Carry Extra Water And Snacks For Other Hikers
Extra water and a couple of energy bars weigh almost nothing - and someone up that trail has underestimated the walk.
- Cost
- Under £20pp
- Time
- Half-day
- People
- Solo / Duo, Small Group (3-6)
- Where
- Park / Outdoor
- Bring
- Spare water and snacks
Why this matters
Most mountain rescue callouts involve people who were simply underprepared rather than reckless - out of water, out of energy, and further from the car than they planned. A litre of water and a couple of bars handed over at the right point often prevents a situation from escalating into something that needs help. It costs you a kilo of pack weight.
How to do it
Carry an extra litre of water and two or three energy bars beyond what you need. On any decent-length hike, you'll eventually pass someone struggling.
Who tends to need it: people in trainers on a route that turned out harder than the sign suggested, families who set off with one small bottle, anyone visibly overheating, and people on the way up who look like they've already used everything they brought.
How to offer without being odd about it: - Ask a normal question first. "How's it going up there?" tells you a lot. - Offer directly and lightly. "We've got spare water if you want some" is easier to accept than being asked if you need help. - Sealed bottles or wrapped bars are much easier for a stranger to accept. - Take no for an answer immediately.
Also worth carrying for other people: blister plasters, a small first aid kit, a spare head torch, and a paper map of the area. Blister plasters in particular get used constantly.
If someone is genuinely in trouble - confused, unable to continue, injured - that's a different situation. Stay with them, get them warm and out of wind, and call mountain rescue rather than trying to walk them out.