In this video I’m on Dartmoor with five bits of hiking gear I genuinely wish more beginners would use (and to be fair, plenty of experienced hikers could take note too). This isn’t a survival list and none of it is “tacticool” nonsense — it’s just simple stuff that makes you far less likely to get in trouble, and far more likely to actually enjoy your day out. I see people underestimate these basics all the time, especially when they’re heading into open moorland with very little shade and very changeable weather. I start with water — not just “a bottle”, but enough to get you through the hike. On Dartmoor you’ll cross streams, but you can’t just drink straight from them, so either carry more or look at filtering. Then it’s sun cream and a cap (yes, even when I’ve got mine backwards it’s for the back of my neck, not because I’m trying to be cool), and in winter I’m swapping that for a warm hat because your head becomes the main heat-loss point if everything else is layered up. After that it’s offline maps on your phone (I use OutdoorActive) because signal disappears fast, especially when visibility drops. And finally: a power pack for when cold or bad luck kills your battery, plus decent socks — because blisters will ruin your hike quicker than most people realise.