Gear you should carry

From WildernessWiki.org

Gear recommended for every-day carry, or EDC, varies by environment and intended activity. However, some tools are commonly accepted as useful in day-to-day life, as well as when in the wilderness. Some of these are:

• Map - You need to know where you are and where you are going.
• Compass - and compass knowhow. If you become lost, you need to orient yourself and your path.
• Water - You won't live very long without it.
• Extra Food - Though you can live for weeks without food, time will only take its toll if you are not replenishing your body's needs.
• Extra Clothing - Chances are, you have something made of cotton, and once it's wet, it loses all of it's insulation. Soiled clothes can affect health and morale, and alternatives are a necessity.
• Pocketknife - Nearly all outdoorsmen carry knives of some sort, and small, folding varieties are often favored. Exact brand varies by the individual, but a blade of some sort is often considered the most useful tool, seeing that many other tools can be created using it.
• Fire Source - Some people carry a small book of matches, others disposable lighters (such as a Bic). Still others favor flint and steel, or other types of lighters. The pros and cons of each of these pieces are often debated, but a fire source is generally considered to be essential when in the outdoors. However it is usually advised to carry more than one fire source in case one fails, e.g. A Bic lighter and a fire-steel. *Tinder becomes more important as the weather turns bad, so if you forgot to slip a couple of fire-straws in with that fire-steel, remember that there are probably a few burnables in your wallet.
• Flashlight - A small light with long runtime is ideal. The light doesn't have to be very bright. In total darkness, small amounts of light will appear brighter than usual.
• First Aid Kid - Scrapes, cuts and scratches of all sorts need to be tended to, as well as more serious injuries.
• An oversized bandana is one of those multi-taskers that we often forget to include on even our best-planned lists. Go for the extra large "cowboy" type; cotton is best for summer, silk for winter.
• Year-round, most find that gloves of the proper weight are worth carrying, not just for warmth, but for avoiding burns and blisters.
• Below treeline during "bug time" a lightweight headnet can not only help keep you sane, but serve as a gathering sack for berries and fishbait.

Above the Treeline, in the snow or in the desert, one should append the following to their list

• Sunscreen - Burns from UV Rays can compound your problems in the wilderness.
• Sunglasses - UV Rays can permanently blind you and you could suffer from temporary snow-blindness.

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