An adventure in the wild nature can be an unforgettable experience or it can be also something you want to forget. Great experiences in an adventure often depend on which equipment you bring, or you forget, during the trip.
You will be in a fun and relaxing adventurous situation, or even trapped in a scary situation and don't know how to get out of it. It all depends on the readiness of the equipment you bring.
If you are used to adventuring or are planning to go on an adventure for the first time, make sure you bring the following equipment, depending on how long you will be wandering in the nature.
1. Navigation and Communication Equipment
The wild nature is identical with a place in the middle of nowhere far from civilization in general. Landmark in a place, for example in a forest, can appear to change completely due to the influence of the position of the sun. This causes you to experience directional disorientation, confusion in determining the position of the cardinal directions.
It is not unusual for some adventurers to have to wander through the forest for days just to find their camping spot, or even to be found by a rescue team. Make sure the equipment below is in your luggage:
Compass
If you're disoriented in the wild nature, a compass can save the day. Even though smartphones now have electronic compass features, manual compass is still recommended since it doesn't rely on battery use.
GPS
You can estimate the location and direction of a place accurately using a GPS device. A smartphone with GPS application can be used as an alternative device, although it is recommended to use a GPS device built specifically for outdoor use which is definitely waterproof and tough. Just remember that this device relies on battery for its operation, so you need to prepare extra battery reserves.
Cell phone
It cannot be denied that smartphones can provide all our needs for navigation and communication. Just make sure your smartphone battery is fully charged, and you have to bring large a power bank with capacity at least 30,000 mAh for around 2 days of use, depending on the signal strength the cellphone receives.
Satellite phone is the ultimate choice for the capabilities offered by a mobile phone to deal with the wild nature when the smartphone doesn't have a signal, even though they are expensive. This device can be a backup when other navigation and communication equipment go wrong, since it is connected directly to the satellite.
2. Flashlight
Finding a way in the dark situation is inevitable in the wild nature. For this reason, you need to have your own light source. Most adventurers prefer to use a flashlight with headlamp style, so they don't need to be held by hand. This allows them to carry out other activities more freely, such as cooking or looking for luggage in the dark of the night.
3. Tent
Bringing a tent will be very useful, especially in bad weather, even if you don't plan to sleep outdoors. A tent can protect your belongings and yourself from the wind, and prevent you from getting wet and sick, especially on a journey that lasts for days.
There are several things you should notice when choosing a tent, namely model, capacity, layers, ease of packing, and also weight of the tent. Make sure to bring all tent's accessories, such as poles, stakes, ropes, and a rain fly.
For the base inside the tent, you can use a mattress with appropriate features. An aluminum foil mattress can help warming the body while sleeping. The sponge mattress is lightweight but thick and soft.
4. Sleeping Bag
When the sun goes down, you need something to keep you warm since the temperature can drop drastically at night. Moreover, insects become more active at night and may come to uncovered body parts. Sleeping bag can warm and protect the body while we sleep. There are quite a lot of sleeping bag models on the market, from double polar, mummy model, envelope model, and there are also models that are made like a jacket and have pillow.
5. First-aid Kit
The size of the first-aid kit generally depends on the length of the trip, how far the trip is, how many people are participating, and the risks they may deal with during the trip. Before packing, make sure there are no expired items and that items that were used up have been added back. Items in the first-aid kit include bandage, scissor, protective glove, anti-pain medication, wound plaster, and medicines to be consumed regularly if any. Anti mosquito spray can also be added.
6. Drinking Water
Drinking water is a basic item if you want to survive in the wild nature. The last thing on an adventure you can do is survive without drinking water, since drinking water from a lake or a pond can cause illness. In order to survive, make sure to always carry a bottle of drinking water even if you don't go far. Bringing some water purification tablets is also very useful if you have to refill drinking water from a river.
7. Food
Even though you can survive without food for several days, you still need it to get the energy you need to go on an adventure out there. Bringing enough extra food for a few days will be very useful if something happens to delay your trip.
