What I Bring With Me On Every Hike
When I first started hiking I was using a school backpack and tennis shoes and brought hardly any snacks and only one small bottle of water. I didn’t have any fancy gear but I didn’t even know I needed it back then. Now that I have hiked more I realize there are so many different gear options out there. R.E.I is a wonderful place to start if you’re new to hiking because they have it all. Don’t feel like you need the latest and greatest gadgets and a lot of expensive hiking gear to get going. You do need a few basic essentials that will help to ensure a safe hiking experience, and a couple that will make it more comfortable. These are what they call the “Ten Essentials” – items that every hiker should carry with them on all hikes. They include: Clothing & Footwear, Hydration, Illumination, Fire Starter, First Aid, Sun Protection, Knife, Shelter, Navigation, and Nutrition. When I first started getting into hiking more in 2019 I slowly started accumulating more of these pieces of gear. Over the last few years of hiking I’ve complied a fairly good set up. I have to admit the one thing on this list that I don’t bring with me on day hikes is shelter. But hey we all have room for improvement, right? I’m going to share with you the gear that I do use in the hopes that it will help you kick start your hiking journey or help you prepare for an upcoming hike. I’ve also included the Amazon links to everything or something similar incase you want to try out anything for yourself or give a gift to an outdoorsy friend.
FOOTWEAR
The first thing I invested in when I started hiking more was a pair of hiking boots. The first pair of hiking boots I picked up were from Sportsman’s Warehouse and were a mid height Pacific Mountain brand. These were great boots for the price and took me on a lot of trails but eventually started rubbing on the backs of my heels causing blisters. I wanted to look into something that felt more like a tennis shoe but with better traction so I started shopping for trail runners. I went to R.E.I. to try on a bunch of different ones and ended up purchasing the La Sportiva Bushido II. These shoes have become my go-to shoes for day hikes because they are light, airy, breathable and the traction is great.
La Brushido Trail Running Shoes
CLOTHING & SOCKS
What you wear on the trail can affect your level of comfort so make sure you wear clothing that you can move in. I love to hike in my leggings with pockets on each side, a sweat wicking t- shirt, a sports bra underneath, a sweat wicking headband or beanie, and a lightweight jacket or heavy jacket depending on the weather. My favorite piece of clothing gear is the only socks I will hike in now – the Injini toe socks. These socks are made of 100% wool and by having the entire toe covered it prevents blisters caused by your toes rubbing together. They come in light, medium and heavy weighted fabric, lots of colors and both crew and ankle heights. I like the Trail Mid Weight Mini Crew Socks to pair with my La Sportiva trail runners. I wear the crew height to pair with my tall hiking boots.
BACKPACK
I knew I wanted to get a hiking style backpack that had more pockets and a spot for a water bladder, but before I could get myself one my husband surprised me with a 60L backpacking pack for Christmas that came with a detachable smaller daypack. It’s the perfect size and I ended up using the smaller backpack for all my day hikes. It has a hose opening at the top to allow the bladder hose to come through, one large pocket on the outside which I like to use for things I want to access quickly, and multiple smaller pockets on the inside. This pack has a strap across the chest that is adjustable which I also like, especially since my mastectomy, I can adjust it to fit comfortably over my foobs. This pack has been my go-to for years and it’s worked great for all types of terrain from forests, to lakes, waterfalls, dust, and sweat it has held up. I would suggest you pick a pack similar in style that is around 20-30 Liters. This allows enough space for everything you need for a day hike. I’ve linked below a similar backpack to the one I have that is a great option for day hikes.
HYDRATION
Then I upgraded my drinking system from plastic store bought water bottles to a water bladder system with a hose. This is the biggest thing that has changed my hiking for the better because I don’t have to stop to reach back to get my water bottle every time I need sip. I also would go through quite a few plastic bottles and that isn’t good for the environment. I purchased a water bladder system at Sportsman’s Warehouse locally and went with the Platypus Hoser 2 Liter. I tend to drink a lot of water so for me the 2 Liter made sense. The bladder system is super helpful because I can take a quick drink while I’m still hiking without having to stop which ensures I stayed hydrated. To store my bladder I first empty the bladder and tube and rinse with soapy water and then fold and coil up the hose and put in a gallon Ziploc bag and place it in the freezer. This prevents mold or mildew from growing inside as its hard to dry completely out.
