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A woman hiking alone on the beach.
(Photo: Jordan Siemens / Getty Images )
Sponsor Content: Sabre

10 Safety Tips Every 国产吃瓜黑料r Should Know

Prep yourself with knowledge and tools before venturing out on your own

Published: 
A woman hiking alone on the beach.
(Photo: Jordan Siemens / Getty Images )

Whether you鈥檙e exploring a new foreign city, navigating your college campus at night, or camping out in the wilderness, you want to do everything in your power to stay safe鈥攅specially when you’re on your own. Get started with these tips.

  1. Always tell someone where you鈥檙e going.聽

Giving friends a head-up as to where you plan to be鈥攁nd when you鈥檙e going to check in鈥攁llows them to start a search if you鈥檙e not able to request help, says Emily McDonald, marketing director at an all-women’s adventure travel tour company. If you know you鈥檒l have cell service, share your location with a trusted contact using Google Maps or Find My Friends. Some apps and satellite devices even allow your trusted contacts to track you in real time.聽

  1. Make sure you can reach someone in an emergency.

When venturing far off the beaten path, you should always have a way of contacting someone if you find yourself in a situation you can鈥檛 get out of alone. If you know cell service will be spotty or unavailable, bring a satellite phone or other means of communication (like a satellite messenger, which is cheaper and lighter than a phone). Most satellite devices include an emergency SOS button, so all you have to do to get help is push one key.聽聽

  1. Know how to navigate.聽

Sure, it鈥檚 nice that cell phones put a global atlas in your pocket, but cell service is never guaranteed (and neither is your phone鈥檚 battery life). 鈥淚 always download offline maps for out-of-service areas,鈥 says , a travel blogger who often explores national parks solo. 鈥淚 use the AllTrails app for offline trail maps and download Google maps ahead of time for driving routes.鈥 Bringing an extra battery charger is a good idea if you鈥檙e relying on your phone but consider carrying and learning how to use paper maps as well in case of emergency.聽

  1. Invest in protection.聽

Carrying at least one safety or self-defense tool can help protect you in dangerous situations. SABRE鈥檚 Pepper Gel keychain ($14.99, ) comes with a whistle that can be heard up to 775 feet away, and the company鈥檚 motion-sensing personal alarm keychain ($14.99, ) monitors a 15-foot radius for motion or intrusions and emits a sound that鈥檚 audible up to 1,240 feet away. Self-defense products need to be accessible to be effective, so both these devices hook onto keys, backpacks, phone cases, and more easy-to-reach spots.聽

Sabre Pepper Gel Keychain
SABRE Pepper Gel keychain

(Photo: SABRE)

  1. Embrace the #LaterGram.聽

Broadcasting your location in real time when you鈥檙e on your own can invite unwanted attention. Save the geotags on your social media posts for when you鈥檙e safe at home or have moved on to the next stage of your adventure. The same goes for sharing any trail updates on a GPS tracking app like Strava or AllTrails: leave those updates for after you鈥檙e done. And if you frequent certain routes near your home or work, consider not sharing those at all, so a person with bad intentions won鈥檛 have that clue to your customary whereabouts.

  1. Pack strategically.

鈥淚 hike with a pack that has everything I’d need to keep myself alive for 24 hours: snacks, water, a water filter, a rain jacket, toilet paper, a knife, a headlamp, extra batteries for my headlamp, bear spray, a lighter or fire starter, rope, a satellite phone, and even some toiletries,鈥 says , a hiker, trail runner, and digital nomad. 鈥淜nowing I have what I need to survive in an emergency allows me to enjoy my time alone on the trails.鈥

  1. Travel with a first aid kit.聽

Most minor injuries are to the soft tissues (think: cuts and blisters), whether from hiking or clocking 10,000-plus steps while exploring a new city. So packing even a small first aid kit with essentials like Band-Aids and antibiotic cream can go a long way in preventing infections and other complications. Plus, you鈥檒l be more comfortable for the time you are exploring.聽

  1. Throw in extra layers.聽

Weather can change in the blink of an eye in the wilderness. Even if you鈥檙e not planning to be out after dark, pack clothing for the lowest temperature of the day in case you get delayed. A packable rain jacket doesn鈥檛 take up much space in your pack but you鈥檒l be grateful you have it in the case of unexpected wind or wet weather.聽

  1. Be aware of your surroundings.聽

Not only do you need to know what鈥檚 going on around you, but you want to make sure others know you鈥檙e aware, too. 鈥淥ur instinct is often to go on our phone while walking alone, but you want to avoid that at all costs,鈥 says Kristen Bolig, CEO of . 鈥淏eing distracted, or looking distracted, makes you vulnerable.鈥

  1. Trust your instincts.

If something (or someone) doesn鈥檛 seem right or you don鈥檛 feel at ease, get out of there. 鈥淲omen tend to shove down their gut instinct in an effort to not be rude, but you should never do that when you鈥檙e outdoors,鈥 says Kylia Goodner, who runs an outdoor adventure blog, . 鈥淟isten to what your gut is telling you and respond accordingly, even if that means being rude to someone you鈥檝e encountered.鈥 It鈥檚 always more important to get home safe.

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Lead Photo: Jordan Siemens / Getty Images

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