Two hikers were rescued in dramatic fashion after becoming stranded on a remote California beach due to rising tides that trapped their exit.

Sonoma County Sheriff's Office shared a video of the helicopter rescue, which you can watch below, and says the hikers were on a beach near Elephant Rock in Point Reyes National Seashore when they discovered they had "no safe access by land or sea."

The short video shows rescuers landing at the top of the cliff to rig up a hoist before lowering one team member down onto the small strip of rocky beach not submerged in water. The hikers are then evacuated together with the rescue crew member, with SCSO calling the response "a great example of multi-agency coordination and skilled execution."

Point Reyes National Seashore comprises a peninsula in Marin County with 80 miles of shoreline, wild beaches and rocky headlands. It serves as an important wildlife reserve for grazing elk and raptors as well as marine life like whales and seals.

How to read a tide chart

If you've ever been to the beach in coastal areas that see plenty of tidal variation, you'll know how quickly the tide can come in. At best, it can have you quickly grabbing all of your stuff and heading up to drier land. In the worst-case scenario, it can cut you off, placing you in a potentially dangerous situation. This is why knowing how to read a tide chart is essential, whether you're hiking a coastal path, surfing, swimming, or looking to access a sea-cliff climb.

Tide charts indicate the times of low and high tides for a specific area on specific dates. They tell you when low tide will be, when high tide will be, and how low and high the water will be. It’s important to know that tides can be vastly different from one location to another, so you’ll want the specific tide table for the area where you’re going. Tide tables are often posted at the beach, and you can find them online.

It’s worth knowing that all tide tables are slightly different, but generally speaking, once you have the tide table for where you’re going, there are three important pieces of information to pay attention to: date, time and tide height. If you're going to be hiking or recreating in a coastal area where there's no easy exit, read our article on how to read a tide chart before you.

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Authorities in Colorado have confirmed the death of a 64-year-old man on the gruelling Manitou Incline trail.

Bystanders noticed Oregon resident John Tate, in "medical distress" on the trail at around 10am on Tuesday, April 15. They quickly called the authorities and began CPR in an effort to save his life.

Despite their best efforts, Tate was unresponsive by the time emergency responders arrived at the scene and was pronounced dead soon after.

His cause of death is unknown and currently under investigation, but authorities are urging hikers to come prepared and make sure they're fit enough before attempting the Incline trek.

The trail is steep ascent featuring 2,744 steps, which gain over 2,000ft (610m) of elevation.

"The Manitou Incline is a popular but strenuous hiking destination that draws visitors from around the country," the Colorado Springs Parks, the Recreation and Cultural Services Department, and the City of Colorado Springs said in a joint statement.

"City officials remind all climbers, especially those traveling from out of state, to thoroughly assess their physical condition, understand the difficulty of the climb, and come properly prepared."

The Manitou Incline is especially treacherous in the spring and summer months, when the combination of warmer weather and strenuous physical activity raises potential health risks.

"The Incline gains over 2,000 feet of elevation in under one mile, making it a physically demanding route that should not be underestimated," continued the joint statement.

Before Tate, the last reported death on the trail was in 2019, when a fellow hiker in his sixties suffered a heart attack.

If you're thinking of hitting the Manitou Incline or embarking on any other steep, hot-weather hike, make sure to bring plenty of water and stock up on salty snacks to replace the electrolytes you'll lose while sweating.

For more on warm-weather trekking, check out our expert safety guide to summer hiking.

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• The best first aid kits: be prepared for accidents and emergencies

Spring blossoms are bringing the trails back to life, the rivers are filling with snowmelt, and in certain parts of the country, the bears are yawning, stretching and rubbing their eyes with their paws. Just as we're starting to think about more backpacking trips, bears are thinking about their next meal, and right on cue, REI has released a new style of bear canister that can be adapted to meet your needs.

At first glance, the REI Co-op Traverse Modular Bear Canister just looks like a larger version of any old canister, but look closer and you'll see that it's smarter. This modular canister comprises two sections that can be used independently for shorter trips, screwed together to make one big canister for longer adventures, and nest one inside the other as your food supple dwindles over the days.

If you don't know, a bear canister is a solution for keeping your food – and yourself –safe in bear country, and it's easier than hanging a bear bag. Typically, they just consist of a plastic tub that's difficult for a bear to pick up and impossible for it to open, such as this one by Bear Vault. The Modular Bear Canister boasts those exact attributes, but it's more versatile and looks like a great option for thru-hikers who have to carry a lot of food.

Certified bear-resistant by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee, this canister does require a little finesse to access your best backpacking food. To open it, two buttons need to be pressed. REI says you can operate it with the click of a finger, while audible clicks help you know when the lid is locked shut and your snacks are safe.

It hasn't been on the market too long, but long enough that some campers have had a chance to test it out and give it some feedback. While there are a few campers who say they couldn't get it open, there are others who report they had no problem after reading the instructions, so we suggest you do that or watch the helpful video below if you have questions. As we say in bear country, you just have to be smarter than a bear to operate it.

At its largest capacity, this canister holds 11.25L, which is easily enough for a week on the trail, and REI says it's big enough to use as a stool when you're setting up your camp kitchen for the night.

It shrinks down to nearly half that size at 6.25L as you get closer to your next refueling spot. As for packing it, at its smallest, it squashes down to roughly 9in X 8in, which is smaller than that Bear Vault we mentioned and should be able to sit nicely on top of your sleeping bag inside your backpack. Cleverly, it also comes with a carry bag with reflective trim, so you can stash it away from your tent and if you need it, it will be easy to find in the dark with your headlamp.

The REI Co-op Traverse Modular Bear Canister is available now from REI for $79.95, which is cheaper than any other canister the brand sells.

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Leading climbing brand Black Diamond has launched a recall of some of its popular avalanche beacons due to a corrosion issue that may cause it to malfunction and endanger the lives of backcountry skiers and snowboarders.

The Black Diamond Recon LT transceiver was sold as a standalone unit and as part of two avalanche safety sets – all units are addressed by this recall. According to an announcement on the Utah brand's website, the metal contact of the Recon LT’s switch mechanism may corrode.

"If this occurs, the device could malfunction or turn off, potentially hindering avalanche rescue efforts and increasing the risk of serious injury or death," says the brand.

The brand has not disclosed how many of these products have been sold, but this recall affects all units manufactured and sold in Europe and North America between June 1, 2021 and February 14, 2025. Black Diamond says it has received six consumer reports related to this issue, but no injuries, accidents, or fatalities.

This recall involves the Black Diamon Recon LT beacon, the Alpine Avy Safety Set and the Recon LT Avy Safety Set. The serial numbers begin with the numbers 2040 - 2321. To find the serial number on your device, connect your beacon to the PIEPS app via Bluetooth. Using an iOS or Android device, open the PIEPS app, enter the Device Manager, and press “Connect Bluetooth Device” – the beacon model will be displayed along with the serial number.

If you believe you own this device, you should immediately stop using it and send it back to Black Diamond for a rework, exchange or refund within 14 days. If you're seeking an alternative model, we recently revealed that a busy mountain rescue team in Colorado uses the Mammut Barryvox S. We rated this as the best avalanche transceiver on the market for advanced skiers due it its huge range of features – including the ability to operate analog and digital search options simultaneously. Learn more in our article on how to use an avalanche beacon.

• The best avalanche beacons: emergency transceivers that save lives
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With a recent storm system bringing prolonged heavy snowfall and dangerous avalanche conditions to Colorado over the past week, a mountain rescue team has issued a reminder to backcountry skiers and snowboarders about the importance of avalanche safety – and to share its top kit recommendation.

Alpine Rescue Team took to social media ahead of the holiday weekend to encourage all backcountry users to be educated and equipped for current conditions.

"We encourage all backcountry users to consider investing in a transceiver, probe and shovel," write representatives from ART, which has been operating from its Evergreen base for over 60 years.

An avalanche transceiver is a small piece of kit that sensible backcountry adventurers can carry that emits a radio signal to allow other skiers or rescuers to find you if you are buried under the snow.

Though features and prices vary across beacons, ART reveals that its teams use the Mammut Barryvox S due to its advanced features. In our field tests, we gave this beacon a perfect five stars for its rugged reliability. With a big and informative display screen, the ART points to the device's ability to handle multiple signals and use of both analog and digital search channels.

The team also warns that an avalanche beacon on its own doesn't ensure safe passage in the backcountry.

"No technology can replace education and common sense in the backcountry," writes ART, urging anyone who plans to spend time in the wilderness in winter to take an avalanche safety training course and check the avalanche forecast at the Colorado Avalanche Information Center before heading out.

"While this technology can be life saving, don't let it persuade you to take more risks."

Most importantly, says ART, once you have an avalanche beacon, practice using it with a buddy.

February is historically the deadliest month for avalanches in Colorado according to the CAIC, with a significant number of fatalities occurring around Presidents Day weekend.

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When three hikers "panicked" in whiteout conditions and activated their Garmin inReach device they didn't include much detail for rescue crews to go on – but using the emergency contact feature may have saved their lives.

According to New Hampshire Fish and Game, the three men – Jack Tragni, 24 and Vaishnav Raja, 25, both of Boston and Justin Yang, 24 of Cambridge – had set off to hike Franconia Ridge in the White Mountains on Sunday at around 9 a.m. as a training hike for Mount Washington.

The group encountered deep snow and whiteout conditions across the ridge, and while officials say the hikers were "fairly well prepared for winter," they lacked experience above treeline.

Hiking above treeline means you're more exposed to the elements and, particularly in winter, can make it much harder to navigate. The men were reportedly having difficulty following the trail and after going over Mount Lincoln, realized they weren't equipped to return. Officials say they activated their Garmin inReach satellite communicator at around 5:30 p.m. knowing "it would take hours for rescuers to get to their location."

The initial alert didn't contain much information for rescuers, and no more communication was received because the hikers found it difficult to operate the device in the cold and wind.

Fortunately, the device allows users to save emergency contacts, and because the hikers had previously set up this feature, officials were able to establish communication with people who knew of the group's intended route. The emergency contacts told officials the men had been in touch via text and shared that they were suffering from cold-related injuries.

Rescue teams were able to reach the hikers below the Greenleaf Hut just after 9 p.m. where they found that some of their light sources had gone dead. They gave them headlamps and escorted them back to the trailhead which took around an hour.

The hikers in this story did a lot of things right, but the case highlights the importance of respecting your ability level, learning navigation, carrying satellite communication and leaving a detailed plan with someone you trust. In addition, if you're venturing out in winter conditions, it's advised to charge your headlamp or flashlight and carry extra batteries.

How to add contacts to your Garmin InReach

To add an emergency contact to your inReach device, log in at the Garmin Explore website then complete the following steps:

1. Select Contacts (you may need to select My Info in the top banner to see Contacts).
2. Select Add.
3. Enter the contact's information.
4. Save details.
5. Repeat steps 3 through 5 for each contact to be added.
6. Sync the device when you're finished.

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We’ve all been there: sitting around on a balcony as the sun sets, enjoying a beer with friends while someone lights citronella candles to ward off mosquitoes. Rather than break the moment to go and get changed into a long-sleeve top and trousers, you suspend your disbelief, hoping that, despite the fact the candle smoke is being whipped up and off into the atmosphere, the scent barely noticeable, it’s sending the mozzies reeling.

Citronella candles are just one of the myriad plant-based products available to buy that are touted for their citrus properties that are said to repel mosquitoes.

They’re a popular alternative for people who don’t want to spray Deet-based products on their skin. Despite Deet being scientifically proven to stop insects biting, the active ingredient can melt plastic. Deet has been a controversial ingredient though, and, while research hasn't found conclusive evidence that applying it to the skin is harmful to humans, the CDC has advised that people using it in high concentrations have also experienced skin rashes, so if you're looking for an alternative then read on!

Citronella is the most popular alternative when it comes to natural repellents and can be bought in many forms – from sprays to balms, in sun creams and as incense sticks.

It’s a plant that’s native to South Africa – an evergreen shrub with small, rounded, toothed-edged leaves and strong lemon scent.

There’s lemon eucalyptus too, which is also a common offering for outdoor enthusiasts. It’s a strongly lemon-scented shrub with yellowish-green leaves that is native to Australia, available to buy in sprays and roll-ons.

Lemongrass, lemon balm, lemon thyme, bog myrtle – these plants with citrus smells all make an appearance on the store shelves in one form or other. But do they really ward off those irritating insects?

The problem

Mosquito bites are a nuisance. It’s the female that bites because they want the protein from our blood for sustenance and to produce eggs. It puts its proboscis (the long sucking mouth part) into the skin and injects saliva, which contains chemicals that stops blood from clotting and acts as anesthetic so we don’t feel the bite. 

The body reacts and often you’ll get a red, itchy lump. Sometimes these can become infected or cause an allergic reaction. 

But worse, mosquitoes carry deadly diseases such as dengue, malaria. While malaria is most prevalent in Africa, Central and South America and Asia, with climate change there’s a potential chance we’ll see these diseases more in the US and the UK in summer months. In fact, mosquitoes killed 48 in Colorado last year by spreading West Nile Virus.

It's hard to study the mosquito – believe it or not, there are more than 3,000 different species in the world, all with different characteristics and feeding patterns.

The myth

There’s myriad sources online explaining how, while we find it pleasant, mosquitoes hate the smell of lemon. If you look for it, you’ll find a source enthusing how mosquitoes find it an irritant, or how the citrus scent masks the smell of humans that mosquitoes are attracted to.

To wade through the online sources filled with anecdotal evidence and information based on hearsay is a time-consuming job, and to find a specialist on the subject who can clear it all up for us is tricky too.

However, there is a British entomologist, Professor James Logan, who's fascinated by insects and on a public mission to clear up disinformation surrounding mosquito repellents. He ran through the science for the BBC, while performing and recording live research.

The evidence 

Professor Logan is a professor of medical entomology at The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and also CEO and founder of Arctech Innovation, an organization that harnesses insect intelligence for novel R&D and efficacy testing.

He explains that although citronella does perform in field tests better than wearing no repellent at all, it isn’t particularly effective.

“Citronella is a plant essential oil with a pleasant citrus smell. It has a little bit of an effect, but it’s not very good and it certainly doesn’t last very long,” he told the BBC. "Scientific published research supports the fact that Deet is very, very effective [...] Citronella is not very effective."

When it comes to lighting candles sticks around camp, Logan says they’re not going to be a solution either:

“We tend to use candles outdoors, and for anything to be effective it has to build up in the air. If you’re outdoors it will get carried away in the wind. Citronella candles might look nice and smell nice, but they won’t repel mosquitoes.”

The exception 

So while citronella has a very small amount of efficacy, oils from other citrus-based plants aren't really going to repel mosquitoes at all, Logan says.

There is once exception however, and that’s lemon eucalyptus. While rubbing the plant on your skin won’t have an effect, there is a chemical found in the essential oil called PMD, and repellents that use a high concentration of this compound do actually repel mosquitoes.

Considered safe for children three years and older, it’s registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and recommended by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as effective against disease-carrying mosquitoes. 

“PMD is a really good repellent," says Logan. "It can be a good alternative if you don’t like to use Deet as a natural alternative. Some of the formulations might not last as long, but as long as you follow the instructions on the bottle you can use PMD.”

Mosquito management

Aside from Deet, there are two other synthetic ingredients used in mosquito repellents that are scientifically proven to work: IR3535 and Picharadon. These are the ingredients to look for, or of course PMD, for your next expedition.

Other mosquito management techniques include:

• Wear light-coloured, loose clothing
• Cover up as much skin as possible
• Keep away from standing water
• Avoid peak mosquito hours (dawn and dusk)

Find out more about keeping bugs at bay in our article, How to avoid mosquito bites. 

Apologies to anyone with a creepy crawly phobia, but our main image could have been much worse: we could have used a photo of the other 'star' of this story – a tick – and that really would have put you off your breakfast. 

But there could be a new battle of the bugs on the horizon, and we’re not talking about a next Guillermo del Toro movie.

With summer coming up, outdoors adventurers’ thoughts turn to… wearing hiking shorts. But there’s a major problem with shorts and the great outdoors – ticks. Those bulbous bloodsuckers that lurk in the long grass and latch onto your bare skin at every opportunity are not just an irritation, they can also infect you with Lyme Disease or a tick-borne encephalitis virus.

The usual way to combat them is to carry on wearing long trousers if you think you’re entering a danger zone. 

However, new research from Canada’s Simon Fraser University (SFU) suggests the ant pheromones could be weaponized as a tick repellent to help protect hikers and campers from the harmful bites of black-legged ticks.

“Ticks like a lot of the places and a lot of the times of years that we also like to be outside enjoying the weather,” says SFU’s Claire Gooding, who worked on the research. “There's quite a big risk of tick encounters in the summer, outdoor sports season. People often encounter them on the sides of trails.”

Gooding says they decided to concentrate on ants, “because they are social insects and use a huge range of pheromones to communicate with one another. They’re chemically noisy. And for something that perceives the world chemically, they’re easy to predict where they’ll be, based on these pheromones.”

The study found that ticks avoid surfaces where ants had been, even if those ants were removed.

“They could see that there were ants and basically go, ‘I’m not going to go there, because there may be ants there, or there may be ants there again soon in the future.’”

From there, Gooding’s team identified the specific chemical pheromones involved as well as the two ant glands that produced them. Then they worked with chemists to recreate a synthetic version of those pheromones. They found that ticks avoided the synthetic pheromone too.

The team already has a patent application on the repellant chemicals and they’re hoping to bring them to market for real-world use, either as a topical repellent (like mosquito repellent) that hikers would apply to themselves, or as an environmental repellent, such as wood chips, that would be spread in areas at risk from ticks to keep them away.

Ticked-off ticks, that’s what we like.

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Several great explorers only made their startling and important discoveries because they were wearing an insulating blanket. An explorer called Cassini revealed staggering worlds of ice, one named Galileo revealed a landscape of unimaginably violent volcanism, while another by the name of Huygens discovered immense and beautiful lakes.

These explorers weren’t people. They were spacecraft sent to the Solar System’s nearest gas giants to learn more about them and their mysterious moons. They were each adorned, in one way or another, by a protective coat to guard against the extremes in temperature they would encounter. First developed by NASA in the 1960s, the space blanket’s gold or silver reflective sheen has become a familiar sight during space missions. It helped Cassini reveal Saturn's geyser-spewing ice moon of Enceladus, Galileo discover the tortured volcanic moon of Io around Jupiter and Huygens touch down on Titan, Saturn’s largest satellite.

However, this wonderful innovation also has its uses on our terrestrial planet, thanks to its ability to reduce heat loss from a person’s body. Many still refer to them as space blankets, but for use in the great outdoors they’re often called emergency blankets.

An emergency blanket is one of those bits of kit you hope never to use. However, there are several reasons you need an emergency blanket, which I'll get into a moment. You’re much more likely to see them draped around exhausted runners at the finish line of a marathon than you are during your time in the hills, yet they are absolutely a hiking essential and should be in your daypack every time you head into the backcountry.

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What is an emergency blanket?

• An emergency blanket is a thin PET sheet coated in aluminum
• It reduces heat loss by halting convection, evaporation and thermal radiation

An emergency blanket is an ultralight sheet of thin, reflective plastic that’s used primarily to combat heat loss and therefore prevent hypothermia. It’s usually made from a thin polyethylene terephthalate (PET) sheet, also referred to as Mylar. The PET is vacuum coated with a vanishingly thin layer of aluminum, thus creating metalized polyethylene terephthalate, or MPET. The sheet has a striking golden or silver color.

Emergency blankets work so well thanks to a trio of benefits. They reduce convection, the transfer of heat from a body to its surroundings; halt the heat lost by the evaporation of liquid from the body; and the highly reflective surface stops thermal radiation in its tracks, bouncing heat back towards the body. Basically, it deals with most of the ways your body can lose heat.

It’s a common misconception that an emergency blanket warms a person up. This is not true, it merely prevents heat loss to the surrounding environment. This is why it’s also important to make sure an immobilized casualty is also wearing as many warm layers as possible, while getting them to drink a hot drink and eat plenty of food will help to keep their core temperature up.

1: To prevent heat loss

• An emergency blanket effectively prevents heat loss
• This can be vital in an emergency situation, as it reduces the risk of hypothermia

One of the main dangers in the backcountry is exposure to extreme conditions. Hypothermia is an illness that happens when your ability to regulate your temperature is overridden by the cold. The causes of hypothermia include wearing clothes unsuited to the temperature and conditions, becoming wet in freezing conditions or submersion into cold water. If untreated, hypothermia leads to death.

One of the main ways we keep warm when exploring the great outdoors is through exertion. This is why you can go for a run on a freezing cold day wearing far fewer layers than you would for a gentle walk, as you can rely on your body to create heat. It’s also why we often end up sweating through our base layers during strenuous ascents. Generally, when we’re exploring outdoors, we wear less than we would if we were stationary. Staying relatively dry and keeping moving are key to avoiding hypothermia in winter.

However, an event like a badly sprained ankle, a slip into a freezing cold stream or a fall through ice moves the goalposts, turning an enjoyable adventure into an emergency situation. In all these cases, preventing further heat loss is vital, which is exactly what a space blanket is for. 

So, wrap a casualty up good and proper – though in the case of someone who’s also dripping wet, they need to get out of soaked clothes and into dry clothes as soon as possible, before you apply the blanket. If you’re hiking in a group, having a survival shelter will be a massive help in these situations too.

2: It’s also waterproof

• An emergency blanket is completely waterproof
• However, unlike Gore-Tex or similar, it’s not breathable

We’ve established that staying dry is pretty key to keeping warm. This is because water robs your body of heat energy when it evaporates, which is why we sweat when we need to cool down. The good news is that an emergency blanket is completely waterproof, so once you’re wrapped up in one, you shouldn’t get any more wet than you were previously. However, unlike a Gore-Tex waterproof jacket, a space blanket isn’t breathable, so it won’t allow moisture to escape from within either. This is why sleeping in one isn't a very comfortable experience, as you'll probably wake covered in sweat.

3: You don’t have to worry about windchill

• An emergency blanket is windproof
• This means it eliminates heat loss through convection

One of the three ways an emergency blanket prevents heat loss is by stopping convection in its tracks – in other words, it’s windproof. This deals with the adverse effects of windchill, which is a serious danger to exposed skin and greatly increases the rate of heat loss through convention when combined with low ambient temperatures. So, even if your clothing is doing most of the work keeping you warm, you can use a space blanket on any exposed skin to ward off windchill.

4: You can use it to signal for help

• As an emergency blanket is shiny, it’s very visible to rescue services
• It can be used as a flag to signal for help

We all love shiny things, right? A useful side benefit of a emergency blanket’s make up is that it is highly reflective. This means that the glare from a helicopter’s searchlight or the beam of a Mountain Rescue member’s headlamp shouldn’t have much trouble locating a casualty wrapped in one. Even in situations where there’s no danger from the cold but you’re still in need of assistance, you can still put your emergency blanket to use by waving it in the air to attract attention.

In a predictable twist of fate, the fact that a space blanket reflects your radiated heat back inwards means that you won't show up on thermal imaging systems, as you won't be giving off heat. So, it's admittedly not all good news where visibility is concerned.

5: It’s wonderfully lightweight and portable

• Emergency blankets weigh very little
• They take up very little room in a backpack

One of the main reasons emergency blankets are prized by hikers, campers and other adventurers is that they are ultralight and take up very little space in a backpack. In terms of its ability to guard against hypothermia and, by extension, a fatality, it’s a remarkably light and tiny package. As lightweight as a down jacket is, it can’t match the gram for gram value of an emergency blanket.

When new, it's also folded up into a tight little package. However, bear in mind that after its first use, getting it back into this compressed unit will be nigh on impossible.

There are many different types of first aid kits, and when it comes to personal use of first aid kits for hiking or camping, it is up to you what you pack. There are tips for essential items but it will depend on where you are going, for how long and how much you want to carry with you. 

However, in some circumstances there are legal requirements of first aid kits and this is especially critical in workplaces. This is where you might have heard of type A and type B (or class A and class B) first aid kits.

What’s the difference?

In the most general sense, a type A first aid kit includes basic items to treat common injuries, such as minor cuts, abrasions, stings and burns. Whereas, a Type B first aid kit is one that includes products to cope with a broader and more complex range of injuries. Type B is for higher risk workplaces where more serious accidents may occur.

Type A and B first aid kits are usually referred to in workplace safety situations, but knowing the difference between them help you to decide what you need to include in a first aid kit if you're going hiking or camping.

Type A first aid kits are good choices for low-population and low-risk situations such as small group runs, while type B first aid kits are the better option for highly populated, complex, or high-risk situations like multi-day group camping trips.

Safety regulations in many countries stipulate the required items to be in both type A and type B first aid kits. The difference between the two will new the quality or size of each of the items in the kit.

This is the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) requirement for type A and type B first aid kits: adhesive bandages, adhesive tape, antibiotic ointment, antiseptic, breathing barrier (for giving rescue breaths), gel-soaked burn dressing, burn treatment, cold pack, eye covering, eye/skin wash, first aid guide, hand sanitizer, medical examination gloves, 2in rolled bandage, 4in rolled bandage, scissors, splint, sterile pad, tourniquet, trauma Pad and triangular bandage.

Obviously that's a lot to carry, and exactly which items are necessary for your next trip will depend on where you're going, the difficulty of the terrain, what activities you'll be taking part in, how long you'll be gone, and how many people are in your group. For more advice, see our guide how to make your own first aid kit.

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If you plan to spend time hiking or camping, it’s a good idea to take a first aid kit with you as part of your essential packing list. You never know when you, or someone you are with, will suffer an accident or feel unwell and having a simple first aid kit can help to ease a range of discomforts.

It is worth noting, here, that it’s unlikely you will be able to deal with major incident when, for example, a call  to emergency services or a trip to hospital are the only course of actions. But for many minor issues, such as cuts, stings, abrasions, sprains and feeling generally unwell, a small first aid kit will come in handy.

You can buy small first aid kits ready made, which will cover most of the bases, but you may decide to supplement it with some extras specifically for tackling the sort of minor injuries that happen outdoors. Alternatively, you might find it's more affordable to put your own personal kit together from scratch.

