This thread grew out of a response to Mike Cleland!'s article on "Sharp Things..." posted in the Editor's Roundtable. I posed the question: Do we lightweight backpackers still carry the Ten Essentials? If so how what does our list look like and and how might it differ from the original list used and promoted by the Boy Scouts of America since the 1930s? If you don't carry all of the Ten Essentials, what do you carry instead?

Here is the BSA rationale and list for a starter.
"Don't leave home for the outdoors without these basic items. They could save your life.

THE 10 ESSENTIALS are items every outdoor adventurer should include in his or her pack. The original list was devised in the 1930's by The Mountaineers, a Seattle-based hiking, climbing, and conservation organization, whose members get out in some truly dreadful weather—including in the rainy North Cascades, along the Olympic Peninsula, and on such snow-covered peaks as Mount Rainier.

The Mountaineers' essentials list was designed to keep climbers safe in case of accident, injury, or misadventure. Over time, like any classic, the list has been used and altered, but the core remains the same. Seventy years later, the list is included in many outdoor guides, including the latest edition of the Boy Scout Fieldbook.

List:
1. Map & Compass
2. Pocket Knife or Multipurpose Tool
3. First Aid Kit
4. Extra Clothing (3 layers)
WindBreaker (varies by weather)
SweatShirt (varies by boy and weather)
Long BlueJeans
Spare Wool Socks (A MUST!)
5. Rain Gear (Poncho - Type varies by expected Weather)
6. Water Bottle(s) (At Least 3 - 4 Liters of WATER)
7. Flashlight (Small, lightweight)
8. Trail Food (Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich / Beef Jerkey, Energy Bars)
9. Matches and Fire Starters ((For boys with the Fireman's Card))
10. Sun Protection (sunscreen, Chapstick, hat, sun glasses)

Have at it!!

To get the latest "Hiking Basics" from The Mountaineers (2005; two pages; includes The 10 Essentials, Leave No Trace, and more) go to this page and select "hikebasics_web2.pdf".


Just say no to blue jeans. Cotton kills! Kids' synthetic pants are $10 at WalMart.


I carry the Ten Essentials any time I'm on the trail, even for short day-hikes. I've been smacked upside the head by Mother Nature enough times to have learned that lesson. Total weight for Navigation+Sun Protection+Illumination+First Aid Supplies+Fire+Repair Kit and Tools+Nutrition is 4.5 oz (yes, they could be lighter), and they're always ready in my hip pack. Hydration, Insulation and Emergency Shelter vary, but I always have something that will be at least minimally sufficient.

Edited by Otter on 05/25/2007 20:15:50 MDT.

Please don't tell me the scouts are recommending outdoor activities wearing jeans and a sweatshirt.. are they that uninformed?

Maybe one of the Jeans manufacturing co's sponsored that article when it was first written ???
Personally, I learnt to stay away from cotton denim in any wet conditions when still a teeneager..
What I find even weirder is the number of people who can be seen wearing denim clothes in the the snow...

David Laurie.

While I agree that cotton isn't an ideal fabric for many conditions, the simple fact is that many parents just don't want to spend ANY money on their kids... in fact based on my experience I'll go so far as to say that in my world MOST parents don't want to spend any money. So you see a very minimal investment... street shoes (which parents complain when they get muddy), blue jeans, cotton t-shirts, etc, etc. Scouting is seen as a form of entertainment by many parents these days. They just don't understand the value of the program so they don't see any reason to invest.

Douglas is right on... my three kids are tricked out but not in Patigonia and Mountain Hardware... WalMart does have some great stuff for young hikers and it doesn't cost a lot to outfit a kid with good clothing for the trail. Some of the Ozark Trail "trail shoes" (which look cool and are totally devoid of technical merit) have proven to be outstanding for the kids... cheap, they can get muddy, no blisters, etc. I am not sure I'll replace my Montrail's with them but at $14/pair and no problems yet with three kids I am basically on board with the brand.