Platypus Hoser 2 Liter Water Bladder
ILLUMINATION
The next piece of gear I picked up was a headlamp. On a trip to R.E.I. I spotted the teal Black Diamond Astro Headlamp and since I love anything teal I knew it was the one for me. It takes three triple A batteries, has an adjustable elastic band and is lightweight. I keep my headlamp in the small pocket on the inside of the front of my pack. I don’t plan on being out after dark on a day hike usually but you never know what could happen so it’s better to be prepared. I ended up using it when hiking through the Subway Lava Cava in Lassen National Park and it worked great in the pitch black cave.
FIRE STARTER, FIRST AID, SUN PROTECTION, KNIFE
Smaller but very important pieces that I always have in my pack are a lighter, pepper spray, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, bug spray, first aid kit and a knife. These items you probably already have or can get just about anywhere. I like to purchase the smaller travel sized portions to take up less space and lighten my load. I keep my sunscreen, hand sanitizer and a small spray bottle of bug spray together in a quart size Ziplock bag. The knife and pepper spray I keep in the pocket of my leggings if I’m hiking solo or if I’m with someone I keep them in the front pocket of my backpack. The first aid kit I carry is a D.I.Y kit I put together myself. Inside the kit I have: Advil, alcohol pads, gauze pads, Band-Aids, a hand cleansing wipe, and water purifying tablets.
TREKKING POLES
For Christmas in 2020 I was gifted a set of trekking poles from my Mother in law and they sat in my office few a few months before I finally gave them a try. I wasn’t sure what they were all about or how to use them but I slowly figured it out. I quickly learned how helpful they can be and how much they help relieve the pressure on your knees and ankles when going downhill and how they give you that little extra push up on the uphill. They are extremely useful in really rocky terrain and on slippery rocks to stabilize you and control your balance. The poles I have are from The Fit Life and come in a storage case, are adjustable and include different tips for different terrain. I don’t use them on every day hike but when I know there is going to be really rocky terrain or I’m backpacking then I definitely use them.
NAVIGATION & SATELITTE DEVICE
The final pieces of gear that I carry are my technology, my Iphone and a newer piece that I recently got for my birthday last year, the Garmin In Reach Mini 2. This device is a satellite tracking device that gives you the capability of sending text messages and has an SOS button that calls for search and rescue and gives them your coordinates. You can also send your waypoints to a mapping system that your loved ones can track. This is a pricier piece of gear that isn’t necessary to hike but is very nice to have if you can afford it. The device requires a monthly subscription for the service to work but Garmin allows you to pause your service when needed like in the winter months if you aren’t out as much. This device is small and comes with a carabineer to attach to your pack. If I’m hiking solo I clip it to my right shoulder strap so its within arms reach if something were to happen. I use my iPhone to navigate the trails by using the All Trails App and downloading the maps ahead of time and using the tracking feature to make sure I stay on trail and don’t get lost. All Trails even gives me directions to the trailhead and updates on the weather and its vital to my hiking.
NUTRITION
The last thing that goes in my backpack, right on top, is my food. For day hikes I typically bring a sandwich or wrap of some sorts, like a PB&J or a a turkey and cheddar spinach wrap. I also bring a few granola and protein bars, a small bag of trail mix, jerky, a pre sliced apple or mandarin and something sweet like cookies or candy. I always pack more food then I know I’ll eat just to be safe. Sometimes the hike ends up being steeper than you anticipated and you burn through more calories than you expected so its nice to have extra. I also like to throw in a Liquid I.V. packet because sometimes it’s a nice treat after drinking plain water all day. Just don’t skip on the food and be over prepared in this department, but do think about the weight of the items you’re bringing as you’ll have to carry them there and back.
That wraps up everything that I bring with me on my day hikes. I hope this helps you if you’re new to hiking are aren’t sure what you should be bringing or you’re looking to add to your setup. Just know that your gear will be unique to you and your body shape and what feels good for you. These are all pieces that work for me and make my day hikes more prepared and more comfortable. I hope that helping you be prepared inspires you to take on some new trails this year. You can follow all of my upcoming 2023 outdoor adventures by subscribing to my email list to be notified of new posts or by following me on Instagram.
