Change Your Clocks, Review Your Backpack

Daylight Savings is just a few days away and no one could be happier than me! More daylight hours in the afternoon preluding longer days in general is enough to make anyone, let only someone who loves the outdoors, giggle with glee. There is a common wisdom to check and change your smoke detector batteries with the changing of the clocks and I want to start a trend to also review your backpack at the same time!

Now, should you check everything in your backpack EVERY TIME you go out? Of course you should! And there are a few of us who do.

However, if you are like everyone else, you tend to trust that everything is in your pack from your last trip. You toss in some food, water, extra clothes and call it good.

But how often do you go through your first aid pack and make sure you have replaced the bandages you used on that last trek? Check to see if medication is expired? Batteries still work?

Why You Should Review Your Backpack

The shoulder seasons of spring and fall make a great time to go through and assess your pack for the upcoming winter and summer seasons. Longer or shorter days, changing weather conditions and different needs make it imperative to have the right tools with you on your outdoor adventure for the season you are in. You never know when that first snow might hit while out in the woods or if those mosquitos will be ready for you when you get to the lake. You don’t want to feel the heat of a blister developing on your heel and see you didn’t replace the duct tape on your hiking pole like you said you would.

First, The Ten Essentials

Now first, let’s review what exactly are the ten essentials per the Mountaineers:

Navigation: map, altimeter, compass, [GPS device], [PLB, satellite communicator, or satellite phone], extra batteries or battery pack
Headlamp: plus extra batteries
Sun protection: sunglasses, sun-protective clothes, and sunscreen
First aid: including foot care and insect repellent (if required)
Knife: plus repair kit
Fire: matches, lighter and tinder, or stove as appropriate
Shelter: carried at all times (can be a lightweight emergency bivy)
Extra food: beyond minimum expectation
Extra water: beyond minimum expectation, or the means to purify
Extra clothes: sufficient to survive an emergency overnight

A Thorough Backpack Review

Here are a few things to think about when reviewing your backpack, whether it is with the changing of the clocks or every time you go out:

Do your batteries (and extra batteries) still work?
How much fuel is in your stove gas canister?
Are your medications, sunscreen, water purification tablets, steri-strips, etc, past their expiration date?
Have you replaced band-aids, duct tape, safety pins, thread and other first aid and repair items you have used?
Are the connections on your headlamp rusty or corroded?
Are the straps and buckles showing signs of wear and tear?
Can you add or subtract bug spray, a head net, umbrella or microspikes?
Do you need more or different clothing? Do they still fit you?
How is that extra food stash doing?
Do your matches still light or is there still fuel in your lighter?
Are the contacts and messages in your PLB still relevant?
Does your knife need sharpening?
Is there anything you have a duplicate of or need to have a duplicate/backup of?
Is there anything that failed you last time that you haven’t swapped out yet?

These are just a few ideas you review all the items in your pack to make sure you still have your ten essentials and everything is in working order. This list is not exhaustive and you may find you have more based on the essentials you carry in your backpack. Some people even make a list to check off!

What are some of the things you do to make sure your backpack is up-to-date and ready for your upcoming adventures? Are there other things you check for? Have you forgotten anything before and now you always make sure to have it in your pack? Tell us in the comments below!

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