Basic Survival Skills To Make Your Backpacking Trip More Enjoyable

by Ric Henderson

While you are not expected to be Crocodile Dundee on your first backpacking trip, there are some things that you should be aware of that can help you get through the trip a little easier. These are not difficult things, just some basic tips to make sure that you do not get into a bad situation or end up getting caught unprepared during your trip.

This should go without saying, but make sure that you pack a first aid kit. You are obviously not going to want to pack anything to heavy, but most outdoor stores will have kits that are meant specifically for backpacking. It will be a light weight kit that one person can carry and have supplies for everyone in the group.

Something else that should be done is that one person in the group should have some basic first aid skills. If nobody does, take it upon yourself to take a first aid course and become proficient in how to apply emergency first aid. The first aid kit will do you little good if nobody knows how to use it. If you are on a trip with nobody that knows first aid, you would be better served to pass and wait till the next time around.

Making sure that you have your pack done correctly is also key. You want to make sure you have the right supplies and that your food is portioned correctly. The only stuff that you are going to have is what you bring with you and you want to make sure that you don’t run out and that you don’t have too much. If you don’t eat it, you will be carrying things unnecessarily.

Take the time to get some fire supplies and seal them for each night that you are going to be out on the trails. Foodsaver bags are a great way to do this. For instance, if you are going to be on the trail for three nights, pack up once candle, matches and some sort of fire starter for each day and put it in a foodsaver bag and seal it. Those bags are made to be waterproof and you are assuring yourself that you will be able to start a fire each and every night of your trip and that they are protected from getting wet.

Bugs can also be a huge problem on a trip and they can make your life miserable. Certain foods will draw them out and you will want to avoid them at all costs. Things like bananas draw bugs right to them and while they are great to have, they are not going to hold up very well and will turn you into a walking feast. You will also want to make sure that you have a bug spray or some type of body oil that will deter the bugs from biting you.

As you can see, these tips are more common sense than anything else. This is not about living permanently in the jungle, but being able to live in some comfort while you are out on the trails and enjoying nature. Follow these basic survival tips and you will have a much better backpacking trip the next time around.