What to pack in a first aid kit for hiking

This is the sort of first aid kit that you can fit into a hiking backpack. It might include:

• Hand sanitiser
• Waterproof Band-Aids
• Blister bandages
• Medical tape for blisters and cuts, such as micropore tape or zinc oxide tape
• Antiseptic cream or alcohol wipes for cleaning grazes and cuts 
• Butterfly closure strips
• Sterile dressing or gauze – for larger wounds
• Eyepad wound dressing
• Open woven bandage
• Triangular bandage
• Ibuprofen and paracetamol tablets 
• Antihistamine tablets
• Thermometer strip
• Midge and/or insect repellent
• Bite relief cream or spray 
• Small roll of duct tape
• Tweezers
• Tick remover
• Small pair of scissors 
• Safety pins
• Emergency foil blanket and/or group shelter.

What to pack in a first aid kit for camping

Many of the items will be the same for a camping first aid kit as a hiking first aid kit. However, if you are planing on a camping trip that allows you to take more items with you, such as a campsite camping holiday, then you may want to think about adding these further items:

• Surgical gloves to keep hands clean
• Cold and flu medications 
• Small thermometer
• A larger range of sizes of bandages
• Burn gel sachets
• Instant ice pack – can be used for sprains and bruising
• Cloth bandages to help support a sprain, or similar
• Splints for temporary support of a broken bone 
• Camping knife

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Walking into the Refuge Des Pres, a mountain hut that is to be our home in the French Alps for the next two nights, my aching feet long to be free of my hiking boots so I can kick back in a comfy bunk after the long, steep hike to get here. I open the door and am hit by a current of warm air and the welcoming smell of fresh pine. Our host for the trip greets me, and immediately instructs me to head downstairs, deposit my backpack and boots, and only bring up the items I need to my dorm room.

“There is an infestation of bedbugs in the Alps right now and the owners want to make sure they don’t come into the cabin,” she explains.

Wait, bed bugs? Aren’t they just for people who live in New York City? 

Having lived in the Big Apple, as well as several other large cities, I’m not exactly a stranger to the idea of bed bugs – though I’ve yet to fall foul to the nasty little critters – but I definitely felt immune to these foreign invaders out here in the backcountry.

Turns out that bed bugs are a problem in backcountry huts as well as subway seats and apartment buildings. In 2019, remote alpine huts in Germany had to take action to battle a bedbug infestation, and now that they’re back on the rise in 2023, it’s clear no one wants to repeat that experience. The issue is somewhat common in mountain huts, from the Alps to the Rockies, and as explained in a 2019 article in the Guardian, it’s not an indication of poor hygiene – bed bugs are particularly drawn to mountain cabins, which are usually built from wood.

If you’re on a hut to hut backpacking trip, where you’ll be sleeping in beds recently vacated by other hikers rather than in your tent, it’s good to be mindful of bed bugs and know what to watch out for. I don’t love the idea of sleeping in a bed bug-infested bunk myself, but I’m also not about to give up the joys of hut hiking. If you’re feeling the same, let’s take a look at how you can best defend yourself from these blood sucking critters.

What are bed bugs, anyway?

The other day, as the news was reporting on the latest bed bug infestation in France on the radio, my seven-year-old asked me if bed bugs are real, which I realized was a fair question, thanks to adults telling kids not to let them bite in a playful manner every night before bed.

Bed bugs are very much real. They are small, biting insects that live in bedding, mattresses, clothing, furniture and other textiles like your hiking backpack, and feed exclusively on blood. Their bites aren’t harmful unless you have an allergic reaction, which is rare according to the NHS, but can be itchy.  

How do you know if you’ve been bitten by bed bugs?

There are three telltale signs that you’ve been exposed to bed bugs on a hut trip (or at home, for that matter):

• Small red raised bumps on exposed skin
• Small spots of blood bedding
• Small brown spots on bedding (bed bug poop)

Now, if this happens at home, the official advice is to call pest control. Solutions might involve using heat, freezing temperatures, extra vacuuming or in the worst instances, burning your mattress. 

Naturally, when you’re backpacking, you can’t easily access a hot wash, leave your clothes in a freezer for days or set fire to your belongings, so waking up in a remote cabin to these telltale signs is going to cause you some consternation. Fear not, however, as there are things you can do to keep exposure to bed bugs on the trail to a minimum.

How to avoid bed bugs when backpacking

First off, if you’re backpacking using mountain huts, you may not be able to completely avoid bed bugs. Sadly, they don’t respond to insect repellents and the only way to do so would be to bring your tent and camp instead. But if you don’t want to give up the luxuries of a cabin – soft beds, hot showers, freshly prepared meals and not having to carry all your gear – the main thing is not to panic about bed bugs. 

Easier said than done, I know, but they’re honestly not nearly as creepy or potentially dangerous as ticks, and not every bed bug bite means a full blown infestation. Here’s how you can avoid bed bugs when backpacking:

• Always carry – and use – a sleeping bag liner for hut trips to minimize any contact between your skin and communal bedding (I used my Mountain Warehouse sleeping bag liner for this most recent expedition).
• Follow any guidelines set out by cabin hosts to reduce bed bugs.
• Pack your clothes inside plastic bags to protect them from any hitchhiking critters on your backpack.
• Check the bed, including the frame and mattress, as soon as you arrive, and report any concerning creepy crawlies to management.
• Leave your hiking boots outside, or in the boot room.
• If possible, leave your backpack outside your room. If you need to bring it into your room, keep it well away from your bed.
• Only unpack what you need, like your pajamas and toiletries. Leave everything else inside your backpack.

What to do if you’ve been bitten by bed bugs when backpacking

If you wake up in the morning and realize you’ve been bitten, you’re going to be a little freaked out, especially if you’re three days into your trip and have another four to go. If you’ve been following the above advice, however, most or all of the bed bugs are probably in the bed where you’ve been sleeping, and not in your backpack, and they’ll prefer to stay where they are.

Here’s what you can do to reduce your chances of being bitten again, and avoid spreading them to the next cabin or bringing them home with you.

• Tell the cabin hosts immediately so that they can take action – remember bed bugs aren’t an indication of poor hygiene on their part, and it’s possible that you brought the bed bugs in yourself.
• Change into fresh clothes, if you have them.
• Use heat: If you have access to a sauna on the trail, which many huts do, place all of your gear, including your backpack in the sauna for at least 90 minutes. As long as the sauna is 113°F or hotter, this can kill the bedbugs.
• Wash your clothes: If the cabin has laundry services, ask if you can wash your clothing on a hot wash.
• When you get home, wash everything immediately using a hot wash (60°C) followed by 30 minutes in the dryer, or place everything in plastic bags and freeze it for four days.
• Don't let the experience put you off hut hiking in the future.

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I’m going to be honest here, I technically “have” a hiking first aid kit that comes with me on all of my hikes but I haven’t seen it in years. It’s somewhere in the darkest recesses of my hiking backpack, and despite the fact that my hiking boots see a lot of miles on the trail, I rarely open it.

If I do get it wrong when I’m scrambling and end up with a big gash on my hand, or sprain my ankle, I’m pretty sure I’ve got the tools for a temporary fix, but like I said, I haven’t actually visually verified this assertion in quite some time.

Now the good news is that, besides the odd blister, I haven’t really needed my first aid kit ever. The bad news is that, if and when I do need it, it might not be up to scratch. I'm definitely not the only hiker out there whose first aid kit needs an inspection, and the folks at Lifesystems know that. They're responsible for several of the best first aid kits we’ve tested at Adventure and recently put together some handy advice giving your first aid kit a health check.

"Buying and packing a kit that is suitable for your chosen adventure is a great first step in prepping for any outing" says Lifesystems product director Richard White.

"However, it’s really important to make sure you also regularly check your kit for missing or expired items so that you aren’t caught short if an injury or accident occurs."

You don’t have to go through these steps before every hike, but once a season, it’s a good idea to run through this procedure and make sure your first aid kit is in good shape for your adventures.

1. Replace missing or damaged items 

Though I haven’t used my first aid kit for any major incidents, I’ve definitely used the odd band aid or antiseptic wipe here and there, and over the years it can be surprisingly easy to not realise you’ve depleted your kit until you’re on the trail and don’t have what you need to pad that blister. 

"It takes just a couple of minutes to check and restock your first aid kit and means you can make the most of your trip with peace of mind that you’re prepared for the unexpected," advises White.

Before your next hike, empty your complete first aid kit onto a sterile surface and assess it to see what’s there. Check out our article for how to build your own hiking first aid kit and compare it against what you have to check what’s missing or damaged and needs to be replaced.

2. Check expiration dates

When you’re not talking about a jar of mayonnaise, it’s easy to think that expiration dates don’t really matter, and though it’s true that most goods don’t spontaneously combust on their use-by date, items that have been in your first aid kit for years will slowly degrade.

While you’re checking through your kit, pay attention to the individual components to make sure they haven’t exceeded their sell-by date and that doesn’t just apply to medications like aspirin – over time even bandages and dressings can expire and lose their efficiency.

3. Watch out for wear and tear 

As well as examining the contents of your first aid kit, it’s helpful to give the carrying case it’s all packed into a good once-over. Lifesystems designs its first aid kits with durable and waterproof nylon fabric plus waterproof zips to ensure they stand up to the exertions of life outdoors. However, it’s still a good idea to give your kit’s outer case a look to guarantee it’s in good condition and able to protect the internal components from moisture or dirt.

4. Enhance your kit

You might have ordered a first aid kit online, never opened it and just trust that it has everything you need, but to make it harder for you, why not add some extras you might need on your adventures? 

Obviously personal medications and inhalers are a good place to start, but these days it’s a good idea to carry a tick remover, while blister pads and running gels can be useful for longer treks. Your case might even have room to add a multitool, which will cut bandages to size and have better functionality than a pair of scissors.

5. Pack your kit (intentionally)

If, like me, your first aid kit just rattles around at the bottom of your daypack, Lifesystems suggest you be a little more intentional about where you stash it, choosing somewhere that's easily accessible, but also protected from the elements. Whether it’s stored in a tent or a pack, it pays to keep your first aid kit in a secure place where you can quickly and easily find and access it should you need it in an emergency. 

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For someone that’s spent as much time on the hiking trails as I have, I feel pretty lucky not to have experienced or witnessed many medical emergencies. Hiking can be a dangerous activity, but besides the odd sprained ankle, skinned knee, one dislocated shoulder (not mine) and lots of blisters, my adventures have largely remained free of injury or major drama. But when it comes to dogs, however, it’s another story.

Colorado is an extremely dog-friendly state and in my 11 years living there, rarely did I hike without a canine companion, whether it was my own husky mix or a friend’s pooch (or three). And rarely did our pups come out from a hike unscathed. Bee stings, porcupine quills in the face, torn ACLs and even a paw sliced by a ski on a ski touring adventure, I think I’ve seen it all when it comes to doggy hiking emergencies.

Is hiking good for dogs?

It can be really distressing to see your pup limping out of the woods, but don’t forget that overall, hiking is probably great for your dog. The terrain provides them with good exercise, there’s lots of things to sniff, they may be able to run off-leash (if you’re not in a National Park anyway) and they’re free from urban hazards like traffic. It’s also a great way for you to enjoy exercise with them. 

But if you’re going to be hiking with a dog, you need to know that there are lots more potential hazards out there than there are when you’re walking your dog through a city park. In addition to dehydration, heatstroke, hot paws and soft tissue damage from running on uneven terrain, you might have to watch out for falls in rocky areas (my cousin's dog fell 30 feet from a cliff and spent months in a cast), snake bites, porcupine quills and tick bites.

It all might sound a bit risky, but rather than keep your dog off the trail and away from all those lovely scents, your best approach is be prepared. In addition to your own hiking first aid kit which should come with you on every hike, we recently got some tips from Pawlicy Advisor on what to pack in your doggy first aid kit so you can take care of small bumps on the trail, or keep your pet comfortable until you can seek medical care from a vet. 

What to pack in your doggy first aid kit

First off, you’ll of course want to carry a leash so you can secure your dog and keep it close when needed, for example if you come across a moose, a herd of elk or a bear on the trail. It’s a good idea to pick trails that are close to water sources, like a river, so it can stay hydrated, but if there isn’t a lot of water available, carry an extra water bottle for fido and a collapsible water bowl. 

Additionally, Pawlicy Advisor recommends you carry the following items in your doggy first kit:

• Rubber gloves to avoid bacterial spread when tending to open wounds.
• Tweezers to remove objects such as ticks, sticky burrs and splinters.
• Dog-friendly antiseptic cream, gel or spray.
• Gauze and adhesive tape to cover wounds.
• Benadryl for dogs to treat allergic reactions (only use if instructed by your vet).
• Hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting (only use if instructed by your vet).
• Muzzle in case needed during first aid or transportation.
• Your vet’s phone number.

These items won’t guarantee your dog doesn’t fall afoul of hiking hazards, but they’ll mean you can tend to minor ailments and keep your dog comfortable until it heals up or until you can get to the vet.

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Regardless of whether you’re car camping or backpacking, one thing is almost certain – if you can, you’re going to want the means to start a fire. That might mean building a campfire to huddle around at night and keep the mosquitos at bay, or you could just want to light your camping stove to make some hot coffee in the morning, but either way, without that spark, camping just isn’t as comfortable.

As a fairly minimalist camper myself, for years I’d just throw a cheap lighter in a plastic bag and assume that all would be well. And it was, until I was backpacking in the Rocky Mountains and set up camp only to discover my trusty lighter wasn’t working, even though it had been when I’d tested it out the day before. It wasn’t a disaster – there was actually a fire ban in effect that summer, the weather was warm and I had enough snacks to get by for the night, but I sure did miss my hot dinner and cup of tea in the morning.

The experience got me thinking a little more carefully about the best firestarter for camping. Assuming you’re not going to try to get by with a magnifying glass, you’ll want something reliable, lightweight and easy to use in all weather and a cheap lighter may not always be your best option, though it is an option. In this article, we shed some light on the three best firestarters for camping to help you choose the best one to light the campfire or fire up your stove.

Matches 

First of all, when we say matches, we do mean waterproof matches for obvious reasons as a regular book of matches lifted from your last hotel stay won’t do you any good if it gets damp inside your backpack. A set of waterproof, windproof matches such as the UCO Stormproof Match Kit will set you back more than regular box (to the tune of about $7 for 25 matches), but they’ll light even if you drop them in the river while you’re refilling your water bottle and that could save your life.

Pros of matches: Lightweight, easy to use and you can put the match in the fire after it’s lit leaving you with no waste.

Cons of matches: Not reusable, you’ll use one for every fire or each time you need to light your stove, waterproof matches are relatively expensive compared to other firestarters and they don’t stay lit for more than about 15 seconds.

Lighter 

Chances are, this is the firestarter that you’re most comfortable and familiar with for use both at home and at camp. Lighters are available just about everywhere which makes this a super convenient option, but not all lighters are created equally. 

You could just go with a super affordable Bic lighter which you can buy in bulk for about a dollar apiece and delivers up to an hour of flame time, which is plenty when you're only using it for five or 10 seconds at a time. These may get wet and work again, but sometimes they won’t spark after a soaking, and they’re not refillable.

Then you’ve got refillable butane lighters like these from Urgette which will set you back about $5 per lighter, are refillable and operate a bit like an adjustable mini blowtorch but may not work if you’re camping in below freezing temperatures.

Pros of lighters: Lightweight, can be really affordable, easy to use, they stay lit for a long time and some of them are refillable.

Cons of lighters: Lighter mechanisms can fail, lighters can leak all over your bag, they cannot be recycled, may not operate below freezing and if you’re using a refillable butane lighter, you’ll need to keep an eye on how much fuel is left. 

Flint and steel

If this one sounds a bit antiquated, well, humans have been using this method to start a fire for centuries. It’s not as convenient as popping into the gas station on your way out of town and picking up a lighter, but it can be a reasonably reliable method of starting a fire if you’re out on a long adventure like a thru-hike and you might just prefer it if you’re into bushcraft or want to keep your costs and carbon footprint down.

If you don’t know, this primitive firestarter consists of striking a piece of steel against a piece of flint or similar rock to create sparks that ignite kindling. You could search for steel and flint in the wild, but these days, you can buy a flint and steel firestarter kit like this one from Bushcraft Survival for $22. That’s definitely pricier than the other options we’ve look at so far, but here’s thing thing: a flint and steel set will endure for thousands of fires so depending on how much camping or backpacking you do, it could last for decades.

Pros of flint and steel: Works in all weather, reusable, lasts a long time, sustainable.

Cons of flint and steel: Requires some skill, a little heavier, pricier up front and it can be difficult to get the small sparks to start a fire.

For spending time outdoors in all but the most arid Rocky Mountain and desert conditions, most of us have become accustomed to dousing ourselves in insect repellent to avoid being feasted on, but there are lots of reasons why you might be looking for an alternative to repellent. Not all of us love the feeling of being covered in chemicals (which then get transferred onto your sleeping bag and camping pillow at night), some of us are sensitive to them and repellents can get pricey if you need a lot of them. 

If you’re heading out on a long thru-hike such as the Appalachian Trail or just planning on spending a lot of time outdoors this summer, you might be looking for other options. One alternative is the highly unfashionable mosquito head net, which is exactly what it sounds like – a very fine mesh net that you wear over your head. The simplest versions you just pull over your head and have an adjustable drawstring around your neck, while many hikers prefer those that are attached to a brimmed hiking hat, which keeps the netting away from your skin, eyes and mouth. If you’ve never seen someone wearing one, they do look as ridiculous as you’re probably imagining, but they can be an effective and chemical-free solution to insect invasions. 

So should you ditch the DEET for a crime of fashion? We compare mosquito head nets vs insect repellents to help you make up your mind.

Mosquito head net vs insect repellent: coverage

Obviously, when you’re walking in buggy terrain, you want as much protection as possible, and a mosquito head net only covers your head. For some reason, mosquitos and other winged menaces always seem to go for your head, and this may be the most annoying place, so combined with a decent jacket and hiking trousers, you may be quite happy with this coverage and enjoy not finding dead mosquitoes stuck to your skin. That said, if you’re hiking in warm conditions, a head net won’t do much for your arms and legs. One other thing to know about head nets is that, if they’re touching your skin, a mosquito or midge could actually bite you through it, so they’re often more effective if they’re attached to brimmed caps.

A thorough application of a good insect repellent should be enough to ward off any biting bugs from any part of your body, in combination with decent clothing coverage, but as you’ve probably experienced, you can’t always guarantee that you won’t come home with a few bites, and some are more effective than others.

Mosquito head net vs insect repellent: durability

If you’re going to be outdoors for any length of time, such as on a backpacking trip, you also need to think about how long-lasting your bug shield is. A head net will last pretty much forever as long as you don’t tear it, whereas insect repellent does need to be reapplied. A repellent with 30% DEET or more will provide protection for up to 10 hours, but for overnights in swampy areas you may need to reapply, and there’s a limit to how much DEET you should apply within 24 hours.

Mosquito head net vs insect repellent: functionality

A mosquito head net definitely protects your head from bugs, but it also makes it slightly more difficult to see what you’re doing. This can be made worse by the fact that lots of bugs might want to come and land on your head net, so you’re looking at that mountain view through a permanent bug screen. Yuck. You can function with one on, but there is some obstruction to your vision and if yours comes attached to a brimmed cap, you may not always want the hat on. In muggy weather, you might also feel too warm inside your net which can get uncomfortable.

Insect repellent shouldn’t affect your ability to see or do anything, unless it gets into your eyes of course.

Mosquito head net vs insect repellent: health risks

There are no health risks associated with wearing a head net; you just look a bit silly. However, a lot of us don’t feel great about slathering our skin in DEET. Though studies show that DEET is toxic if you drink it, the jury is mostly out on whether or not it’s toxic when you absorb it through your skin, while health officials generally agree that the health risks of not using it (malaria, dengue fever, etc) are worse than wearing it. We also need to acknowledge that if your repellent comes in a spray or aerosol form, it’s really hard not to inhale some of it which also feels undesirable. But wherever you fall in this debate, it’s possible that you might just have sensitive skin and find that DEET gives you a rash while other insect repellent alternatives don’t provide the protection you want. In this case, consider a head net.

Mosquito head net vs insect repellent: weight

If you’re fastpacking and looking for the lightest solution, a head net will always weigh out. They weigh next-to-nothing and will stuff into your pack or clip onto the outside no problem. A bottle of insect repellent will add a little weight.

Mosquito head net vs insect repellent: cost

For a long adventure, like a thru-hike, you can definitely save money by investing in a head net. They’re cheap and essentially are a one-time purchase, unlike your repellent which takes frequent replacing and can expire.

Mosquito head net vs insect repellent: the verdict

Ultimately, we think this one comes down to your intended usage as both options can be effective. If you’re looking for an alternative to coating your skin with chemicals or having to reapply every few hours, a head net can be an effective choice – but mostly only if it’s cool enough for you to be wearing it with long sleeves and pants. It’s probably not the best choice for all situations and certainly not the most stylish look in the world, but once you get over that, you can happily get on with pitching your two-person tent and firing up the camping stove at dusk while wearing one without having to swat constantly. 

If you’re going to be hiking in warmer conditions and want to wear short sleeves and hiking shorts, however, you really need a repellent. For occasional use, a repellent is also probably the best solution, but for epic adventures where you’re going to be spending days or weeks in the wild or hiking in the jungle, we’d recommend bringing both, so you can wear your head net to keep keep bugs and chemicals away from your eyes, nose and mouth and use repellent as needed everywhere else.

Adventurers hiking, trail running, and mountain biking in the UK have been warned to check carefully for ticks afterwards, after a 50-year-old man contracted a potentially deadly tick-borne disease while cycling off-road in Yorkshire.

This was the first confirmed case of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) confirmed to have been acquired in the UK, As the Guardian reports, the virus has also been found in Dorset, Hampshire, and Norfolk, with a suspected case near Loch Earn, Scotland.

TBEV is common in many countries, including most of Europe. If you are infected, you may experience no symptoms at all or feel as though you have flu. However, in the worst cases, TBEV can cause serious infection in the central nervous system, and even lead to encephalitis and meningitis.

These latter two conditions are rare, but can be life-threatening without urgent hospital treatment. Elderly people and young children are at greatest risk.

The mountain biker reported fatigue, muscle pain, and a fever five days after being bitten. He seemed to recover, but returned to his doctor a week later suffering headaches and loss of co-ordination. MRI scans showed signs that matched TBEV.

According to the NHS, the best ways to avoid tick bites are to stick to paths where possible when walking outdoors, cover your skin, and tuck your hiking trousers into your socks. Light-coloured clothing will make it easier to spot and remove ticks. You should  also use insect repellent (ideally one containing DEET).

• How to remove a tick safely

Longer days and warmer weather means that biting bugs are waking up and you might be looking for something to protect your flesh from chomping critters. Although the best insect repellents recommended by the CDC and the World Health Organization contain DEET to provide complete protection against disease-carrying insects, we know that there are reasons why you may want to avoid it, for example if you have sensitive skin. The good news is that there are some natural alternatives to DEET and chemical-based sprays that have been shown to have some success against mosquitos and ticks in clinical trials. If you’re looking for a natural alternative to insect repellents and you aren’t trekking deep into the jungle, we explore seven natural insect repellents in this article.

Generally speaking, natural alternatives such as essential oils aren’t as effective as DEET-based sprays, but that may be in part because they’re more difficult to apply to your whole body, so where applicable, we’ve indicated how to mix up a spray to help you out. Oil doesn’t dissolve in water, so make sure to shake up your spray bottle before each use, and apply generously. We can’t promise you’ll come out totally bite-free, but you might want to test these out for yourself and we’re sure you’ll smell great after your hike.

1. Lemon eucalyptus oil 

Lemon eucalyptus oil is used in many insect repellents and a 2014 study in Australia compared it to DEET and found it to offer 95% protection for three hours, compared to DEET’s 100% protection over over four hours. You can mix about 30 drops of the oil with three times that amount of witch hazel in a spray bottle and apply every three hours.

2. Citronella oil 

Citronella oil is extracted from several different kinds of grass and is commonly used to keep biting bugs at bay. For camping, you can burn citronella sticks (like incense) or candles around the campsite at dusk, but if you’re on the go you can also mix the oil up with water and spray apply it. The National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy recommends 10 - 15 drops per ounce of water.

3. Geraniol 

Geraniol is one of the ingredients of citronella and commonly used in rose oil, but it can be used on its own as a pesk deterrent. It is a naturally occurring alcohol that is produced by honeybees to mark flowers and hives and a 2009 study performed in Israel found geraniol candles to be about 75% effective at repelling mosquitos.

4. Catnip oil

If you have a cat, you’ll already be aware of catnip’s effect on your feline friend. This plant, a member of the mint family, will send a cat into a fit of extreme pleasure and thrashing around and in 2022, researchers at the University of Iwate in Japan discovered that when cats chew the plant up, it releases a natural mosquito repellent. Catnip oil shouldn’t be applied directly to your skin, but you can find natural insect repellents with catnip oil as a main ingredient that are safe to use and will repel some, but not all, mosquitos and flies, according to 2021 research.

5. Cinnamon oil

The scent of cinnamon doesn’t just cover up your whiffy armpits during a sweaty hike, it also has repellent properties against mosquitos and in higher doses may even kill mosquito eggs, according to a 2021 research paper in the journal Molecule. Cinnamon oil can be irritating if you apply it directly to your skin without diluting it, so add 10 drops of oil to every 30ml of water, shake and spray.

6. Thyme oil

Thyme oil has been indicated in clinical studies in effectively repelling malarial mosquitoes and a study published in the Journal of Medical Entomology found a mixture of 50 percent thyme oil and 50 percent clove oil was effective for up to 2.5 hours. It’s better to mix up these oils with water and use it as a spray so you can more easily cover your skin, and reduce sensitivity, so try 10 drops of thyme oil for every four ounces of water.

7. Tea tree oil

If you’re hiking or camping near livestock and it’s flies that are being a nuisance, tea tree oil was found to be 100% effective against flies after 12 hours according to a 2014 study performed in Brazil. Tea tree oil is a common ingredient in natural bug sprays, and you can apply it as a lotion, spray or gel. It’s well known for its anti-inflammatory properties too, so if you get bitten by something else, it will reduce irritation.

