The 10 Essentials for Hiking and Backpacking
If you Google “10 essentials” and “hiking,” the lists you find will vary. Most of the discrepancies are due to the way the items are categorized. The lists also differ between day hiking and overnight backpacking.
I firmly believe that some hiking conditions require items not on the standard 10 Essentials lists. For example, trekking poles and crampons are essential on icy trails.
Below is my list of 10 Essentials for backpacking, categorized in the way that I think makes the most sense. Remember, some hiking conditions may require items not on this list.
10 Essentials
Navigation and Emergency Communication
Always carry a paper map and compass and know how to use them, even if you have an electronic navigation device. Laminate your map or keep it in a Ziploc bag so it doesn’t get soaked.
A personal locator beacon (PLB), satellite messenger, or hiking GPS with personal location capability should be considered essential. Realistically, many hikers can’t afford the high cost of such a device and its monthly subscription. One solution is to use the iPhone 14 or a later iPhone model. Although I haven’t tried one, Apple claims they can connect directly to satellites to provide PLB functions.
At least carry a mobile phone, preferably with an auxiliary battery and cable. In an emergency, you might be able to connect to a cell tower if you’re lucky. You’re more likely to succeed on a mountaintop. Keep your phone in airplane and low-power modes with low screen brightness.
You can use a phone app such as Google Maps to download maps ahead of time and use them for offline navigation where there is no cell service. However, these phone apps won’t provide the safety features of a PLB or satellite messenger.
The following phone apps are affordable and allow you to download maps of popular hiking trails for offline navigation:
- Gaia GPS (for ios, android)
- AllTrails (for ios, android)
- ViewRanger Skyline (for ios, android)
- Backcountry Navigator (for Android)
- Motion X GPS (for ios)
If you are bushwacking, I recommend fluorescent orange trail marking ribbon. If you get lost, you can use it to mark your path and backtrack if necessary.
I also recommend a whistle and signal mirror in case you get lost or injured.
Illumination
Carry a headlamp or flashlight even if you don’t plan to hike in the dark. A two-hour day hike can unexpectedly turn into a night hike if you make a wrong turn on the trail.
Many hikers underestimate their hiking time. Many are delayed because they become fatigued, develop a blister, twist their ankle, explore a side trail, pick berries, or linger on a mountaintop with a panoramic view. I’ve seen hikers stumbling blindly down a dangerous mountain trail in the dark because they couldn’t tear themselves away from a stunning summit view before sunset. I once shared my headlamp with hikers because I feared they would get lost in the dark.
A headlamp is best as it leaves your hands free. Carry extra batteries as a backup.
Sun Protection
Sun protection is essential, even on cloudy days, regardless of temperature. Some people mistakenly assume that sunscreen is less important on cold days, but temperature is irrelevant.
Sun protection is especially important at high elevations, where UV levels are high. It’s also important when hiking on snow cover or along lakes, as these increase UV levels.
Sunscreen is essential for all hikes. It should be unscented so as not to attract bears. Badger 50 Sunscreen is unscented and comes in a backpack-friendly container.
A wide-brimmed sun hat is also highly recommended. It’s essential if you’re bald.
I recommend a long-sleeved shirt and long pants, even on hot days. You can wear a light, moisture-wicking, long-sleeved sun shirt and thin, breathable synthetic hiking pants. Pants and long-sleeved shirts also protect you from poison ivy, nettles, and mosquitoes. You can treat them with permethrin to protect against ticks.
Sunglasses may not always be essential, but they’re highly recommended. They’re absolutely essential for hiking on snow cover or along lakes. Snow blindness is no joke. I’ve experienced it after skiing for a day without sunglasses. I spent the entire next day lying in my hotel room in pain, unable to see, and it took several days to recover completely. If that had happened to me in the backcountry, I would have been helpless.
First Aid Supplies
You can buy a commercial pre-made first aid kit, but you might already have some supplies at home. You can pack them in a large, thick Ziplock freezer bag.
I consider the following items to be essential:
- Antiseptic wipes
- Antibacterial ointment
- Assorted adhesive bandages
- Gauze pads
- Medical adhesive tape
- Hydrogel pads for burns
- Moleskin
- Blister bandages (aka blister pads or blister cushions)
- Elastic bandage (ACE, etc.)
- Ankle brace
- Ibuprofen
- Tweezers
- Hand sanitizer (use it before eating and after pooping to prevent illness)
- Soap
- Antihistamine for allergic reactions if applicable
- Epi-pen if applicable
Shelter (and Sleep System If Backpacking)
In the deep backcountry, it’s wise to carry a shelter even if you are only doing a day hike. You never know when you might encounter a sudden storm or become lost, sick, or injured. If a tent is too heavy for a day hike, carry nylon cord and a light tarp that has grommets. An emergency bivy like the SOL Emergency Bivy is also lightweight and inexpensive. At least carry a reflective mylar space blanket.
