What to bring while hiking? There are various "ten essentials" lists out there, and most of them are good. These lists are what we usually bring with us hiking, in a mountainous, often wet part of the world; one list for day hikes, and the other for overnight hikes.
Knowledge "packing list"
In addition to the physical, packable items below, there are some things we consider absolutely essential before even starting to pack our bags for any hike.
- What route are we planning to take?
- What is the time estimate for that route, including rest, photo, and meal stops?
- What is the length, elevation gain and expected difficulty level of this hike?
- What is the weather forecast for the area, and what is the expected temperature when corrected for hike altitude? (estimate 1C colder per 100m elevation gain)
- What time is sunset?
- What time are we starting?
- How much time do we have between the expected end of the hike and sunset?
- What is our turnaround time, when we start to head back regardless of whether we've reached our destination or not?
- Does a responsible person know our plans and expected return time, and what they need to do if we don't return when expected?
- At the trailhead, ask out loud, "what do we think about the conditions on this trail, today?" and everybody answer honestly. Be prepared to make an alternate plan if the conditions are worse than planned and equipped for.
Day hike packing list (all items are per person)
"Ten essentials" items are in italics and are the absolute minimum that you should carry or wear on a day trip.
- Water, sufficient for the hike length, temperature, and your needs
- Food, sufficient for the hike length and your needs
- Map of the area you are hiking in
- Compass
- Headlamp (or small flashlight, if you don't own a headlamp)
- Whistle
- Pocket knife or multi-tool
- Hiking-appropriate shoes or boots
- Clothing suitable to the weather and expected exertion levels (no cotton! and especially no jeans!)
- Jacket and one (non-cotton!) layer more than you expect to wear for the conditions
- Emergency fire starting materials (matches, lighter, etc)
- Big orange garbage bag (yard waste bag) for emergency rain/overnight shelter
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses and/or hat
- Bug repellent
- Gloves
- Camera
- Trekking poles (if needed/desired)
- Emergency tarp (in addition to the orange garbage bag)
- Toilet paper
- Hand sanitizer
- Paper bag inside ziploc bag (for used toilet paper disposal)
- Trail maintenance tools (optional) - we carry a saw, a machete, and flagging tape
- Natural history information, of a topic you're interested in (optional) - we carry a book of local plants which has information on edibility, taste, and traditional uses prior to european colonization.
- Water filtration or other treatment method (at least one per group)
- First aid kit (at least one per group)
It sounds like a lot, but: the extra layers and the food are the bulkiest items, and the water is the heaviest item. Most items are very small. All of that fits easily in a day pack.
Overnight hike packing list
Per group:
The person who supplies these items does not have to be the person who carries it. Especially important if one member of the party owns most of the camping gear!
- Camping permit, 2 copies (one to carry, one for the car dashboard)
- If no permit is required, itinerary and emergency contact information on a paper left on the car dashboard so it is visible from outside the car
- Itinerary information given to responsible person not on trip
- Map
- Tent & groundsheet
- Rope for bear bagging
- Drybag for food
- Small brush (for sweeping the wooden tent platforms common in established alpine backcountry sites)
- Campstove
- Pot & lid
- Pot grabbers (if handles are not built in)
- White gas (or other fuel appropriate to camp stove requirements)
- White gas funnel (if camp stove doesn't run directly off the storage bottle)
- Matches/lighter
- Water treatment method (chemical)
- Water treatment method (filter)
- 1L thermos (for holding hot water for later use - cold weather camping only)
- 10L water bladder for storing filtered water
- Baggies - various sizes
- Shovel
- Toilet paper
- Hand sanitizer
- Paper bag inside ziploc bag, 1 per day (for used toilet paper disposal if no established pit toilet is available)
- Backcountry dish soap
- Dishwashing sponge or cloth & dish drying towel
- First aid kit
- Repair kit
- Flagging tape
- Reflective tape
- Emergency tarp
- Mini tripod (optional)
- Natural history information, of a topic you're interested in (optional) - we carry a book of local plants which has information on edibility, taste, and traditional uses prior to european colonization.
- Cooler and ice packs for food left in the car for after the hike
Per person:
- Expedition backpack
- Hiking suitable shoes or boots
- Camp shoes (optional)
- Trekking poles (if needed/desired)
- Traction aids (if trail might go near snow)
- 2L water, minimum
- Thermal mug or small thermos
- Dishes appropriate to the meal plan
- Kitchen size garbage bag
- Big orange garbage bag
- Pocket knife or multi tool
- Trail maintenance tool (optional)
- Headlamp or small flashlight
- Spare batteries for light
- Compass
- Whistle
- Mattress
- Sleeping bag
- Camp pillow or pillowcase
- Seat pad (optional)
- Long underwear top and bottom OR warm pyjamas
- Socks for sleeping in
- Hat
- Toque
- Gloves
- Toothbrush and paste
- Spare hair elastic (if necessary)
- Small hand towel OR large facecloth
- Sunscreen
- Bug spray
- Chapstick (optional)
- Tampons/pads (if necessary)
- Medications (if necessary)
- Rain jacket
- Rain pants
- 1 pair pants or shorts for hiking (not jeans, not cotton, good range of movement)
- 1 pair warmer pants or second long underwear bottoms
- 1 long sleeved shirt or second long underwear top
- 1 warm sweater (preferably wool) or close-fitting fleece jacket or down
- 1 pair underwear / day, plus 1 spare
- 1 pair socks / day, plus 1 spare (wool or synthetic hiking or running socks, no cotton)
- Glasses cleaning and protecting (if necessary)
- Camera
- Sunglasses (optional)
- Lightweight and small entertainment item
- Earplugs (optional)
- Compression sack for all clothes other than: the ones you're wearing, your extra layer for mid-hike, and your rain jacket
- Compression sack for your sleeping bag
- In a separate bag, complete change of clothes for the car ride home (to be left in car)
- Tea, hot chocolate, coffee (as preferred)
- Cup of soup or bouillon mix
- Meals and snacks according to your meal plan
Try to pack everything inside your expedition pack and avoid having things strapped on to the outside where possible. If you are pushing through brush on a slightly overgrown trail, or butt sliding down a steep section, the less that can catch on things the better.