With the endless feed of social media posts depicting hiking as a carefree experience full of stunning scenery and naked dips in the wild, you’d be forgiven for not realizing that it can be quite a dangerous activity. From sprained ankles to lightning strikes, there is plenty that can go wrong on a hike, and that’s even when you’re a seasoned trekker. That’s why it’s so important to carry survival gear with you when you head off the beaten track.

A first aid kit can allow you to treat blisters, cuts and even stabilize a broken arm until you’re able to get medical attention and a satellite messenger allows you to communicate your location to mountain rescue. But both rescue and medical help can take a long time to come, so in the meantime, you need to be able to provide yourself with adequate shelter from the elements to avoid exposure and conditions like hypothermia. If you find yourself stuck on a hillside in a blowing gale, you’ll benefit from some shelter, but do you carry a bivy sack that you can crawl inside, or go with the more minimalist emergency blanket? In this article, we compare an emergency blanket vs bivy for those unfortunate incidents in the mountains to help you find the best protection for your wayward adventures.

Emergency blanket vs bivy: what are they?

An emergency blanket – also known as a space blanket, survival blanket or first aid blanket – is an ultra lightweight and extremely packable metallic blanket made from heat reflective plastic sheeting that you can throw over your shoulders in an emergency. The metallic coating reflects your own body heat back towards you for warmth, while the outer side is usually brightly colored, making it easy for rescuers to spot you.

A bivy sack is a small, simple and extremely lightweight sack that can be used in place of a one-person tent when camping, or as an emergency shelter. A basic bivy sack essentially just looks like a nylon slipcover for your sleeping bag and sleeping pad that has a waterproof layer made from a breathable fabric and a drawstring opening for your head.

Emergency blanket vs bivy: weight and packability

If you’re already eyeing your hiking backpack stuffed with a water bottle or two, your waterproof jacket, hiking gloves and hat, first aid kit and lunch, map and compass, you might be a bit dubious about adding much more weight for what’s supposed to be a day hike, but rest assured that neither of these options will slow you down on the trail.

An emergency blanket is virtually featherweight – out of the blankets we’ve tested, the Lomo Space Blanket comes in the lightest at a mere 1.75 ounces (that’s about two slices of bread if you’re counting) and the heaviest was the Highlander Thermo Survival Blanket at six ounces, but don’t worry that still less than the weight of your average pomegranate.

A bivy sack is easily the heavier piece of gear and the weightiest we’ve tested is the Alpkit Elan Free-Standing Hooped Bivvy Bag which comes in at nearly two pounds, but we’ve tested loads that come in well under half that weight. At under four ounces, the Lifesystems Heatshield Thermal Bivi Bag makes a really good compromise for the safety-conscious hiker.

Packed down, an emergency blanket will fit in the palm of your hand and can be slid into any pocket of your backpack or jacket, while a bivy will take up a little more real estate so make sure yours comes with a stuff sack for compression.

Emergency blanket vs bivy: warmth

The biggest reason to carry an emergency blanket or bivy is so that you can stay warm if you’re unable to move, the weather changes or you’re out overnight when the temperatures drop. Both options will keep you warm, but in different ways.

According to Nasa, emergency blankets reflect up to 90% of your body heat, which sounds pretty effective indeed, and they are waterproof and windproof, which adds a lot of value in a pinch. However, there are some issues with emergency blankets that can reduce their warmth. First, they come in different sizes and you need to make sure that yours is big enough to fully cover your body. Next, a more basic emergency blanket won’t have zips to seal out the cold. You can wrap yourself up in it like a burrito to help, but it won’t seal out as much cold as an item like a sleeping bag.

A bivy sack, on the other hand, won’t usually be designed to reflect your body heat or have insulating properties, but it should be both waterproof and windproof, which will fend off the worst of the weather and therefore keep you warm. It will be helpful if you’re carrying insulated layers like a fleece jacket and down jacket that you can wear inside your bivy.

Emergency blanket vs bivy: coverage and shelter

When it comes to coverage and shelter provided, the extra weight of a bivy sack definitely translates into more protection against the elements.

If you’re just fending off a bit of chilly weather, you might be quite happy sitting swaddled in an emergency blanket until help arrives, but if you’re looking at wind and precipitation, it’s going to leak more than you want it to, and if it’s not big enough, it may not cover your entire body.

On the other hand, you can climb completely inside a bivy and cinch it around your head, keeping out that driving rain and howling wind. If you’re claustrophobic, this won’t sound too appealing, but you’ll certainly have more coverage.

Emergency blanket vs bivy: versatility and durability

When you’re investing in a new piece of kit, it’s always helpful if it’s something you can use in a variety of ways. You can wrap an emergency blanket around your shoulders, sit on it to protect you from the cold ground, or string it up like a tarp overhead and huddle under it.

There’s really only one way to use a bivy, on the other hand, and that’s to get inside it. However, a lightweight bivy can double as a piece of emergency gear on a day hike, and be a substitute for carrying a tent on a backpacking or fastpacking trip, so it’s not without versatility either.

That said, emergency blankets definitely lose out to bivy sacks when it comes to robustness. They typically have a short shelf life and degrade easily, meaning if you’ve been carrying yours around for a few years and then disaster strikes, it may not be as effective as you hoped. A bivy sack should be as durable as an ultralight tent, and so long as you take good care of it should last you for years.

Emergency blanket vs bivy: cost

In terms of your initial investment, an emergency blanket is almost always going to be the cheaper option of the two. The Forclaz Single-Use Survival Blanket can be picked up for just $2, while the Decathlon Forclaz Waterproof Trekking Bag Cover at $70 is one of the cheaper options for bivvies, and you can easily spend over $100 on a good one. That said, it’s important to note that a good bivy could last you forever, whereas you’ll need to replace your emergency blanket frequently, especially if you start using them for extra warmth during your lunch, so the overall cost could tally up.

Emergency blanket vs bivy: comparison table

Emergency blanket vs bivy: the verdict 

So is there a clear winner between these two survival tools? As always, it really depends on where you’re going and what you’re doing, but if you hadn’t realized it already, you don’t have to choose. In fact, wrapping yourself in an emergency blanket inside your bivy could be an excellent way to keep warm and dry.

If you’re not heading out anywhere too remote or doing anything too technical, an emergency blanket is usually adequate and makes for an affordable, packable option. For serious adventures in very remote locations, at high altitude or anywhere you might experience extreme weather, we think it’s probably worth the added weight and cost of a bivy sack, especially since you can use it in place of a tent for other adventures.

That said, if neither option feels suitable for your needs, it’s worth exploring emergency group shelters, or bothy bags, where you can huddle out the storm for a lower price than a bivy, but more coverage than a blanket.

There’s absolutely no doubt about it: when things go wrong in the mountains, avalanche beacons save lives. But it helps to understand how they work, how to wear them and how to look after them.

1. What is an avalanche beacon?

Ingenious pieces of kit, avalanche beacons – also called transceivers or “avy beacons’” – are emergency locators carried by sensible skiers, snowboarders and climbers when they venture up into the peaks and out onto the slopes, crags and icy backcountry during the winter months. While adventuring, the wearer should have their beacon set to “Send”, which means that it’s transmitting radio waves at 457 kHz. In the event of avalanche, rescuers or companions can find anyone buried under the snow whose transceiver is transmitting, by switching their own beacons to “Receive” mode and following the signal.

Some beacons have a “Group Check” mode. This is intended for snow sports professionals, advanced users and people acting as de facto group leaders for friends, allowing you to easily check that everyone in your party has their beacon on and in “Send” mode as they set out for their day in the snow. Some avy beacons also have an analog mode that increases the range of the beacon and directs you towards a buried victim with auditory cues.

Avy beacons are “active” devices (in contrast to the “passive” RECCO devices that are sometimes incorporated in some of the best ski packs, pants and jackets). This gives you a better chance of surviving if you’re ever buried in the snow, but also avalanche beacons are more expensive and require more love and attention.

How do you wear an avalanche beacon?

How you wear your beacon is extremely important. Doug Workman, ski guide and Avalanche Safety Program Manager for Mammut, says that to minimize electrical interference, which compromises beacon performance, your beacon needs to be 20cm away from any other electronics in any configuration you could get buried in. 

Bearing that in mind, Workman recommends wearing your beacon in the harness that most beacons come with. Alternatively, you can wear your beacon in a designated beacon pocket with a sturdy attachment point. If you do wear your beacon in a pocket, make sure it’s the only thing in there, and that the pocket is as close to your groin (an area that everyone inherently protects) as possible. “For the average person, wearing a beacon in a harness is the most protected and sturdy [method],” says Workman.

Some beacons have an analog mode that can help cut through electronic interference caused by everything from smartphones to smartwatches. Every beacon has a proclaimed range, and a larger range is better. “Range makes you a more efficient searcher,” said Workman. “It can increase your search speed because the beacon can cover more terrain when you’re searching.” 

How to look after your avalanche beacon

It’s also super important to pay attention to your beacon, check for firmware updates, and visually check the beacon for damage, whether that’s a cracked case or screen, or leaky batteries that have corroded the battery compartment. If your battery compartment door breaks, don’t tape it – ask the manufacturer to repair it. If your screen gets cracked, have it replaced by the manufacturer. 

“Even people who know better make rookie mistakes,” said Workman. “And a mistake with your beacon can cost you or someone else their life.”

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The best emergency blankets, bags and shelters are items that you hope never to have to use for their main purpose, an emergency in the mountains. However, if you're heading to the high places, they're an absolutely essential safety net and provide reassurance for both yourself and your hiking buddies.

Designed to shelter you from the elements, these bags, blankets and larger shelters can be a lifesaver in an emergency situation. They keep cold at bay, allowing for time to treat a casualty or to wait for the rescue services to arrive. You'll notice that the best emergency blankets, bags and shelters are all brightly colored, to help mountain rescue locate you in a fix. They're also designed to be lightweight and compact for easy carrying in your hiking backpack. 

Our testers have taken these excellent products into challenging conditions to really put them to the test. Our favorite survival bag is the Lifesystems Heatshield Thermal Bivi Bag, while the SOL Emergency Blanket is our pick where blankets are concerned.  For a larger group shelter, the Lomo Emergency Storm Shelter gets our vote. There are many reasons you need a survival shelter of this size, such as taking a lunch break in wet conditions.

The quick list

This is the quick list, a snapshot of the best emergency blankets, bags and shelters available in 2026. To delve deeper into the features and qualities of each featured product, see our more detailed reviews further down the page in this guide.

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The best emergency blankets, bags and shelters 2026

The best survival bag overall

According to our expert tester Fiona Russell, the Heatshield Thermal Bivi bag "ticks all the right boxes in terms of quality, durability and warmth". You can get inside the bag and pull it up around your shoulders and neck, which keeps the weather out. The bag is long enough even for taller people, too. 

It generates heat from the body almost immediately, and remains warm as long as you stay inside. The material feels durable and it doesn’t make too much of a rustling noise. The orange outer is also radar reflective to make it easier for assistance to reach you. 

The bag can be used as a general shelter, lunch-break warmer and also an emergency bivi bag should you get into trouble in the hills. It’s reusable, although you might want to wait until you get home to roll it up neatly, so it fits back into the very useful stuff bag (trying to do this on a windy mountain is frustrating). 

On test there was slight build-up of condensation after a while, but this can be eased by opening up the bag for a bit. Although a little pricier than other similar products, it’s well worth the money.

Read our full Lifesystems Heatshield Thermal Bivi Bag review

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The best value survival bag

It is surprising how hot it gets once you are inside this simple plastic bag. Within minutes, your body generates heat and, because the bag is made of plastic and it’s windproof, the warmth stays inside. 

On the test, our expert review Fiona Russell found the bag was large enough to pull up to her shoulders, although she stated that "this might not be the case for very tall people". The exterior of the bag is printed with a wealth of information about hill safety, such as how to signal for help, tips on conserving water and the best way to protect yourself in an emergency situation. 

The negatives of this emergency bag are the noisy rustling of the plastic. After a while, we also noticed a slight buildup of moisture inside the bag caused by body heat and condensation. 

The bag is cheap to buy and can also be used to construct a temporary waterfproof shelter to guard against the wind and rain when hiking. The only issue would be the noise if it was windy, which might stop you getting to sleep. As with all such models, the bag folds up larger after use, compared to when it arrives factory packed.

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The best emergency blanket overall

The SOL Emergency Survival Blanket is simple and lightweight. Tester Fiona Russell says that "It’s the sort of item you could pop into your backpack and completely forget about until you need it, if you ever do". 

The foil feels durable and it is thicker than some other single-sheet blankets. Because it’s orange on one side, it can be easily seen by an emergency search parties. When wrapped around the body, the blanket does provide a good level of warmth, but the problem is that – even when wrapped tightly to the body – there are flappy gaps, especially in the wind. It is impossible to get a fully snug and warm feeling because of the air still circulating where the blanket doesn’t reach, which is why it’s better if you lie down and wrap the blanket along your full length. 

The material is not as noisy as others on test, which means you could use it as an extra warming layer for camping or, potentially as a shelter, without being irritated by the sound of rustling. When folded up again, the blanket returns to a size about 50% to 100% larger than when pre-packed.

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The best large emergency blanket

"The most obvious factor with this survival blanket is the size of it" says our expert tester Fiona Russell. Although relatively lightweight, it’s bulky and takes up a lot of space in a hiking pack. However, she says: "I imagine it’s very useful for emergency services, who can spread the load of emergency and safety kit among the crews". 

It’s a warming blanket, and comfortable to have wrapped around the body. It’s not very flexible – plus it’s very light and floaty – so it’s hard to gain full coverage without the wind and rain getting to the body underneath. We’re not sure it’s waterproof; it might be water-resistant at best. 

The product scores three stars because it did a fairly good job of keeping us warm and it’s lightweight, but rather than taking it on the trails when hiking or biking, we’d reserve this for kayaking trips, where there is more space spare in the boat.

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The best budget emergency blanket

This no-frills blanket is sold in a clear plastic bag and doesn’t over promise – as clearly stated it is a single-use emergency blanket. The gold side is meant to capture heat so you will stay warm in the cold, while the silver side is to reflect the heat and keep you cool.

"In all honesty," says our expert tester Fiona "I didn’t notice any real difference when using either side on test, but I was on a peak in Scotland – perhaps the heat-reflecting properties of the silver side might be more apparent (and welcome) if you’re stuck out in a desert."

This is a single-sheet blanket so when you wrap it around your body there are inevitably gaps where the cold air gets in. If you are lying down and need warmth, make sure you tuck in all the edges to stop cold air getting to your body. The foil rustles noisily and the material is thinner and potentially less durable than other products on test. But it’s a cheap blanket and if you are on a budget it could be the best £2.99 you’ve spent for the life-saving potential. 

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The best ultralightweight emergency blanket

The Lomo space blanket is the cheapest on test and it really is a simple, single sheet. The emergency foil blanket will retain radiated body heat while providing some rudimentary protection from wind and rain. 

Because it’s a sheet and not a bag, you can expect areas of the body to still be affected by wind and water, although if you were lying down and you tucked in the blanket around you it does provide good protection and warmth. Our expert reviewer Fiona advises to "ideally, take two – they cost very little and weigh almost nothing".

The foil rustles noisily and the material is thinner and less durable than other products on test. The blanket comes in a throw-away plastic bag and it folds up larger after use than when it first arrives factory packed, but then it is only intended for one use.

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The best emergency shelter

This product would fit into our guide to the best bivy sacks as well as this buying guide. It is heavier than the other blankets and bags above, and is made of a nylon material rather than the foil and plastic of other products. However, the fabric makes it durable. 

"It's also a versatile item" says our expert reviewer Fiona Russell, "because you can just as easily use it when resting or having a bite to eat during an everyday hike, as well as when required for an emergency." To get inside, one or two and possibly three people pull the shelter over their heads and then sit down. Make sure you have something to sit on, otherwise you’ll get cold underneath. 

Heat is quickly generated with all the bodies inside and a windproof fabric keeping the elements out. Air vents help to prevent condensation although it can get a bit damp after a while because of everyone’s breath and body sweat vapor. A useful viewing port allows you a limited view outside, and two reflective panels help emergency crews if they’re trying to find you. 

This is a larger and heavier style of shelter and more expensive than others on test but still a good option if you’re looking for a more versatile shelter.

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Blankets, bags and shelters comparison table

How we test blankets, bags and shelters

Our lead tester Fiona Russell lives in Scotland and spends a lot of time running and walking trails, hills and peaks. She always carries one of these products with her. All of the emergency blankets, bags and shelters above have been tested on wild and windy hills and mountains. The tester personally measured the size of the products and weighed them on digital scales. Note that we could find no information about how planet-friendly these products are.

For more details, see how Advnture tests products.

Meet the testers

How to choose a blanket, bag, or shelter

Low size and weight are the key factors for an emergency item that you will most likely want to carry with you on full- or multi-day backpacking and bikepacking trips, or long trail runs. Small and light options are not always the most warming, though.

Size vs warmth

Assess the size and weight-to-warmth ratio. It might be that a slightly larger and heavier survival bag will prove to be a great deal more useful in an emergency.

Emergency blanket vs survival bag

Single-sheets are the cheapest and generally the lightest products, but a bag will more easily provide the greatest protection from the outside elements and keep the warmth inside.

A single-sheet blanket works best if you wrap it around you and tuck it in while lying flat, although this shape is not so good for when you are sitting up because coverage is limited. The bag-style emergency products, however, can be used when lying flat or sitting up.

Shelter

It is possible to use emergency blankets and bags as general shelters and as an extra layer when sleeping outdoors, but it’s worth noting that few of these products return to their original neat shape and size once opened.

Moisture

Condensation can be an issue when you warm up inside a foil or plastic bag. Look for seams or air vents, or simply remember to let some air in and out of the top every so often. Condensation will leave you damp and cold after a while.

Repeat use

Consider – can you reuse the bag or shelter? It’s useful if you can use the emergency shelter or bag for times when you rest or stop for food during a particularly inclement outing.

Packability

Can you repack the product after use? A stuff sack makes the job of repacking a reusable product much easier and the result will be a more compact package. 

Durability

The thinner foil blankets are unlikely to stand the test of being used several times because they will tear or shred. Look for products that are made of more robust materials.

Noise

Consider how crinkly the shelter, blanket or bag is. This might seem like a small thing if you are simply taking the product in case of an emergency, but you might be stuck inside or under the product for a while. A non-stop rustling in wind could easily become irritating.

Cost

Most emergency blankets and survival bags are very cheap, and they’re all well worth their price tag if you do need them in an emergency. 

Colors

Consider whether the product is brightly colored or has reflective details – both very useful for searchers attempting to find you in an emergency situation, especially in darkness or poor weather.

What to do with your old emergency gear

Sadly emergency blankets, bags and shelters are difficult to recycle, because they're often made of a combination of different materials that aren't easy to process, and most outdoor gear reuse/recycling programs can't accept them.

If there's a hole in your emergency shelter, you could repair it at home rather than replacing the whole thing. Our guide to tent repairs will help you get started. 

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ARVA Neo BT Pro: first impressions 

ARVA’s most avalanche beacon, the ARVA Neo BT Pro, has the features that a professional ski guide or a mountain guide needs, but like the Mammut Barryvox S, it’s also a beacon anyone can use.

The ARVA Neo BT Pro has both digital and analog modes, and long and longer ranges depending on which mode you’re in. When there’s electrical interference, the beacon shows that. It also graphically represents any buried victims and allows you to flag them as you locate them. 

The ARVA Neo BT Pro reverts to Transmit from Search if it detects a secondary avalanche. It also has a standby mode for rescuers who are probing or shoveling. It self-tests when you turn it on, so you always know your beacon is ready for use. And it has a group check function that’s simple to use. All valuable thing s to help keep you safe in avalanche terrain.

ARVA Neo BT Pro: on the slopes

The Neo BT, which is made in France where ARVA is based, is updatable via Bluetooth and ARVA’s app, which also let me customize my beacon settings, plan routes and do practice beacon searches. 

When I was practicing, I could scroll between up to four buried victims, and the beacon gave me an indicator if there were more than four burials I needed to address. If I started off in the wrong direction or messed up my search grid, the beacon alerted me. It was a solid partner for achieving the best outcomes in a scary and stressful situation. 

This transceiver has more buttons than most other beacons, but with a little practice, they became second nature. In addition to a Flag button, the beacon has plus and minus buttons on the face for scrolling. 

The Neo BT can be conveniently updated with ARVA’s app and it comes with a five-year warranty. I didn’t love the form factor, which is blocky and large, but textured indents made it easy to hold onto, even with gloves. 

• How Advnture tests products

Mammut Barryvox: first impressions 

Essentially, the  comparatively budget-priced Mammut Barryvox avy beacon looks and feels a lot like the Barryvox S, but it has a stripped-down set of features that makes it a great choice for many users, including those new to avalanche beacons. 

The Mammut Barryvox has a wide sending and receiving range, and employs much of the same tech as used in the excellent Barryvox S. And, importantly, it provides simple navigation and clear instructions during a search.  All great stuff to help keep you safe in avalanche terrain (see our feature on avalanche training for further advice).

Aside from the standard signal frequency used by all avalanche transceivers, the Barryvox operates on an additional communication channel called W-Link that can help it (and you) to be located more quickly and reliably in a search.

Mammut Barryvox: on the slopes

The shock-proof, break-proof Barryvox beacon is easy to read, easy to use (even with gloves), and is has all the functionality most users need to respond in an avalanche search.

The group search function is effective and comes with on-device instructions for users new to the process. I found the background-lit screen easy to read, even with polarized glasses. And as with the Barryvox S, the beacon shows the distance, direction and number of buried subjects. 

A built-in auto self-test and function test runs when you turn the beacon on. It also auto-reverts to send mode if it doesn’t sense movement for four minutes, a feature that’s motion-sensor-controlled. 

The Barryvox’s harness is hard plastic which protects the transceiver and specifically the transceiver screen from damage, but it’s not uncomfortable to wear. 

The Barryvox software can be updated using another Barryvox beacon or at a Mammut service center or avalanche safety center. It’s the only thing about this beacon that’s not user-friendly and streamlined.

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ARVA Evo5: first impressions 

For mountain explorers who like to travel fast and light, every ounce counts. The ARVA Evo5 is lightweight avalanche beacon with a broad suite of features to keep you safe in avalanche terrain.

While the beacon has a smaller range than some others, it has a group check (to make sure your companions all have their beacons on, and set to “send”) and an auto-test diagnostic, so you can verify that yours is working properly.

The marking function and a multiple burial indicator are similar to those found in this beacon’s big brother, the Neo BT Pro. So is the return to transmit function, which puts the beacon back in 'send' mode if it senses a secondary slide based on info from a timer and also a motion sensor.

The Evo5 has interference management, which ARVA say maximizes the device’s performance in search mode when there’s electromagnetic interference by honing in on a single beacon. It’s a feature you can deactivate if you’re skiing with a posse.

ARVA Evo5: on the slopes

On test I found this flatter, wider beacon wasn’t boxy in my pocket. It slid in comfortably, and I forgot about it until I needed it in hand. At 11cm high and 7cm wide, it is one of the most compact detectors on the market. During practice searches, the screen, while small, was backlit so that it was easy to see. 

I was impressed with this beacon’s feature set, but the On / Off switch made me nervous. In most beacons, switching between Off, Search and Send is a two-handed affair; you never want to switch off your beacon by accident. With this beacon, a single switch toggled between Search and Send. To turn the beacon off, I also had to hit the Flag button. It didn’t give me the confidence of other beacons that it would stay in the mode I wanted it in.

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Black Diamond Recon X: first impressions 

The entry-level Black Diamond Recon X is a great choice of avy beacon for those who are operating on a budget, but still looking to keep safe in avalanche terrain. That’s why it earned a place in our best avalanche beacons buying guide.

Made for users who are new to beacon use, the Recon X wirelessly connects to the PIEPS App and your phone for diagnostic updates, to manage settings, and to access a mode that lets you train your beacon-search skills. The Recon X is compatible with PIEPS iProbe for added search capabilities. 

While the Recon X doesn’t have the range of other beacons, it does have a lot of things going for it: it self checks when you turn it on, and it has a flagging button to mark multiple burials.

Black Diamond Recon X: on the slopes

The Velcro-close harness makes the Black Diamond Recon X easy to get to, even with ski gloves on (but bear in mind Velcro can become ineffective if it gets packed with snow). 

The telephone cord-style tether has loads of stretch and on test I found that it didn’t get tangled as some other tethers do. The beacon claims to have interference protection, so a phone and other electronics won’t impact its performance. This is a claim we are still testing.

This beacon is on the heavier side, and it’s also larger than many of the other transceivers I carried and experimented with while doing the group test. The advantage to all that, however, is it’s easy to hold onto.

The Recon X beacon has a more plasticky-feeling case than more expensive beacons. Whether it will be more prone to cracking remains to be seen.

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BCA Tracker4: first impressions 

The BCA Tracker4 is the latest iteration of America’s best-selling avalanche beacon. We may not have scored it as highly as other transceivers on test in our best avalanche beacons buying guide but it does have a secret weapon that explains its popularity – it’s easy to use. And that can be crucial when it comes to keeping you safe in avalanche terrain.

TThis US-made beacon has a rubber overmolded case that’s easy to hold, and a slightly recessed screen that BCA says protects the screen from potential backcountry bashings.

Upgrades from the Tracker3 include a brighter screen and a louder mic. That makes visible and audible cues clearer when you're searching. In the event of a multiple-victim burial, the Tracker4 has Signal Suppression (SS), which allows users to turn off a beacon signal once they’ve located it, so they can move on to the next with fewer distractions. 

A Big Picture (BP) mode lets a searcher see all buried victims at the same time, instead of locking onto the closest signal, which is what the beacon normally does. In a secondary slide, the Tracker4’s motion-sensing auto revert-to-transmit mode kicks in to protect you. The beacon doesn’t update wirelessly, but it can be updated by plugging it in. 

BCA Tracker4: on the slopes

The Tracker series of beacons are the most popular beacons sold in North America not because they’re rugged and easy to hold (which they are), but because their most basic functions are so easy to use. You turn the beacon on, it shows you the battery level and then the screen goes dark, while a small light flashes on the side to let you know the beacon is working. Click it to Send mode (which is best done without ski gloves on), and the beacon provides an audio beep that speeds up and gets louder as you get closer to the beacon you’re searching for. 