Generally, if the adventure activity is only carried out for one day, choose types of food that don't need to be cooked and can be stored for a long time, for example nuts, energy bars, and dried fruit. If the trip takes several days, you can bring cooking ingredients, plates, and food containers to keep the food protected from animals.
8. Fire
A campfire is almost inseparable from camping activities. Therefore, you must have enough supplies to light the fire and keep the fire burning. Usually, people will choose to use a gas lighter, but match can also be used. Make sure the matches you bring are stored in a waterproof container.
9. Cooking Equipment
In an outdoor adventure that lasts for days, cooking in the open air is one of the fun activities. Besides being able to process food to become a source of energy for activities, cooking can also warm the body in the cold.
The cooking equipment that is usually brought is a nesting and a stove. Meanwhile, the fuel you can use is gas or paraffin. Oil is not recommended, as it is prone to spill and can cause a fire.
10. Clothing
Since you will carry all the equipment, it is best to keep all your luggage as light as possible. Choose a lightweight, waterproof, and windproof jacket that can withstand cold gusts of wind and light drizzle.
During adventure activities, it is recommended to wear clothes made from quick-drying materials, as well as materials that are strong but still light. To sleep, you can wear clothes that are warm to the body, such as cotton or knit. Also make sure that the clothes you wear are dry, so you don't get cold while sleeping. It is very dangerous to sleep in cold, because it can cause hypothermia.
You also need to consider bringing a raincoat, even if the weather doesn't look like rain. Apart from its function to protect oneself from rainwater, depending on the model, a raincoat can also provide other uses. A suit-style raincoat can be useful as a warmer like a waterproof jacket. A poncho style raincoat can be used to build a bivouac or emergency tent and can also protect the carrier bag on your back when it rains.
11. Shoes and Socks
Choose shoes that are suitable and comfortable to wear during your adventure, which have waterproof or quick-dry features, anti-skid soles, and are suitable for all terrains. Avoid shoes that are too small or too loose, since it can cause injury to the feet, especially the nails.
Socks are especially needed to keep your feet warm when night falls. Apart from being able to help you sleep better, socks can also help you avoid urinating frequently due to the cold night air in the outdoors. You can bring two pairs of socks in case one of them gets wet.
12. Gloves and Headgear
Gloves and headgear are also adventure equipment that is no less important. Gloves not only function to protect your hands from thorns or animal bites, but they can also keep your hands warm. Likewise, using headgear can protect the head from cold or heat.
13. Bag
To carry various kinds of equipment, logistics and personal clothing during your adventure, of course, you need a suitable bag. Carrier bags or also called mountain bags are specifically designed to support activities in the wild nature or travelling. Mountain bag features that support user comfort, especially when carrying heavy loads, are a variety of backpack systems that use regular foam, mesh foam and even anti-gravity technology.
If you want to get wet on your adventure, for example an activity along a river or waterfall, you need to bring a drybag. With a drybag, your belongings while walking through water will remain dry even if they are hit by splashing water.
14. Trekking Poles
Trekking poles function to support body weight, minimize knee pain, and can also provide balance when traversing steep paths. Moreover, in sandy terrain on climbing routes, trekking poles are needed to provide greater support.
15. Pocket-Knife
You will really need a pocket-knife to face challenges in the wild nature. With pocket-knife, you can cut rope, cut bait, cut twigs, open tightly closed packages, sharpen sticks, and many more. The model options can be a standard folding knife or a multifunctional knife equipped with a screwdriver, folding scissors, and a can opener.
Conclusion
Now you know the list of equipment you must bring during your adventure trip in the wild nature. Your fun and exciting adventure plans can become a mess and a nightmare, without carefully preparing and carrying the above equipment.
If you need equipment for your adventure activities, please visit our shop. We provide several outdoor equipment products that are popular, in good quality and pocket friendly.