15 Safety Essentials to Keep in Your Hiking Backpack

Few things are as rewarding as hiking. For as long as humanity has existed, the art of hoofin’ it through the wilderness has lived as well, be it out of necessity or for pleasure (which definitely came later in the timeline). When it comes to hiking for pleasure, we’re pretty hopelessly obsessed; there is no shortage of amazing hiking trails in the U.S., so if you’re planning a hiking adventure sometime soon, you’ve come to the right place.

We’ve gone ahead and put together a list of the best must-have safety essentials for your hiking backpack.

1. Mountain Series Hiker Medical Kit

No safety list would ever be complete without starting with the essentials, like a great first aid kit. Take, for example, the Adventure Medical Kit, which has enough basics for a couple of day trips, a few emergencies, and more. These essentials include five medications, wound care, and more—you cannot do without a first aid kit on the trail, and this one is our current fave.

2. Skullcandy Fat Stash 2 Portable Battery Pack

Today, our phones are must-haves. It takes preparation to unplug for a day, let alone longer, including on hikes. At some point, it’s likely that you’ll need to charge your phone on the go, and you’ll want to have something like a power bank on hand for quick, convenient charging. The Fat Stash 2 Portable Battery, for instance, is 10,000 mAh (which is enough to charge most phones multiple times) and at just the size of a deck of cards, it’s perfect for hiking trips and other adventures.

3. S.O.L Deluxe Map Compass

When it comes to must-have safety essentials for just about every outdoorsy person, a compass is definitely toward – if not at – the top of the list. Just about any compass will do—and you’ll be amazed at how helpful it becomes in an emergency situation. The Deluxe Map Compass is a ridiculously handy multi-tool we cannot live without, and you’ll never find one of our hiking bags without one.

4. Counter Assault Bear Deterrent Spray

Bear spray: it’s one of those things that you desperately hope you never need, but if you DO need it, you’d better have it. There are numerous ways to save your own life in the event that you cross paths with a bear, and bear spray is a very, very good backup plan to have. Carrying one is a great idea; carrying two is quite wise in the event of a major issue with the first one. Make sure to look up local laws if bear spray is allowed where you're hiking.

5. UCO Titan Stormproof Match Kit

Survival 101 tends to emphasize the importance of things like fire starters. A successful roaring fire is one of the best advantages you can give yourself, and a waterproof match kit is an excellent idea. Even after being submerged in flash flood waters, these bad boys still work beautifully, rain or shine. Stay warm, cook meals, signal for help—all possible now!

6. Thinksport Clear Zinc Active Face SPF 50 Sunscreen

When it comes to safety must-haves in every bag, not just hiking bags, sunscreen is an absolute. Not only do you avoid painful sunburns every time, but you also avoid higher chances of developing skin cancer later on down the road. Be sure to pack enough for something crazy to happen—enough for a few days at least.

7. Sawyer Insect Repellent Lotion

Not-so-fun fact we’ve all got to live with: mosquitoes, as well as ticks and other insects, are carriers of disease, and avoiding bites from them is important for more than just reasons of them being annoying and uncomfortable. One of the best ways to prevent insect-borne diseases like Lyme disease and malaria is to avoid bites altogether, and thankfully, there are hundreds of amazing insect repellents on the market.

One of our favorites is Picaridin’s Insect Repellent Lotion, which feels (and smells) way better than traditional bug spray. It’s time to bring bug spray into the 21st century; lotion is the way to do it.

8. Garmin inReach Mini 2

If you’re anything like us, you like to hike in places where the cell signal might be sketchy. In this case, you need a plan Z, and the best plan Z might be a GPS and/or satellite-enabled device. The InReach Mini 2 offers amazing benefits that kick the dirt out of the rest, from helping you trace your exact steps to two-way communication, emergency services contacts, and more; it's a survival tool nobody should ever go without.

9. Pure Protein Bars

Picture this: You’ve been hiking all day, and suddenly you twist your ankle. You use your handy-dandy GPS-enabled doohickey to call for assistance, but it might be overnight before someone can reach you – better have something to keep yourself from being hungry in the meantime!

That’s where something delicious, protein-rich, and convenient comes in. One of our favorite trail snacks is Pure Protein bars, which are absolutely delectable (especially the double chocolate ones) and make for perfect on-the-go snacks.

10. S.O.L Stoke Pivot Knife & Saw

Speaking of things you just never know if/when you’ll need (but hopefully you won’t), something nice and sharp is always a must-have. So, why have a plain ol’ knife when you can have a multi-faceted utility knife ready to help in any situation? For example, the Stoke Pivot Knife + Saw is both a knife and a saw in one tool, offering multiple functions for an affordable price. Clean food up and out, craft shelter – whatever you need to do, the utility knife will be of excellent assistance.

11. Energizer Vision HD LED Headlamps Flashlight

Let’s say you’ve found yourself in a situation in which you must set up a temporary camp or signal for help, and the sun is going down quickly; you haven’t stoked a campfire yet, and you need a way to see in the dark fast (as well as be located in). That’s just one of many possible scenarios in which a headlamp will come in handy, not to mention just for the simple safety aspects. If it’s good enough for spelunking, it’s good enough for surviving!

12. Sunglasses

This one might seem obvious, but you’d be surprised at just how often folks disregard eyewear while outside, be it while hiking or doing chores, so you’ll want to keep a spare set in the ol’ backpack. Sunglasses are immensely important, no matter the occasion—if you’re outside, you’ll need protection for your eyes.

Slow down or postpone macular degeneration years ahead of time by wearing sunglasses; there are some types of sunglasses that can even enhance your experience, like by making greens and blues pop—polarized are best.

13. SOL Emergency Bivvy with Rescue Whistle and Tinder Cord

Here’s another what-if scenario to consider if you find yourself hiking or enjoying the outdoors more often than most. In this case, there’s always the chance that something crazy might happen, and an emergency, lightweight bivvy is a must-have for all the just-in-cases you might encounter in the wilderness.

14. Lifestraw Personal Water Filter

One of the ever-so-important parts of survival is procuring water, and the Lifestraw is an amazing just-in-case survival tool that weighs next to nothing and offers a safe source of water from places that otherwise may not be suitable for consumption. Protect yourself from parasites, bacteria, sand, silt...you know, the basic dangers of drinking water you find in nature. Best of all, it’s good for at least five years from the first use.

15. Tri-Power Whistle

Last on this list but certainly not least is a good old-fashioned whistle. When all else fails and you need to rely on the old-school methods of getting out of trouble, the whistle is an amazing way to call attention to yourself for safety’s sake. A must-have for every backpack, you can’t go wrong with a nice, strong, LOUD little life-saver.

There you have it: a collection of 15 amazing things that belong on your hiking safety gear must-have list. With these items around, you’ll be ready for everything (literally). So now that you’ve got your safety essentials all planned out, how about checking out some of the downright best state parks in the U.S., all of which offer up hiking in some capacity or another?