I am certainly not an expert, but I have spent my fair time in the woods. I know there is always a careful balance between carrying extra weight for something you don’t use and finding yourself in an emergency and really wishing you had something that would help people find you.

Here is a list of several things to consider:

1. Create a clear plan on where you will start and end, with a time line for the trip. Leave a copy with people outside your hiking group.
2. Everyone carries a map and compass with the trail marked on it, and clearly showing where the water located and where are you going to camp.
3. Everyone carries a whistle and at least one other signal device.
4. Everyone in your group should have the contact numbers for all the people on the team and their designated emergency contacts.
5. Everyone carries identification in more than one place.
6. Medical conditions that could cause complications on the trail should be shared with your group.

I've been updating some stuff on the web site and still moving over old podcasts from the old site when I ran across these videos.  Shug sent them over awhile back and they are worth checking out again.  He goes through many of the items he carries, gives us a little information on each and talks about some of the problems he has solved.  There are four in all and they are only a few minutes each.  If you don't have time to view them all, at least check out the first one.  He's a Hoot.
Thanks Shug!