During a search, the screen displays a number indicating how far you are from the closest buried beacon. However, there are no arrows indicating which direction you should go in, which is a feature most other beacons have.

Also, while the Tracker4 does have a signal suppression mode, once you turn off a signal from a buried beacon you can’t get back to that signal. BP mode allows you to see all buried beacons, but it's rudimentary and clunky to use. Regardless of how many beacons are buried, Tracker4 only shows two icons indicating buried people.

The Tracker4 can be updated via USB-C. The port is inside the battery compartment, but the rubber port cover is not attached, so be careful not to lose it. And the software update process can be confusing.

This beacon’s range is on the short side, too. But if, for some reason, the Tracker4 ends up in the snow, and not attached to your body with a harness or tether, the yellow and black casing makes it easy to find.

• How Advnture tests products

Ortovox Diract Voice: first impressions 

In the world of avalanche beacons, the Ortovox Diract Voice is exceptional. For starters, its integrated voice navigation system reliably and quickly guides you to a buried victim in an avalanche rescue. Not only that, this transceiver can talk you through an emergency search in any of nine different languages to keep you safe in avalanche terrain worldwide.

By talking you through a search, this beacon lowers the stress of a rescue (according to Ortovox). You’re receiving direction both aurally and visually, which covers the bases regardless of how you best learn. 

If you’re buried and wearing this beacon, the three-antenna device analyzes the device’s location in the avalanche and automatically switches to the best-transmitting antenna, which Ortovox says helps you be found more quickly. 

Diract Voice uses slightly different controls than other beacons. A flip-up switch on top toggles between Search and Send modes. The power button is tucked behind. A flagging feature lets you mark buried victims or switch to Standby mode.

The beacon has secondary avalanche protection that switches automatically from Search to Send in case of another slide. It’s updatable through Ortovox’s app. Sign on, and not only do you get automatic updates, but a five-year warranty extension, and video tutorials. The Diract Voice also has the largest screen on test. 

Ortovox Diract Voice: on the slopes

The Diract Voice has the largest beacon screen, which makes search instructions easy to see, even for searchers who wear prescription glasses. In addition to verbal instructions confirming graphical directions on the screen, the Diract Voice provides the standard beacon beep that grows more rapid and louder the closer the beacon comes to a buried victim. 

On test, I really appreciated the group check mode, as well as what Ortovox calls the “permanent self-testing and standby mode”, which self-checks the beacon for issues.

The Diract Voice is easy to hold, thanks to texturized and rubberized grip along the beacon’s perimeter. It’s on the larger side but felt comfortable in my hand whether I had my ski gloves on or not.

It also has one of the nicest beacon harnesses available – low profile, easy to get the beacon into and out of, and easy to put on and take off. The harness also has an integrated RECCO reflector, which adds a level of searchability for the beacon wearer.

This is the only beacon I’ve used that is rechargeable. Orotvox says that even at -20°C, the low-temperature battery is dependable with good longevity and that it won’t leak like alkaline batteries are prone to do. I’m thrilled not to have to pack extra alkaline batteries and to have to deal with the mess of ones that leak.

• How Advnture tests products

Mammut Barryvox S: first impressions 

With a sturdy switch, shockproof housing, a 2.2-inch screen, and animated icons, the Mammut Barryvox S was one of the true stars of our avalanche beacon buying guide. 

Most users will turn it on and go, but more advanced users will use all of this beacon’s amazing features. You can scroll between signals, check the group and operate in digital or analog mode when there’s electrical interference. 

The fully graphic display shows the distance, direction and number of targets. An intuitive interface guides you quickly and reliably from the signal search through the coarse and fine searches to the buried subject. All great stuff to help keep you safe in avalanche terrain.

Mammut Barryvox S: on the slopes

Some beacons have added functionality when they’re searching for another beacon of the same brand or model – the Mammut Barryvox S is one of them. If you’re searching for a victim with a Barryvox S, the beacon, which has a motion sensor, lets you know if the person buried is moving, which should also indicate whether they’re breathing. 

These days, everyone has their phone in a pocket and many people also wear a smart watch. This beacon lets searchers know if it’s experiencing electrical interference from other devices, so that you can address the issue. 

Some of the Barryvox S’s more advanced functions are stupid proof, because even experienced users can make mistakes. Do a group check and forget to put your beacon back in Send mode, and the Barryvox S will do it for you. 

Most beacons have a Revert-to-Send function to protect searchers in the event of a secondary slide when their beacons are in search mode. This one uses its built-in motion sensor to revert you to Send mode. If it thinks you’ve been caught and that you’re buried, it auto-reverts.

Another cool feature of the Barryvox S is that you can use it in digital or analog modes. Analog guidance is helpful in complicated searches. Digital directions literally point you where you need to go. The Barryvox S is the only beacon that lets you use analog and digital to search at the same time. And, if there’s high electrical interference, it’ll tell you to switch to analog for more precise results. It also has one of the largest search strips of any beacon, a whopping 70m that can be extended in analog to 95m-100m, and that auto reverts to digital full-screen mode once the beacon picks up a signal.

The Barryvox S also works with alkaline as well as lithium batteries, which are less likely to leak, and which are more stable in low temperatures. Buried subjects can be marked and unmarked. Mammut also lets you personalize your start screen and user texts.

Aside from the standard signal frequency (457kHz) used by all avalanche transceivers, the Barryvox is equipped with an additional communications channel called W-Link. Avalanche transceivers that also transmit W-Link information can be recognized particularly quickly and reliably during a search.

My only gripe with this beacon: while you can update the software, it’s not a user-friendly process. Beacons can be updated from other Barryvox beacons running current firmware. Otherwise, you have to update them at an avalanche safety center, or a Mammut service center.

• How Advnture tests products

The best avalanche beacons are literal lifesavers. Avalanche transceivers – often referred to as “avy beacons” – have two functions: to locate victims buried in an avalanche and to make you findable if you’re the one buried. 

The best avalanche beacons use three antennas to help you be accurate and efficient in a search. Time is of the essence in an avalanche rescue. If a victim is buried for more than 20-30 minutes their chance of survival drops exponentially (see also: Your friend just got buried in an avalanche – you've got 15 minutes to save them and Avalanche safety). Use an older beacon, or one that hasn’t been updated, and searching transceivers may not be able to find you quickly, and you may not be able to help search effectively. 

When it comes to avalanche beacons, the most important thing is that you’re wearing one when you head into avalanche terrain, and one that’s fully functional, has modern features and updated firmware. The next most important thing is that you know how to use your avy beacon – you can have the best avalanche transceiver in the world, but it’s no good if you don’t know how to operate it. While we all hope to never be in – or responding to – an avalanche, if you travel in potential avalanche terrain, you need to be prepared (wearing one of the best airbag-compatible ski backpacks is also a vital part of your avalanche survival kit).

Best avalanche beacons for pros and experienced skiers

With a sturdy switch, shockproof housing, a 2.2in (5.59cm) screen and animated icons, Mammut’s Barryvox S is one of the most highly functional beacons you can buy. Most users will turn it on and go. More advanced users will take advantage of all of this beacon’s amazing features. 

You can scroll between signals, check the group and operate in digital or analog mode. The fully graphic display shows the distance, direction and number of targets. An intuitive interface guides you quickly and reliably from the signal search through the coarse and fine searches to the buried subject.

If you’re searching for a victim with a Barryvox S, the beacon, which has a motion sensor, lets you know if the buried victim is moving, which should also indicate if that victim is breathing. This beacon lets searchers know if the beacon is experiencing electrical interference so that you can address the issue, and if you do a group check and forget to put your beacon back into Send mode, and the Barryvox S will do it for you. 

The Barryvox S is the only beacon that lets you use analog and digital to search at the same time. And, if there’s high electrical interference, it’ll tell you to switch to analog for more precise results. It also has one of the largest search strips of any beacon, a whopping 70m that can be extended in analog to 95m-100m, and which auto reverts to digital full-screen mode once the beacon picks up a signal. 

Read our full Mammut Barryvox S review

ARVA’s most advanced beacon, the Neo BT Pro has all the features that a ski guide or a mountain guide needs, but like the Barryvox S, it’s a beacon anyone can use. 

The Neo BT Pro has both digital and analog modes, and long and longer ranges depending on which mode you’re in. When there’s electrical interference, the beacon shows that. It also graphically represents any buried victims and allows you to flag them as you locate them. 

The Neo BT Pro reverts to Transmit from Search if it detects a secondary avalanche. It also has a standby mode for rescuers who are probing or shoveling. It self-tests when you turn it on, so you always know your beacon is ready for use. And it has a group check function that’s simple to use. 

This beacon has more buttons than most other beacons, but with a little practice they became second nature. In addition to a Flagging button, the beacon has plus and minus buttons on the face for scrolling. The Neo BT can be conveniently updated with ARVA’s app and it comes with a five-year warranty. 

Read our full ARVA Neo BT Pro Beacon review

Best avalanche beacons for search and rescue

In the world of beacons, Ortovox’s Diract Voice distinguishes itself. This beacon talks to you through a search in any of nine different languages. By talking you through a search, this beacon lowers the stress of a rescue (according to Ortovox). You’re receiving direction both aurally and visually, which covers the bases regardless of how you best learn. 

Ortovox Diract Voice’s integrated voice navigation reliably and quickly guides you to a buried victim in an avalanche rescue. If you’re buried and wearing this beacon, the three-antenna device analyzes the device’s location in the avalanche and automatically switches to the best-transmitting antenna, which Ortovox says helps you be found more quickly. 

Diract Voice uses slightly different controls than other beacons. A flip-up switch on top toggles between Search and Send modes. The power button is tucked behind. A Flagging feature lets you mark buried victims or switch to Standby mode. The beacon has secondary avalanche protection that switches automatically from Search to Send in case of another slide. 

It’s updatable through Ortovox’s app. Sign on, and not only do you get automatic updates, but a five-year warranty extension and video tutorials. The Diract Voice also has the largest screen on test.

Read our full Ortovox Diract Voice review

Best budget avalanche beacons

Mammut’s Barryvox looks and feels a lot like the Barryvox S, with a stripped-down set of features that makes it a great choice for many users, including those new to wearing a beacon. 

This shock-proof, break-proof beacon is easy to read, easy to use with ski gloves and has all the functionality most users need to respond in an avalanche search. It has a wide sending and receiving range, with much of the same tech as the Barryvox S. And importantly, it provides simple navigation and clear instructions during a search. 

For a “basic” device, the Barryvox has a lot of features. The group search function is effective and comes with on-device instructions for users new to the process. The background-lit screen was easy to read even with polarized glasses. And, like the Barryvox S, the beacon shows the distance, direction and number of buried subjects. 

Aside from the standard signal frequency used by all avalanche transceivers, the Barryvox operates on an additional communication channel called W-Link that can help it be found more quickly and reliably in a search. 

Read our full Mammut Barryvox review

If price is your number one driver, Black Diamond’s entry-level Recon X is a great choice. Made for users who are new to avalanche beacon use, the Recon X wirelessly connects to the PIEPS app and your phone for diagnostic updates, to manage settings and to access a mode that lets you train your beacon-search skills. 

The Recon X is compatible with the PIEPS iProbe for added search capabilities. While the Recon X doesn’t have the range that other beacons do, it does have a lot of things going for it: it self-checks when you turn it on, boasts interference protection and it has a Flagging button to mark multiple burials. The Velcro-close harness makes the beacon easy to get to even with gloves on (but Velcro can become ineffective if it gets packed with snow). 

Read our full Black Diamond Recon X review

Best lightweight avalanche beacons

For fast-and-light travelers, every ounce counts. This beacon is lightweight with a broad suite of features to keep you safe in avalanche terrain. While the beacon has a smaller range than some others, it has a group check and an auto-test diagnostic to verify that it is working properly. 

The marking function and a multiple burial indicator are similar to those found in this beacon’s big brother, the Neo BT Pro. So is the Return To Transmit function, which puts the beacon back in Send if it senses a secondary slide based on info from a timer and also a motion sensor. 

The Evo5 has interference management, which ARVA says maximizes the device’s performance in Search mode when there’s electromagnetic interference by honing in on a single beacon. It’s a feature you can deactivate if you’re skiing with a posse.

Read our full ARVA Evo5 review

Rugged and easy to hold, Back Country Access’s Tracker4 Transceiver is the latest iteration of America’s best-selling avy beacon. The US-made Tracker4 has a rubber overmolded case that’s easy to hold and a slightly recessed screen that BCA says protects the screen from potential backcountry bashings. 

Upgrades from the Tracker3 include a brighter screen and louder mic. That makes visible and audible cues clearer when you’re searching. In the event of a multiple-victim burial the Tracker4 has Signal Suppression (SS), which allows users to turn off a beacon signal once they’ve located it so they can move on with fewer distractions. 

A Big Picture (BP) mode lets a searcher see all buried victims at the same time instead of locking onto the closest signal, which is what the beacon normally does. In a secondary slide, the Tracker4’s motion-sensing auto Revert-To-Transmit mode kicks in to protect you. The beacon doesn’t update wirelessly, but it can be updated by plugging it in. 

There are some frustrations with this beacon, but the Tracker series is very popular because it’s easy to use. 

Read our full BCA Tracker4 Avalanche Transceiver review

Avalanche beacons comparison table

How we tested the best avalanche beacons

Thankfully, our writers were not caught up in any real avalanche situations during the testing process, but all the of the transceivers reviewed above were thoroughly examined and worn into the mountains of Vermont during skiiing escapades. They were then reviewed against a set of criteria including functionality, ease of use, weight and wearability.

What to look for in the best avalanche beacon

A real avalanche is an extremely stressful situation, one where you want operating your beacon and executing search-and-rescue protocol to be second nature. So buy a beacon that makes sense to you, and then spend the time to really get to know it.

Range

Some beacons have an analog mode that can help cut through electronic interference caused by everything from smartphones to smartwatches. The analog mode also increases the range of the beacon, and some direct you toward a burial with auditory cues.

Group check mode

Some beacons have group check modes that allow users to easily ascertain that everyone in their party has their beacon on, and in Send mode, before setting out into the snow hills.

Batteries

Whatever beacon you buy, be sure to always use good batteries. Leaky alkaline batteries can damage a beacon in a single season. Remove beacon batteries for storage in the green season, or keep a close eye on them.

What to do with your old avalanche beacon

It's important to keep as much waste electronic equipment out of landfills as possible, and thankfully there are lots of programs to help you do that. The most important part to dispose of correctly is your avalanche beacon's battery. Most household recycling centers have bins where you can dispose of small batteries, and your local authority may be able to collect them for free.

Your recycling center may also have an area where you can leave small electrical goods, which will then be broken down for materials. If you're in the UK, the website Recycle Your Electricals is a good starting point. In the US, Best Buy offers an in-store recycling service for small electronics.

Having the best first aid kit for your summer adventures is important. Even though it may be the safest time to explore the great outdoors, it's also the time of year when the trails are at their busiest. This means you're more likely to come across someone who might need assistance. 

So, whether you’re going out for a short hike, trail running or off on a multi-day camping trip in the middle of nowhere, you’ll want to take the best first aid kit possible with you.

Of course, no one wants to actually need to use their first aid kit – and chances are the most you’ll ever need to do is apply a plaster to a blister caused because you hadn't properly worn in your new hiking boots – but that’s no reason not to take one. The best first aid kits are the ones you can pack and forget, safe in the knowledge that you’re equipped for the situation you’re going into.

Of course, what constitutes the best first aid kit also depends very much on what you’re doing at the time. You don’t want to find yourself out on a snowy alpine peak, only to discover your entire first aid provision is a pack of dinosaur print plasters and a box of paracetamol. You can read more about why to take a first aid kit and how to put one together for yourself in our guide on how to build your own first aid kit for camping and hiking.

The best first aid kit you can buy for individual adventure activities

The Harrier Mini Runner First Aid Kit comes in a water-resistant ripstop nylon case, with all the contents in a durable plastic zip lock waterproof inner bag. It is by far the smallest and most compact first aid kit we tested – ideal for slipping into a trail running vest. The contents are basic but should cover quick fixes of minor injuries you might encounter on a trail run: blisters, cuts, grazes and immobilising a broken arm. There is also an elasticated gauze bandage which might help a sprained ankle until you get back to civilisation. The plasters and blister pads are quite small (but you get plenty – four of each). You might also slip in some paracetamol or ibuprofen of your own, which will easily fit in the pouch and provide you some pain relief. The bottom line? The best first aid kit out there for runners and gram-counting solo hikers.

Full first aid contents:

• 4 x Adhesive plasters 
• 4 x Blister plasters for feet
• 2 x Cleansing wipes
• 1 x Small adhesive tape
• 1 x Sterile dressing / gauze pad
• 1 x triangle bandage
• 6 x Safety Pins (large)
• 1 x Elasticated Cohesive Bandage (6cm x 4m)

The Ortlieb First Aid Kit Regular comes in a 100% waterproof case, with clever roll-top closure and a 5-year warranty. There is a separate strap included that allows you to attach your first aid kit to the outside of a rucksack, under a bike saddle or onto any sort of belt. This makes the most of the waterproofing and gives you very easy access in an emergency.

We thought that the case was fantastic, but the first aid kit feels a bit empty for the size. It feels much more bulky than the Harrier Mini Runner kit, but has about the same contents. That said, there is extra room in the case, so you could easily add more of your own items for more extensive cover on a day hike. All the contents come inside a single plastic zip top bag.

Full first aid contents:

• 1 x multilingual first aid brochure
• 1 pair medical gloves
• 2 x sterile bandages
• 5m sticking tape (narrow but feels like sports tape)
• 2 x finger plasters
• 2 x mini plasters
• 4 x plasters

The Lifesystems Trek First Aid Kit is designed specifically for trekking and hiking. It's about the same size externally as the Ortlieb first aid kit, but contains far more inside. However, it is not waterproof, so be sure to check out our best dry bags if you want to keep the contents dry. This first aid kit is recommended kit for Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expeditions, for personal use. We found it easy to use. It comes sealed with a tag, so you can tell if the kit has been opened or not. This first aid kit is equipped to deal with most eventualities on day hikes. As well as containing everything you need to treat hiking injuries like cuts, grazes, blisters and sprains, it contains pain relief and burn gel. The tweezers can be used for removing ticks or splinters and are far more effective than a standard penknife pair. There is also a short first aid leaflet and a pair of scissors for cutting plasters to size.

Full first aid kit contents:

• 1 x Primary Care Leaflet
• 1 x Tweezers
• 1 x Scissors 5.5cm Blade
• 6 x Safety Pins
• 16 x Paracetamol Tablets (not included in EU kit)
• 1 x White Open Woven bandage 7.5cm x 5m
• 1 x Crepe Bandage 5cm x 4.5m
• 5 x 4-Ply Gauze Swabs 5 x 5cm
• 1 x Micropore Tape 1.25cm x 5m
• 4 x Hygienic Cleansing Wipes
• 2 Pairs Vinyl Gloves
• 1 x Burn Gel Sachet
• 1 x Low Adherent Dressing 5 x 5cm
• 1 x Low Adherent Dressing 10 x 10cm
• 1 x Sterile Adherent Dressing
• 1 x Pack of Assorted Plasters
• 2 x Blister Plasters
• 1 x Small Eyepad Wound Dressing (only included in EU kit)

The best first aid kit you can buy for group adventure activities

We think this is the sort of size of kit where you’ll want one per team, not one per bag. For personal camping, the Lifesystems Trek would probably suffice – whereas as this kit will cover most commonly encountered first aid needs of a whole family or group, and wins our vote as the best first aid kit for outdoor leaders. Inside, there are clearly labelled separate compartments, which made it easy for us to find what we were looking for in the event of an emergency. There are treatments for burns, wounds, breaks and sprains, cuts, eye injuries... basically any minor injury you’d cover on an Outdoor First Aid course except allergic reactions. There is even a credit card size thermometer for checking someone’s temperature. (It’s worth mentioning that our test kit didn’t have one of these, however it should come with one as standard.) We particularly liked the inclusion of a little roll of duct tape! There are plenty of each item, so you should be covered for even the clumsiest group of walkers.

Full first aid contents:

• 1 x Primary Care Leaflet
• 1 x Tweezers
• 6 x Safety Pins
• 1 x Scissors 5.5cm Blade
• 2 Pairs Vinyl Gloves
• 1 x Spot Check Thermometer
• 16 x Paracetamol Tablets (not included in EU kit)
• 1 x Crepe Bandage 5cm x 4.5m
• 1 x Triangular Calico Bandage 90 x 127cm
• 1 x Open Woven Bandage 7.5cm x 5m
• 6 x Hygienic Cleansing Wipes
• 1 x Zinc Oxide Tape 1.25cm x 5m
• 1 x Micropore Tape 1.25cm x 5m
• 5 x 4-Ply Gauze Swabs 5 x 5cm
• 3 x Burn Gel Sachets 3.5g
• 2m Duct Tape
• 2 x Sterile Eye Wash (20ml each)
• 1 x Pack of Assorted Plasters
• 1 x Medium Wound Dressing 12 x 12cm
• 2 x Low Adherent Dressings 5 x 5cm
• 1 x Low Adherent Dressing 10 x 10cm
• 1 x Small Plaster Fabric Strip 4cm x 1m
• 3 x Wound Closure Strips
• 1 x Small Eyepad Wound Dressing (2 x in EU kit)

The Vaude First Aid Kit L is the largest first aid kit currently available from Vaude. It's a bit bigger externally than the Lifesystems Camping kit and a bit more expensive. The case isn’t waterproof, but Vaude do make waterproof versions in medium and small. As a company, their commitment to sustainability can be seen across the product range. You’ll find recycled materials in everything from jackets to first aid kits. Inside, we like the fact the kit contains additional mesh pockets for storing own medication, which is a nice touch. In terms of first aid provision, it contains items for treating minor wounds, cuts, broken bones, sprains and burns. It also has a pair of tweezers, for removing splinters or ticks, and a pair of scissors. Unusually for first aid kits, it also comes with an emergency blanket. There are no pain relief tablets, but the mesh pockets allowed us to add our own.

Full first aid kit contents:

• 1 x elastic bandage (4mx8cm)
• 1 x dressing bandage, sterile (8x10cm)
• 1 x dressing bandage, sterile (6x8cm)
• 3 x wound closure strips
• 1 x wound compress, sterile
• 1 x burn dressing, sterile
• 1 x triangular bandage
• 3 x finger plaster butterfly (44x76mm)
• 3 x finger plaster (20x120mm)
• 4 x plaster (25x72mm)
• 2 x plaster (19x72mm)
• 6 x plaster (10x6cm)
• 3 x blister plaster
• 6 x wet wipes
• 1 x adhesive tape (5mx2,5cm)
• 6 x safety pins
• 1 x disposable gloves
• 1 x emergency blanket (160x210cm)
• 1 x small scissors
• 1 x tweezers

The best first aid kit you can buy for remote adventures

The Care Plus Adventurer First Aid Kit is designed for travel into remote areas with little medical assistance, at home or overseas. It’s also been put together with outdoor activities, and associated potential injuries, in mind. We found it to be a very large and heavy bit of kit. But this is not the kind of thing we're going to cut corners on in the wilderness. This first aid kit has the sort of contents that you wouldn’t know how to use properly unless you’ve had some advanced first aid or medical training. Syringes, trauma dressings, blood lancets… everything you need to deal with more than minor injuries by yourself. It includes tweezers, a mouth shield for CPR and trauma shears – which sound like something out of a Saw movie but are actually for cutting away clothing. For most readers, this will be an absolute overkill, but for remote expeditions this kit could save lives.

Full first aid contents:

• 1 x Sterile compress 5×5 cm
• 1 x Hydrophilic bandage 5 cm x 4 m
• 5 x Wound plasters 19×38 mm
• 5 x Wound plasters 25×72 mm
• 2 x Wound plasters 60×100 mm
• 1 x Trauma dressing 12×12 cm
• 1 x Butterfly bandage roll 1.25 cm x 1 m
• 5 x Butterfly bandage
• 6 x Needle and syringe 0.6×25 / 5 ml
• 3 x Disposable syringe 2 ml
• 6 x Disposable syringe 5 ml
• 6 x Disposable syringe 0.4×20
• 6 x Disposable syringe 0.8×40
• 1 x Infusion needle (Canula IV) 125 ml/min
• 1 x Suture & needle 75 cm/nylon
• 4 x Blood lancet
• 1 pair Vinyl gloves 
• 10 x Alcohol wipes
• 1 x Trauma shears (small)
• 1 x Tweezers
• 1 x Scalpel
• 1 x Mouth-to-mouth shield
• 1 x Medical certificate

The Exped Clear Cube First Aid is a transparent and ultralightweight pouch, designed and labelled specifically for first aid use. It’s perfect if you already have some or all of your first aid kit contents and don’t want to end up with duplicates by buying a full kit again. Or, alternatively, if you’ve got some very specific things in mind. We found it easy to arrange our own provisions in a way that suited us. The case is fully waterproof and big enough for a personal first aid kit and probably a small group, depending on what you put in it. (You can fit the entire Lifesystems Camping kit inside, including the case.)

First aid kit comparison table

How to choose the best first aid kit for hiking and camping

If you ask the following important questions, the answers will help you choose the best first aid kit for adventures on the wild side, not matter what you’re planning.

How many people are you heading out with?

Does your first aid kit only need to over you in an emergency? Or will it have to be enough for several people? Perhaps you’re the leader of a group and need a first aid kit to cover all eventualities. Plus, don’t forget to consider the actual people in your group: how old are they and do they have any known allergies or medical conditions?

How long are you going for?

The longer you’re in the wilderness, the more chance there is of things going wrong. That’s simply statistics. So if you’re just popping out for an afternoon run on the trails, you probably don’t need burn salve and a hundred bandages.

How remote are you going?

The size of your first aid kit goes up the further away from civilisation (and help) you travel. Practically, this is because you’re more dependent on its contents for providing aid. You’ll need to be far better equipped if you’re five days out from the nearest town than if someone can reach a shop in 15 minutes. Also be aware of what it’s possible to buy in other countries if you’re going on an expedition. You don’t want to be relying on something that can’t actually be bought in the country. If you're heading into mosquito or midge territory, be sure to check out our best insect repellents and read how to avoid bites and stings on the trail. 

Have you done a risk analysis of your planned adventure, and what are the most likely injuries that might be sustained?

