Outdoors · Hiking
Everything you need to prepare for a comfortable and safe hike.
Most hiking discomfort comes from a short list of things: footwear that does not fit, too little water, and no plan for the weather turning. Sort those three out and almost everything else is optional.
The list below is split into what you should not leave without, what makes a long day noticeably better, and what you additionally need if you are staying out overnight. Tick off what you already own — most people find they are further along than they expected.
Bring these on any hike, however short the route looks.
Grippy, stable footwear keeps you sure-footed on loose, wet or rocky ground, and it is the single biggest comfort difference on a long day out.
Why you need it. Grippy, stable footwear keeps you sure-footed on loose, wet or rocky ground, and it is the single biggest comfort difference on a long day out.
What to look for. A pair you have already walked in, with a lugged outsole. Low-cut is fine on maintained trails; mid-cut helps on uneven ground with a heavier pack.
A comfortable pack carries water, food, extra clothing and other essentials without pulling on your shoulders.
Why you need it. A comfortable pack carries water, food, extra clothing and other essentials without pulling on your shoulders.
What to look for. For many day hikes a lightweight 15–30 L pack is enough capacity without becoming unnecessarily bulky. A padded hip belt moves the weight onto your hips.
Dehydration is the quiet reason most days out start to feel hard. Carrying your own water means you never depend on finding a tap.
Why you need it. Dehydration is the quiet reason most days out start to feel hard. Carrying your own water means you never depend on finding a tap.
What to look for. Around 1 litre per person for a half-day, easy to drink from one-handed, and a shape that fits your pack's side pocket.
Signal drops and batteries die. Knowing where you are and where the route goes is what turns a wrong turn into a small detour.
Why you need it. Signal drops and batteries die. Knowing where you are and where the route goes is what turns a wrong turn into a small detour.
What to look for. A downloaded offline map or printed route, plus a basic compass. Check the route makes sense before you set off, not at the trailhead.
Blisters, grazes and headaches are the everyday injuries, and all of them are far more manageable with a small kit in the bag.
Why you need it. Blisters, grazes and headaches are the everyday injuries, and all of them are far more manageable with a small kit in the bag.
What to look for. Blister plasters, adhesive dressings, antiseptic wipes, painkillers and a bandage. Restock it after every trip rather than before the next one.
Weather turns faster than forecasts admit, and staying dry is how you stay warm.
Why you need it. Weather turns faster than forecasts admit, and staying dry is how you stay warm.
What to look for. A breathable waterproof shell that packs small enough that you actually carry it. A hood that adjusts is worth more than an extra layer.
Not strictly necessary, but each one earns its weight on a long day.
Poles take a real share of the load off your knees on long descents and give you two extra points of balance on loose ground.
Why you need it. Poles take a real share of the load off your knees on long descents and give you two extra points of balance on loose ground.
What to look for. Adjustable folding or telescopic poles that fit inside or onto your pack. Aluminium is tougher; carbon is lighter.
Glare off water, pale rock and snow is tiring and, high up, genuinely uncomfortable for hours afterwards.
Why you need it. Glare off water, pale rock and snow is tiring and, high up, genuinely uncomfortable for hours afterwards.
What to look for. Full UV protection and a wrap that keeps light out at the sides. A retaining cord saves them on windy ridges.
UV exposure climbs with altitude and reflects off water and snow, so thin cloud is no protection at all.
Why you need it. UV exposure climbs with altitude and reflects off water and snow, so thin cloud is no protection at all.
What to look for. SPF 30 or higher in a small tube you can reapply from. Add a lip balm with SPF — it is the spot everyone forgets.
Keeps a phone, GPS watch or headlamp alive on long days, and cold weather drains batteries much faster than you expect.
Why you need it. Keeps a phone, GPS watch or headlamp alive on long days, and cold weather drains batteries much faster than you expect.
What to look for. A 10,000 mAh unit is a sensible balance of capacity and weight for most trips. Bring the right cable — the bank alone is useless.
Hands-free light for a pre-dawn start, an unexpected late finish, or finding anything at all inside a tent.
Why you need it. Hands-free light for a pre-dawn start, an unexpected late finish, or finding anything at all inside a tent.
What to look for. A small lamp with a low mode for camp and a bright mode for walking, plus spare batteries or a charged battery pack.
Add these if you are sleeping out rather than walking home.
A dry, quick-pitch shelter is the backbone of any overnight trip and the difference between a rough night and a good one.
Why you need it. A dry, quick-pitch shelter is the backbone of any overnight trip and the difference between a rough night and a good one.
What to look for. A weatherproof tent you can pitch in under ten minutes, ideally once in the garden before you rely on it.
Sleeping warm is what makes the next morning's distance feel possible.
Why you need it. Sleeping warm is what makes the next morning's distance feel possible.
What to look for. A comfort rating a few degrees below the coldest night you expect. Down packs smaller; synthetic keeps working when damp.
Most overnight cold comes up from the ground, not down from the air. A pad insulates you from it.
Why you need it. Most overnight cold comes up from the ground, not down from the air. A pad insulates you from it.
What to look for. An insulated inflatable pad for weight, or a foam pad for durability and zero risk of punctures.
A hot meal and a warm drink do more for morale at the end of a wet day than any piece of gear.
Why you need it. A hot meal and a warm drink do more for morale at the end of a wet day than any piece of gear.
What to look for. A compact gas stove with a wind shield, and slightly more fuel than the trip calculation suggests.
