Hiking Essentials for Any Hike

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Boots laced, bag packed, snacks secured, and we’re off! After years of choosing trails outside my abilities and going unprepared, I finally learned the tricks for picking the right hike and the items necessary to bring along. This list of hiking essentials is all you need for any hike you want to take on.

Lesson Learned

So, you just discovered hiking and want to experience more of the wilderness that is only accessible by walking, but you don’t know where to begin? Don’t worry, that was me just a few years ago. Even though I had gone on hikes before and grew up going on nature walks, I usually ended up hating my time on the trail. It wasn’t until I met my partner that I realized why it was such a struggle.

The very first hike he took me on, I showed up with an old, small backpack, hiking boots that were way too big, no snacks, and not nearly enough water. It was a testament to all of my past hikes. Thankfully, he brought snacks for both of us, water to share, and knowledge that enlightened me.

Although the hike to the top was a struggle, it was worth every breathless step. I couldn’t wait for our next hike, but this meant I needed to up my game with my hiking gear. Over the past two years, I have built up my hiking arsenal so I have the essentials for every hike, and now, I’m going to share that list with you!

How To Pick The Best Trail: A Step-By-Step Guide

Step 1
Pick your destination. Probably one of the most obvious steps, but it is most often overlooked. Are you hiking near home or at your travel destination? Are you looking for something specific (i.e., waterfall, lake, peak summit, etc.)?
Step 2
Know your ability level. You know yourself best, so choose a hike that suits your abilities. If you are new to hiking and/or aren’t as active, then choose an easier, shorter, lower-elevation hike.
Step 3
Pick a hike. Apps like AllTrails and Strava are great tools for hiking research. You can view hike stats (mileage and elevation gain/loss), driving directions, trail reviews, weather, etc.
Step 4
Pack your bag. Make sure you bring all of the essential items needed for your next adventure and head on to the trailhead.

The Things Inside: What’s In My Bag?

General Hiking Essentials
Backpack: a good backpack is crucial. It allows you to keep your hands free, holds all of your items, and ensures no back pain. My backpack is compact and has enough space for everything I need, but for longer day hikes, my partner swears by Osprey.
Hiking Boots: when you are hiking, you’re walking on uneven surfaces, so hiking boots are a must. Whether you opt for ankle support or not, my Columbia’s have never let me down.
Trekking Poles: these are helpful for steep trails, as they offer support and also give you a mini arm workout in the process.
Water Bottles: I like to bring my lock-top Nalgene water bottles for my electrolyte water, which is essential for hiking days, and just keep them in the outer pockets for easy access.
Water Bladder: this is great to keep filled in your backpack for more water and for effortless drinking.
Water Filter: this comes in handy if you run out of water, but have a stream nearby that you can filter water from.

First Aid Essentials
You can either buy this premade first aid kit, or you can build your own using this list of essential items.
Band-Aids: whether you get a cut or a splinter, these are the best thing you could use to cover the area.
Cleansing Wipes: to prevent infection, use a cleansing wipe on the area before wrapping with a bandage.
Antibiotic Ointment: keep the wound clean and moist with a good antibiotic ointment.
Q-Tips: these can be used to clean an area or to wipe up excess blood.
Gauze Pads: clean up excess blood or use to stop bleeding of wounds.
Gloves: keep your hands and the wound clean by using gloves.
Hand Sanitizer: this is ideal to use for cleaning your hands before and after caring for the injury. It also comes in handy to sanitize the wound.
Ace Bandage Wrap: rolled ankles, sprained wrists, injured knees – an ace bandage is all you need.
Blister Pads: long hiking days can cause blisters, so keep some blister pads in your first-aid kit to stay comfortable.
Tweezers: whether you get a splinter or thorn stuck in you, you can use tweezers to remove it.
Scissors: keep these in your first-aid kit to adjust bandage sizes and more.
Needle: a needle or safety pin is an easy way to remove splinters or help keep the ace bandage in place.
Pain Reliever: sore muscles or in case of emergency, pain relief medications come in handy.
Burn Relief: burns can happen, even on the trail, so keep some burn relief cream with you.
Sting Relief: you will encounter critters while out hiking, and may get stung, so it’s best to keep something to provide relief in your first-aid kit.

