Hiking Essentials To Bring

Whether you’re a novice or expert hiker, life on the trail requires certain essentials for a healthy and successful trip. While every trail is different, and the length of your hike may vary, the necessary hiking gear remains the same. However, amounts of resources may change, depending on the length of your trip. You can use this article as a quick checklist to make sure you have everything ready for your hiking adventures.

Essential Equipment and Supplies

• Backpack

• Hiking boots

• Hiking layers

• Sunscreen and sunglasses

• Navigation essentials

• Water

• Food

• First-aid supplies

• Headlamp or flashlight

• Multi-tool, knife, and mini repair kit, including duct tape

• Firestarter

• Shelter

• Safety items such as a whistle

Backpack

You can’t even go hiking for a day trip without your backpack, much less overnight. Durability and reliability are two important factors to consider when choosing a pack for your journey. You need a strong, well-made backpack that has plenty of space for your hiking gear but is comfortable to carry for hours at a time. An overnight pack will be lighter than one for treks of several days or longer.

Backpacks also have different frames, such as external versus internal. External frames are the older, original-style backpacks and only a few brands still make them. Internal frames are made from lighter materials and carry as heavy a load as external frames, but the internal frames are easier to carry. Other backpack features to look at include ventilation, external attachments, sleeping bag compartments, and more.

Hiking Boots

A durable pair of hiking boots is very important and can make or break your trip. Your boots must be crafted from high-quality materials and be comfortable because you’ll be putting some miles on them. You don’t want the boots to rub blisters on your feet because they’re not the right size or don’t fit you well.

Some people choose rugged trail hiking shoes instead of boots because they’re light, waterproof, and have great traction. Hiking trail running shoes aren’t as clunky as many hiking boots. Lightweight shoes are good for moderate or easy trails, and hiking boots protect your ankles on more challenging terrains.

Hiking Layers

Hiking layers are some of the most important gear to have on your hiking adventure. Wearing layers is critical for safety and comfort. Begin with a base layer that wicks sweat away, such as wool or polypropylene, which are breathable and regulate your body temperature. Cotton material is not ideal for hiking because, when you sweat, the cotton loses the ability to insulate and traps heat in warm weather. For the next layer, wear a t-shirt or a long-sleeve shirt, depending on the season.

Make sure to pack a light raincoat that fits in your pack. If the weather is cool, bring gloves and a hat. High-quality wool socks are great for hiking because they’re comfortable and durable.

Sunscreen and Sunglasses

These two items are often forgotten but incredibly important to bring and wear. You’ll spend long hours out in the sun’s rays—and don’t think just because there are trees everywhere that you won’t get a sunburn. Find a sunscreen that protects you from UVB and UVA rays and which is at least SPF 15, but SPF 30 is even better.

High-quality sunglasses are another hiking essential. Quality sunglass lenses block all UVB and UVA rays. If you are hiking in a snowy area, you’ll want to bring extra-dark glacier glasses. Of course, it’s easy to lose your sunglasses, so pack an extra pair.

Navigation Essentials

Technology today provides better navigational tools than ever before. Nothing replaces the old, trusty map, however. Buy a topographical map for your hiking adventure.

A compass is another old-school instrument many hikers include on their short-list. If you can read a map and compass, you are good for hiking in the backcountry. You can use GPS or a compass on your phone, but don’t solely rely on it. Carry a standard compass that doesn’t rely on batteries so that, if your smartphone dies, you have a backup. If you buy a compass with a sighting mirror, you can use it to direct a flash of sunlight to a rescuer or helicopter in case of an emergency.

Water

Water may be the most critical resource you bring with you on the trail. Though water is heavy to carry, you need significant amounts of water while hiking. In fact, you can survive without food for weeks but water only a few days. You can bring a water reservoir in your pack or keep a bottle handy. For long hikes, bring a backup water purification method in case something happens to your water supply. There are many forms of water purification, such as tablets or a filter to treat water that you find on the trail.

Food

Whether you’re planning a day hike or a longer adventure, always bring plenty of non-perishable food. Now, don’t overdo it, but bring energy bars, freeze-dried food, MREs, or other foods with a long shelf life. Dried fruits, nuts, and jerky are also great snacks to bring hiking.

First Aid Kit

This item is another one often overlooked, but it’s critical to carry essential first aid supplies when hiking. You can purchase a pre-assembled kit or make one yourself and store it in a waterproof container. Personalize your kit for your needs, such as critical prescription medications, supplies to help with allergic reactions, and other essentials. At the very least, have various sizes of adhesive bandages, moleskin to prevent blisters, gauze pads, disinfecting ointment, paper, pen, adhesive tape, an over-the-counter medicine for pain, and nitrile gloves.

Fire Starter

It’s critical to have the necessary items to build a fire while out in the backcountry. You can carry a disposable lighter, matches, or a firestarter. A firestarter is vital in wet conditions. If you’re hiking in an area where firewood isn’t available, pack a camping stove for heat and to boil water.

Shelter

Another essential item to carry is some kind of emergency shelter, such as an emergency space blanket, bivy sack, or light tarp. A tent is an excellent main source of shelter but, if you’re hiking away from your campsite, you need an emergency shelter for protection from wind and rain.

These are the primary essentials to bring with you on the trail. You may have other items to add to the list that are a personal preference. Additionally, you’ll want to bring a flashlight or headlamp, a knife or multi-tool, and the safety items listed above. Keep this list handy when packing your gear to make sure you don’t leave out anything necessary for hiking in the backcountry.

---

Mark Hedman serves as the CEO for LA Police Gear. Mark oversees a little bit of everything, from product development to walking the dogs from our Valencia, CA headquarters. Before joining LA Police Gear, Mark was just a kid that was very interested in programming and e-commerce. Starting from the bottom, he worked his way up through all stages of the company. Mark loves animals and the outdoors. He tries to spend as much time at the range as possible or hanging out with the pups.