Now if I could only get the Scouts to change their underwear... the #1 complaint I get back is, "His gym shoes got muddy" (why didn't you buy him hiking shoes like I asked?) and the #2 complaint is, "I packed three pairs of underwear and they all came back clean and folded" (why did you pack his bag for him in the first place?)

Haha! Scouts and their parents... What can you do but keep at it.

I usually leave sunscreen (souther apps is rather shady), 'extra' clothes and only carry 2L of water. No wool socks either, but thats because gold toe acrylics are cheaper than smartwool running socks. I would carry all 10 if i was going into a new territory with uncertain water or known shortages (gallon + water storage), if it was snowy or barren (sunscreen/hat), or if it was snow camping, which I am unfamiliar with.

The scouts are a silly organization sometimes. I had the privilege of overseeing the pre-trip packing meeting for the Camp Woodruff high adventure sampler trip due to an inept counselor in charge. It was ridiculous even compared to the college outdoor ed overnighters i was used to helping with. There were more cotton fill, 1980's coleman bags, cotton socks, blue jeans, and $1 plastic ponchos, than I thought possible for people supposed to be as prepared as scouts. I definatley hold the parents responsible. Most of them view scouts as babysitters vs. a center for growth and development. Later that particular week we had to go get 2 of them due to terrible blisters all over their feet. silly scouts

Dough:
You know I think it's interesting that in many of the forum posts here that UL and SUL packers seem content to sacrifice safety for weight considerations. We all struggle with weight but the intense focus on that one consideration seems often to outweigh common sense. By no means am I attempting to paint all SUL and UL packers this way, but it is clear that many do seem to be content to trim 1st aid kits to the point of non-existence or foolishness and reduce or eliminate "superfluous" items from the pack which are in fact "essential" in an emergency. The very definition of an emergency would make it something not to be expected. So, I could argue that even when going on a day hike on well travelled trails that a well prepared hiker should carry some form of the "Ten essentials" in their entirety. Just because a packer is going on a "quick" getaway overnight, does not mean you could not encounter an emergency or be subject to an accident.
I'd be interested in knowing what is in your 4.5oz 10 essential kit. Mine is not nearly as light coming in at about 8oz.

It's not called the six essentials!

I carry all ten anytime I'm in the backcountry. However, I tend not to think of it as ten essentials, just as stuff that I need. Mine weigh about a pound in the summer, plus food and water. I alter the list a lot depending on season and locale.

Wow, that description makes scouting sound a little miserable. I agree that there are appropriate choices at walmart which would not cost much more. Polyester boxers compared with brand name non-cotton items for example.
I hope those scouts in jeans carrying a 7lb cotton sleeping bag can benefit from that character building experience.

We always have fun. It doesn't take much for them to have a good time. If there is food involved they are generally up the task. The key is to remember that it's all about developing leadership skills and independent thinking... but to sneak these lessons in while having fun.

Brett:
I think its important to note that the list, complete with references to cotton and sweatshirts is an older list. Talk to most scout leaders and they are just as aware as most of us that cotton is not good in the wilderness. Most scout leaders will recommend nylon and other synthetics for wearing. But most kids do not come from outdoor or wilderness aware families. Often the boy is the first person in the family to really get interested in the outdoors, so no one in the family has the knowledge or resources to provide appropriate clothing or packing essentials. Watch a troop outing in the wild and you will see everything from bluejeans to the latest in synthetics on the boys and everything from a 5 lbs kapoc(sp) sleeping bag to a MB SS bag with most kids falling somewhere in between.