This is a little vague, but think about the risks and dangers associated with the activity your first aid kit is covering. Mountaineering and rock climbing have risks of long falls onto hard ground or maybe rockfall from above. This is unlikely to be a risk on a flat hike in open country. If you’re camping and cooking on a stove, there’s a risk of burn injuries. Write out a quick list of all the things that could happen. Then think about it like an insurance policy: balance likeliness with risk. Sure, you could pack an ECG and a defibrillator just in case, but balanced with the other three points above, is it worth it?

As outdoor recreation increases in popularity, search and rescue missions are becoming a daily occurrence. Though this is largely the result of sheer volume, there are lots of steps you can take to help ensure you don’t become tomorrow’s headline, from learning how to read a map and use a compass to carrying an emergency beacon for hiking. In this article, we take a look at emergency beacons for hiking, including how they work and the different types available, to help you figure out whether or not you need to carry one on your adventures.  

What is an emergency beacon for hiking? 

An emergency beacon for hiking (also known as a personal locator beacon, or PLB)  is a small handheld device that  will send out a distress signal in the event of an emergency.

PLBs operate using satellite technology, and therefore work even when you don’t have cell service, which is why they’re recommended for backcountry hikers and skiers. When activated, your PLB will transmit a homing signal which communicates your exact location to a global system of satellites which then communicate that information to the appropriate mountain rescue team to mobilize a search and rescue mission. 

A true PLB serves a single purpose – to send out a distress signal when you need help. For a one-time investment of a few hundred dollars, PLBs like the ACR Electronics rescueME PLB1 Personal Locator Beacon provide you with a simple-to-operate device that has a battery that will last for years, but no other functions. 

Satellite messengers like the Garmin inReach Messenger cost anywhere from $200 to $700, and also send a distress signal when activated. This signal goes to GEOS Worldwide, a 24/7 emergency monitoring and incident response service which is now owned by Garmin and based in Texas. Satellite messengers not made by Garmin use the same network.

Satellite messengers require a monthly subscription plan, so they involve a bigger investment, but they also provide other functions, such as the ability to send and receive messages, as well as navigation and weather reports. Some will even sync with your phone, smartwatch or fitness tracker. Satellite messengers have rechargeable batteries which usually hold their charge for a few days or a couple of weeks. These have become more popular than PLBs due to their increased functionality.

Whichever device you chose, it will typically require manual activation by pressing a button, though both work best when you have an unobstructed view of the sky which means if you’re in a deep gorge, under an overhang or tree canopy, it may take longer for satellite to pick up your signal and your location may not be as precise.

Are personal locator beacons worth it? 

Both PLBs and satellite messengers entail significant expense – a PLB might set you back between $200 and $400 initially and require a replacement battery every five to seven years, which can cost another chunk of change. Satellite messengers may come with an even higher price tag, and then there’s the monthly subscription plan on top of that, so it’s no wonder that you might be hesitating over buying one. There are, however, some major benefits to using a PLB or satellite messenger:

• They can save your life if you have an accident or medical emergency in a remote area.
• They work when cell phones don’t and are also more rugged and weather-resistant than phones.
• They work worldwide (though your satellite messenger coverage might vary according to your subscription plan).

Do you need an emergency beacon for hiking? 

There are people who will tell you that you should never venture into the wild without an emergency beacon of some kind, although it’s almost certainly true that most hikers and skiers don’t carry one and the vast majority come home very much alive. If you have more money than you know what to do with, it certainly won’t do you any harm to travel into the backcountry with one and it will only add a few ounces to your hiking backpack. However, if your hiking usually takes place on well-maintained and high traffic trails with good cell service and in good weather, your phone will often suffice, though it's by no means a foolproof option.

If your adventures tend to be of the Type 2 variety, taking you into more remote areas, during winter when avalanche risk is high or otherwise involving activities like scrambling, mountaineering and ice climbing, it’s probably worth investing in an emergency beacon. Though we all like to think that we’re responsible and experienced adventurers, very experienced hikers do get rescued from mountain sides every single day and there are lots of factors that are just out of our control.

If you do decide to purchase a PLB or satellite messenger, make to follow these procedures:

• Register your device and provide emergency contact information.
• Read the instructions carefully and make sure you understand how your device works as each one is different.
• Carry your beacon in a safe place where you can easily reach it but where you won’t accidentally send a distress signal and trigger an unnecessary rescue mission.
• Only activate your beacon in the event of a genuine emergency – if you wouldn’t dial 911, don’t send an SOS call.
• If you do have to send a distress signal, try to have a clear view of the sky when you do so, and do not move from your location once it has been sent.
• Rescue can take many hours depending on the weather and your location – ensure you have emergency equipment such as an emergency blanket, emergency shelter, first aid kit and water to sustain yourself until help arrives.
• Make sure your battery is charged before you set off, and if you choose a PLB, make sure the battery still works and doesn’t need to be replaced.

• Best hiking boots: tough footwear for the most rugged terrain

Applying insect repellent hardly seems like a subject worthy of a lot of thought. Spray it on and head out into the wild, armored against pests like midges, mosquitos and ticks, right? But when it comes to activities like hiking and running, it turns out that there’s a bit more to consider, from finding an insect repellent suitable for covering large areas of skin to where and how to apply it to protect the most vulnerable areas and keep your eyes free of the stuff when you break a sweat. To get the best advice, we sat down with Matt Jones, product manager of Lifesystems, to get some insect repellent tips for hiking and running.

1. Consider climate and location first

Naturally, we wanted to know first and foremost what is the best insect repellent for activities like hiking and running, and according to Jones, the answer doesn’t just come down to your activity. First, you want to make sure you choose an insect repellent based on where you’re going to be, since that determines what types of critters might be hanging around, as well as the climate.

“If you’re in a place with a warm or tropical climate, and where mosquitoes and the risk of insect-borne diseases are higher, you need to opt for a high-strength repellent,” explains Jones, who recommends the Lifesystems Expedition MAX for such adventures. 

In these types of areas, DEET-based repellents are widely accepted to offer the most reliable protection, however Jones acknowledges that you may want to avoid DEET and  mosquitoes may not be a major concern where you live. In that case, he explains that if you are running or hiking somewhere with a cooler climate, you have the option to choose a repellent with a different active ingredient.

“If you’re running or hiking somewhere like Scotland or the Lake District where midges are an issue, we’d recommend choosing a repellent with Saltidin as the active ingredient such as our product Expedition Sensitive.”

2. Choose a repellent suitable for widespread use

Let’s say you’re going on a long backpacking trip, or an epic trail run – you’d probably expect to be able to slap bug spray all over your arms and legs, since they’ll be exposed if you’re out in trail running shorts and a short sleeved running top, and reapply multiple times over the course of the day, wouldn’t you? Well according to Jones, not all insect repellent is designed with that kind of heavy use in mind. 

“Traditionally, a lot of higher-strength repellents are developed with the idea that the user will be wearing full-length trousers and a long-sleeved shirt (think safari gear) so that this limits the amount of repellent that goes onto the skin, but this is not realistic for hikers or runners, particularly in summer. You want to make sure you choose a repellent that can be applied to the amount of skin that is likely to be exposed.”

Although that sounds obvious for a bug spray, Jones explains that you’d be surprised when you read the small print on many labels to find that it may not be intended for all day, full-body use. If you're traveling, it's best to wait to buy insect repellent at your destination, since it's more likely to be appropriate to the climate.

When choosing your repellent, make sure to check the guidelines on how much of that formula can actually be applied in 24 hours and then make sure to follow these when you are applying your repellent. If you’re looking for a formula intended for this level of use, Jones recommends the Lifesystems Dermaloc which is intended to be reapplied up to three times in a day.

3. Pay attention to your lower body

Once you’ve chosen your insect repellent and it’s time to apply it, as a hiker or trail runner, you need to pay extra special attention to your lower body. Specifically, that means your groin, legs and ankles. 

“These are all areas at high risk of tick bites which can potentially put you at risk of conditions like Lyme Disease,” explains Jones, adding that adventuring at certain times of day also puts you at higher risk since bugs like to come out to feast en masse. 

“If you’re running at dawn or dusk, we’d advise you to be extra thorough with applying and topping up your repellent too. This is a peak time for midges and other biting insects.”

4. Consider spraying your clothes as well as skin

You may have heard that DEET-based insect repellents can cause some damage to your clothes, and naturally you want to keep your best hiking shorts in great condition, but when it comes down to the difference between your clothes and your health, Jones advises that it may be worth spraying a little on your clothing, too, especially if it’s thin enough for a mosquito to bite through.

“This will help increase protection where repellent hasn’t been applied and is at less risk of wearing off over the course of your workout.”

We did a little investigating on this matter, and learned that while DEET-based spray might indeed damage your synthetic clothing over time, it doesn’t appear to have the same effect on natural fabrics such as clothing made from merino wool, so there’s a good argument there for investing in some non-synthetic clothing for your wild adventures. Not only will this stand up better against your insect repellent, it gets less stinky with sweaty use too, which is a major win.

5. Always apply sunscreen first

Chances are, you’ll want to protect your skin against the sun as well as bug bites when you’re on the trail, and as we’ve previously explained, you want to make sure to apply your sunscreen first, wait 15 minutes, and then spray on your insect repellent. This both improves the performance of your sunscreen, and reduces the amount of DEET absorption into your skin. 

6. Take care with your face and eyes

Finally, whatever activity you’re doing and whichever formula you choose, you should be extra careful when applying repellent to your face, particularly since any health problems thought to be caused by DEET have been the result of ingesting it, and not through skin absorption.. 

“Never spray it directly on your face and always make sure not to apply too much. At Lifesystems we recommend spraying a small amount onto the palm of your hand and then applying it sparingly to your face,” advises Jones.

Sparingly is the operative word here – you might have had a nasty experience already with slapping on the bug spray and then spending half your hike or run blind and in agony once you start sweating and the insect repellent starts running into your eyes. To avoid repeating that painful experience, Jones offers these final words of wisdom:

“If you know you’re going to work up a sweat, we would recommend trying to avoid the eye area, and any skin around it, completely. Focus the repellent around the neck and lower face. You could always spray some repellent on your cap or headband to provide protection without the risk of it going into your eyes too.”

If you’re going to be moving fast, a pair of the best trail running sunglasses will keep bugs – and the sun’s harmful rays – out of your peepers anyway.

• Best insect repellents: keep the bugs at bay when hiking and camping
• Best trail running shoes: footwear for speed on tough terrain

Outdoor adventures have many benefits for physical and mental health but there can be a few hazards and they include strong sunlight and biting insects. You can deal with the danger of potential sunburn by covering your skin with clothing or applying sunscreen and biting beasts such as midges and mosquitos can be countered with repellents. But which which goes on first, sunscreen or bug spray, when you hit the trails in your hiking boots? Maybe, you might be wondering, should you combine the two for the best double protection?

We asked one of our hiking experts how best to use insect repellent and sunscreen together to tackle both UV rays and insects like mosquitos, ticks and midges.

Should you apply bug spray or sunscreen first?

The expert advice is to apply sunscreen first and let it soak in and dry. After this, you can safely apply bug repellent. It is important to continue to reapply both products over the course of you day depending on the guidance of each product.

Research suggests that applying insect repellent first, then sunscreen, can lead to your skin absorbing more DEET than it needs to. Insect repellent may reduce the effectiveness of sunscreen, so it's vital to let the sun protection soak in first.

See the latest detailed advice for more.

Meet the expert

Can you use both bug spray and sunscreen?

• Bug sprays that use DEET reduce the efficacy of sunscreen
• Sunscreen can enhance the absorption of DEET into the skin, which can be harmful
• Sunscreen is not thought to alter the effectiveness of bug repellent

Many of you want to know if you can use bug spray and sunscreen together, or if doing so reduces the efficacy of either. According to the Centers for Disease Control, bug sprays that contain DEET, the active ingredient in the most effective insect repellent products, have been shown to reduce the efficacy of the UVB protection in your sunscreen by as much as one third of the reported SPF on the label. So, while they’re pretty good at keeping bugs at bay, your skin might be more at risk of sun damage.

It also suggests that sunscreen may increase the absorption of DEET into your skin, which many would see as a concern since there is a common belief that DEET is toxic; that said, health experts who have studied DEET conclude that, when used properly, it is safe for the public, but that’s an ongoing debate.

Meanwhile, a clinical trial published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology confirmed that sunscreen does not impact the effectiveness of insect repellent. So, when using the two together, you don’t need to worry about increased exposure to bug bites, but there is some concern over making sure your skin is amply protected from the sun, while applying the two in the correct order may help reduce DEET absorption.

What's the latest detailed advice?

• The CDC suggests applying sunscreen first and waiting 15 minutes
• After this, apply bug repellent
• Reapply sunscreen every couple of hours and DEET repellent every six hours
• Use other sun protection tactics like wearing a hat and covering up

According to a 2011 clinical trial, applying bug spray first then covering it with sunscreen increases the absorption of DEET into your skin, while applying DEET-based repellent on top of sunscreen did not significantly increase dermal absorption.

On days that you need both sunscreen and bug spray, the CDC suggests that you avoid products that contain both substances as those are not as effective as two separate products. Instead, apply sunscreen first, wait 15 minutes for it to soak in and dry, then apply insect repellent on top of it. The theory is that this will allow the sunscreen to become more effective, without absorbing more DEET than you need to.

If you’re outside for a long period, remember that the timing for reapplication is different for the two products. Many sunscreen products require reapplication every two hours but DEET-based repellent many only need to be reapplied every six hours, so don’t automatically apply both each time.

To be extra safe, you can of course look into non DEET-based insect repellents, and make sure to incorporate other sun protection practices on very bright days, such as wearing a hiking hat, as well as a long sleeved base layer and hiking pants to cover your skin, so you’re not solely reliant on sunscreen.

Life outdoors is the good life, but as you probably know, it isn’t all lounging in a hammock and stargazing. You need to make sure you’re managing your food to keep curious critters like racoons and perhaps even bears at a safe distance and then managing your flesh to keep munching mosquitos and troublesome ticks from leaving you covered in red welts and potentially transmitting diseases. Hard work, but ultimately, it’s worth it when you sit down to enjoy a delicious camping feast, safe in the knowledge that nothing higher up the food chain is coming to feast on you while you’re distracted by burgers.

That’s until an army of tiny ants start marching their way up the table legs intent on joining you. Ants may be an inevitable part of the outdoors, but you don’t have to share every meal – or your tent – with them. In this article, we provide some simple advice for how to keep ants away from your campsite so you can spend more time relaxing and less time shrieking in horror.

Ants, tiny invertebrates that live and move in droves, have been described by National Geographic as “enthusiastically social” and exist practically everywhere on earth – the only true way to avoid them outdoors is to go camping in Antarctica and that’s a whole separate article. Though they quite resemble termites, they are descended from an ancestor of the wasp, which may explain why they’re so annoying. Not only are they annoying, and not only can they march off with your food astonishingly quickly, they can bite and often sting, too. Whatever your reason for wanting them out of your home in the woods, you’ll be pleased to know that there are lots of effective and easy solutions for parrying the platoon.

1. Avoid mounds on the ground

Some ant colonies live underground while others live in mounds on the surface of the earth and others live in trees. Particularly if you’re going dispersed camping (or wild camping as it's known in the UK), it’s helpful to scope out the area where you’re planning to pitch your tent to avoid setting up on or near an ant colony. If you see any mounds on the ground, move on and find a different spot.

2. Leave scented toiletries at home

Like a lot of insects, ants rely on a powerful sense of smell to track down food. Though you’ll be used to leaving scented toiletries at home and packing your toothpaste away if you're camping in bear country, you might be a little more lax about this elsewhere, but it’s a good idea to leave smelly items like scented face creams and deodorants at home, bring unscented alternatives and keep your toothpaste secured inside a Ziploc bag.

3. Secure your food and drinks

The biggest factor that will draw an army of ants to camp is your food, so make sure that you keep food secured inside sealable plastic containers and bags inside your camping cooler when you’re not eating. As soon as you’ve finished a meal, pack everything away again and avoid leaving open bags of chips and half-drunk cans of soda out for long. If you’re at a campsite that provides bear storage lockers, use these for all of your food. You can also bring your own bear canister.

4. Build a moat

No, don’t build a trench around your campsite. If you’re struggling with getting through a meal without an ant invasion, a really nifty trick is to bring four jam jar lids or small plastic containers. Put each leg of your folding camping table in a lid and fill it with water. Ants will most likely turn back when they reach your castle moat and go and look for lunch elsewhere, leaving you to enjoy yours in peace.

5. Wipe down your chairs and table

Spillages of juice and soda leave sticky messes that will draw ants like moths to a flame. After meals, wipe down your table and camping chairs with soapy water. Make sure to wipe the legs as well as the surfaces.

6. Be vigilant about trash

It’s easy to just brush the crumbs off your table and onto the ground when you’re camping, but this can attract all manner of pests. Set up a proper garbage disposal system and make sure all food scraps and empty food containers and drink cans are disposed of in a timely manner. Use the trash cans provided in a developed campground or bring sealable plastic bags for backcountry camping and pack it out with you when you leave.

7. Use a repellent

You don't have to kill intrusive ants, but you can repel them with various options from DEET-based products to home remedies using household items you probably already own:

• Insect repellent
• Chili powder
• Vinegar
• Lemon juice
• Talcum powder
• Campfire ashes (note that warm ashes can starts a wildfire, so practice campfire safety and only use ashes from a fire that has been completely doused)

Spray or scatter your chosen deterrent on the ground in a ring around your campsite or tent to try to hold the army back, however don’t spray insect repellent on your tent as it can affect the waterproof treatment. If you spot an ant brigade coming towards you, they’ve probably detected something that smells good so you can quickly intervene and disrupt the ant trail with one of these repellents. 

• Camping checklist: everything you need for great trips

Are you fed up with pesky pests feasting on your skin when you’re hiking through the forest and camping down by the river? If so, you’ll be on the hunt for the best insect repellent money can buy, and you may notice the term 'DEET' printed on quite a few labels as a mark of unbeatable deterrent. But what is DEET anyway? And is it harmful to humans? We investigate all the DEETails on this common ingredient in bug sprays to help you make the best choice for you, and keep those biting bugs at bay for once and for all.

What is DEET?

DEET (chemical name, N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) is a chemical compound that is the active ingredient in many insect repellent products, AKA the aspect that deters miniature menaces like mosquitos and ticks from feasting on your flesh.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, DEET doesn’t kill munching mites; rather, it makes it more difficult for them to smell you. Much like how you might be powerless to the smell of French fries wafting out the open door of In-N-Out burger and find yourself drawn inside in a trancelike state to devour their delicacies, animal style, insects primarily detect that lunch is nearby with their sense of smell. They might still land on you, but they won’t nibble if you’re doused in DEET.

DEET was developed by the US Army at the end of the Second World War and approved for use by the general public in 1957. Today, approximately 120 products by about 30 different companies containing DEET are registered with the EPA.

What are the benefits of using DEET?

Some insect repellents use DEET and others do not, but before we get into the alleged risks associated with using DEET-based products, let’s start with why you might want to consider using a product containing DEET. 

Insect repellents aren’t just about keeping your lovely skin free from unattractive red welts, or preventing irritating itching. Many biting insects carry diseases that are seriously harmful to humans, such as Lyme Disease, West Nile Virus, Malaria and Yellow Fever, so protecting yourself from insect bites can have real implications for your health when you're adventuring in an area where these diseases exist. 

A 2002 article published in the New England Journal of Medicine concluded that DEET-based products provide “complete protection” against insect bites for the longest duration of the seven products they tested (four of which contained DEET and three did not), meaning it provides the best protection against diseases that can be transmitted by bug bites.

What does DEET concentration mean?

When you’re shopping for insect repellent, you’ll have noticed that those which contain DEET also tell you the concentration, for example Ben’s Wipes are 30% DEET while Pyramid Trek is 50%, but what does all that mean, anyway? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the DEET concentration doesn’t refer to how well the product will work, but for how long the protection will last. A 2018 article in Time Magazine elaborates on this, by explaining that a repellent with 7% DEET will last up to 90 minutes, and you may need to reapply for long periods spent outdoors, while one with 30% concentration lasts up to 10 hours. However, the CDC advises that concentrations over 50% provide no additional protection.

Is DEET harmful to humans?

Popular opinion is that DEET is toxic and bad for you, but is it true? 

According to the article in Time, much of DEET’s bad reputation might actually stem from reports in the 1980s of people dying after drinking DEET, so let’s start with the obvious: don’t drink insect repellent, ever. DEET is definitely harmful to humans if served up shaken, not stirred. 

Beyond that, there are a few studies that point to possible health risks, but none are conclusive or totally applicable. For example, a 2009 study purported that DEET inhibits neurotransmitter activity in insects and animals such as hens and rats, however concluded that more research is needed to understand the implications for humans. Meanwhile, a 1991 study mentioned 17 children experiencing DEET-based encephalopathy, but also mentions the cases were circumstantial.

What’s better accepted amongst health experts is that DEET-based products may cause skin rashes in some. The CDC advises that some people who use products containing a high concentration of DEET have experienced skin rashes, blisters, and skin and mucous membrane irritation, but then again, so do bug bites. However, if you have sensitive skin, you might want to avoid DEET-based products, or at least, save them for when you’re hiking in the jungle when rashes caused by DEET might be the least of your worries.

In general, though, health experts who have studied DEET conclude that, when used properly, it is safe for the public and doesn’t even seem to pose any environmental  concerns. The World Health Organization recommends it against viruses like Zika and the bubonic plague, the EPA concluded that insect repellents containing DEET do not present a health concern in their 2014 review and the CDC maintains that, based on their research, it should not be harmful if label directions are followed and the product is used safely.

If you’re still not keen on using DEET, Permethrin and Picaridin are synthetic pesticides used in some products that repel mosquitoes, deer ticks, and biting flies while there are natural repellents, including lemon eucalyptus, a scented oil derived from a tree native to Australia the Eucalyptus Citriodora.

How to use DEET safely

So far, the evidence seems to point towards DEET being safe, but like most things, only when used properly. Here are the recommendations from the CDC for using DEET safely:

• Follow all directions and precautions on the product label.
• Store DEET products out of reach of children.
• To apply to your face, first spray the product onto your hands, then rub it onto your face.
• Use only DEET products outdoors and wash skin with soap and water after coming indoors.
• Use just enough repellent to cover exposed skin and/or clothing. Avoid over-application of the product.
• DEET products may be used on adults, children, and infants older than 2 months of age. Protect infants from mosquito bites by using a carrier draped with mosquito netting with an elastic edge for a tight fit.
• Do not allow children under 10 years of age to apply insect repellent themselves.
• Do not apply to young children’s hands or around eyes and mouth.
• Do not breathe in, swallow, or get into your eyes (DEET is toxic if swallowed.)
• Do not apply repellent to wounds or broken skin.

• How to make your own emergency first aid kit

The great outdoors is a glorious place to explore, and wildlife sightings are certainly part of the appeal of an adventure, but of all the creatures great and small you may encounter on a hike or camping trip, the most irritating must be biting bugs. Mosquitoes, midges, ants, wasps, ticks and their pesky relatives can be at best, annoying – and at worst, downright dangerous. But believe it or not, bites and stings aren't always an inevitability of spending time outdoors. Although you can certainly keep slapping on the soothing lotion when you get bitten, prevention is always better than cure. Here’s how to avoid bug bites and stings on your next adventure.

1. Cover up

One really effective way to stop insects being able to access your tasty flesh is by leaving less of it uncovered. It's tempting to want to get some sunlight on your pasty skin, but it's better to choose the best hiking pants that are loose-fitting and breathable, and long sleeved sweat-wicking base layers for walking. Also pick longer hiking socks and closed-toe hiking boots so that your ankles aren’t exposed. Mosquitoes find it a lot harder to pierce through cloth, and bugs that jump up from the ground, such as ticks, won’t find anything to latch onto. See our guides to the best hiking socks and best hiking boots for some good options.

2. Wear a hat or bandana

Don’t forget your head when wrapping up – a hat or bandana can go a long way to stop any bites on your scalp and ears. Choose light colours rather than dark ones, as the latter are more attractive to mosquitos.

3. Use insect repellent

Cover any leftover exposed skin with a good insect repellent, and reapply regularly. DEET offers the most effective protection, but can also irritate skin – it’s best used when adventuring in places where insects may carry diseases. In milder climates, picaridin-based repellents and citronella are both effective at keeping bites to a minimum. 

4. Consider location

The weather and your location are also factors to consider. Most biting insects prefer warm, damp weather with no wind. Times of day when you’re likely to be bitten vary. Some species are more active in the day, while others – including the most common breeds of mosquitoes – are more prevalent at dusk. You’re more likely to be bitten when next to stagnant water and in woodland, both of which are breeding grounds for biters. 

5. Invest in a net

If you’re dealing with a hefty amount of insects, such as a swarm of midges on a mountain hike or lots of mosquitoes at night, netting is the best way to ensure full protection.

Yes, they look silly, but do choose a head net if you’re out walking, and at night, sleep under full-body netting impregnated with repellent (taking care that none of your skin comes into contact with the netting). Note that midges are much smaller than most flying insects, and you will require a finer-gauge netting to keep them at bay. 

6. Treat any bites or stings

If you do get bitten or stung, apply an antihistamine cream to stop any itching, or try Biteaway, an innovative pen that uses heat to offer relief. Tick bites are trickier to deal with – learn how to remove ticks safely with a tick remover tool or with tweezers and keep an eye on the bite, seeing a doctor if any kind of rash forms or if you think the head of the tick may still be in your skin.

It's that time in the evening when fellow campers look around for the person who's going to step up to the task of lighting the fire. Even if you're a seasoned outdoorsperson, you might feel a bit of trepidation about volunteering – especially if hungry kids are waiting for their s'mores.

I mean, who knows if there was a bit of rainfall and the wood's damper than you thought. Or if the firelighters have seen better days.

The good news is, if you follow our guide below, you're guaranteed to get it going every time. Sure, some might roar to life with more pizzazz than others. But as with anything, perfecting your craft takes time, knowledge and experience.

Lighting a fire is one thing. Keeping it burning solidly so that you can get through the prepared repertoire of campfire songs, a few ghost stories, tales of adventure and reporting back to the kids on times today that you witnessed bravery, kindness and resilience… well, that’s another matter. Plus, if you plan to cook on your fire, as an alternative to your best camping stove, you’re gonna need a solid burn, too.

