對經常從事戶外活動的人來說，對於十項基本裝備應該不會感到陌生。這篇論文是經由介紹十項基本裝備的內容及演變，使得讀者更加了解十項基本裝備。從第一個基本裝備清單至今，已歷經50多年的改版。本文會討論到清單演變的歷史，以及為何有些項目會加入或刪除。有趣的是，雖然歷經多年的修改，主要的十項主題仍是相同的。雖然十項基本裝備對戶外活動者相當重要，但除非需要用到，戶外活動者人們將不會真正欣賞十項基本裝備的價值。

The primary purpose of this paper is to better understand what the 10 essentials for outdoors are and how they came about. If one is familiar with the outdoors, the phrase 10 essentials should sound familiar. This paper will identify the 10 essentials, where they came from and why there are 10. Over the many revisions, the list has almost completely changed from its original list over 50 years ago. Topics were discussed as far as why the list changed and why certain items were later added or omitted. It is interested to note that even though this list has been modified, the main theme of the 10 essential has remained the same, making the outdoors a safer place. It was concluded that this 10 essential list is important for the outdoor person. The changes that were made over time are considered important for the safety for those who venture off the beaten path. Outdoor people will never fully appreciate the value of the 10 essentials until they are needed.