The hiking trip where you stay for overnight camping is what is known as backpacking. Keep everything essential to your needs and pack your stuff in a backpack so everything stays with you.
It is a bit hard to draw out the essential items needed for a backpacking trip into the wilderness. This is because each individual is of a different opinion and not everything on a list you find online would be suited to every person. It’s a matter of personal choice as to what seems to be the best hiking gear to carry on a trip.
Backpackers can be differentiated into traditional backpackers, lightweight backpackers, and ultra-light thru-hikers, each has a different style of doing things.
The weight of a backpack includes everything in your gear excluding your food items, water, and fuel, and the duration of your hiking trip will decide how heavy or light your backpack will be.
Different types of backpacks:
Overnight Backpacks
The backpacks must be heavyweight, as the things to be carried along in your backpack are going to be plenty. Overnight backpacks are used for a multi-day hiking trip. Your tent, food, water, sleeping bag, and many other essential items can be stored in the overnight backpacks.
Day Hiking Backpacks
Day packs are used when overnight camping is not involved in your hiking trip. Other than that, for trekking day hiking backpacks are needed.
Make your packs waterproof
In most hiking trips, waterproof rain covers are carried to protect from possible rainfall, or trash compactor bags can be used to line the inside of the backpacks. This way even if your backpack is soaking wet externally, things inside will not be affected and remain dry.
Overnight shelters:
Overnight camping and spending the night in the wilderness would require a shelter that is capable of withstanding weather and is made out of good quality. There are three options available that would provide a good shelter for night stays.
Tents
Usually employed option by most people on their trips and is an essential part of the gear that is needed. You will need a spacious, lightweight, waterproof tent that is also not too difficult to set up.
Camping Hammocks
The hammock will keep you from staying on the ground, this way you won’t be dealing with bugs or even the wet soil of the ground. Not only that but these are the easiest to pack as well.
Sleeping bags
A sleeping bag is essential for a comfortable and peaceful sleep. You can find down sleeping bags in the market that are warmer as well as lighter to carry but could cost you more than the usual sleeping bags. Whereas the synthetic ones are affordable but could weigh more. In case of extremely cold weather, you should consider layering your sleeping bags to keep yourself warm in your sleep.
Kitchen essentials, food, and water:
There is no need to carry all the kitchen supplies to cook a meal for yourself. In the market, you can get a lightweight backpacker kitchen. You can cook simple dehydrated meals as it lets you boil water for cooking.
Camp Stove & Fuel
There are stoves along with its fuel available in the market that are made in a way that even if it’s windy there would be no difficulty in cooking your meals. These are pretty convenient to use.
When it comes to food items, a better option for you is to keep the food products that do not need refrigeration as well as are instantly cooked or might as well not require cooking at all. Such as bread, cereals, eggs, crackers, granola bars. Simple and easy-to-prepare meals are essential for your trip.
Plenty of food items you need would include snacks, energy bars, oatmeals, a mix of nuts, dried fruits, biscuits, etc. You’re on a trip to enjoy nature, not to cook heavy meals, also, it will be one hell of hard work required to cook without a properly set up kitchen.
Water
Water tops the list of the most essential items to carry on your trip, especially during hot, dry weather.
If you’re hiking for an hour you would require 0.5L of water and double if the weather is extremely hot. Keep reusable water bottles as these are lightweight.
Hydration reservoirs can be used for longer hikes as well, these are lightweight and can store 3 liters of water.
You must keep water filtration or water-treatment supplies if you lose your stored water and have to filter stream water to drink. You would find compact devices in the market.
Clothing:
It would be best for you to pick out clothing items depending on the weather you choose to go hiking. For chilly weather, you must wear warm clothes to keep yourself safe from the cold environment. In case of a sunny warm day, make sure you wear lightweight, sweat absorptive, and fast-drying clothes. Weather-appropriate clothing is essential and would make your hike comfortable.
Emergency and hygiene supplies
Small repair kit
Personal hygiene and emergency supplies:
Environmentally-friendly biodegradable soaps would be easy to carry as well as are safe options.
You would love to go swimming in the lakes and rivers so you would require towels that would dry out quickly.
Oral hygiene is important so you can keep bamboo toothbrushes that might not even need toothpaste. You can cut it in half to make it travel-friendly.
Repair kit for hiking
A small repair kit is important for every hiker to keep in his backpack. It would be essential to keep some easy repair supplies to make your hiking experience even better and carefree.
Essential items to be kept in your repair kit are; duct tape, a multi-tool or a knife, nylon cord, a tiny sewing kit, seam sealer, tent pole repair sleeve. There are some optional items as well that could be useful sometimes such as extra shoelaces, a stove repair kit, tenacious tape, extra batteries, and glue.
