What to Put in Your Day Pack for Hiking

After thousands of miles of hiking in all kinds of conditions and landscapes, I have put together a finely tuned list of things that I take with me in my day pack EVERY TIME I ENTER THE WILD.  Don’t trust a weather report and don’t assume you can’t get lost or injured.  BE PREPARED!!!

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Day Pack Packing Checklist

If going into mountains with a chance of extreme temperature changes (MOST mountains except for in tropic zones), I’D RATHER BE PREPARED.  I learned the hard – and COLD – way that mountains can create their own weather, often unexpectedly.  I always bring things in case I am unexpectedly delayed, injured or the temps drop suddenly.

Here’s my go-to Day Pack Packing Checklist:

___ My backpack.  I bring my regular backpack when I’m in any real mountains and only use my smaller day packs when I am hiking in a more populated area where there’s not an issue that I could get help quickly.  With food and water, I’m carrying about twenty pounds(9kg).  SHOP HERE

___ Attached to my day pack is a Whistle and a Compass.  Then I pack a complete Emergency Kit.

___ Hiking poles.  I wrap about 2-3 feet of Duct Tape around my trekking poles.  Handy for many uses including blister care!  I like the Leiki brand, especially the cork handle and carbon fiber lightweight models.  SHOP HERE

___ Map.  It’s also good to “Pin” your location into Google Maps (or Apple maps) on your phone.  The maps can then work offline.  When in the mountains where cell service is dicey, put your phone in Airplane mode so it doesn’t use up all of your battery searching for service.  Then you’ll have juice in case of an emergency (often you can get service at the top of a mountain).  Be sure to let someone know where you’re hiking and when you expect to return.  Consider packing a Portable Power Pack.

Bring water in one or two non-BPA water bottles , consider a water bladder for exceptionally hot or long hikes, and pack an assortment of snacks.

___ Rain jacket  (rain pants AND waterproof rain gloves if in a cooler area EVEN IN SUMMER!!!).  SHOP HERE

___ Thermal puffy jacket ( you won’t often need it, when you do, you will be glad!  Buy a lightweight one and put it in a stuff sack)   SHOP HERE

___ Balaclava or wool ski hat 

___  Parachute cord or strong thin rope (15′)

___ Space blanket (use for heat in an emergency)  SHOP HERE

___ Mini butane lighter in case I need to start a fire

___ Small baggie with dryer lint mixed with Vasoline as a fire starter, or a few birthday candles

___ Small pocketknife 

___ Headlamp unless you are in a zone where the sun is hardly setting this time of year and you can wait it out   SHOP HERE

___ Mini bug spray

___ First Aid baggie with small antibiotic, alcohol wipes, mole skin or other bliser care, guaze patch, a few bandaids

___ At lease ONE compression sock in case you sprain an ankle

___ Baggie labeled “Trash” for used TP and my trash

___ Baggie with folded TP

___ Small container of Hand Sanitizer

___ Small scrap of ripstop fabric (about 16″ x 16″) that I sit on (chigger prevention:).  Your bandana can substitute, I like the ripstop because it’s waterproof.  You can get it online or at a fabric store.

___ Sunglasses + Sunscreen

___ Bandana (I actually roll and wrap around my wrist as a sweat rag).  There are many uses for a bandana, so always bring one (ie, water debris filter, bandage, container, and of course, a head scarf!)

Be sure to check out my Backpacking Packing List – in fact, ALL of my packing lists and travel planners with you.

You can get access to printer-friendly packing lists HERE.

NOTE: I only backpack when the temperatures are not supposed to drop below 40 degrees (4C), but hike prepared for 20 degrees (-6C), so my gear recommendations are for these parameters.

Get access to printer-friendly packing lists plus ALL of the Travel Planners for every adventure covered on the Active Travel Adventures podcast HERE.  You’ll also get our once a month newsletter with helpful travel tips.  No spam promise – Unsubscribe anytime.

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