Do you know about the RED BAG?
It’s something I started doing a few years back when I started camping more often. Originally it was just a way to make my mornings easier for myself and my camp companions as I tend to be the first one up, by having all of the essential morning items in one small self-contained bag within my larger backpack. That way I was able to grab everything I need for my morning routine even in the pre-dawn darkness without a bunch of noisy rifling around in my pack or having to turn on a light.
Over the last few years, as I have high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, and especially as I have aged, I’ve begun to carry a version of The Red Bag with me even in my day pack. Besides some adventure essentials I also include one extra day of my medications, as if something bad were to happen on the trail where I would be stuck overnight not having medicines can turn a minor inconvenience into a serious emergency.
That way, if something did happen and help did arrive I could simple say “get my red bag” even to someone who didn’t know about The Red Bag and they would likely be able to figure out what was needed.
My red bag is a light waterproof bag that usually contains:
light first aid (bandages,aspirin etc)
one day of extra medicine
a fire starter
a tube of instant coffee
a small tube of toilet paper
It might not seem like a lot, but those few items could make all the difference between having just a tough time out and straight up not getting home. The wilderness is dangerous – but that doesn’t mean you need to be afraid. Be cautious, be prepared, and adventure on!
Do you have some handy trail tips that have helped you stay safe or enjoy your time in nature more?
The Ersity of Was would love to hear them and share them with our students – get in touch via the Facebook Page!!