You will find a list of must-have items for your repair kit if you do your research. Let me help you right here by listing down the ten essentials that must be a part of your repair kit.
Multi-tool
Multi-tools are useful for numerous purposes. From cutting fruits or cheese to cordage, it is employed for every tiny thing that needs cutting. Screwdrivers are an essential need to tighten the trekking poles. While pliers can be used to pinch zippers together or grip lids. Scissors are one of the most important tools that need to be kept all the time.
Duct tape
Duct tapes can patch up literally anything. There are uncountable uses for it.
Zip ties
Fixes your backpack straps as well as acts as a substitute for broken shoe clips. It is a common item used at home.
P-cord
It is a multi-purpose tool for survival, definitely a must-have.
Side release buckles
The possibility for the use of such spare parts is higher than the actual item as they can be used for almost anything. Side-release buckles are important products that could be needed anytime at all.
Adhesive patches
Alternatively used in place of duct tape but with less mess.
Webbing straps
Extra webbing straps would never go wasted as they help you secure your gear even more strongly.
Needle and thread
Always an essential need for repairing torn clothes, broken buttons, etc.
Tent pole sleeves
Tent pole sleeves are always included with the backpacking tents. These help you keep your tent poles from breaking and the tent from falling as a result.
Stove repair kit
Though camp stoves are easy to repair, there must always be a stove repair kit in your hiking gear.
Additional items that you can keep might include trekking poles; that would keep you stable on an extremely steep trek, bug sprays; for hiking during summers, and bear sprays; if your hiking trail happens to be in a country where grizzly bears are found.
What to wear:
It is essential for you to wear clothes that are lightweight and allow free movement. Moisture-wicking underwear should be your choice. Similarly, moisture-wicking T-shirts and quick-drying pants or shorts must be your preference. To keep yourself from sunburns and bug bites, keep a long-sleeve shirt. The nights could be a little cold so keep a lightweight fleece or a jacket that would keep you warm.
Boots and shoes must be suitable for the terrain. Comfortable, lightweight boots or shoes are to be preferred by you because you would be moving most of the day so the need for such footwear that is comfortable, light, and waterproof or rainproof is needed. Do not forget to wear synthetic or woolen socks along with the boots to provide you with extra comfort.
You can keep extra clothes mostly for layering if needed. You can carry additional accessories such as a pee rag because the chances of the availability of toilets are low on your hiking track. The trails are usually sunny so it would be smart of you to carry a sun hat and sunscreen as well. Talking about hats, rain hats must also be kept just in case. One must keep packable rain gear as a caution. You don’t want to be soaking wet in the rain now. Headlamps and flashlights must always be kept with you for nighttime in particular.
Navigation:
It would be smart to carry maps, guidebooks, and route descriptions to keep yourself from getting lost. Since modern-day technology has made things easy, GPS, watch, and traditional compass must also be used for the purpose of staying on track. A satellite messenger/personal locator beacon will make sure to find you in case you lose your way.
Emergency & First Aid
First-aid kits are extremely important as there might be minimal cuts and bruises involved. Must keep a whistle as well to indicate your presence or to get someone’s attention who is a little distant from you.
To get the fire started, you must keep a lighter or matchbox. Or you can get yourself a Firestarter kit to make things easier.
Health & Hygiene
Extra care has to be taken while you’re out on the hiking track as you’re open to every kind of bacteria and germ. Hand sanitizers, sanitation trowel, toilet paper, or wipes in sealable bags, must be with you.
Moreover, toothbrushes and toothpaste are important as oral hygiene is essential. Women must not forget to carry menstrual products with them, so they can’t risk things and ruin their trip.
Lastly, some prescription medications should be carried as well to ensure you are not stranded without proper medication if needed.
Sun protection:
No one likes to be sunburned, so it’s important to have a pair of sunglasses with you, sunscreens are always extremely essential products.
Lip balms rated SPF are recommended as well.
Personal Items
You must keep your personal items like you always do. Permits, if they are needed for some particular track, must be a priority. Your credit cards, as well as cash, can be required to be used on any occasion on your trip. Your car keys, and your cellphone in case of an emergency must be with you. Do not forget your ID because it might be handy if there is a problem.
What are 5 things you should always pack with you when you go for a hike?
- Tent or shelter.
- No refrigeration food items, but lots of food.
- A repair kit.
- Hiking boots and hiking backpack.
- Clothes for layering and rain protection.
What should you not bring to backpacking trips?
Heavyweight kitchen items, clothes that are useless for hiking, such as silk, denim, etc, additional food products that need a proper kitchen set up to be cooked or need refrigeration, expensive items that you can’t afford to lose, extra of anything at all.
Should I wear deodorant while hiking?
You shouldn’t. It will only attract bugs and insects.
Can you pee on hiking trails?
Yes. you must pee on rocks and gravel away from the plants