Low Cost Essential Hiking Gear

Over 100 people die every year in the U.S. while on hiking trips. This is due to many reasons. Slips, falls, exposure to the elements, drownings, heat-related injuries, lightning strikes, avalanches, animal attacks, and getting lost are among the most common causes. 

Most of these are easily preventable with some simple and safety precautions. And it all begins with bringing some essential gear.

The ten essentials for hiking -  have been drilled into many of us. This is great advice. But I have adopted my own list of essentials – very similar to the ten - based on my years on the trail. Some of these items may not rise to the level of “essential”, but every one of these have proven to be important enough for my to carry on every hike. 

AND - here’s the bonus: many of these are very low cost. So, let’s review: important and potentially life-saving items that don’t cost much. Yes. Carry all of them all the time. Some day you’ll thank me.

Check out this YouTube video: