10 Must-Have Trail Items

Toilet Paper
It doesn’t classify as a tool and it certainly won’t get you out of a mechanical jam, but there’s nothing worse than having to go and having nothing around but cacti or pine cones. Sure people can be pretty resourceful and find something, but I recommend going prepared and throwing a little TP in a Ziploc bag. Chances are you, or someone you’re riding with, will be very glad you did.

Zip Ties
I feel that Zip ties are like the ATV riders duct tape. There is no limit to the number of uses for these little magical plastic connectors, and I recommend having a variety of sizes on hand with you any time you’re out on the trail.

Tire Plug Kit
I have to admit the first time I used one of these things I was incredibly skeptical. I know I’m hard on tires and if I managed to puncture one, how is a little tiny plug going to keep that tire from going flat again? Surprisingly, those little plugs work incredibly well. A good kit includes a reamer to rough up the puncture spot, some glue and an assortment of plugs.

Co2 Tire Inflator
Repairing a tire while out on the trail isn’t the ideal situation, but if you’re on an overnight excursion or perhaps tearing down the Baja peninsula, having the ability to repair and re-inflate a tire is good insurance against getting stranded.  You can always try and ride out on the flat tire, but nine out of ten times you’ll destroy the tire and you’ll have a particularly difficult time if you’re in hilly terrain. A friend and I were once caught unprepared and we had to ride/push his ATV about four miles before coming to a road that we could take back to our pickup.

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