Your hiking gear list must comprise all the essential gear for outdoor activities. Packing your daily essentials for multi-day hiking tours can be daunting if you do not know what to carry. While it is true that what suits one might not suit the other, the basics remain the same. Always choose items that can be reused in the future, whether hiking or not.
Moreover, make sure the items you decide are of the highest quality; only good quality products last for years. A complete packing list for hikers. It has all the basic things that everyone should carry. Look at this article on travel gear for hiking.
It does not matter whether you intend on going hiking for a couple of hours or the whole year, there are several recommended that every hiker should have. Some of them you may not need on every trip but, it is better to have them and not need them than to need the items and not have them.
These statistics experts will amaze you when they let you know the number of people that have been stranded on a trip with some of the occurrences even becoming fatal. The following is a list of items that you should have on every camping or hiking trip.
Related Read: Essential Clothing Tips for Hiking
Guiding Principles of Choice
Before preparing a checklist of all the necessary things, you want to carry on the next hiking trip, make sure you understand the basic principles of the hiking gear. Here’s all you need to know:
- Safety: Safety comes first when you are off to hiking. Be prepared with all the necessary things to ensure your safety.
- Clothing: Make sure you are carrying clothing according to the temperature of the area chosen for hiking. Include layering to prevent cold.
- Travel Light: Avoid extra weight and keep space; so pack light.
- Quality Fabric: Focus on fabrics suitable for outdoors – merino wool, silk, and non-cotton synthetic.
Hiking Checklist Equipment
#1: Core Gear
The basic core gear for hiking includes
- A quality backpack
- Backpacking tent
- Sleeping bag
- Liner
- Sleep pads
- Stuff Sacks
- Hiking boots
- Hiking sandals
- Trekking Poles
- Sunglasses
- Headlamp
- Swiss Army Camper Knife
- Carabiner
#2: Hiking Clothes
When hiking clothes are concerned, it is very important to consider layering. To make sure layering works, purchase clothes made of the right fabric for hiking. For instance, cotton is not the right choice of fabric for hiking, as it cannot regulate your body temperature. So, focus on:
- Dri-fit underwear
- Merino wool socks
- Tops and bottoms for hiking
- Shirts and pants
- Technical t-shirt
- Shorts
- Second layer-insulation fleece jacket
- Hiking vest
- Third layer protective outdoor armor
- Waterproof shell with hood
- Rain pants
- Poncho
- Hat
- Liner gloves
- Outdoor research mittens
- Cotton Bandanas
- Sun hat
- Travel towels
#3: Water Filter and Cooking Gear for Hiking
You should always plan in regard to your food and drinks. There are plenty of products to keep drinking, snacking, and cooking on your hiking trip.
- Soft water bottle
- Water blender
- Water filter/purification system
- Gas stove
- Spork
- Mug
- Pots & Pans
- Campsuds
- Spice containers
More in-deep on Hiking Essentials
Adequate Footwear
When choosing footwear, consider the length of the trip you are going. Trail shoes are good for short trips that do not require you to carry heavy bag packs, but hiking boots are better for longer trips. They are more technical and offer more support and protection from subterranean animals. The terrain of your hiking route also determines the kind of shoes you should choose.
Map and Compass
A compass and a map are two very essential items to have, as they tell you where you are and how to get where you are going. A map will not just guide you through your hiking route, but also tell you how to get to emergency camps to get help in case of an accident.
However, with the advancement in technology, people nowadays prefer to use GPS applications in electronic devices instead of traditional maps and compasses.
Extra Food and Water
Without enough food and water, your body organs cannot perform as well. Going long periods without enough water will make you susceptible to hypothermia, altitude sickness, and other dangerous conditions.
You may never know when you will need extra food. A hike may take longer than expected due to fatigue or accidents. The extra food will keep your energy and morale high even when a trip takes longer.
Correct Clothing
Just like footwear, it is essential to pick the correct clothing for you to adequately enjoy your hike. Light clothing is good for hikes in warm areas and similarly, heavy clothing would apply for cool-climate areas. Remember to always have extra clothing in case the ones you have on get damaged by tree branches or thorns. Always remember to include rain gear in your bag pack because the weatherman is not always right.
Safety Items
Most camping and hiking experts recommend adventurers carry basic first aid kits. A first aid kit would contain items that you will require to provide immediate first aid treatment to injuries in case of an accident as you wait to go to a specialist. Other safety items that you may need would be a whistle, flashlight, or headlamp.
Multi-Purpose Tool or a Pen-Knife
Multi-purpose tools are small instruments that have a number of tools within them. In most cases, they are fitted with a knife, scissors, a magnifying glass, and other items. These tools come in handy when hikers need to repair malfunctioning camping gear, or even cut up bandages in case of accidents.
A Good Backpack
The final item that you should have on a hiking trip is the correct backpack. The correct backpack should not only be able to conveniently fit all your items, but be strong enough to support them without ripping. The bag should be light and comfortable to allow you to enjoy your hike suitably.
LED Torches
Rechargeable LED torches are a must-have piece of tech equipment for each camping trip. These models have variable brightness settings, so you can adjust how much light you need for each task. Try cooking in the dark, or erecting a tent, without one, and you’ll soon see how handy they are.
Bonus tip – buy a head torch, so you can see what you’re doing at night while still having two hands-frees. LED flashlights last for ages as well, and you’ll only have to replace the batteries once in a blue moon.
Optional Hiking Equipment
A Powered Air Pump
Another must-have piece of hiking hardware is a powered air pump. This tool will allow you to quickly inflate your air mattress, ensuring that you have somewhere comfortable to sleep while eliminating the need for tiring and cumbersome foot pumps or hand pumps.
These items are either battery-powered or will plug into your car’s PowerPoint, and are an excellent investment. They’ll also quickly pump up balls and mountain bike tires, keeping the kids and the young at heart happy and ready to play.
A Powerbank
While camping is a great time to get away from your smartphone, you still want one charged and ready to go in case of emergencies. After all, accidents happen – or you might find yourself wanting to take a scenic route home and need your GPS active. So, pack a powerbank. This will allow you to charge your phone without draining your car’s battery. Just remember to charge the bank before you leave; otherwise, it will only serve as a fancy paperweight.
A Solar Camp Shower
Who says that you can’t bathe while out camping? While going a day or two might be okay, any longer than that and you’ll find yourself sweaty, itchy, and uncomfortable. A solar camp shower can heat water to a pleasant temperature and allow you to get so fresh and so clean while you’re enjoying the great outdoors.
A Bluetooth Speaker
While acoustic guitars and bongos make for great jams around the fire, not everyone can play an instrument. If your crew is lacking in musicians, consider packing a Bluetooth speaker. You can connect your phone or music player and relax to some chilled beats.
Recommended Read: How to Choose a Backpack for Hiking & Backpacking
Summary
Hiking can be a superb outdoor activity but when you do not prepare for them adequately, they may turn to unpleasant events. Ensure you enjoy your hike by following the checklist of essential items you would need on a hike.
It’s also a great way to get back to basics, but a few pieces of tech can make the experience all the more enjoyable. Make sure you have a rechargeable LED torch, and a powered air pump to inflate your mattress, balls, and bike tires. Pack a power bank to keep those phones charged in case of emergency. A solar shower will mean you can enjoy a nice warm wash every few days, and a Bluetooth speaker will allow you to enjoy some soft music while you connect with nature. Enjoy your time in the bush!
