Safety & Survival

The gear you hope stays in the bag. First aid, fire, tools and bug protection are the items whose value is entirely in the rare moment you need them — which is precisely why people skip them, and precisely why you should not.

Two honest notes: a first aid kit only helps if everyone knows where it is, and a water filter is not a purifier. Ours removes bacteria and protozoa, the realistic risks in North American backcountry water. It is not rated for viruses. We would rather tell you that here than have you discover it somewhere less convenient.