A headlamp isn’t always the first thing a person thinks of when packing for a hike. So, you’re only going out for a day hike? Good for you! It’s going to be a little bit longer than the average hike. Great!
There’s several things to bring on a hike
When going out for a hike it’s obvious to wear appropriate footwear and comfortable clothes. Depending on the length of the hike, it might seem a no-brainer to bring snacks. Water also seems like an obvious thing to bring for anyone who doesn’t want to die of dehydration on the trail.
Then, there’s the “extras” that may or may not include headlamp
Additional hiking must-haves might include bug spray if for instance it’s June in northern Minnesota and malaria isn’t your thing. Some hikers enjoy using poles. Others might wear a pack filled with essentials like a first aid kit, solar phone charger or tissues.
Often, there’s some things that are overlooked
Hand sanitizer is nice to have, but often left behind. Another thing that is nice to have is a head lamp. If you’re leaving before dawn, planning a multi-day hike, or planning to hike until after dark, the headlamp will probably be one of the first things you pack. There are times, however, when you THINK you’re not going to need one.
Learn from a real-life example
Two hikers went out at dawn for a hike they counted as 21-miles. They figured that at a 2-mph pace, they could complete the hike in around 11 hours. These hikers planned their trek near the summer solstice to ensure they’d have plenty of daylight. Even with breaks for lunch, rest and sight-seeing, they knew they’d have no problem getting back to the truck before sundown. Yet, one of the two hikers brought a headlamp “just in case.”
As the miles and the day passed by, they thought they should be getting closer to the end of the 21-mile loop. One of the pair had scoped out this end of the trail the week before to be familiar of what what they’d encounter. As they walked and their gadgets said they were nearing the 19, then 20, then 21-mile mark, the other hiker asked, “Does anything look familiar yet?” The hiker who’d been out the week before repeatedly answered, “No. Not yet.”
As each mile beyond the planned for 21 ticked by, the one hiker asked, “How about now?” the other repeated her same answer, “No, not yet.”
The sun got lower and lower in the sky as even the longest of June days was nearing its end. The pair hiked on and on, but the end was still nowhere in sight. Eventually, the hiker who’d come the week before put on her headlamp she’d brought “just in case.” The pair hiked on until, finally, at 11 p.m. they emerged from the forest onto the road that met the trailhead. They were exhausted, out of water, covered in ticks and completely in the dark save for the light from the one headlamp.
The lesson is this
Though, they’d planned for a day hike, the two hikers had misread the map and their 21-mile hike was actually a 28-mile hike. The added length of the trip coupled with the fact that they overestimated their speed at traversing what turned out to be a fairly difficult trail, put their finishing time well beyond sunset. This wasn’t their first hike (nor their last), but the lesson will last a lifetime. Bring a headlamp (just in case).