The 10 essentials — a 21st century update

The concept of the 10 essentials — that list of items you absolutely positively should not leave home without when entering the backcountry — dates back to the 1930s, when a group called the Seattle Mountaineers compiled the first known list.

Since then, as technology has improved, it has undergone some changes. But the concept remains the same: having these items in your possession greatly increases the chances of you surviving a few unexpected nights in the wild.

In this story from the September-October 2019 issue of Scouting magazine, we approached the 10 essentials more as a list of categories instead of a list of items (for example, think “navigation” instead of “map and compass”). Let us know what you think!


About Aaron Derr 492 Articles
Aaron Derr is the senior editor of Scout Life and Scouting magazines, and also a former Cubmaster and Scouts BSA volunteer.