It is often a matter of education and finances. I have given several hands-on seminars for scouts and their leaders in making good choices in outdoor apparrel and gear. A "good" choice must also include $$ considerations. Where possible I have recommended shopping at A&N stores and going online to places like Sierra Trading Post and Campmor. I will never recommend Walmart for many reasons I won't go into here. But it is still going to cost something on the order of $300+ to gear up a boy and that is a lot for many families to swallow. I donate a lot of gear to the Scouts and I encourage others here to do the same if you can afford to do so. But still the prevalance of cotton dominates the gear these kids wear and carry.They walk down the trail looking every bit the 19th century peddlers carrying everything but the kitchen sink hanging off their packs. They survive the experience -- its amazing how resilient kids are.

Thanks for the detailed answer. I have yet to start my family, so I can only imagine the financial drain of having kids.
As for myself, since moving overseas, I started buying used gear and clothing, something which I guess was "beneath me" or something in my previous life? Now it just seems logical; part of reduce, reuse, recycle. I think used synthetics and gear on ebay would be an economical way to outfit a kid, or even an adult.

As for the 10 essentials, Mountaineering, Freedom of the hills lists 10 systems, which are basically like the 10 groups people mention here. It is up to the individual to customize the contents based on the situation; I consider an old Army acronym, METTT, mission, enemies(weather, bugs, etc..), terrain, troops(how many=larger or smaller kits), time(duration)

Edited by Brett1234 on 06/02/2007 09:52:26 MDT.

In my opinion, the list of ten essentials is still geared towards an outdated notion of exercising wilderness skills like firestarting and making shelter. With ultralight technology the list could change a bit.

This is probably my list of nine essentials....
1. Map & Compass (map is more important)
2. Food
3. Shelter/Raingear (gatewood cape)
4. Sleeping bag appropriate to season
5. Appropriate clothing for sun, cold, and bugs.
6. 2 water containers and water treatment
7. Cell Phone
8. First aid kit with- ace wrap, alcohol swabs, razor blade, athletic tape, aspirin, and benedryl, a couple big gauze pads
9.Flashlight

I'd say most of these things can be found on almost any ULers gear list. They fit into a space about the size of a school backpack or less. They weigh about 5 lbs for many of us. Seems to me a person with these things is pretty well prepared for most eventualities, even moreso than someone with the ten essentials. I wouldn't go much more minimal with the first aid kit, though.

Edited by idroptapul on 05/30/2007 23:37:36 MDT.

An alternative version:

http://texas.sierraclub.org/dallas/page.asp?10essentialgroups

The top 5 are what many preparedness (aka survival) websites list as most important when the SHTF, in that order. I should say roughly that order since equipped to survive puts signaling stuff as number three : ).

Ten Essential Groups
1. Medical
2. Shelter
3. Fire
4. Hydration
5. Communication
6. Navigation
7. Nutrition
8. Insulation
9. Sun Protection
10. Tools

Edited by jshann on 05/31/2007 19:05:48 MDT.

John:
Very Interesting approach! The use of grouping makes sense to me and covers the critical areas that any outdoor experience should encompass. This approach would allow for a dicussion of what might be appropriate for any given climate, geography, group size or experience level. I like it!

The thing about cotton clothing is that it is the *worst* choice, but it's still not as bad as people make it out to be.

Like any other aspect of outdoorsmanship, skills and strategy count for far more than equipment. Isn't that what lightweight hiking is about?

If you're dressed in cotton, you just have a different set of disadvantages of which you must be aware. You must be careful not to get wet and if you accidentally get wet, you must get dry or build a fire. ----But can't this be said of all backpacking?? I'd rather be in wet cotton in the summer than in wet PG Delta in November; either way you are in trouble.

Cotton clothing gives you less of a safety margin, yes. But so do tarp camping, down insulation, woodgas cooking, silnylon, not bringing a complete change of clothes, and not bringing an extra day's food! As I explain to my traditional-backpacker family: these aren't death sentences; they're variables. If you're aware of the abilities and limitations of your kit, you're a lot safer than someone with a super-foolproof kit who doesn't know how to use it.