If you’re backpacking overnight, it goes without saying that you’ll need an appropriate shelter, a sleeping bag with an appropriate temperature rating, and a sleeping pad with an appropriate R-value.
If you’re taking a short hike from your backpacking base camp, bring your shelter, sleep system, water, food, first-aid kit, and other necessary survival supplies in case of an emergency.
For details, see:
Learn about Tents for Backpacking
Knife (or Multi-tool) and Gear Repair Kit
- Knife or multi-tool
- Nylon cord (paracord)
- Gear Aid Tenacious Tape or duct tape
- Tent pole splint (aka repair sleeve)
- If using an inflatable sleeping pad: proprietary repair kit (if available) or Gear Aid Tenacious Tape and Gear Aid Seam Grip
- A sewing repair kit is recommended
Water and Water-treatment System
A common word-of-mouth rule among backpackers is to carry 1 liter of water for every 5 miles or 2 hours of hiking.
On a mountain climb, I once had to share my water with a dehydrated hiker who wasn’t carrying any of her own. After I had struggled to carry my water up a steep, 3,300-foot climb, I had to say goodbye to half of it and ration the rest. Don’t be a water parasite—carry enough water!
Before you leave for your hike, research where water sources are located on the trail. Make sure they haven’t dried up if they are seasonal. Research whether the water is safe to drink. Even remote public lands can be contaminated with toxic substances from past petroleum extraction, mining operations, or chemical spills. Water treatment methods such as boiling, filtration, and chemical disinfectants don’t remove such substances.
Never assume that water is safe to drink untreated. Even the most clear and pristine streams flowing directly from mountain snowmelt may be contaminated with pathogenic bacteria or parasites from animal feces. That’s why Giardia is called “beaver fever.”
Running water is safer than stagnant water. Avoid collecting water near human and animal activity.
For details, see:
Firestarter
I’m including this item because it’s on most 10 Essentials lists, but I’m not sure how useful it is in practice.
If you become lost for days in the deep backcountry, fire would be useful for sending SOS smoke signals, sterilizing water, drying clothes, and cooking critters for food. However, fire is not a reliable means of staying warm–that’s the job of your clothes, shelter, and sleep system. Often, no dry firewood is available, and it’s hard to build a fire in pouring rain. As for SOS signals, a whistle and signal mirror could serve this purpose but aren’t included on most 10-essentials lists.
Means for starting a fire include:
- Waterproof matches in a waterproof container
- Butane lighter
- Fire striker rod
- Flint striker
- Tinder
- Lint from a clothes dryer
- Cotton balls saturated with petroleum jelly
- Commercial fire-starting material
Some 10 Essentials lists include a backpacking stove in this category. It’s certainly smart to carry one as a backup water-treatment system in case your primary system fails.
See also:
Adequate Clothing and Footwear
This is one of the most important items on the list, but I won’t go into detail here since the appropriate clothing and footwear depends on the weather and terrain.
For details, see:
Food (and Animal-proof Storage If Needed)
Carry 2,500 to 4,500 calories per person per day of lightweight, compact, non-perishable food. Bring a little extra in case of emergency.
Although cooked meals are enjoyable, they aren’t necessary. I sometimes hike for three days without a cooked meal.
Freeze-dried food is expensive. It can save weight, but only if there is a water source at your campsite.
Some more affordable alternatives:
- Idahoan Instant Mashed Potatoes
- Starkist tuna or chicken pouches
- Starkist Smart Bowls
- Instant ramen
- Instant couscous
- Instant oatmeal packets
- Instant mac and cheese
- Knorr Pasta Sides
- Hormel Completes
- Ben’s Original Street Food
Instant mac and cheese and Knorr Pasta Sides require longer boiling times and more stove fuel, but you can cook them over a fire in a cheap Stanco grease container with a cheap aluminum pot gripper.
Effective bear-hangs are difficult, time-consuming, and not always possible. A better option is a bear canister. Some national parks require them. They make great stools to sit on.
Even if there are no bears, you’ll need to protect your food from rodents, which can cause a deadly hantavirus infection. If you store your food in your expensive tent, rodents may chew holes in it while you are sleeping (food makes them bold!). They can also chew through thick plastic containers. You can hang your food from a tree branch, although mice might be able to climb down the cord. For protection against rodents and raccoons, I store my food in an empty one-gallon paint can from a local hardware store. It’s much cheaper and lighter than a bear canister. Don’t let your food contact the can’s inner coating–it may be toxic.