Lake Norman State Park

Hiking Essentials

• Backpack large enough to hold the following items
• First Aid Kit
• Map
• Compass
• Cell Phone or other communication device
• Water bottle
• Water filter
• Knife
• Lighter with tinder
• Headlamp or Flashlight
• Extra batteries for headlamp or flashlight
• Portable battery to charge cell phone
• Bandana
• Poncho or Rain Jacket
• Extra socks (merino wool for winter / cotton for summer)
• Pants and long sleeve shirt
• Gloves and winter hat (depending on weather conditions)
• Food (trail mix, granola bars, jerky)
• Electrolyte Mix
• Bug Repellent
• Sun Block
• Rash Cream
• Toilet paper
• Trash Bag / doggie bags / gallon zip lock 

Sources: https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/ten-essentials.html

First Aid Kit Essentials

First Aid Kit Essentials

Wound and Blood Management

• Adhesive Bandages "Band-Aids" (assorted sizes)
• Clear Medical Tape for securing gauze, preventing chafing, making butterfly stitches
• Compress dressings (5 x 9 inches) to control bleeding
• QuikClot clotting gauze to control bleeding
• 4 x 4-inch sterile gauze pads to cover wound
• Self-adherent bandage wrap (4 inches wide x 4 yards)

Ointments and Wipes

• Antiseptic wipes to clean wounds before dressing
• Antibiotic Ointment to prevent bacterial infections
• Alcohol wipes to disinfect surfaces, tweezers, knives, and scissors
• Hydrocortisone cream for bug bites
• Rash cream for chafing
• Burn cream for minor burns

Medicine

• Acetaminophen (Tylenol) for pain management
• Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) to treat pain and itching caused by bug bytes and allergies to animals and poison oak
• Lip balm for dry or cracked lips
• Extra medication prescribed by your doctor

Tools

• Nonlatex gloves
• Thermometer to check temperature
• Finger Nail Clippers
• Tweezers to remove splinters and other objects from skin
• Knife to cut bandages
• Scissors to cut bandages
• Instant cold compress to reduce swelling
• Emergency Blanket to keep warm
• 100 feet of paracord
• Bic lighter to start a fire

Other

• Dental Floss
• Emergency Food (Granola bar, jerky)
• Hard Candy
• Portable phone charger or battery with charging cable to call 911
• Moleskin for blisters
• Whistle
• Mirror

Sources: https://blogs.cdc.gov/publichealthmatters/2021/05/first-aid-kits/