Our step-by-step guide on how to light a fire

Follow our step-by-step guide and you’ll be lighting fires that happily burn all night. With one eye on campfire safety of course, you’ll be a true master of the campsite. We’ve also included a little jargon buster, so that you when you’re asked to collect some kindling, you know what you’re looking for.

What you'll need

• Healthy supply of firewood
• Plenty of kindling
• Firelighters
• Waterproof matches or lighters
• A headlamp (see our guide to the best headlamps for good options)
• Water bucket
• A shovel

1. Check the weather

Get yourself one of the best weather apps and check amount of rainfall in the lead up to your trip. If it’s been dry for a few days, you should be able to find plenty of kindling options, such as twigs, branches and dried leaves. If it’s been wet, consider bringing your own tinder, such as lint or plain paper and newspapers from home.

On the day of your planned campfire, check the hourly forecast. It’s better to have a dry campfire in the early evening than a wet campfire at night, so don’t be afraid to shift it forward an hour or two if rain is forecast.

2. Gather firewood

Let’s deal with the big bits of firewood first. Admittedly, there’s something satisfying about collecting your own firewood from your surroundings, but for a truly successful campfire, you should use wood that has already been seasoned. If you know how to season wood, you’ll also know it is a process that takes many months. Wood you find on the ground around the campsite may not be dry enough to burn effectively.

A couple big no-nos here. Don’t bring your own wood from home. Introducing foreign wood to a new area can introduce invasive insects and diseases. Don’t chop down wood from live trees. This is obviously unethical and freshly cut wood is fairly useless as firewood anyway, due to its high water content.

With all this in mind, source your firewood from a local shop or from the campsite. You should be able to get a load that has been properly seasoned and chopped down to size.

If you do decide to select wood from the surroundings, consider that hardwoods such as oak, ash, hazel, beech and birch are the best trees for firewood. They burn for longer and give a more consistent heat than softwoods, like larch and pine, which both have a tendency to spit when burning. Softwoods also produce more soot and creosote, not what you want if you’re using your best wood-burning stove.

3. Gather kindling

All kinds of things can be used as kindling, from newspapers and lint to dried twigs, grass and leaves. As long as it's dry, it will be useful for starting a fire. It’s also a good idea to have a stash of firelighters, as these will burn for longer than other kindling.

4. Prepare the pit

Campsites and residential centres often have firepits you can use. Ask about the guidelines to do with their use and respect these when creating your fire. It should be well away from other flammable materials and vegetation, usually in a pit of bare earth. It’s worth using small rocks or similar to create a barrier around your fire, especially if children are going to be involved. It’s essential to have a bucket of water to hand too, in case anyone burns themselves. In this event, after initial treatment with the water in the bucket, the burn should be kept under cold, running water for a full 20 minutes.

It should go without saying but, if you’re wild camping, you should follow the principles of leave no trace. Creating a fire in the wild is the total opposite of this ethos and is completely unacceptable unless in an emergency. No one wants to see the charred remains of a fire when enjoying the wilderness. This kind of behaviour is also one of the main causes of wildfires.

5. Create your stack of kindling

Place your smaller pieces of kindling, such as dried leaves, grass, twigs, lint and bits of newspaper, into the centre of the fire pit. Criss-cross your twigs and try to ensure there is space between the various bits, as the fire will need an oxygen supply to burn. Then build a tepee or pyramid like structure with your larger sticks and branches, again making sure there’s plenty of space for air to move between. If you have firelighters, strategically space them out among the kindling.

6. Ignite the fire

It’s time to get things started. Take your lighter or matches and ignite your firelighters or the dried grass and leaves. The idea is to get the flames to spread from these smaller flammable pieces to successively larger twigs, branches and logs. Gently blow on the flames to get the fire to spread towards the centre, where your kindling is gathered. Once the larger branches catch alight, the tepee structure will start to buckle.

7. Add larger logs

Once the fire is going, it’s time to add the larger logs. Everything on the fire so far will burn out relatively quickly, so it’s important to add the heftier logs for the fire’s longevity. Frequently add large logs for as long as you want the fire to burn.

8. Put the fire out

Making sure the fire is well and truly extinguished is extremely important. We’ve already mentioned wildfires in this article and we all know how devastating they can be to both the environment and people’s lives.

To put the campfire out properly, pour your bucket of water over the flames, stir the fire area with your shovel to soak the remaining embers and pour water on it once again. Finally, feel the campfire area with the back of your hand to ensure nothing is still smoldering.

Campfire jargon buster

Thought Tinder was just a dating app? You’ve come to the right place. We bust the jargon involved with lighting a fire.

Tinder: Any flammable material used for lighting a fire, such as dry wood or paper.

Kindling: The smaller pieces of wood and other materials, such as twigs, branches and dried leaves, used to get the fire going. Less obvious items that make great kindling include potato chips, pine cones and cotton balls mixed with Vaseline.

Firelighter: A solid block of highly flammable material containing fuel, such as kerosene. They are ideal for getting a fire started.

Seasoned wood: Wood that has been dried over a period of many months, or even years, until it contains less than 20% water content. At this point, the wood is ideal for burning.

Green wood: Wood that has been recently cut from a tree. It will have a high water content and is not ideal for use as firewood.

Do you know how to remove a tick? With tick populations on the rise and more of us enjoying the outdoors than ever before, the chances of discovering one of these blood-sucking little arachnids burrowed into your skin after a day in the wild seem disconcertingly high right now. If you do find one enjoying a buffet on your body, don’t panic – knowing how to remove a tick and doing it quickly is an effective means of reducing your exposure to tick-borne illnesses.

Ticks are parasitic arachnids found in every continent. Just like us, they enjoy areas with dense vegetation, such as woodland and grasslands. They can’t fly, so to travel they latch on to their host as it brushes by and then stay there for hours or days having a feast. Usually, the unlucky host will be a deer or a rabbit, but sometimes it’s the succulent-looking leg of an unsuspecting hiker. The vast majority of tick bites are nothing to worry about, but it’s important to know that some ticks do carry and transmit illnesses that pose a potential health risk to humans, such as Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

If you're venturing into tick terrain, you’ll want to read our detailed article on how to avoid ticks and take preventative measures such as wearing one of the best base layers with long sleeves, and investing in one of the best insect repellents. For this piece, we are focusing on how to remove a tick if you get bitten by one. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, your risk for contracting Lyme disease from a tick is very low if it is attached to your skin for less than 36 hours, so it's worth checking your skin thoroughly for ticks after you’ve been adventuring in the wild, and if you find one, you should remove it immediately.

Though it is true that a tick will eventually detach itself, absolving you of the slightly gruesome task of pulling it out, leaving it in increases your chances of contracting a tick-borne illness and of the tick going on to lay eggs in your home. 

How to remove a tick

1. Use tweezers

Don’t try pulling the tick out with your fingers – you want to reduce the risk of bursting the tick on your skin, which increases your exposure to germs. Instead, use a pair of clean tweezers and grasp the tick as close as you can to your skin.

2. Pull it straight out

Using steady, even pressure, pull the tick straight out. Don’t twist or wiggle the tweezers – this can cause the tick to rupture or the mouth-parts to break off and remain in your skin. If this does happen, try to remove the mouth-parts with the tweezers. If you cannot do so easily, leave them alone and let your skin heal naturally. 

3. Clean the affected area

After you have removed the tick, it is important to clean the affected area thoroughly. Use rubbing alcohol or another disinfectant to ensure proper hygiene. 

4. Dispose of the tick properly

This step is very important to avoid the tick laying eggs or just burrowing back in for another feast. If you’re at home, the best means of disposal is to just flush the little mite down the toilet. If you’re still out in the wild, place it in a sealable bag. You can also place a tick in alcohol or wrap it tightly in tape.

Finally, if you develop a rash or fever within a few weeks of a tick bite, call your healthcare provider.

How to spot signs of Lyme disease

According to the Mayo Clinic, the earliest sign of Lyme disease is typically a small red bump that appears where you were bitted by a tick. This will usually fade by itself, but keep an eye on it. If you notice an expanding red area (which may clear in the center to form a 'bullseye' shaped rash), then it's time to speak to your doctor.

Not everyone with Lyme disease gets the characteristic rash. If you're unlucky enough to have contracted the disease, you may also find that you have a fever or chills, a headache, a stiff neck, or swollen lymph nodes.

As the NHS explains, if you don't seek treatment quickly, you may also start to notice pain and swelling in your joints, nerve problems (such as pain or numbness), difficulty remembering or concentrating, and even heart problems.

How Lyme disease is treated

If your doctor suspects that you may have Lyme disease, you'll be prescribed a course of antibiotics. As Johns Hopkins Lyme Disease Research Center explains, this will either stop the bacteria that cause the disease from multiplying, or destroy them. Your doctor will advise you on what to expect, and help with any side effects or lasting symptoms.

• Find out how to build a first aid kit for hiking

Will you be a hero on your next run? We know it sounds like overkill to carry a running first aid kit on every single trip, but you honestly never know when you will have a fall or an accident, or when you might have to come to the rescue of another runner, dog walker, kid or anyone else. It’s also very much worth doing a basic first aid course to be prepared. Would you know what to do if your running buddy suddenly collapsed or you saw a passerby in trouble?

So to start with, if you’re going out with a running pack or bum bag/fanny pack to carry a bit of food, water, a spare layer and your keys, why not chuck your own version of this lightweight first aid kit in there just in case. Simply pop all these items in a transparent ziplock bag to keep them dry. Superhero cape not included…

Running first aid kit essentials

Mobile phone
You might be taking this with you anyway, but it’s a good idea to check it’s got a decent amount of charge for a call to your partner/friend/taxi or 911/999 in an emergency situation.

Cash
Enough for a taxi fare, or some food and drink. Ten dollars/pounds is a good shout. Remember to replace it if you spend it on refreshments after a run though!

Whistle
Many running packs have these on now which is a great idea for alerting people to an incident. 

ID
Especially if you’re allergic to any common medical treatments or have a pre-existing condition. A cut out photocopy of your drivers licence and info written on the back should suffice. 

Sugary snack
Pop a long-lasting gel or bar in there in case an incident or navigational mishap keeps you out longer than you planned. 

Antiseptic wipes x 4
To clean cuts and scrapes from grit and dirt before protecting them with a plaster, dressing or bandage.

Plasters/band aids x 6
A few different sizes to protect against bramble scratches, knee scrapes, small blisters.

Small wound dressing x 2
A sterile dressing for larger wounds can be held in place by a bandage or K-tape. If you need more padding in a more serious situation, improvise with clothing and accessories like buffs, hats and gloves. 

Self adhesive bandage x 2m
To hold wound dressings in place.

K-tape x 2m
Take pre-cut sections if you know you’re prone to needing certain muscular support, and you can also use it on your feet to protect from abrasion and blisters. Cut a section into smaller strips to wind round your toes to stop or halt blisters forming in hot spots there. 

Medical gloves
1 or 2 pairs of medical gloves is a great idea, especially post-Covid, for protecting yourself and your patient from infection.

Scissors
A tiny, tiny pair just to cut the dressings, bandage or K-tape if needed. Like the ones on a Swiss Army knife. 

Tampon
Even if you don’t have periods yourself, someone who does come on unexpectedly during your run together will be glad you took one.

Running first aid kit items for more remote outings

Tweezers & tick picker
Useful for getting out splinters and twisting out the little blood-suckers without leaving their heads burrowed into your flesh. Lovely. 

Survival bag 
Be sure to pack a lightweight survival bag rather than a blanket as you can get inside a bag easily and keep warm, whereas a blanket requires you to hold it around you, and it will flap about and lose precious heat. 

Spare headlamp
A lightweight headlamp with 200+ lumens like the Black Diamond Sprint is the perfect emergency headlamp for days when you’re delayed because of anything from an injury or difficult terrain to a navigational blip (see our guide to the best headlamps for some more good options). 

Portable charger and cable
In an emergency your phone could be your lifeline so take the necessary tech to keep it fully charged. 

In an emergency

Call for help
Call 999/911 and ask for the ambulance or Mountain Rescue. Stay calm, keep warm and as safe as possible, give them all your details and follow their instructions. Use the Save a Life app to find out where the nearest AED (Automated External Defibrillator) will be.

Emergency signals in the mountains 
To indicate you need help, blow your whistle and/or flash your head torch six times, wait one minute, then repeat. This is the international distress signal. If waiting for a Search and Rescue helicopter, flash the light on the ground, not up at the pilots as this ruins their night vision. A rescue team will flash three times at you in response. 

As responsible hikers – and hopefully you are too – we never leave the house without a good first aid kit packed full of items like a bothy bag and an emergency blanket to help us survive an unplanned night in the wild. 

An emergency blanket – also known as a space blanket, survival blanket or first aid blanket – is an ultra lightweight and extremely packable metallic blanket made from heat reflective plastic sheeting called Mylar. Usually one side is brightly colored so that rescuers can spot you, and the other side is aluminium, though sometimes both  are aluminium. An emergency blanket basically looks a lot like a large sheet of  foil and is used by athletes, mountaineers, medics and even astronauts to keep warm in extreme situations.

But how do these flimsy looking sheets actually work and are they effective? We're here to reveal the science and origins behind the emergency blanket, revealing their pros and cons while we're at it.

How do emergency blankets work?

An emergency blanket works by reflecting radiated body heat inwards, stopping it from escaping to the outside and keeping you warm. 

It was an idea that emerged in the 1960s and was first used by the space program, hence the term 'space blanket' – more on this in a moment.

If you find yourself in an emergency situation where you’re losing body heat faster than you can generate it – say you’re lost on a long hike, fall through ice or have just completed a very long and gruelling trail run – you’re in danger of developing hypothermia. If you can’t get indoors immediately, you can whip out your emergency blanket from your first aid kit and wrap it around yourself to conserve and increase your own body heat.

Conversely, if you find yourself lost without shade on a very hot hike, you can use your emergency blanket to reflect the sun’s heat off you, by turning the foil side out.

Meet the expert

Origins of the emergency blanket

• Emergency blankets were first developed as part of the space program
• They were designed to deflect the sun's rays and protect vital equipment
• By turning the blanket the other way, scientists realized that they could trap heat

Funnily enough, the original intended function of the space blanket was to keep heat out. The technology was developed by the space program in the 1960s as a means to deflect the sun’s heat and protect spacecraft, equipment and personnel from the heat of the sun. The technology works by using a technique called vacuum metallization which had previously been reserved for mirror making and manufacturing novelty items like tinsel. Metallizing involves applying a metal coating onto a non-metal surface – in this case, a thin layer of aluminium to plastic. The shiny aluminium coating deflects infrared rays, which are invisible rays that we experience as the sensation of heat.

Of course, it didn't take the scientists at NASA long to realize that by turning a space blanket the other way around, you could also keep heat in. Today, these blankets are a hiking essential and staple items in first aid kits. You'll see them at the end of marathons and they're also used by Mountain Rescue and even in large scale disaster relief efforts.

How effective are emergency blankets?

• Emergency blankets reflect up to 90% of your body heat
• They're also waterproof and windproof
• However, they're not particularly robust
• It can be difficult to achieve full coverage
• You can always use your blanket with other emergency items, like a bivy sack

According to Nasa, emergency blankets reflect up to 90% of your body heat, which sounds pretty effective indeed, and they are waterproof and windproof, which adds a lot of value in a pinch. However, there are some issues with emergency blankets that can reduce their effectiveness.

First, they come in different sizes and you need to make sure that yours is big enough to fully cover your body. Next, though they do come in bivy-style designs these days, your basic emergency blanket usually comes in a simple blanket form. This means that they don’t have zips to seal out the cold. You can wrap yourself up in it like a burrito to help, but it won’t seal out as much cold as an item like a sleeping bag. Finally, they’re not particularly robust –  they have a short shelf life and degrade easily, meaning if you’ve been carrying yours around for a few years and then disaster strikes, it may not be as effective as you hoped. 

If it’s all you have, an emergency blanket will provide you with some warmth until you can get to safety, but for prolonged exposure, it’s actually most effective when combined with other emergency gear. For example, you can use it to line your emergency bivy sack or best sleeping bag, or place it underneath you, foil side up, to act as a groundsheet while you’re huddling inside your bivy or bothy bag. Even better if there's a few of you: use a group shelter to repel the elements and then wrap yourself up in your blanket.

How much do emergency blankets cost?

Emergency blankets tend to be extremely affordable, with the most basic sheets costing as little as a dollar. However, we'd always recommend getting a blanket that provides full coverage, so it's important to shop around. Even then, you probably shouldn't need to pay much more than $15 for one.

Can you sleep with an emergency blanket?

• Emergency blankets are not padded or insulated, so won't provide much comfort

In an emergency situation, if it’s all you have, you should roll yourself up in your emergency blanket to sleep, but it won’t provide much comfort as it’s not insulated or padded so it’s definitely not an appropriate substitute for a sleeping bag and sleeping pad. That said, for the very low cost and small pack size, it’s still worth carrying in your first aid kit for when push comes to shove. For more information on what to do in an emergency situation, you’ll want to read our article on how to build a natural shelter. 

From the annoying whine of an incoming mosquito to the maddening itchy welts they leave you with, knowing how to avoid mosquito bites is up there with knowing how to pitch a tent when it comes to spending time outdoors.

Mosquitos tend to live in areas of thick vegetation and they love moist conditions and standing water. Their season begins in the spring and ends in the autumn, peaking in the summer. Female mosquitoes feed on human blood by piercing your skin using a long mouthpart during which time they inject their saliva into your bloodstream. Most of us are allergic to their saliva which is why we soon end up with very itchy welts which can make for a very uncomfortable time in the wild.

Most mosquito bites are nothing more than an uncomfortable nuisance, though they can become infected which can lead to other complications. In some areas though, mosquitoes can carry and transmit diseases like malaria, West Nile virus, dengue fever, yellow fever, and several other viruses that pose a serious health risk.

Scientists are still trying to find out why some of us seem to be more tempting to mosquitoes than others, but we do know that they’re attracted by carbon dioxide – since you can’t very well hold your breath every time you venture outdoors, we’ve taken a look at how to avoid mosquito bites to help keep you more comfortable at camp. Before you head out, you can use this super handy mosquito prediction tool created by Off! Just enter your zip code and see the mosquito forecast for the next seven days.

Use insect repellent 

It may sound obvious, but your best first line of defense is to make sure you carry and use insect repellent. As we explained in our article on the best insect repellents, they block the receptors that mosquitoes use to sense carbon dioxide, and also smell bad to biting bugs, which keeps them at bay. Though you may prefer a natural repellent, ones using the chemical Diethyltoluamide (DEET) are considered the most effective repellent available. If you’re using DEET, 30% is commonly considered the ideal concentration. 

Steer clear of standing water 

As we mentioned before, mosquitos love to hang out by standing water. They need moist environments for their eggs to hatch into larvae so beware of pitching your tent near marshy wetlands and lakes. 

Get the fire going

The smoke from your campfire is a natural mosquito repellent, so if you’re in mosquito territory, you’ll want to get that fire going as quickly as possible and hang out next to it during peak mosquito hours. 

Avoid peak mosquito hours 

Different types of mosquitoes are most active at different times of day, but some good general times to avoid being outside are dawn and dusk, with the middle of the day being the safest time to venture outdoors unprotected. Now if you’re camping, you can’t hide out in your tent all day but you can wait until after dawn to emerge, and make sure your fire is crackling away by dusk. 

Cover up 

Mosquito season is at its peak during the summer months when you’re most likely to want to dress in shorts and T-shirts, but one of the easiest ways to keep mosquitoes off your skin is to cover it up. It’s worth investing in some light summertime long sleeves and breathable year-round hiking pants to keep as much skin covered up as possible. 

Wear light-colored clothing 

Mosquitoes seem to be more attracted to dark colors and bright colors, such as black, navy and red. Wearing light colored clothing won’t repel mosquitos, but it might make you less of a target. 

Lemon Eucalyptus Repel: first impressions

Lemon Eucalyptus Repel is a great choice for those who don’t like spraying chemicals on themselves and their family, or releasing them into the environment. It is made with oil extracted from the leaves of the Eucalyptus citriodora, a lemon-scented gum tree native to Australia. 

Considered safe for children three years and older, it’s registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and recommended by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as effective against disease-carrying mosquitoes. 

Lemon Eucalyptus Repel: on the trail

So, it’s good for nature and better for you than many other insect repellents on the market – but does it really work? Well, yes. 

In a 2014 scientific study a mixture of 32% lemon eucalyptus oil provided more than 95% protection against mosquitoes for three hours. In another independent laboratory test, Lemon Eucalyptus Repel was the second most effective mosquito repellent after a 30% DEET concentration (if you don’t know what DEET is, there’s an explanation in our best insect repellents buying guide).

And it worked on me too. I used this repellent in the jungles of Indonesia, in the buggy Northeastern United States, Central America and South America with extreme success. Definitely one of the best ways to avoid bites and stings on the trail.

Importantly, it wasn’t horrific to use either. In fact, this is possibly the only insect repellent I’ve ever used that I thought smelled good. And, although this is an oil-based pump spray, it never left me feeling greasy, sticky or like I needed to get it off my skin as soon as possible. Stick it on  your camping checklist.

The only thing worse than finding a tick on yourself, your dog or even your child is not being able to remove it immediately and cleanly. Increasingly prevalent across the United States, it’s not just the repulsive thought of these parasites sucking your blood that makes ticks one of the worst pests. Burrowing into the skin by inserting their mouthparts, they carry a number of very dangerous diseases, including Lyme disease. Quickly removing them limits the risk of infection but it’s important to do it carefully to avoid either crushing the tick which makes it regurgitate infected fluids into you or leaving its head embedded in your skin. 

Other methods like burning them with a match or covering them with petroleum jelly don’t work. Using your fingers isn’t a good idea either. You need a special tick remover to help detach them from you or your pet as easily as possible.

Bottom line

When it comes to tick removers, you need to buy one before you need it. Removing a tick as soon as you find it on you, your pet or a family member is important to limit the risks of catching one of the many very serious diseases this parasite can carry. As well as wanting to remove it quickly, doing it safely means not crushing the tick so a special tool is vital. All these removers work well but we would particularly recommend the Tick Twister Tick Remover. Its clever design means it can reach ticks wherever they are located and then remove them safely in seconds. Having two sizes means you shouldn’t come across a tick you can’t get out.

As quick removal is so important we also like The Original Tick Key as it’s made of durable metal and easy to attach to a keyring until you need it. Then when you find a tick, it's on hand to safely remove it with no fuss or complications.

Knowing how to avoid tick bites is important, especially during the summer months. If you spend any amount of time enjoying activities in the wilderness – hiking, biking, kayaking, wild swimming, climbing, camping – you are going to encounter wildlife. For most of us, hanging out with the non-human locals adds massively to the joy of being outdoors. However, some of these locals might like you rather more than you like them. Especially the ones that are after your blood.

Most people will have encountered mosquitoes and midges, which are excruciatingly annoying and can present a significant danger to health in areas where diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, dengue fever and West Nile virus are prevalent. As irritating as they are, however, mosquitoes don’t tend to freak people out quite as much as some other bloodsucking parasites, such as leeches and ticks. Sometimes it doesn't matter if you've got the best insect repellent in town, the ticks can still find you.

Ticks scare people, perhaps, because they are arachnids, and all things with eight legs seem to have the ability to terrify – often completely needlessly. Most ticks bites are not, in fact, going to cause you any more discomfort beyond some localized and temporary itchiness.

Unfortunately, however, sometimes people get bitten by a tick that is carrying a disease, such as Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and that can have more serious consequences – so it’s best to avoid them if you can, and treat a bite properly when it occurs. Here's how to avoid tick bites.

How to avoid tick bites: what is a tick?

As mentioned, ticks are not insects, they are arachnids, so – like their close cousins spiders (and scorpions and mites, all the popular species) – they have eight legs. When they’re young, ticks are known as nymphs, but they’re less innocuous than that makes them sound, because baby ticks can spread serious diseases just as effectively as adults. (In fact, they can be more dangerous, because they’re harder to spot.)

There are numerous types of tick, and each sub species has a range of colloquial names that vary according to where you are in the world. Ixodes scapularis, for example – the main culprit for infecting people with Lyme disease where it occurs, across the eastern and northern Midwest of the United States, and in southeastern Canada – is known to its enemies by various names, including blacklegged tick, bear tick and deer tick. Wood ticks and dog ticks, found across much of North America, are known for spreading Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

In Australia there are 75 kinds of ticks, the most unpleasant of which is the aptly named paralysis tick, and in Britain there are 20 varieties of tick, which can all potentially impart various ailments no body wants, including Lyme disease.

All ticks start off small – nymphs are like poppy seeds, while adults have bodies about the size of a grain of rice – but they can grow considerably when they’ve had a good feed. And herein lies the problem, because they dine exclusively on the blood of other animals – including deer, dogs, mice, me and you – if we venture into their domain. Which, if you enjoy pulling on your hiking shoes and trail running shoes, or grabbing your mountain bike or going off on a camping trip, you almost certainly do.

If you are bitten, it can be useful to clock which variety of tick is responsible, but it’s even better to know how to avoid tick bites in the first place, how to deal with them when they happen, and what to look for afterwards in terms of warning signs that you may have contracted something more serious than an itchy bump.

When are ticks active?

Different types of ticks pose a danger at different times of year, and according to where on the planet you are getting out and about, but typically you need to be most vigilant from spring though summer and into the fall.

Here’s a fun fact though: I discovered my first tick of the year, burrowing into the back of my knee, after going for a trail run – at the end of a pretty mild January in southern England. This does seem horribly early, and it might be yet another thing to thank climate change for, but the point is, it’s worth checking yourself (and your dog) over for most of the year. If it’s not below freezing, ticks can be active.

How to avoid getting bitten by ticks

There is always the option of avoiding places where ticks hang out, but unfortunately they are often present in the places we all like to play in – woodlands, forests, fields, grasslands, moor, riverbanks – and we don’t think for a moment you should stop exploring such wonderful wild environments. It does help, though, if you stick to trails, instead of bush bashing your way through free-growing flora (you should avoid doing this from a Leave no Trace point of view anyway), where ticks can drop onto you easily.