first aid kit with emergency blanket, safety pins, scissors, tweezers, bandages, gloves, and cleansing wipes — in case of emergency

Weather Essentials

girl on a glacier wearing a purple rain jacket — me in my Columbia rain jacket

Sunscreen: make sure your skin is protected against harmful UV rays with this sunscreen.
Sunhat: this gives your face another form of protection from the sun.
Microspikes: these have saved my life more than once on snowy, icy trails, so my microspikes live in my backpack year-round.
Rain Jacket: rainstorms can happen anytime when you’re on the trail, so stay dry and warm with a fleece-lined rain jacket.
Puffer Jacket: the weather in mountain areas can change at any moment, and temperatures can be cooler than lower elevations, so keep a puffer jacket with you to stay warm.
Gloves: hands are one of the first parts of our bodies that get cold, so keep them warm with gloves in the colder temperatures.

Clothing Essentials
Sunshirts: these long-sleeve UV tops protect you from the sun and keep you cool.
Cargo Pants: perfect for any hike; wear them as pants or turn them into shorts when the weather warms up, and stay dry thanks to their waterproof feature.
Wool Socks: keep your feet dry and blister-free. My favorite brand is SmartWool because they come in fun designs and in different activity levels.

smartwool socks — hike all day in comfort and style

Miscellaneous Essentials
Bug Spray: when you are outside, there is no escaping bugs. Bug spray will keep you safe from their bites.
Bear Spray: you may not always be hiking in bear country, but it never hurts to keep bear spray handy as a form of protection.
Poncho: you can use this rain poncho in conjunction with your rain jacket as an extra layer or even as an emergency shelter.
Emergency Blanket: stay warm in a pinch with an emergency blanket.
Hand Warmers: these keep your hands/body warm for up to 15 hours.
Binoculars: I never leave home without these because they are great for wildlife spotting.
Headlamp: it’s better safe than sorry to bring a headlamp in case you are hiking in the dark.
Battery Pack: you never want to be on the trail with a dead phone, so bring along a power bank to keep your phone fully charged.

Know Before You Go

Be Aware of the Weather Conditions
Be sure to check the weather at your hiking location before you depart. Some hikes are in areas that don’t receive cell service, so checking the weather before leaving is crucial. Weather can change in an instant, so it is best to be prepared for all types of weather.
Review Trail Conditions
Trails can close unexpectedly due to rockslides, snow, mudslides, fire, etc. They can also have different weather patterns than the area you are currently in. So, read the most recent reviews for the trail either on AllTrails or Strava to ensure it’s accessible and check its conditions.

My Top Hiking Tips

Follow “Leave No Trace” Principles. There are seven principles in total, and they are as follows: plan ahead and prepare, travel and camp on durable surfaces, dispose of waste properly, leave what you find, minimize campfire impacts, respect wildlife, and be considerate of other visitors. Read here for more information.
Download offline maps. When in the backcountry, there is no guarantee of cell service, so ensure you have driving directions and the trail map predownloaded.
Tell people where you are headed. For your safety, keep people posted on where you will be going, who you will be going with, and how long you intend to be out.
Stay hydrated. Hydration is key while hiking because you may sweat more than normal. So pack some electrolytes, bring more water than you think you need, and pack a water filter as backup.
Don’t forget snacks. Hiking requires a lot of energy, so keep some high-protein snacks with you at all times.

And there you have it! The perfect recipe on how to plan for your next hiking excursion, with the must-haves to bring.

Below you will find free printable lists you can use for your next hike. And, if you are looking for more hiking resources, visit my resource page for more items that might suit your needs.

Happy trails!

Must-Haves for Hiking Prefilled PDF Download

Must-Haves for Hiking Blank PDF Download