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4 Must-Haves for Your Hiking Trip

Taking the road less traveled does indeed make all the difference, but rookies and pros alike can benefit from loading up on outdoor essentials before hitting the open trail.

These four Costco items are essential and engaging to have on hand when straying from the beaten path.

1. Emergency first aid kit

Prepare for all those unnerving "what-ifs" with an all-in-one backpack emergency kit, complete with everything a family of four needs for three days in the aftermath of a wrong turn.

Pro-Tip: If your current backpack isn't waterproof, invest in dry bags to protect the items inside. In a pinch, garbage bags and zip-lock bags make for relatively durable barriers, too.

2. Waterproof binoculars

Search high and low while you rest at the peak of your hike — these ultra-powerful "eyes" will allow you to take pride in just how far you've come.

Pro-Tip: For the kids, craft some smaller, personalized binoculars using toilet-tissue rolls, string and camouflaged felt so they can get up close and friendly with bugs and leaves.

3. Multi-sport fitness watch

For bragging rights, track the progress of your hike using the extreme accuracy of a GPS device. This multi-sport training partner will even help you set goals for your next adventure.

Pro-Tip: Tackling a new trail? Sections of brightly colored, biodegradable trail marking tape can be hung intermittently and used as "bread crumbs" to help you navigate your return.

4. Headlamps

If you're hitting the trails in the early morning or returning at night, keep your hands free with an adjustable headlamp that will illuminate the path ahead.

Pro-Tip: If you're traveling in a pack, shift the headlamp to face backward so slower hikers can keep track of the group ahead of them.