Wearing long-sleeved base layers and mid layers, long pants, long hiking socks (tucked into your long pants for that really cool look) and running tights can all help reduce the risk of a tick latching onto you, but this won’t eliminate the possibility altogether, and sometimes it’s just not practical or comfortable to wrap yourself right up, especially in the height of summer. When camping, it can be a good idea to wear lighter colors, as ticks show up on these clothes better, and you can catch them before they get on your skin.

You can also spray yourself and your clothes with insect repellant that includes an active ingredient like DEET. This will help dissuade ticks from choosing you as a host, but it’s not a suit of armor, and if you’re running or walking in the heat, you will sweat it off fairly quickly. Always be careful when using chemicals and read the label carefully.

The best defence is vigilance – check yourself (and your nearest and dearest, if they’re out with you) over carefully when you’re hiking, biking, canoodling or camping in an area where ticks might be present. Give yourself – and your children and pets – a check each day if you’re camping, and when you get home from whatever outdoor adventure you’ve been enjoying. Wash the clothes you’ve been wearing too.

How do you know if you have been bitten?

Ticks attack with ninja-like stealth. They’re not noisy, like mosquitoes, and you won’t yelp in pain when they bite, as you do when an ant takes a piece of you. They hang out on blades of grass or in trees, and then when you brush past they will hitch a lift, find a nice warm bit of skin where the blood is close to surface, and chow down. Sometimes they even drop from trees.

It’s unlikely you will feel a tiny tick moving across your body, or notice when they bite. But it won’t be a smash and grab job, ticks get their head right into the opening they create and stay at the table for some time (sometimes several days), feeding away on your blood. The first thing you might notice is an itch. If you take a look at place where this is happening and notice a dark spot, look closer – it’s probably a tick.

Even if you don’t experience any itching, it’s worth giving yourself (and your kids and animals) a careful check after spending any time in an area where ticks are present. The quicker you deal with a tick, the less likely it is to infect you with Lyme disease or anything else.

That said, don’t panic and simply tear the tick off, because this can result in parts of the tick remaining in your skin, which are then hard to remove and can become infected.

How to remove a tick

If you spot a tick feeding on you, stay calm and do not just try and brush or pull it off – you want to extract it whole, to avoid infection later. The best approach is to use a pair or tweezers or a tick-removal tool (cheap, widely available, and an essential addition to any wilderness first aid kit) to firmly grab the tick as close as possible to the skin. Once you have done this, pull it upwards, slowly and carefully, without crushing it altogether, until it comes away.

Dispose of the tick, and then clean the bite area with an antiseptic if you have one, or soap and water if not. Don’t forget to then look for other ticks elsewhere on your body.

What to do after you have been bitten

Once you have safely removed a tick, or if you think you have been bitten by one but the animal has already had its fill and dropped off, there’s no point worrying too much about it. There’s nothing you can do about it at this stage, and the vast majority of tick bites simply leave behind an itchy lump – just keep an eye out for symptoms of something more serious later, and then act accordingly.

Remember – most tick bites are harmless. It’s only if ticks are infected with the bacteria that cause illnesses such as Lyme disease that you are in danger, but of course there’s no way of knowing whether the creature that has bitten you is carrying such bacteria.

Again, vigilance is your best form of defense here; be alert to the indicators that you might have been infected, and seek medical assistance as soon as you can, because the earlier you treat something like Lyme disease, the easier it is to get rid of it.

Symptoms to look out for are rashes, especially a circular red skin rash around the bite area, which is often described as being shaped like a target, or bull’s eye on a dartboard. Most of these rashes appear within the first four weeks after a bite and might last for a few weeks, but they can present several months later – or they might never appear at all.

Some people also get flu-like symptoms – including a high temperature, feverishness, headaches, fatigue, and muscle and joint pain, but others don’t get any signs at all, before falling ill. If you do experience any of the above symptoms, you should visit a doctor straight away.

The most common disease spread by ticks is Lyme disease, a bacterial infection that is diagnosed via a blood test. This illness can cause fatigue, tiredness and aching, potentially for a long period of time, but it can usually be treated with a course of antibiotics – the earlier you get treatment, the better.

Several other illnesses can be caused by ticks, depending on where you are in the world. The symptoms and severity of these diseases vary, although rashes are a common denominator.

Fear of ticks should not stop you from enjoying activities in the outdoors. You can take steps to reduce the risk of getting bitten, and to discover ticks before they’ve had a chance to transmit anything nasty, and even if those measures fail, the vast majority of tick bites result in nothing more than mild irritation. Far worse things can happen to you in the street.

While the summer brings plenty of great outdoors opportunities for hikers, trail runners and campers, it also brings the threat of bugs and insects. The biting and stinging arthropods are the ones that we all want to avoid, especially those – such as mosquitoes, ticks and midges – which can lead to irritating itchy bites at best, and illness at worst.

Whether you're hiking or camping, bug repellent can be an essential purchase to make sure your time in the great outdoors isn't adversely affected by insects. This guide will explain how to choose the best insect repellent for you.

How to choose bug repellents 

The best hiking and camping bug repellents are promoted as a way to stop blood-feeding arthropods biting the skin. These insects include mosquitoes, midges, ticks and chiggers (mites). 

Repellents can also be effective against insects such as horseflies, which are the irritating type of insects that fly around your head when you are out in the countryside. 

Unfortunately, repellents are unlikely to work against insects that sting, such as wasps, bees and hornets, although these insects are far less likely to be looking for human skin.

You will discover that bug repellents are sold as a wide variety of products, including sprays, creams, lotions, foams, sticks and wipes. In the case of mosquitoes and midges, repellents might also take the form of scented candles, incense coils and even lanterns (find these in our buying guide to the best camping lanterns). 

What’s in a bug repellent?

When looking for hiking and camping bug repellents, it is a good idea to look at the ingredients. There are three main products utilised including synthetic chemicals, such as DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone.

Note that there are different chemical names for DEET, including N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide or N,N-diemethylbenzamide.

It is important to be aware that products containing OLE or PMD are not recommended for use on children under the age of three and DEET should not be used on babies under two months old.

Products with higher levels of DEET can also be corrosive to items such as plastic watches and sunglasses, so many people prefer to avoid having it on their skin.

There are plenty of repellents with alternative natural ingredients, such as citronella and geranium. There are many mixed reports as to whether these are effective – and you should ensure you re-apply at least every 30 minutes.

How to use bug repellents when hiking and camping

It is worth checking how long the repellent will last. As a minimum, you will want at least 60 minutes of protection but remember that if you are sweating while doing an activity, such as trail running, the protection time will reduce.

Be careful where you apply the repellents, especially on the face. Many products will irritate the eyes and mouth and if you forget to wash your hands after application and then touch your eyes or mouth you will know all about it.

More tips for choosing hiking and camping bug repellents

Read the label of the insect repellent to ensure the product protects against the specific insect you want to repel.

Products that combine insect repellent and sunscreen may not be as effective as two separate formulas. It is claimed that mixing the two products into one formula reduces the usefulness of both.

You could try other types of repellents such as ultrasound devices attached to a belt; wristbands containing repellent; citronella candles; or insect lamps. Brands will make all sorts of claims about effectiveness of their products but until you have tried them you won’t know for sure if they work. The best advice is to take a couple of different types of products with you on a hike or run, or camping trip.

Some people also claim that eating foods such as garlic or bananas, or taking a vitamin B12 supplement, will ward off biting insects. There is no scientific evidence to prove these work and, indeed, some people are more likely to be bitten than others in any case so it’s difficult to have a one-repellent-solution that fits all scenarios.

It is important to be aware of the areas of the countryside that are most affected by biting insects and to test a range of repellents and other products to see which ones work best for you. If you can't cover your skin, make sure you use a repellent and re-apply frequently.

Other ways to protect yourself from insect bites and stings

When you're hiking and camping, bug repellents aren't the only way you can avoid becoming lunch for hungry insects and arachnids.

As we explain in our in-depth guide to avoiding bites and stings, try to cover bare skin with clothing or specialist nets at times when insects are most active. Dawn and twilight tend to be when there are more insects like mosquitoes and midges on the prowl. 

And if you know you will be hiking, trail running or camping in areas that are insect prone, make sure you take action before you are bitten. For example, wearing long pants (see our best hiking pants) for walking in heather or grassy hills or mountains will help to avoid being bitten by ticks.

There are also websites that will give you an idea about how prevalent insects will be in the area where you plan to spend time. For example, you can check out Pests.org for ticks across America, or the Midge Forecast for Scotland.

In focus: mosquitoes

Mosquitoes are known for spreading disease, including malaria, dengue, West Nile virus, chikungunya, yellow fever and many more.

But it depends where you are as to the dangers of the mosquito. In the UK, there are around 30 native mosquito species, some of which bite and others that are just a general nuisance. Being bitten in the UK by a mosquito does not normally lead to illness, although the bites can become swollen and infected.

Elsewhere, however, mosquito bites can be both a pest and a danger to health. 

If you are travelling to places where mosquitoes carry diseases you are advised to book a vaccination and take treatments, such as anti-malarial tablets, with you.

It is also vital that you avoid being bitten as much as possible. Using a mosquito net over your camp bed or hammock at night is a good idea, and some of the best hammocks come with integrated bug mesh that saves you having to make an additional purchase. Cover bare skin when there are mosquitoes about and also use repellents.

There are products that can be sprayed on to clothing or washed in, as well as apparel that has an insect repelling treatment.

You will also find a huge range of repellents, which are usually made with DEET or Picaridin, for spraying or rubbing on the skin. 

In focus: the midge

The dreaded midge – which is prevalent in the summer months in Scotland and can also be a pest in other parts of the UK and across the world – has its very own selection of repellents. Midge bites do not normally cause illness, but many people find the bites leave them with a swollen and itchy bite, as explained in how to stop midge bites.

Perhaps the best protection is to cover skin with clothes and to wear a midge net over the face when the midges are at the worst and swarming.

When it comes to repellents, some people claim that DEET-based products will stop the midges biting, while others swear by citronella-based products. 

A product made by the beauty company Avon, called Skin So Soft, has, for years, been promoted as a good midge repellent. 

Another well-known brand is Smidge, which has been specifically formulated to fight midges. Ingredients include 20% Picaridin (Saltidin®), which is claimed to give protection for up to eight hours. 

Another product called Midge Magic is made from 100% natural ingredients, including the main ingredient of Eucalyptus Citronella, as well as lemongrass and bog myrtle. 

As with all bug repellents, there are mixed reports on effectiveness.

In focus: ticks

Tick bites have the potential to lead to Lyme's Disease, which is caused by an infection of the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi. The disease can leave people with chronic joint inflammation, neurological symptoms, such as facial palsy and neuropathy, as well as cognitive defects, such as impaired memory.

It is DEET or Picaridin (Saltidin) that are the most common ingredient in tick repellents. This means that products that use Picaridin/Saltidin for other insects, such as mosquito or midges, will also be useful for repelling ticks.

Again, however, the best way to avoid the ticks biting is to cover the skin areas where they are most likely to attach themselves, such as on the legs if walking on trails and in hills and mountains. 

Another tips is to treat clothing with anti-tick products containing permethrin. Permethrin can be used to treat hiking boots, trail running shoes, clothing and camping gear, like hammocks, and it said to remain protective through several wears, uses or washes.

Also make sure your pet dog is given regular tick treatments. You can use anti-tick dog collars or buffs as well.  

For more on keeping yourself safe from ticks, check out how to avoid tick bites.

Durable Water Repellent, or DWR for short, is used by outdoors manufacturers to aid the water repellency of fabrics. Garment fabrics, such as Gore-Tex, are already designed to be waterproof, so the DWR is an extra protection from wet and damp.

DWR is a thin layer of liquid that is applied to the outside of fabrics, such as those used for waterproof jackets, rain pants, tents and hiking boots, to repel water, dirt and grease. Many other products are also treated with DWR these days, including down jackets, fleece jackets, sleeping bags, hiking backpacks and trail running shoes.

You can easily see if an item has been treated with DWR because water will bead and roll off the fabric. The fabric doesn’t become “wetted out” so easily when coated with DWR.

However, a DWR treatment is not permanent solution and, if you want to maintain its usefulness, you need to re-apply.

How long does DWR last?

How long the manufacturer's  DWR treatment lasts depends on your use of the garment or product. The more you use it and fold it up, or stuff it into a rucksack, the greater the wear will be on the DWR.

To test the DWR, simply sprinkle on some water. If the water beads, the DWR is fine but if the water soaks into the fabric it will be in need of a re-application.

Why re-apply DWR?

You will be more comfortable if you are warm and dry when hiking, trail running or camping. So, the better the water-repellency, the happier you will be.

It is also better for the environment if you maintain clothing and products. The longer they last, the fewer new products you need to buy, which means the lower the impact on the climate due to CO2 emissions.

How to re-activate DWR

Try this system first to re-activate the DWR if your garment is fairly new. Wash the item in a washing machine or by hand according to the wash instructions on the label. Use plain water or a tech wash. Also ensure there is no detergent residue in your washing machine. (It is a good idea to do a short wash cycle with nothing the machine to clean it).

Line dry the garment. Once it is fully dry, tumble dry the garment for 20 minutes at a warm but gentle temperature. 

If you do not have a tumble dryer, try gently ironing the dry garment. Place a towel or cloth between the garment and the iron. Do not use the steam setting.

This should help to reactivate the DWR treatment on your garment’s outer fabric.

How to apply DWR

There are plenty of DWR products on the market and they will come with useful instructions. The simple process makes use of a washing machine, although you could also hand wash (use rubber gloves).

As above, if you are using a washing machine, try to ensure the machine is free of your normal detergents. 

Next, wash and clean the item of clothing as detailed in the washing instructions on the label and according to a product, such as Tech Wash. If you are using a washing machine, simply add some the tech liquid to the machine dispenser, put in the garment/s and turn on the machine set to normal wash.

The aim of the wash is to lift out the dirt that naturally accumulates on the fabric.

Drip dry the garment outdoors, or put on a very low heat in a tumbler drier.

When the garment or item is dry, you can apply the DWR. There are several ways to apply DWR and the most popular is to add a wash-in repellency liquid to the washing machine. A water-based tech wash that doesn’t include fluorocarbons is kinder for the climate.

Again, set the machine to a normal wash and according to the temperature on the washing instructions. Drip dry or tumble dry on a warm setting. 

For items such as tents or footwear, it is easier to use a spray-on DWR treatment. Make sure the items are as clean as possibly before applying the DWR. Leave them to hang dry.

Summer is a joy for many outdoors enthusiasts with sunnier, longer days and the chance to spend more time hiking, trail running and camping. However, in some parts of the world, there are also some less welcoming features of summer – and this includes midges.

The tiny biting insects can be a major menace, especially in countries such as Scotland, north Wales, Scandinavia, other parts of Europe, as well as North America and Australia.

Midge bites affect people in different ways and can result in nasty itchy lumps on the skin. Even if you do not have a reaction to the bites, it's an unpleasant experience to find yourself under attack from a large swarm of the insects.

When you are planning summer camping vacations, hiking adventures, festival trips or just a barbecue on the beach, it's important to make sure you know how to protect yourself from the biting midge.

How to stop midges biting

We've got 16 useful tips on how to stop midges biting. Click the links or navigate further down the page for more detail.

• 1. Cover up – this is the simplest way to avoid being bitten
• 2. Use a head net – keep the nasties away from your face
• 3. Avoid wet ground – midges love moisture
• 4. Wind is your friend – midges prefer still, not windy, conditions
• 5. Take cover at dusk and dawn – this is when midges are most active
• 6. Pre-treat your tent – douse your tent with repellent
• 7. Avoid sheltered and shaded areas – this is where midges love to be
• 8. Aim high – midges tend not to survive above 750m
• 9. Use the shoulder season – midges don't like the cooler weather
• 10. Use a repellent (or three) – they'll reduce the number of bites you'll receive
• 11. Use diet supplements – certain substances seem to deter midges
• 12. Try traditional repellents – many natural repellents keep them at bay
• 13) Electric insect repellers – modern gadgets claim to see off midges
• 14. Douse clothes in permethrin – spray or wash it in
• 15. Avoid using scented products – they can alert the swarms to your presence
• 16. Dress in earthy colours – midges have poor eyesight

Meet the expert

What are midges?

• Midges are tiny biting flies
• They thrive in damp, moist and warm conditions
• There are some 4,000 species of midge worldwide
• A swarm of midges can inflict around 3,000 bites in an hour

Did you know that the midge is an umbrella term used to refer to any species of small biting fly – and this covers more than 4,000 species worldwide? The only places where midges are non-existent are deserts and permanently frigid zones, such as the Arctic and Antarctic.

In Britain alone, there are said to be 152 species of biting midge – and the most infamous of which is Culicoides impunctatus, aka the Highland midge.

Midges are tiny little beasties, boasting a wingspan of a just 2mm. They hang about in swarms, which leads to a startling claim that midges can inflict in the region of 3,000 bites to the skin in an hour.

In addition, it’s estimated that the breeding grounds play host to 24 million midges per hectare.

Around a third of midge species feed on warm-blooded animals. Midges are attracted to humans through the scent of the carbon dioxide and lactic acid produced by our bodies.

Once midges have found their fodder, they emit pheromones that signal to other midges nearby that there is a feast to be had and this is why these tiny biters only ever seem to attack in swarms.

Why are midges so annoying?

Midges may be small but they are capable of driving even the hardiest outdoors fan absolutely bonkers. Midges swarm around your head, blur your sight, alight on any piece of bare skin they can find and, worst of all, they bite. They even penetrate the best tents and best insect repellents.

Midge bites can also cause irritating spots that itch for many days afterwards.

Irritating after bites

Midges have sharp mandibles that allow them to pierce through the hides of mammals – most commonly cattle, sheep, deer and, of course, humans.

When a midge bites, it takes around five minutes of feeding for the beast to become engorged and sated. The swelling and irritation their bites cause is a result of the histamines in their saliva, which increase blood flow to the area of the bite.

While some (lucky) people are left with only a red dot on the skin where a midge has feasted, other people suffer swollen bites that can be very itchy.

16 tips: how to keep the midges at bag

Cover up

One of the most effective ways to avoid being bitten my midges is to cover your skin. While not ideal in hot weather, a little overheating is a price most are willing to pay in return for itch-free, unbitten skin, and some of the best base layers out there are so breathable and lightweight that you shouldn’t feel too uncomfortable.

The problem is that you need to fully cover all skin and this means arms and legs, as well as hands, neck and face. Remember, too, to cover ankles with hiking socks or, better still, tuck long pants into socks because midges will find the tiniest bit of bare skin tasty.

Use a head net

Midge head nets are purpose-made to keep midges off your face and neck and away fro your hair. A head net is usually created with a fine mesh – such as the Smidge That Midge or the Lifesystems Midge Head Net ) – which keeps the tiny beasties out but still allows you to see (sort of).

The price you pay for wearing a head net is that you have only limited vision and they do not look very attractive. It's not easy to eat or drink when wearing a midge hair net, either.

Avoid wet ground

Midges thrive in moist and damp areas and especially where the ground is boggy and soggy – and where there is a natural water source.

Research suggests that the highest densities of midges are in areas that receive more than 49in (1250mm) of rain each year. Hence, it's areas that are wet and warm, such as in west coast Scotland, where midges are most frequently found.

Wind is your friend

Midges prefer dry and still days, so if you want to avoid swarms of the flying biters, choose a day or location when there is a breeze of wind.

If you are planning to camp, aim to pitch your tent in a more exposed spot and facing the wind. A wind speed of just 6 mph is said to be enough to keep midges at bay. If in doubt, check the midge forecast for your area.

Take cover at dusk and dawn

Midges do their hunting all day long, but usually ramp up feeding in the hour or so after sunrise and around sunset.

At these times of day, conditions are often at their calmest, so there is less chance of a breeze to see off the swarms.

Pre-treat your tent

Sadly, the mesh netting in most tents is often no foil for midges as they can squeeze through even seemingly minuscule gaps in the fabric. This will obviously make for an uncomfortable night in the tent.

To avoid this, you can douse your tent’s mesh panels with a repellent spray either before leaving home or as soon as you get to your chosen camp spot.

Avoid sheltered and shaded areas

Midges tend to favor secluded, shaded spots. When pitching your tent or taking a pit stop on a thru-hike, try to find a spot that’s more exposed so a breeze or wind keeps the flying beasties away

Head high

Midges aren’t fans of altitude, mainly because of lower temperatures and stronger winds. This usually means that heading above 750m / 2,500 ft should keep you safe, or at least keep your bite count to a more tolerable number.

However, be warned, that on a day where temperatures are high even on hilltops and the conditions are calm, the dreaded midges will seek you out.

Use the shoulder season

Midges become less active when temperatures fall below 50°F (10°C) and usually call off hostilities entirely when the mercury drops under the 37.5°F (3°C) mark. This, of course, makes spring and autumn the ideal time to get your hiking and camping in.

Use a repellent

Midge repellents are far from perfect – and most will only reduce the number of bites rather than stop them entirely – but it's far better than using nothing at all.

The best insect repellents we’ve tried include Smidge, picaridin, DEET and citronella. DEET is probably the most effective of the bunch, but because this can damage plastics and fabrics, take care to avoid getting them on your gear or tent.

Another popular repellent is Avon Skin So Soft Original Dry Oil, which some studies have shown to be 85% as effective against midges as DEET. It also smells a lot better.

Use diet supplements

Some ingestibles that have been touted as mitigators of midge bites over the years include yeast supplements, Marmite, vitamin B1 and vitamin B12, all of which make your skin less attractive to biting insects.

Try traditional repellents

Natural repellents that some campers and hikers swear by include citronella, oil of lemon eucalyptus, lavender, fennel, pennyroyal, mugwort and even pomegranate skins. Smoke from a campfire can also keep the biters at bay.

Electric insect repellers

Some campers swear by modern gadgets, such as portable eclectric insect repellers, to see off midges. There are different types, including lanterns and Thermacell devices.

Douse clothes in permethrin

Permethrin is an insecticide that can be applied to clothing using either a spray or wash-in treatment. Several studies have revealed permethrin to be a highly effective insect repellent, most notably an Alaskan study in which it was shown to have stopped 73% of bites.

Avoid using scented products

Deodorants, perfume, aftershave and fabric softeners are just a few scented items that may alert midges to your presence and put you top of their breakfast/lunch/time menu.

Dress in earthy colours

Midges do not have great eyesight, which means they are less able to spot clothing that blends in with the terrain. This means it’s recommended that you save your brightly coloured hiking clothes, including waterproof jackets and windbreakers, for autumn, winter and spring, and do your summer hiking in more muted tones.

How to treat midge bites

• Apply hydrocortisone or antihistamine cream around the bite area
• Natural remedies include ammonia, tea tree oil, calamine lotion and aloe vera
• Use an electronic bite relief device
• Avoid scratching the bite

No matter how well you try to protect yourself against them, getting at least a few bites when hiking or camping in midge country is an inevitability. While most people will heal quickly, for others the immune response may be worse and bites can feel itchy or remain inflamed for several days.

If your bites are itchy or cause swelling, there are different methods to ease the itch. These include applying hydrocortisone or antihistamine cream around the bite area.

If this doesn't help, you can also use an oral antihistamine to ease the itching. As with any medication, always read the label to make sure it's safe for you to use if you have any pre-existing medical conditions. If you prefer a more natural remedy, some treatments that might do the trick include ammonia, tea tree oil, calamine lotion and aloe vera.

More modern gadgets include battery powered devices that provide a small dose of heat, which helps to eliminate the itch for a while. A heat pen such as Bite Away can work a teat.

Avoid scratching the bite, as this can spread the bacteria causing the infection and will increase the release of histamine in the wound, which only makes them even itchier.

Having the best insect repellents for your summer hiking missions is crucial. Let's face it, the last thing we want when we've set aside hard-earned time off in the wild is to have our fun ruined by pesky, biting insects.

The best insect repellents contain active ingredients that the little nasties hate. The most notable is DEET, though this can be irritating for sensitive skin in large doses and can even react with synthetic materials, such as watch straps. Other active ingredients in repellents include Picaridin (also known as Saltidin), which is found in Smidge That Midge, a spray offering good protection from midges.

As mentioned, being equipped with the best insect repellents when you set forth in your hiking boots can be vital. Not only can some insects be a nuisance, depending on where you are in the world, they can also give you some pretty nasty illnesses. Mosquito-borne diseases continue to be a scourge across the globe with the Zika virus, dengue and malaria among the most notorious.

Meanwhile, ticks are also to be avoided. Some carry Lyme disease, while UK hikers have been warned to check for ticks recently after a man contracted the tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), which is common in Europe. We think Smidge that Midge is the very best insect repellent, which is why this excellent spray kicks off our roundup. 

The best insect repellents

The best picaridin-based insect repellents

Heading to Scotland or northern Europe? Stash a bottle of Smidge That Midge in your backpack. This repellent is created by the makers of the Scottish Midge Forecast (where you can check the prevalence of midges on a given day), so they definitely know a thing or two about Scotland’s most annoying mini residents. This spray sets out to do one thing – repel midges – and we found it does so effectively, although you might still need to arm yourself with a midge net when they’re really biting. 

Smidge That Midge contains no DEET, instead using Picaridin agents that also work against mosquitoes, horse flies, sand flies, fleas and ticks. The slim bottle is easy to pop in your pocket, and the spray is water resistant enough to stay put if you sweat, and lasts all day with one reapplication.

For us, the standout feature of Smidge that Midge is the lovely smell – it has a mild, very pleasant scent you’d be mistaken for thinking was a summery perfume, which is a far cry from most medicinal-smelling insect repellents. It goes on with a watery cream texture but dries fast, and leaves a slight sheen on skin that isn’t sticky.

Read our full Smidge That Midge insect repellent review

Modeled after piperine, a molecule found in the plant that produces peppercorns, Picaradin is a manmade compound that’s been used in insect repellents in Europe and Australia since the 1980s, and has been available in the United States since 2005. Both the World Health Organization (WHO) and the CDC recommend Picaridin to repel mosquitoes, ticks, black flies, gnats, chiggers, and no-see-ums. Picaridin stays on top of the skin instead of absorbing into it. 

