10 Essentials for your Outdoor Packing List when Venturing into the Backcountry

No matter your adventure, there are 10 things you must always take with you whether out for the day or a month.


1. Map
2. Compass
3. Sunglasses/ Sunscreen
4. Pocket Knife
5. Headlamp or Flashlight (extra batteries and bulbs)
6. Extra Water, Water purifier or tablets/ Bottles
7. Extra Food
8. 1st Aid kit/ Emergency Whistle
9. Waterproof matches/ Fire Starter
10. Extra Clothes

From experienced mountaineers and the Book Freedom of the Hills. These items are the Ten Essentials that will help you to be prepared for the unexpected, aid in survival and can be life savers in an emergency.

A map and compass prevents one from getting lost in the field. Take along maps that cover the relevant area in sufficient detail and dimension (topography, trails, roads, campsites, towns, etc.) and learn how to use a map and compass together especially when the place you are traveling lacks signs, markings or guides. A GPS is always helpful but should not be taken instead of a map and compass. The accuracy of GPS is dependent on Terrain, foliage, barometric pressure and user knowledge, all of which have an effect on how accurate the GPS readings are.

Sometimes things happen and nightfall comes before we are at our destination. Flashlights and headlamps protect against physical injury when traveling in the dark and are helpful when searching in the dark or signaling if there is an emergency. Always be sure to bring extra batteries and bulbs.

Extra food and water can in case of an emergency prevent hypothermia and give clarity of mind when dealing with an emergency situation. They also keep you healthy and prevent illness from setting in. Never eat without water, as the body needs water to metabolize food.

Extra clothes will protect you from the elements and hypothermia. A multiple layering technique of clothing will keep you warmer than just on single heavy layer, as warm air is trapped between layers of clothing forming an insulating layer. Layering your clothing also prevents over heating but still will protect you from bugs, sun, wind and foliage. They can be used for many things in an emergency situation including bandages.

Sunglasses protect your eye sight and help prevent snow blindness in snowing environments.
A first aid kit usually contains items to treat cuts, abrasions, blisters, punctures and burns plus allow you a place to carry prescription medications. Be sure to take a first aid kit that is fitting to the area you are planning you trip.

A knife is very useful in the backcountry but a multi-tool such as a Leatherman or Swiss Army Knife is a very versatile choice.

Waterproof matches and fire starter such as a magnesium stick will keep you warm preventing hypothermia, food consumption to cook on as well as a signaling device.

A water treatment device such as a water filter or chemical tablets makes water potable and safe for drinking. All water needs to be treated for bacteria and viruses in order to ensure safety and prevent sickness. Water filters work well but are more expensive than alternative chemical treatments of Iodine or chlorine. If neither of these methods is available to you, bring water to a rapid boil for one minute before consuming.

References:

Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills 6th edition, pages 35-40, (1997)
Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills, p. 38

Kids Sleeping Bag Comparison Chart

Looking for a sleeping bag that will keep your child warm for a great price. At Upside Over we gathered the best kids sleeping bags for the little ones and the big ones. Check out our kids sleeping bag comparison chart. Click on this chart to view.

Choosing the right sleeping bag for your child

Not all sleeping bags are the same and differ in materials, insulation and shape design. To insure warmth in any bag it is important to size it correctly to your child's height. A bag that is too, big leaves too much dead space for your child to heat and therefore they will be cold. The rule of thumb is that a sleeping bag should have no more than 12 inches of dead space.

There are two choices when is comes to sleeping bag insulation, Down and Synthetic.

Down Insulation: Made up of goose feathers and are rated as the warmest sleeping bags. The more down fill in a sleeping bag, the warmer it will be, an average fill is 600 for a 20 degree bag and 800 for a zero degree bag.

Benefits of Down Insulation: Down is the warmest, softest and lightest sleeping bag insulation.

Drawbacks of Down Insulation: Down is more expensive and loses its loft over time making rating of the sleeping bag rise. If your down bag gets wet it takes a long time to dry out and loses all of its insulation properties. Down Bags are good for winter time, and in areas that see little rain. They work great in the western states.

Synthetic Insulation: Synthetic fibers are usually made from hydrophobic polyester or nylon fibers.

Benefits of Synthetic Insulation: Dry quickly, keep their thermal properties when wet, keeps their loft preserving thermal properties of the bag and can be made for warmer temperatures.

Drawbacks of Synthetic Insulation: Heavier than Down, less compressible, less softness.

Types of Synthetic Insulation:

Polarguard HV Insulation: Water resistant, dries quickly and has a feel similar to down. Polarguard spins their insulation in a way that gives it a hollow core. This hollow core traps warm air keeping you warmer while preserving pack ability and weight.

Climashield: High Loft synthetic insulation that is made from thousands of continuous strands of polyester spreading them into an interlocking insulation that is durable and stretches.

M3 Polyester: Hollow Core Synthetic Fiber, hollow core technology gives more warmth with less fibers making your bag lighter and compressible.

Spirafill 120: consists of 3 denier conjugated spiral hollow fibers for loft and 1 denier polyester fiber giving bag warmth, softness, and compressibility and is lighter in weight.

Synthetic Sleeping Bags work well in wetter climates such as the eastern US where the possibility of your bag getting wet is higher.

Most kids sleeping bags are made with a durable nylon or polyester shell. Some are treated with a water resistant coating and most come with a draft zipper baffles to keep cold air from entering through the zipper. Mummy style bags are warmer than the rectangular bags because there is less dead air space for your child to warm. Heavy Cotton sleeping bags are a thing of the past and only used indoors these days. If your are taking your family into the back country and looking for a lightweight durable bags consider the above options when making your choice. Give Upside Over a call and ask one of our gear consultants if you have any more questions about kids sleeping bags. 888 377 8203