24.03.2025
Essential gear for urbex adventures
Disclaimer#
This guide is for informational purposes only. The author does NOT recommend you to explore abandoned places. Always check local laws and regulations.
Introduction#
Each urbex adventure is different - some tools might be essential in one case and come out needless in another. It makes sense to bring only the most important ones with you so you don't have to carry too much.
In this blog post, you will learn about the general tools and then go through different scenarios to see which tools might be useful in each case.
Clothing#
Before you start, remember that urbexing is not only about the tools, it's also about the clothing. Never underestimate the preparation of it.
For example, if you are going to an abandoned factory, you should probably wear long pants and either a long sleeve shirt, jacket or hoodie to protect yourself from the sharp edges and other stuff. Or if you are going to climb a tower, you should probably wear something similar because there might be windy and cold up there.
Also, it's common to wear dark clothing because it helps you to blend in the environment and makes you less visible.
We will cover more about this topic in our future blog post!
General Tools#
Now let's dig into the tools that you should have always with you. Regardless of the adventure you are going to.
Number one is not a tool, but it's water and food. You can be prepared however you want, but without those two you will not be able to survive for long if anything happens.
Essential#
1. Source of light#
Flashlight or preferably headlamp with extra batteries. It's also a good idea to have one red light because it's less visible for others.
2. Face cover#
Mask, bandana, scarf or anything that can hide your face from cameras.
3. Power bank#
To stay connected with the world, you should bring a fully charged power bank with you.
4. Multi-tool#
You never know which one of these tools you will need, so it's better to have them all with you.
5. Gloves#
In order to keep your hands clean and safe, also keeping your grip stronger, bring gloves with you.
When it's summer, it's better to take fingerless gloves because they are more breathable. In winter, you can stick to regular gloves.
Optional#
1. First aid kit#
You don't have to take the whole first aid kit with you, but at least take some basic stuff like bandages, antiseptic and painkillers.
2. Telescopic baton#
It's good to have something as a weapon if you need it, but we hope you won't need it.
3. Respiratory protection#
In some old factories, there might be dust, asbestos or black mold which can be harmful to your health.
4. Walkie-talkie#
Speaking like this with your friends will just make it more fun and can be useful in places where you can't get signal.
5. Aztec death whistle#
This is again more for fun, but it can be useful if you need to signal for help. You can always take a regular whistle with you.
Depending on the situation#
You should always do proper research before you go urbexing and maybe think a little bit out of the box.
Note that those tools will only make your life easier, but they are not essential and you can do without them just fine.
Now let's go through different scenarios and see which tools or clothing might be useful in each case. We won't mention those from the general tools section again!
Climbing#
When you know you will be climbing a ladder, there are only a few things that can make your climbing easier:
1. Smaller and not heavy backpack#
Any extra weight will make climbing harder and more tiring.
There also might not be much space on the ladder, especially if it has a cage. In this case, you should put your backpack on your chest rather than on the back.
2. Glucose tablets#
Have them stored somewhere on your body for quick access. They will boost your energy and make you feel better.
3. Tactical gloves#
Yes, we know that gloves are already in your equipment, but we want to emphasize the importance of having them with good grip.
4. Cloak of invisibility#
The hidden gem of any climbing is the cloak of invisibility. With this, you can blend in the workplace environment and make yourself less visible.
5. Hard hat#
It will protect your head from the sharp edges, plus it also blends you even more into the workplace environment, combined with the cloak of invisibility.
Underground#
Here it again depends on the underground you are going to explore, because there are many different types of undergrounds. It can be a cave, sewer, tunnel or a bunker.
1. Gas detector#
Especially useful in caves, tunnels, mines and bunkers or any other place where there might be dangerous gases. Gases like CO2 or CO can be deadly.
2. Waterproof clothing and gear#
This mostly applies to sewers and other undergrounds that can be flooded. There can be still water - every urbexer's nightmare.
Side note: Never go underground when it's raining or is about to rain. Always check the weather before you go.
4. GoPro or pen and paper#
Some underground complexes can be a real maze. It's always better to document your path, whether you use a GoPro or simply pen and paper.
Or you can also use a rope to mark your path physically.
5. Lot of batteries#
You will need those to power your sources of light and probably your phone as well.
Conclusion#
We hope you now have a better idea of what you should bring with you on your next urbex adventures.
The key is to predict the situation you will be in and what you are going to do.
If you have any questions, feel free to slide into our Instagram DMs.
Remember to stay safe and have fun!