I'm not advocating the intentional purchase of cotton clothes for backpacking. Being wet in cotton is scary. But a group of 15 scouts with 3 leaders walking 5 miles a day who are all dressed in cotton probably all have changes of dry clothes, firestarting kits, bomber tents, sleeping bags that are warm enough to use naked, and communications to the outside world.

And the leaders are probably watching every boy for all the danger signs.

I'd argue that that group has greater safety margins, despite their jeans and cotton sleeping bags, than an SUL hiker on a solo trip outside of cellphone range. (i.e. no great danger to anyone, except in the minds of those who believe that any given piece of kit or lack of kit is recklessness.)

While the list in the OP is a little outdated, I feel that the "10 essentials" (or however many there are now) are an important guideline for emergency preparedness in the backcountry.

Just this past weekend, I found myself hiking all over the hills above Santa Fe on 3 hours of sleep looking for a guy who "was just out for a little afternoon day hike". He was hiking in very familiar terrain, so he apparently decided against carrying navigational equipment. After a very chilly night out curled up under a tree, he ended up hiking himself out, a full 15 miles from where he intended. He was lucky, as the temps were not very low the night before and the weather was marginal at worst. Had things been a little different, he probably would have been echo delta (ETA: "echo delta" = SAR radio code for fatality) before we ever found him.

Edited by james481 on 05/31/2007 15:02:57 MDT.

Over the years I have seen where some writers and groups have expanded the 10 essentials into a "10 plus.." list, with 14, 15 or more items on it... With a bit of adjustment and playing around, and using some categories, like those mentioned by a couple of writers above, I have come up with a flexible list of my own - similar to the original lists - which I use in my own blogs and essays:
(this is copied from one of those blogs..)

" Of course, you do have to make allowance for local climate and weather, and take some essentials/basics with you -
* "Environmental protection": sunscreen, and insect repellant; hat, sunglasses; suitable footwear - where needed;
* water; [and water treatment if going out for more than a couple hours..];
* sufficient food;
* "Navigation" : map,compass, [and know how to use them];
* first aid kit, [and, again, some know-how];
* matches/'lighter, maybe a candle (stub, or birthday candle..);
* whistle, (and maybe mirror?) for signalling (="Communication");
* "Tools": knife, or multi-tool; torch, and or headlamp;
* extra/protective clothes - when, where, (and how?) needed...
* daypack/bumbag/'courier' bag (for day trips - something a little larger for overnighters or longer..), - need somewhere to stash your clothes at least, as well as the 'essentials', unless you're lucky enough to be able to leave home naked (.. I'm not)."
Many of these basic tools and supplies could be carried in a couple of pockets, with maybe compass, whistle and knife on a lanyard (either around the neck, or over a shoulder [Army style - especially if your shirt has 'epalettue' type tabs on the shoulder]..).

[ Note (June 7th..): I consider this list to be not fixed, but organic and changeable, and I will probably take on board some other ideas and philosophies from other writers on this forum, and update this list again from time to time..].
This list gives the sort of flexibility where you can adjust your kit to suit the circumstances of your trip..

Note that I don't consider items like cell phones, EPIRBS, GPSs, walkie-talkies, and the like to be essentials or necessities - I might take some technologies on some trips, but I would still countsuch things as unnecessary luxuries...
High tech' items can fail, batteries will run flat, they all have inherent restrictions, and many people don't learn to use them correctly, anyway. And relying on technology can give novices a false optimism, where they don't bother to learn some basic skills before venturing out.

If an emergency/disaster does occur, and you find yourself temporarily stranded, shouldn't your priorities be something like -
* shelter
* fire
* signalling/communication
* water
* food
Keeping in mind the "Rule of 3's" - the idea that an average person might survive 3 minutes without oxygen, 3 hours exposure [though not to the most extreme conditions, where some things can kill you in less than a minute..], 3 days without water [as long as it doesn't get too hot and dry..], and 30 days or more without food .

Edited by bushwalker on 06/06/2007 22:34:21 MDT.