| This list is compiled from equipment lists of 14 SAR organizations from across the United States. | |||||||||||||
| Only those lists identified as basic, 24 hour, hasty or similar were reviewed. Technical, cold weather, etc. lists were not included. | |||||||||||||
| Many lists had items listed for extended missions or in base. Of these, generic items such as "spare clothes" are not included. | |||||||||||||
| Items were scored three different ways. | |||||||||||||
| a. One point for each list on which the item appeared. | |||||||||||||
| b. 2 points for being required on a list, 1 point for being optional or recommended. | |||||||||||||
| c. 2.5 points if required on the 24 hr or basic list; 2 points if required on the extended or base camp list; 1.5 points if | |||||||||||||
| optional or recommended on the 24 hr/basic list; 1 point if optional or recommended on the base camp/extended list. | |||||||||||||
| The maximum total of the three scoring methods is 77. | |||||||||||||
| Items are listed from highest to lowest number of lists. Items on identical numbers of lists are ordered by score, then alphabetically. | |||||||||||||
| No list contained all 89 items. | |||||||||||||
| (*) Items which were on more extended lists than basic lists. | |||||||||||||
| (**) Items listed as optional more often than required. | |||||||||||||
| maximum possible | 14 | 77 | 100 | maximum possible | 14 | 77 | 100 | ||||||
| Item | lists | total | % of max | Item | lists | total | % of max | ||||||
| 1 | compass | 14 | 77 | 100 | 46 | food, extra (*) | 5 | 21.5 | 28 | ||||
| 2 | first aid kit, personal | 14 | 77 | 100 | 47 | gaiters (**) | 5 | 17.5 | 23 | ||||
| 3 | flashlight or headlamp | 14 | 77 | 100 | 48 | water container, extra (**) | 5 | 15.5 | 20 | ||||
| 4 | knife, multipurpose | 14 | 77 | 100 | 49 | razor blade, single edge | 4 | 22 | 29 | ||||
| 5 | water, 2 quarts or liters minimum | 14 | 77 | 100 | 50 | scissors | 4 | 22 | 29 | ||||
| 6 | whistle | 14 | 77 | 100 | 51 | quarters, 2 minimum | 4 | 20.5 | 27 | ||||
| 7 | rainwear or poncho | 14 | 75 | 97 | 52 | handkerchief or bandana | 4 | 20 | 26 | ||||
| 8 | food, 1 day's worth | 14 | 73 | 95 | 53 | sewing kit (*) | 4 | 19 | 25 | ||||
| 9 | matches | 13 | 71 | 92 | 54 | can opener (**) | 4 | 18 | 23 | ||||
| 10 | mirror, signal | 13 | 67 | 87 | 55 | lighter (**) | 4 | 18 | 23 | ||||
| 11 | notepad with pencil or pen | 12 | 66 | 86 | 56 | saw, folding (**) | 4 | 16 | 21 | ||||
| 12 | spare batteries for light | 12 | 66 | 86 | 57 | ground sheet | 3 | 16.5 | 21 | ||||
| 13 | gloves, leather | 12 | 61.5 | 80 | 58 | harness, seat | 3 | 16.5 | 21 | ||||
| 14 | cup, metal | 12 | 55.5 | 72 | 59 | measuring device, 18" minimum | 3 | 16.5 | 21 | ||||
| 15 | shelter material, 8ft x10ft | 11 | 58 | 75 | 60 | plastic bag(s), ziplock, qt | 3 | 16.5 | 21 | ||||
| 16 | nylon cord, 50ft minimum | 11 | 55.5 | 72 | 61 | tape, duct, 5 to 10ft | 3 | 16.5 | 21 | ||||
| 17 | leaf bag, large; 1 or more | 11 | 52.5 | 68 | 62 | towelette, clean | 3 | 16.5 | 21 | ||||
| 18 | sleeping bag (*) | 11 | 47.5 | 62 | 63 | wire, 5-10 ft, 14 ga | 3 | 16.5 | 21 | ||||
| 19 | spare bulb for light | 10 | 55 | 71 | 64 | slings, nylon | 3 | 15 | 19 | ||||
| 20 | fire starter | 10 | 52.5 | 68 | 65 | aluminum foil | 3 | 14.5 | 19 | ||||
| 21 | socks, spare | 10 | 47.5 | 62 | 66 | descender | 3 | 14.5 | 19 | ||||
| 22 | tissue paper | 10 | 47 | 61 | 67 | prussiks | 3 | 14.5 | 19 | ||||
| 23 | insect repellent | 10 | 45.5 | 59 | 68 | tracking stick | 3 | 14.5 | 19 | ||||
| 24 | sunglasses | 9 | 47.5 | 62 | 69 | webbing, 1" x 20ft minimum | 3 | 14.5 | 19 | ||||
| 25 | sleeping pad (*) | 9 | 41.5 | 54 | 70 | spare boot laces | 3 | 14 | 18 | ||||
| 26 | tape, flagging | 8 | 42 | 55 | 71 | water purification filter | 3 | 12.5 | 16 | ||||
| 27 | nylon rope, 50ft, 9mm | 8 | 40 | 52 | 72 | chem-light | 2 | 11 | 14 | ||||
| 28 | water purification tablets | 8 | 39.5 | 51 | 73 | pack cover | 2 | 7 | 9 | ||||
| 29 | goggles | 8 | 39 | 51 | 74 | smoke, signal | 2 | 7 | 9 | ||||
| 30 | cook kit (*) | 8 | 35 | 45 | 75 | space blanket | 2 | 6.5 | 8 | ||||
| 31 | candle, long burning | 7 | 36.5 | 47 | 76 | $5 bill | 1 | 5.5 | 7 | ||||
| 32 | helmet | 7 | 36.5 | 47 | 77 | condom, non lubricated | 1 | 5.5 | 7 | ||||
| 33 | watch | 7 | 34.5 | 45 | 78 | ear plugs | 1 | 5.5 | 7 | ||||
| 34 | lip balm | 7 | 34 | 44 | 79 | map | 1 | 5.5 | 7 | ||||
| 35 | sunscreen | 7 | 34 | 44 | 80 | wire ties, plastic, 8 locking | 1 | 5.5 | 7 | ||||
| 36 | stove (*) | 7 | 27.5 | 36 | 81 | ascender | 1 | 3.5 | 5 | ||||
| 37 | orange vest | 6 | 33 | 43 | 82 | mosquito netting | 1 | 3.5 | 5 | ||||
| 38 | headgear, cap | 6 | 29 | 38 | 83 | signal panel | 1 | 3.5 | 5 | ||||
| 39 | cook kit utensils (spoon) (*) | 6 | 28 | 36 | 84 | strobe light | 1 | 3.5 | 5 | ||||
| 40 | flashlight, backup (**) | 6 | 27 | 35 | 85 | altimeter | 1 | 3 | 4 | ||||
| 41 | ID | 5 | 27.5 | 36 | 86 | GPS | 1 | 3 | 4 | ||||
| 42 | carabiners, 2 minimum | 5 | 25.5 | 33 | 87 | scent bag | 1 | 3 | 4 | ||||
| 43 | safety pins, large, 2 | 5 | 25.5 | 33 | 88 | spare glasses or contacts | 1 | 3 | 4 | ||||
| 44 | entrenching tool (**) | 5 | 22 | 29 | 89 | $10 | 1 | 3 | 4 | ||||
| 45 | tent (*) | 5 | 22 | 29 | |||||||||