The key to making any hike successful is to have all the essentials with you on the trip. Safety is one aspect you should never ignore when planning such expeditions. But with so many options available online, it can be confusing to sort out what items are the most crucial. Well, with the following items on your next trip, comfort and safety will no longer be a concern for you.

Must-have items for a hike:

It is very much possible that you dedicate your entire life to exploring the outdoors but fail to cover all the hiking spots in the UK. However, whether you are hiking along a mountain trail or a dense forest, the one thing that you can ensure is safety throughout the journey. Take a look into these six essential categories of items that will guarantee your next outdoor adventure to be both enjoyable and safe.

1. Items for location safety- When exploring unknown places on a hike, the probability of losing a sense of direction is quite high. Your backpack should include either a device with a GPS feature or the traditional compass and map. Mobile phones are not to be trusted as most outdoor locations are out of service reach.

Another item that you might want to have on you is a whistle or a personal locator beacon'. The latter is a bit expensive, so if you're on a budget, carry a whistle for situations like getting stuck or getting injured. Blowing a whistle will help you find help in such emergency situations.

2. Walking stick seat as a healthcare item - If you are still not familiar with this astoundingly- efficient equipment, then you are missing out on a perfectly comfortable hiking trip. This lightweight tool is more than a walking stick, as it features a seat for times when you get tired of walking.

A walking stick seat is a perfect addition to your backpack. The benefits of this foldable tool include:

  • Improved walking experience- You get the option of putting your body's pressure on the stick while walking long, uneven paths. This way, your knees are not burdened with taking on your body weight throughout the trail.
  • Option to sit- Your hikes have left you completely exhausted all these years because you never had the opportunity to sit while catching your breath. But with the revolutionary walking stick seat by your side, you can simply unfold the stick to open up a seat that can endure weight up to 280lbs/130kg safely. Now, whenever you feel like you have overwhelmed your body with non-stop walking, just open up this tool and have a rest.
  • Giving your baggage a rest- If you are weighed down by your backpack on a tedious hike, this tool will help you share the load. You can simply place your loaded backpack on the seat and spare your back the pain of carrying the weight.

A walking stick seat is handy, easily foldable, and essential for any outdoor activity involving walking. It would be wise to have one of these on your next hiking trip.

3. Medical items- Of course, medical items are crucial to carrying on any expedition. Your first-aid box with supplies, including antibiotics, adhesive bandages and disinfectants, is a must. You might also want to carry an insect repellent (spray or ointment) to prevent you from contracting any tropical disease.

If you are on prescription drugs, you have to ensure that you carry them along with you on the journey. You can also consider bringing with you antihistamines, essential oils for poison ivy, pain relievers, and antacids on the trip. Some other essentials for the outdoor adventure that you can consider including are blister pads, especially if it is a long hike, hand sanitiser and baby wipes for hygiene purposes, and an � emergency blanket' in case you're planning to spend the night out in the open (and you know how cold it is in the UK).

4. Food items to carry- There is no need to remind you how important it is to carry water on any such hiking adventure. At least one litre is required for two hours' worth of walk. Consider carrying a daypack that features a water bladder so that you can conveniently drink water without using your hands. If you think you will need more water, carry an extra one with you.

Another suggestion that might prove helpful is loading tablets for water treatment or a water purifier on your backpack. This will prove helpful if you run out of water during the hike. You can safely drink water from any source that you find along the way.

Food is fuel to anyone on a hiking trip. You have to carry enough to last the entire journey and carry some extras as well. The food items you choose for the hike should be dense in calories, like trail mix or protein bars. This will keep you from losing energy as you keep walking.

5. Items to wear- When planning a hike, you need to wear the right footwear and clothing. Shoes that you select for an outdoor trip, especially if the path is uneven and unwelcoming, should offer protection, traction and support. The footwear should fit snugly on your feet and should be made from high-quality materials.

Clothes for your day hike should include shorts or pants, a lightweight t-shirt or base wear, a shirt with long sleeves over the tee, and a jacket that offers insulation for times when the chill in the air is a bit too much for you.

Also, don't forget to carry a proper rain jacket because no one can predict the weather. The materials for your clothing should be breathable, like polyester, so that it can easily dry up even if you keep sweating throughout the day.

6. Essential Accessories- A few other accessories can also complement your backpack, which includes a camera to capture and document all the visually enthralling beautiful moments along the journey; binoculars to help you with better vision, especially if you are a bird-lover, a torch or headlamp with batteries to assist you with finding your way in the dark safely; a knife with multi-tool features that can help you in the course of the hike; and a repair kit for fixing common problems like repairing a zip that's broken.

With all these essential items taken care of, you can rest assured that comfort and convenience will be ensured throughout the hike.