If you’re wondering what to pack for a long hike, look no further. Here is a list of my top items I never go hiking without.
7 Items I Never Go Hiking Without
Hiking with the right gear can make a world of difference while out on the trail. Longer hikes and adding mileage to your hike opens up a world of possibilities. If you’re wondering what to bring with you as you start going longer distances, you’ve come to the right place. With so much to explore, I’m sharing my top 7 items to bring on a long hike that make for a safe and enjoyable experience.
Snacks
If you are putting in long miles, you’ll want plenty of snacks for the trail. High energy snacks I tend to reach for are Clif Bars, beef jerky, trail mix, and dried fruit. Check out this post about my favorite hiking snacks from Trader Joes.
First Aid Kit
Safety first! Whenever heading out on a long hike, I like to include my light weight first aid kit. This ultralight adventure medical kit can save you in a pinch, whether its a tweaked muscle, headache, cut, scrape or bug bite. This one is waterproof and light weight, coming in at just over 3.5oz.
Water Filter
The most important thing for longer hikes is having enough water. If you know you’ll be hiking in areas with water, like to a lake or along a stream bed, the Katadyn BeFree Water Filter is an incredibly easy and convenient system to filter water. The more weight you can keep off your back, the better. This water filter is powered by “squeeze”. Rather than a traditional water filter with a pump, the BeFree filters water through a cap filter, allowing you to squeeze as you drink or filter fresh mountain water into a hydration pack to drink on the trail. Just trust me on this one – you can find a lot of less expensive filters out there. But the ease, weight, and flow rate of the BeFree can’t be beat.
Hydration Pack
A hydration pack is a worthy investment for any active sport. It’s the easiest way to transport water, often has extra pockets for snacks, gear, and other supplies. This Patagonia Altvia Pack is lightweight, durable, and water repellent, plus it looks really cool. If you are looking for a less expensive option, I also really like the the Camelbak Hydrobak Light.
Sun Screen
If I know you’ll be on the trail for a while, I always try to bring sun protection. Apply your sunscreen in advance and plan to pack a light-weight sunscreen.
Hat
Embracing hats. In this tutorial, I’ll be teaching you my step by step guide to… Just kidding. If hats have never been your thing, I get it, I’ve been there. They look cute on the shelf but just don’t feel right when they’re on your head. You still might want to consider adopting the style for hiking, especially warm weather, high elevation hikes. My husband always reaches for a baseball cap, while I prefer the bucket hat for style and additional protection on my face and neck.
Body Glide
If there’s one thing I know about longer mileage, it’s that chafing sucks. Make that mistake once and you bet your bottom dollar (literally) that you’ll do everything in your power to have it never happen again. Body glide looks like deodorant, but you rub it everywhere you don’t want other things to rub. Great for where your backpack sits on your shoulders, underarms, waist, etc. Also shamelessly great for between the legs and bum cheeks too.
And there you have it! My 7 items I never go hiking without! Am I missing anything? Let me know In the comments.