Adventure in a Backpack: Multi-Purpose Must-Haves for Any Traveler’s Bag

After months of preparation, you’ve finally gathered the courage to climb Mount Everest. You’re ready to be one of about 4,000 people who have done the impossible. With all the adrenaline rushing through your brain, you decide it’s time to take your first break from the multi-day trip. You stop to set up camp. However, when you reach into your backpack, you realize you left your tent at the bottom of the mountain. You’ll have to head back and miss out on your chance of a lifetime. Alternatively, you always have the choice to do an Everest base camp helicopter tour from Kathmandu instead of hiking!

Don’t ever let this be you. Your packing skills should never interfere with your sense of adventure and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. Therefore, check out this checklist to ensure your travel backpack always has everything you need.

The Handy Dandy Pocket Knife

There are a hundred reasons why you should always carry a pocket knife. When you’re out in the cold, it can be a great tool to make kindling for a fire. It can also help pitch a tent, get a knot out of a rope, cut fishing lines, open cans of food, cut meat, tighten screws, and hammer. There are very few things handier than a pocket knife, and you should carry one with you for any adventure to help you out of any emergency.

The Survival Blanket

Most people underestimate the weather on their trips, especially at night. During the night, temperatures can drastically drop, and it can be extremely treacherous if you don’t have the means to keep warm. Therefore, you should always bring a camping blanket in your backpack. These blankets can shelter you from the weather and maintain your body’s heat and energy. They can also be folded into different shapes to communicate messages to overpassing planes, used as a sling if someone injures an arm, or cut into small pieces to mark a trail.

The Literal Life Line

You may not see something as primitive as the rope being important on your adventure, but it can be a literal lifeline in times of crisis. A piece of rope is generally used to help pitch a tent or build a shelter. However, it can also be used to repair things, make a clothing line for any wet gear, or even tow people out of a situation during a hike or swim.

A Jar of Peanut Butter

This may seem like an odd item to pack, but it is one of those “end of the world” food items that can save you in an emergency. Peanut butter has a long shelf life and can last for a long time inside a backpack. It’s packed with loads of protein, so it can be used to keep hunger at bay if you find yourself in a sticky situation. Peanut butter can also trap pesky insects, remove gum from hair, or act as a hygiene tool such as shaving cream or shampoo.

While most of us remember to bring the essentials, we forget a few things. If you keep some of these multi-purpose items in your adventure backpack, you will be sure you have a solution for any situation.