Backpack Essentials
Get this gear on your back and you’ll be able to cope with most emergencies; and remember some of this gear is optional, most of it isn’t!
Backpack contents
Get a good – read expensive – backpack with inbuilt hydration. It’ll be more comfortable and won’t fail in the bush. There are some excellent purpose-built models available. You want a model that is specific to the type of riding you will be doing and what you take is also dependent on the type of ride, for example, what you need on a 4-hour enduro-type ride is not always the same as a multi-day adventure.
- Comms: Take something to communicate with! Phone, UHF, etc Read more HERE…
- Maps: If you are venturing into a new area, while a GPS is good, nothing beats a map for an over-view of an area.
- Rope: This is a light, strong climbing rope. The carabiners can act as pulleys in a pinch, and it can be used as a tow rope, as tie-downs, luggage straps, you name it.
- Torch: Very handy at night …
- Swiss Army Knife or similar: A million uses.
- Lighter: When it’s cold, fire is your friend and it can also be used to signal your position.
- Food & Water: A plastic container stops fruit and sandwiches from being crushed. Go for healthy snacks that will sustain you, like fresh fruit, raisins, small tins of corn, and energy bars. Carry at least two litres of water, and a couple of Puritabs in case you need to replenish from a creek.
- Mozzie repellent: Mosquitoes can make a long wait especially miserable. A smoky fire helps deter them, too.
- Sunscreen: Skin cancer sucks.
- Toilet paper: Beats grass and leaves.
- First Aid kit: You wouldn’t go out without one. Make sure it includes a space blanket – injured people get cold surprisingly easy.