Trust Proven insect repellent contains 20% Picaridin, and it repels mosquitoes and ticks for up to 14 hours and black flies, gnats, chiggers, and no-see-ums for up to 8 hours. It’s made in the USA with ingredients sourced from the USA and Germany. We found that the unscented cream goes on smoothly, and it's available in odorless format, or with gentle odor. Studies have shown that a 20% Picaridin repellent is as effective as higher concentrations of DEET.  Since Picaridin is moderately toxic to fish, however, this may not be the best repellent to use near water. 

The best DEET-based insect repellents

We think Ben’s wipes are an ideal bug repellent for backpacking. They’re individually wrapped, and therefore light, transportable, and easy to keep in a pocket until you need them. Each packet contains a small towelette soaked in 30% water-based DEET (and, if you are using DEET, 30% is commonly considered the ideal concentration). We like Ben’s water-based formula because it stays on the skin's surface rather than being absorbed. 

Ben’s is also available in a spray bottle. Ben’s ‘Max’ spray contains a hefty hit of DEET (50% in Europe, the highest percentage allowed under EU law, but up to 98% in the US), which means that despite its dinky size, you don’t need to spray too liberally to keep mosquitoes and other insects at bay. Avoid using the strong spray on delicate skin – spray it in your hands first and avoid your eyes and mouth if you’re applying to your face. 

When first applied, the spray has a very strong lemon smell that’s a little reminiscent of toilet cleaner, but the good news is that the smell fades fast and ends up being a pleasant whiff of citrus. The spray also goes onto clothes easily without staining them. Ben’s MAX does feel oily and thick on the skin, so it may not be suitable for those with sensitive skin, or if you don’t like to feel a repellent is there - it’s also a tad sticky even when dry.

Read our full Ben’s Max insect repellent review

A big smack of 50% DEET makes Pyramid’s popular spray a reliable choice for international travels – this is the dosage we recommend if you may be travelling anywhere where dengue Fever, zika Virus and other diseases are present.

On test we found this repellent one of the longest-lasting if you’re sweating or swimming, too – ideal for very hot countries. The only downside to all that tough protection? Pyramid is quite sticky on the skin, and can also stick to clothing in an unpleasant way, so only spray onto exposed skin and let dry.

This spray also has a strong lemony scent – if you don’t like a noticeable aroma from a repellent, this is not the brand for you. That said, a light spray of this rather thick liquid goes a long way to protect skin, making it good value for money.

Caution – this is strong stuff (although they used to make a Trek 100, which was doubly potent!), so avoid using near your eyes, or on children under 12.

Read our full Pyramid Trek 50 review

The only spray we reviewed offering 24 hour protection (well, if diligently reapplied three times), Lifesystems Expedition Max may be overkill for a ramble in the Lake District but it’s ideal for jungle conditions or anywhere where you’ll be exposed day and night to illness-carrying insects.

We took this spray to India (and also carried the dinkier 50ml version in our backpack when out exploring) and found it offered worry-free protection even in malarial zones. It can also applied to clothing as well as skin without staining them, for added protection.

The Max spray has a thick, rather viscous consistency but a not unpleasant lemon smell but never feels like it fully dries – this is because it’s designed to form a physical barrier on your skin, but if you find sprays that don’t sink right in annoying this might not be for you. There’s no alcohol in the formula, though, so it won’t dry skin out.

A DEET-free alternative is Life Systems’ Expedition Sensitive spray, which uses 20% Saltidin (also known as Picaridin) as an active ingredient instead.

This formula is ideal for anyone who finds DEET irritates or dries out their skin, but still needs hardworking insect protection on their travels or in places where it’s important to avoid mosquito bites. You can also use this spray on children and delicate skin.

Read our full Life Systems Expedition Sensitive insect repellent review

Heading into the tropics? Pack Jungle Formula. Designed for ‘tropical, heavy wooded and lake areas or when extra protection is needed’, this spray is made up of 50% DEET, making it ideal for areas with a high risk of malaria and other mosquito-borne illnesses such as dengue fever and yellow fever.

Jungle Formula does have a strong chemical smell and feels thick and a little oily on the skin, but it’s well worth it for reliable all-day protection. Jungle Formula is designed to be applied once, so spray liberally on exposed skin for even coverage – it also works upside down, ideal for when you want to protect your feet and ankles on the go.

There are multiple other versions of this repellent available, including a handy roll-on you can stick in your pocket and ‘medium’ and ‘outdoor and camping’ versions with less DEET which are better suited to more casual outdoor adventures.

Read our full Jungle Formula Dry Protect Pump Spray insect repellent review

Best insect repellents for the environment

We think that, for those who don’t like spraying chemicals on themselves and their family, or releasing them into the environment, this is a great choice. Lemon Eucalyptus Repel is made with oil extracted from the leaves of the Eucalyptus citriodora, a lemon-scented gum tree native to Australia. 

Considered safe for children 3 years and older, it’s registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and recommended by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as effective against disease-carrying mosquitoes. But does it really work? Well, yes. In a 2014 scientific study a mixture of 32% lemon eucalyptus oil provided more than 95% protection against mosquitoes for three hours. In another independent laboratory test, Lemon Eucalyptus Repel was the second most effective mosquito repellent after a 30% DEET concentration. Although this is an oil-based pump spray, we found that it didn't leave us feeling greasy or sticky.

We’ve often spied Incognito’s little ninja-style black bottle in other explorers’ backpacks, so we were intrigued to give this DEET-free repellent a try. One of the more expensive sprays on test, Incognito is made with 100% natural ingredients – so no DEET, parabens, GMO and SLSs - and it’s approved by the Vegan Society, making it an easy choice for anyone who is a stickler for making sure products are animal-friendly. We found that Incognito worked well at repelling insects in the UK, as long as you carefully spray every inch of skin.

The brand claim to be proven to be effective in malarial zones, but the caveat is that the spray should be used in conjunction with a mosquito net – so we would recommend sticking to using this natural repellent in Europe and reaching for a DEET product in malarial areas (or using DEET by day and Incognito by night).

The benefit of no DEET is that Incognito feels light and grease-free on the skin and has a pleasant scent of bergamot and citral.

Read our full Incognito insect repellent review

Another all-natural spray that is fast gathering fans. Theye’s active ingredient is Citrepel, derived from eucalyptus - we found it was strong enough to keep insects at bay in the UK (although you’ll need something stronger to combat Scotland’s midges) and Europe, and the mild formula is suitable for kids, too, making it a nice one to pack for summer family holidays.

You’ll need to regularly reapply Theye, especially after sweating or swimming, as it fades faster than a DEET-based spray, but it does have a fresh summery scent that we found made it pleasant to use, and there’s no alcohol in the formula, so it won’t dry out skin.

This is another natural repellent that claims to be effective in malarial zones, but we would recommend using a stronger repellent such as LifeSystems or Jungle Formula on tropical trips. A cream version and repellent-infused wet wipes are also available.

Read our full Theye Natural insect repellent review 

The best insect repellent for groups

An excellent option for people, families and small groups who don’t want to cover themselves in oils or sprays. Thermacells MR 300 contains a fuel canister and repellent soaked pad. Hit ‘on’ and ‘start’, and a small flame inside the repeller heats the repellent to keep mosquitoes away within a 15-foot radius. 

The latest version has quiet ignition, a re-engineered grill and switch, improved ergonomics, and a sturdy waist clip, so active people can have it on hand wherever you stop. The MR300 uses a scent-free repellent called D-cis/trans allethrin, a synthetic copy of a natural repellent found in chrysanthemum plants. The EPA has approved both allethrin and the Thermacell device itself as a safe and effective means of repelling mosquitoes with minimal environmental impact. But don’t use it near exposed food, avoid inhaling its vapor directly. And it’s toxic to bees, cats, and fish, so avoid exposing those creatures to Thermacell vapors.

Insect repellent comparison table

How to choose the best insect repellent

The threat posed by insects and how to mitigate

There are few things more irritating than being mobbed by midges or hearing the high-pitched whine of a mosquito around your ears when you’re settling down to a campfire-cooked meal or trying to get to sleep in your tent – that realisation that you’re about to get munched is awful. 

On a more serious note, depending on where your hiking, an insect's bite can carry some nasty diseases, such as malaria from mosquitos or lyme disease from ticks. Knowing how to avoid bites and stings in the first place is half the battle and repellent is just one factor in this. If you're hiking in certain regions, it's useful to not only know how to avoid tick bites, but also what do if you find one of these blood-sucking hitchhikers already attached.

The best insect repellents go a long way towards protecting you and it's clear that decent insect repellent should be on every camping checklist. But still, you don’t really want to be spraying yourself with strong chemicals left, right and centre, without knowing for sure that they’re not going to take your skin off. So, where to start when selecting an insect repellent?

What ingredients should I look out for?

A number of active ingredients are used in the best insect repellents. Some are chemical, like Diethyltoluamide or DEET, as it’s better known. DEET, a chemical solvent that’s considered the most effective repellent available, is safe when used as prescribed, but is very strong in concentrated form. With this in mind, it’s important to read instructions carefully. If you’re using DEET, 30% is commonly considered the ideal concentration – it’s the minimum percentage recommended to guard against mosquito and tick-transmitted diseases. Using a higher concentration increases your chemical exposure without notably increasing insect the protection you get.

Permethrin and Picaridin are synthetic pesticides that repel mosquitoes, deer ticks, and biting flies. Natural repellents, including lemon eucalyptus, a scented oil derived from a tree native to Australia the Eucalyptus Citriodora, can be just as effective.

DEET or no DEET?

You can divide insect repellents into two broad categories – those with DEET, and those without. DEET (or to give it its more tongue-twisting name, diethyl-meta-toluamide), is an active ingredient that is highly effective against insect bites, working by creating an impermeable barrier on the skin that stops insects getting through. It has been around since the 1940s, and was originally developed for the US Military, but has been available to the public since 1957.

The downside to this strong repellence is that a high concentration of DEET can cause skin irritation and is considered unsafe for use by children and pregnant women – DEET can even be known to melt plastic if it comes into contact with it. A higher concentration of DEET can also melt or damage camping gear and fabrics like Lycra. Repellents containing a varying dosage of DEET (from as low as 5% to up to 98%) are available, although repellents with more than 50% DEET are banned for sale in the EU. 

In the USA, repellents with more than 35% DEET aren’t recommended for use on children. We advise using DEET only on adults, and primarily when avoiding mosquito bites is imperative, such as when travelling in countries where malaria and other insect-borne diseases are present.

DEET-free alternatives

The good news is, if you want to go DEET-free, there are plenty of hardworking alternatives on the market. The most effective active ingredient for sale as a viable alternative to DEET is Picaridin (also marketed as Icaridin and Saltidin), which isn’t known to cause any skin irritation. It may not be quite as effective as DEET, but it still works at protecting from bites – and isn’t known to have the side effects of DEET.

If you prefer an all-natural spray, look for one containing citronella or oil of lemon eucalyptus (also known as Citriodiol), naturally-occuring plant ingredients that dissuade biting insects by masking the smell of skin with their own strong citrus scent.

Note that natural repellents are never as effective as stronger ones, and evaporate faster, but are ideal for mild climates or for use on children or people with sensitive skin.

Type of application

Repellents come in all shapes and sizes, so you’re likely to find one that suits you. We usually recommend spray bottles, especially those that still work when sprayed upside down, as they give full, even coverage, allow you to reapply on the go and are usually clear, so they can be applied to clothes as well as skin. If you prefer a cream based repellent, many brands also come in lotion form.

Other options include wet wipes impregnated with repellent and solid sticks of repellent, both of which are great for applying to children who dislike sprays. We don’t recommend using a formula that claims to offer sunscreen and repellent in one, as sunscreen usually needs reapplying far more often than repellent.

As a rule of thumb, you should apply a repellent containing DEET or Picaridin once or twice a day or after you swim or sweat heavily. Reapply natural repellents every two hours.

What to do with your old insect repellent

Insect repellent doesn't last forever, and will become less effective over time. Exactly how long it takes to expire will depend on the active ingredient, but the label will tell you how long you've got to use it.

The container will also give you details of whether it can be recycled once it's empty. If there's still some liquid inside, you'll need to dispose of it as a hazardous chemical. Your city or local authority website will tell you how to do this; they might be able to collect it, or you might need to take it to a recycling center.

• The best hiking pants: long pants to protect your legs from bugs in long grass

Itching to get out onto the trails? Check out our list of hiking essentials, designed to keep you safe and maximize comfort as you plod through the wilderness.

It's always important to have the right kit, whether you're strutting through a serene coastal path or making your way up a rocky mountain. A good trek will push you out of your comfort zone into stunning, but potentially unpredictable territory, and you need to be prepared for everything, from torrential rain to injury.

Our essential list includes everything from the best hiking boots to the best hiking backpacks, so you can hit the trails with confidence and avoid discomfort.

Hiking essentials: Clothing

First on our list of hiking essentials is appropriate clothing. Whether you're off out onto exposed sea cliffs and windy coastal trails or cold mountain summits and gusty mountain passes, keeping warm is your first priority. Coastal regions and upland areas are also likely to see their fair share of rain, so having a waterproof jacket and waterproof trousers is vital. However, the items of clothing listed below are the individual ingredients and for a successful hiking recipe, you need to know how to put them together. This is why layering is important.

Here are our hiking essentials where clothing is concerned. You can find more detail about essential hiking clothing here.

• A long sleeved baselayer
• Insulation (or mid) layers, such as fleece jackets or down jackets
• A waterproof jacket with a hood
• A hiking hat
• Hiking gloves
• Hiking pants
• Rain pants to go over the top of hiking pants when things turn nasty

Hiking essentials: Footwear

Probably the most important aspect of our hiking essentials is the footwear. After all, it's your feet that are going to bound along the trails, scramble across the rocks and cross bogs, streams and rivers. It should go without saying that if you want to protect your feet from injury, the cold and the wet, a decent pair of hiking boots is absolutely crucial. Also, make sure you're complementing them with proper hiking socks too.

Here are our hiking essentials where footwear is concerned. Jump here to find more detail on hiking footwear.

• Quality hiking boots (if out in winter you will need specialized winter boots)
• Warm and breathable hiking socks
• Gaiters (vital for river crossings and winter conditions)

Hiking essentials: backpacks

This is where you need to consider the type of adventure you are embarking on. The essential backpack for a simple hike looks different to the best rucksack for a long-distance trek. A daypack with a capacity of 20 to 35 liters will do for a day in the outdoors, while you'll want an expedition backpack with upwards of 60 litres capacity for a wild camp. For more on this, check out what size backpack do I need? As well as this, you've got to think about keeping the kit in your pack bone dry, which is where dry bags come in.

Here are our hiking essentials where backpacks are concerned. Find more detail on hiking backpacks by jumping here.

• A 20 to 35 liter day pack for day hikes
• A 35 to 60 liter backpack for general hiking or hut-to-hut treks
• A expedition pack upwards of 60 liters for backcountry camping trips
• Dry bags to keep valuable kit or spare clothing from getting wet

Hiking essentials: navigation aids

In this day and age, there are loads of different hiking apps and GPS devices that can aid your navigation in the great outdoors. However, the two most essential pieces of navigation gear are a decent compass and a topographical map. If you know how to read a map and how to use a compass you can apply these skills anywhere and you'll feel much more intrepid navigating in such a way. Yes, you may often opt for the quick convenience of your smart phone, but if your devices fail and you're out in the wilderness without a means to navigate, you're in serious trouble.

Here are our hiking essentials where navigational aids are concerned:

• A proper topographical map (such as National Geographic in the US, Ordnance Survey or Harvey in the UK)
• A plastic map case if your map is not waterproof
• A mobile phone with its charging cable and a power pack and/or solar charger
• A GPS device or one of the best navigation apps, such as AllTrails+, komoot, Gaia or ViewRanger

Hiking essentials: emergency kit

This is the stuff you always have with you but hope you'll never need. However, a first aid kit is not only useful in an emergency but will carry many useful bits and pieces for every day occurrences, like spares for when your laces snap or tape for when your trousers rip.

Here are our hiking essentials for emergency kit. Jump to more detail about emergency kit here.

• A hiking first aid kit (available from all outdoor stores)
• An emergency space blanket or blizzard jacket
• Headtorch or flashlight with spare batteries
• Spare gloves, hat, socks and layers if on expedition or in winter
• Spare food if on expedition

Hiking essentials: other useful kit

Of course there are plenty of other useful bits of kit that we would consider hiking essentials. From staying hydrated to avoiding insect-borne diseases, there are many applications. Some depend on where you are hiking and others depend on the approach you are taking.

Here are our other useful bits of kit. Click here to jump to more about trekking poles, find out more about hydration kit here, and get more detail on sunscreen and sunglasses, and insect repellent here.

• Trekking poles, useful in many situations 
• Water reservoir or hiking water bottle
• Hiking flask for a hot drink (especially important in winter)
• Plenty of food
• Sunglasses (counterintuitively, absolutely essential around snow)
• Sunscreen
• Binoculars (useful for navigation and wildlife watching)
• Insect repellent
• Tick twister (if hiking in regions where ticks are present)

The lists above itemize every piece of kit you should need for hiking trips of all shapes and sizes. Below, we delve into each category of kit in more depth to give you a better idea of what to look for and how certain features or characteristics can be of benefit.

Hiking clothing in detail

Of all the hiking essentials, having decent outdoor clothing is probably the most vital.

When hiking, particularly in mountainous regions, you're likely to be engaging in some pretty brutal ascents that get your heart pumping and your temperature soaring. However, the higher you go, the lower the mercury drops. As a rule you can expect it to get 44°F (6.5°C) colder for every 3,280ft (1,000m) of ascent. Add in factors like rain and wind and you soon realise that your clothing options need to be as dynamic as the conditions in order to keep yourself comfortable and, above all else, safe on a hike.

A layering system is super important for helping you to manage your body temperature and keep you protected; the clothing you choose to wear is key. Many hikers start with a wicking baselayer against their skin, which helps with moisture management. Merino wool is a popular fabric of choice, whilst yak wool is a new emerging trend.

Next, adding an insulation layer or two will help with temperature management. This could take the form of a fleece jacket, or synthetic/down jacket. (You may want to read up on the ethics of down before making your choice.) Finally, a waterproof layer for both your upper and lower body will help to keep you secure from biting winds and dry from rain or snow.

Don’t forget about your extremities either. Adding a pair of the best hiking gloves or two into your pack, plus a woolly beanie/hiking hat will help to keep you feeling good and moving.

It’s always worth carrying an extra light long-sleeve top (a spare baselayer), just in case you get wet.

Hiking footwear in detail

The boots you choose to wear will depend on the landscape you will be moving through and the type of activity you are doing on the trail. Many folk enjoy wearing men's trail running shoes/women's trail running shoes when walking with a light pack on fast tracks, as they allow the user to move quickly and swiftly. However, they often provide little support and minimal cushioning, which can be essential for foot protection over longer distances or when working with a heavier load. As well as this, trail running shoes, or indeed approach shoes, won't keep your feet dry during a long day on the hill. Wet feet lead to feeling cold and this spells downright misery, especially on a long trip.

This is why a sturdy pair of men's hiking boots or women's hiking boots are one of our hiking essentials. When purchasing boots always try before you buy and do consider going at least half a size larger than your usual fit. Our feet naturally swell when we are exercising, so the extra space will help to reduce friction points and hot spots. Also analyse the type of support and flexibility of the boot in the ankle, the design of the sole, which should be grippy and hard wearing, and the type of fabric. Leather is generally more resilient and lasts for longer, but synthetic boots are often more breathable and lighter to wear.

If the terrain you are heading out on is not overly technical, you might consider one of the best hiking shoes, many of which are lightweight but still have excellent waterproof qualities. The downside is that they offer less ankle protection, but this is less of a concern on easy trails.

You'll also want comfortable socks that keep your feet warm and stop you from getting blisters. Generally, socks are graded for the different seasons, winter socks being the thickest. The best hiking socks are made from fabric that wicks sweat away from your foot.

Hiking backpacks in detail

Carrying everything on your back is an immensely rewarding feeling, but choosing a backpack can be a little overwhelming. High quality backpacks are designed with a specific user in mind. The best hydration packs are designed for quick access to your water stores when you want to go fast and light, while the best women's hiking backpacks will have shoulder straps and a hip belt contoured for a women’s body.

Meanwhile, the best daypacks do a bit of everything, without being as bulky as a full-on trekking pack. Generally daypacks are around 30 liters, though in truth, if a pack fits well and holds all of your kit, then you’re in business. If you want to go higher-spec, consider what features you might like: hip pockets, space for a water bladder, a ‘floaty frame’ to avoid a sweaty back and so on. Try not to let any technical jargon bamboozle you and always try before you buy.

The finest backpacks are water resistant but none can guarantee to keep your belongings totally dry when an absolute deluge sweeps in or when your kayak capsizes. That's why taking fully waterproof dry bags on your adventures is such a good idea and totally relieves the stress of worrying if your phone is going to resemble a submarine at the end of your hike.

Emergency kit in detail

Why take a first aid kit? It is easy to overlook their importance. They can be bulky and heavy and often remain untouched, but we always carry a decent first aid kit with us because we like to be prepared – both in the event of personal injury, or coming across someone who needs help.

Even if you choose to take a very simple homemade first aid kit, containing some basic medication, sun protection and plasters – it’s better than nothing. A space blanket is a very good and extremely light addition (invaluable if you need to keep someone warm while you seek help), and disposable gloves are essential for keeping you safe from infection when treating someone else. Always make sure you know how to use everything in your kit.

Even if you don’t plan to be out after dark, a flashlight or headlamp are other essential pieces of emergency kit, just in case things don’t go to plan. They can also be used for signalling for help and attracting attention if things go seriously wrong.

Sometimes bringing an emergency shelter can also be appropriate, especially in remote and challenging terrain, or if you intend on spending all day in the mountains.

If you're going for a long wilderness trek and planning to wild camp, it is important to have a good supply of food. There are dozens of varieties of featherweight and dehydrated freeze-dried meals available. They come to life with just a small amount of boiling water, meaning you can have a nutritious meal on the mountainside.

It's also worth taking some repair tape for tears to your clothing or even fixing up your tent on an expedition.

Trekking poles in detail

Not everyone would consider them a hiking essential, but the best trekking poles really help with stability when you’re walking with a pack, and they help spread the stress and weight-bearing duties away from your knees and ankles. All this helps you to hike more efficiently, so you can walk further and feel better.

They are also particularly useful for river crossings and emergency situations. If all you've got is a few stepping stones between you and a fast flowing stream of water, trekking poles can be used to help you maintain your balance and provide that little bit of extra security.

If you're hiking with a group and someone injures themselves, you can use poles along with a group shelter or a tent to form a makeshift stretcher. This is useful if you need to move the casualty to a safer or more sheltered location while you seek help from a mountain rescue service. Bear in mind that you will need at least four people to lift the casualty in this way and only move them if there's no alternative.

Hydration kit in detail

Staying hydrated is key to having an enjoyable trekking experience. There's nothing worse than running out of water on a scorching summers' day and realising there is a mountain between you and the next drink. Worse than the thirst is the effect dehydration can have on your concentration and muscle function. Many an accident has occurred on the world's trails due to muddled minds that were starved of water. This is especially true if hiking at altitude, where hydration can be the difference between mild discomfort and altitude sickness. The best hiking water bottles store your much needed reservoir safely and conveniently, while the best hydration packs are a good alternative to a standard daypack, designed specifically with water consumption in mind.

However, sometimes it is so cold that your precious water freezes in your pack. That's why you should never venture out into the snow without a hot drink. The best hiking flasks keep a lovely reservoir of tea, coffee, hot chocolate — or whatever else you fancy brewing up — piping hot. When the time comes to pause and rehydrate, you've got a reinvigorating hot drink or three to enjoy. In fact, become a legend with your hiking buddies and pass the mug around.

Other hiking essentials in detail

"Is that an eagle over there? Is that definitely base camp? Is that a mountain hare, or is it just my imagination?" These are the questions that a hiker might ask because they haven't brought a pair of binoculars with them. Had they, they may have instead been saying: "That's an eagle over there! Don't worry, that's definitely base camp. It's not just my imagination, there's a mountain hare over there. In fact, there's four of them." The best binoculars let you take in the full natural wonder you've invested your time to come and be in the middle of. Once you've taken them once, you won't leave the house without them again.

However, an aspect of the natural world that you might wish you would see, or feel, less of are the insects. From mosquitos to midges and clegs to ticks, these unwelcome companions on the trails are not just a nuisance. In some nations, mosquitos still carry the deadly malaria and, in Britain, a tick can give you Lyme disease if you don't remove it properly. (See our guide to how to avoid tick bites and what to do if you get one.) That's why having the best insect repellent is such a essential when setting out on a hike, along with a tick twister.

While the sight of blues skies and the sun overhead is a welcome one when we are hiking, we must not forget the dangers posed by UV rays. Sunscreen and sunglasses are absolutely essential. This is especially so when hiking alongside or on glaciated ground or on snow, where the rays are reflected back to you off the white stuff. Bear in mind that even on cloudy days you can get burnt, especially as you will often be out with no shelter for many hours at a time.

• The best daypacks: for shorter hikes and casual walks
• The best hiking shoes: trail-friendly shoes for all seasons

When you need to light a fire outdoors, the easiest way is with a lighter but only if you don’t let the wind stop you. Even a light breeze is enough to frustrate your flame, let alone a stronger wind which can see a normal lighter repeatedly fail to ignite. 

Enter the trusty windproof lighter to save the day. Whether it’s the iconic Zippo or a USB-charged plasma model, a lighter you can reply on in any weather condition shouldn’t be taken for granted. Here are some of our current favorites. 

Bottom line

Building a campfire and carefully nurturing it from a single flame to the roaring focal point of your camp can be difficult at the best of times. Being prevented from lighting it by the wind is frustrating and can make your campmates question your competence. A windproof lighter is an easy solution that you will never regret having on hand whether it’s a gas barbecue, a candle or a big campfire you’re lighting. We recommend the lcfun Waterproof Lighter. Plasma lighters can be a good option because as long as they are charged before a trip, they need no fuel and can always provide a source of ignition whatever the weather. This model is tough and made to resist water as well as wind.

For when you feel like you want extra power to solve the problem of lighting something in the wind, the Jet Torch Lighter is nice to have around. With the roar of its blue butane gas jet, you know it will ignite whatever it’s directed at, no problem at all.