No one plans on breaking down or being forced to spend a night out in the wilderness because they got lost, but those things can and do happen. At the same time, carrying some bulky backpack or fanny pack full of tools and safety gear is uncomfortable and can take away from the riding experience. If you’re riding in a large group or at your local trail system, carrying tools with you might not be that big of a deal; however, if you’re on a longer-than-normal trail ride or if you’re in an unfamiliar wilderness area, we recommend you bring along a few extra items just to be prepared.

Dual-End Wrenches
Most factory-supplied tool kits include a couple of these handy little wrenches, and whether you use the ones supplied or get your own, having these muilti-sized wrenches will definitely come in handy if you’re forced to make any repairs on the trail. The sizes may vary depending on your machine, but it’s common to have a 10mm/12mm and a 14mm/17mm.

Matches
The idea of breaking down or getting lost and being stranded overnight is not at all a pleasant one but it can happen, especially if you’re riding an in unfamiliar area.  Matches or a cigarette lighter is a simple precautionary measure to make sure you won’t have to sit out in the dark or freezing cold. What’s more, fire offers a sense of comfort and will help keep critters away from you.

Cell Phone
Most of the time we go out on the trail to get away from things like phones and email, but if you’re riding in a new area it’s a good idea to keep your phone on you. In the event something happens you’ll be able to let someone know, and with all the modern features like GPS, Navigation and a host of other directional-inspired apps, as long as you have service, it will be almost impossible to get lost.

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