snow travel.
- Tip: Make paracord into a paracord bracelet or tie it onto your knife handle for easy transport.
![]() |
Bear spray in holster & large grizzly prints |
Storing Your Gear
I have a system for the systems with food in one stuff sack, extra clothes in a waterproof stuff sack, and survival gear in a large Ziploc bag for visibility. Compartmentalizing makes it easy to transfer items if you frequently change packs (I use a 60L for family adventures and a 33-40L pack for kid-free trips) and ensures nothing important gets left behind.
- Recommended stuff sacks: Outdoor Research Ultralight Stuff Sacks.
After each trip, be sure to replenish consumables (extra food, bandaids, etc) as needed and check/recharge the batteries on headlamps, water purifiers, GPS, personal locator beacons, etc., so everything is in working order when you need it.
Conclusion
Think of The Ten Essential Systems as insurance. You will hopefully never have to use all of them, but if you do, youβll be glad you packed them!
Have you ever had to make an unplanned bivouac? What do you wish you knew then that you know now?
4 comments
Hello, I will continue reading your recommendations, but your advice about the Deet bug spray dissolving hiking clothing is a big surprise to me. I will begin looking for the alternative you recommended.
I am of the opinion that while even a little extra weight can make a long hike difficult the benefits of having the necessities outweighs the downside; particularly during one hike where I received a country hornet sting (nothing like those wimpy city ones…unfortunately) and a woman collapsed of dehydration. I had extra items to assist the fallen hiker until medical assistance arrived. Now I am hypervigilant about being prepared. What I say to hiking friends that you may never use your medical kit or extra fluid etc., but perhaps someone else will need it. I think it is a positive perspective to take as it is in line with the code of hiking/ers.
Cheers,
Scott
Hi Scott, Thanks for reading! I totally agree the extra items are worth carrying. I'm fortunate to have never been in a survival situation, but have been delayed due to weather or others' minor emergencies.
Re the bug spray, DEET is very effective but can actually dissolve synthetic fabrics. My friend's bug spray (containing 30% Deet) leaked in his pack and made a hole in it! My hubby has a Chem degree and explained it to me… basically oils dissolve oils. We still use Deet when bugs are really bad, but take care not to spray it on our favorite clothes. The picaridin spray worked well for us this year but it wasn't a very bad mosquito year. I'll use it the next time we're somewhere bug infested and let everyone know. π
Happy trails!
Thanks Nicky! It's a balancing act, isn't it? You want to make sure you have all the essentials but not be overloaded, especially when carrying gear for more than yourself. I find clothing to take up the most space up here, but we can't go with too little as it's so cold at night (even in summer)!
These are all great gear essentials. We are working on lightening our load as we transition from car camping to backpacking with the kids
Comments are closed.