Our Top Hiking Essentials

Warmer weather means more opportunities to get outdoors and explore the areas around you! In the last couple of years we have grown to love getting out on hikes no matter how long or short. It’s an opportunity to get some fresh air, put down our phones and computers, move our bodies, and see some amazing places! A hike is always more enjoyable if you have the right gear with you so here are our top hiking essentials!

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. This means at no additional cost to you, we will earn a commission if you click through a link and make a purchase. This post may also contain other affiliate links and non-affiliate links to products and websites.

Hiking Shoes

It sounds dramatic but hiking shoes will absolutely impact how comfortable or uncomfortable you are while hiking. Wearing a bad pair of hiking shoes is going to hurt your feet and make you want to turn around. As well wearing a pair that isn’t broken in yet can also be really painful. Hiking shoes provide the sole of your foot with more protection while walking on dirt, gravel, rocks and generally uneven surfaces. The sole is usually harder than say a pair of tennis shoes.

There are so many different options for hiking shoes. Hiking boots come up higher giving you more ankle support or lower hiking shoes which come up right at your ankle. Something like trail runners is another option that’s more of a hybrid between a pair of sneakers and hiking shoes although they definitely won’t give you quite as much support as hiking shoes or boots.

It’s really up to personal preference! Some people love hiking boots for the additional support while some people hike in sandals like Chacos and have no problem. We went to REI and tried on a few different companies and styles of hiking shoes. It’s good to try on a few different kinds of pairs to see which one you prefer.

I have the Merrell Moab 2 WP and love them! They took no time to break in which was really nice and are so comfortable. They have enough support to hike over uneven rocks without it killing the bottom of my feet. Dave has this Merrell pair which is pretty much just the mens version of mine and also loves them.

Hiking Socks

We both love Darn Tough hiking socks! They are really nice quality and have a lifetime guarantee. They come in a variety of styles and colors depending on how low or high you want them to come up your leg as well as how thin or thick you’re looking for. I have 2 pairs of these and Dave has 2 pairs of these ones. We wear them multiple times and they don’t smell which is an added bonus for us!

Read More: 4 Hikes To Do in Sedona, Arizona

Backpacks

We’re in the mindset that we want to make sure we have everything we need in case it gets dark or the hike takes longer or something happens while out on the trail. While we see people hiking with nothing we feel a lot better knowing we have a few things with us just in case. That doesn’t mean you need to bring a tent and sleeping bag every time you do a hike but just a few items in case things don’t go according to plan.

I have this Kelty Redwing 40L backpack. It’s the same backpack I used when we were traveling internationally. It’s a little big for just a day hike but it’s really comfortable to wear because of the hip supports. I also like knowing that I always have extra room in my bag and don’t have to worry about space. Dave has this Kelty Redwing 44L which he also used while we were abroad and is just slightly bigger than mine.

If you’re planning to do any longer hikes you definitely want a backpack that has a hip belt so the weight of the backpack sits on your hips and not on your shoulders and back. It might seem fine at the beginning but after a while all that weight will start to hurt your back and make you significantly more uncomfortable. You also want to make sure it has at least 1 water bottle pocket if not 2 so that you have a designated place for your water bottle that’s accessible to grab while you’re hiking.

A 20-30 liter backpack like one is likely perfect for just taking on day hikes. This one is also nice because it’s packs up small when you’re not using it!

Leggings

I always hike in leggings because it protects my legs. You never know what small critters are nearby or plants such as cacti that can get you if you want close by. It’s also nice when it’s especially dusty or windy. I usually hike in these leggings or these are a less expensive option that I’ve been wearing a lot lately.

Dave usually hikes in these shorts because they have pockets which he likes for the camera lens cap or his phone. If it’s colder he usually wears joggers because they also have pockets and don’t get ruined when hiking and sweating.

Warm Layer

We both always bring a warm layer when leaving for a hike even if it’s warm outside. I usually bring this fleece because it’s warm but also comfortable to wear while hiking because I can zip it up all the way or leave it upzipped. Dave usually brings this zip up because it’s really thin but still a good material for being active.

Read More: Ultimate Road Trip Packing List

Rain Jacket and/or Poncho

Even if the weather forecast isn’t calling for rain it’s always a good idea to toss a rain jacket in your bag just in case. You don’t want to get a few miles into a hike for it to start pouring down on you with no rain layer. I have this rain jacket and Dave has this one. His is actually a lot nicer than mine because it packs into a really small bag that makes it convenient to store.

If you don’t want to bring a rain jacket consider bringing a poncho instead. They are really cheap (usually only a few dollars) and are really small to toss in your backpack. But if it does start raining it will still keep you dry!
We each have a poncho in our hiking backpacks all the time. We’ve never used them but in a pinch they could protect us and our backpacks from getting soaked.

Things to bring in your bag:

Now that we’ve covered the basics there are a few things that we always bring in our bag when we’re going on a hike. Some of these we use every time we’re on a hike and some of them are more in case of an emergency.

Sunscreen & Bug Spray

I like to put sunscreen on before we leave because I think it’s easier. But we always bring it with us too just in case it’s a really sunny trail. We also always have a few of these bug spray wipes with us in case the bugs are really bad. They are so small to store and because they’re a wipe we don’t worry about it leaking inside our bags. Plus the wipes are really easy to apply if it’s windy or there are people close by.

Water Bottle

Don’t leave for a hike with no water! Even if it’s only a half mile trail in the shade you still don’t want to leave for a hike with absolutely no water. We usually bring at least 2 water bottles each and don’t have a problem with running out. We were actually at the summit of a hike the other day where a couple was talking about how they only had a little bit of water left. So they were drinking small amounts in order to not run out before getting back to their car. You don’t want to run out and then be dehydrated!

I like this one because the top makes it easy to drink while hiking so you don’t have to stop and take a drink. Dave like this Nalgene bottle because it’s larger and he drinks a lot of water while hiking.

Portable Battery

We both try to always make sure our phones are fully charged before we leave for a hike. Even if we don’t have service we both like to take pictures and videos while we’re hiking. I bring this small portable battery just in case my phone dies and we’re not quite done with the hike yet. Dave has this larger one which could charge both of our phones if necessary.

You can get a portable battery in a variety of sizes and it’s probably something you already own!

First Aid Kit

This doesn’t have to be super fancy or heavy. It can just be a few items in a plastic bag for emergencies only. We always bring a first aid kit when we go for a hike. We’ve never actually needed anything from it while hiking but we still choose to bring it every time. Ours is in one of these packing cubes so that it’s easy to put inside our hiking backpacks when we’re getting ready to leave.

Some of the items in our hiking first aid kit are

Bandaids and butterfly bandaids

Mole skin (for blisters)
Gauze and athletic tape
Neosporin

Alcohol wipes
Tweezers and nail clippers
Medicine (ibuprofen, Tylenol)

Headlamp

While a headlamp might sound silly it is seriously so helpful! When you need a light source but also need to use your hands to do something it can be so hard to use your phone. If you’re hiking in the afternoon you might want to bring a headlamp in case the hike takes longer than expected or you spend a while at the top enjoying the views. It’s infinitely harder to hike in the dark especially if you can’t quite see in front of you.

Snacks

Some of our favorite hiking snacks are these fig bars, peanut butter crackers, and apple slices. Before we leave I will peel and slice an apple and throw it in this reusable container to bring with us. Sometimes if it’s a longer hike we’ll pack sandwiches to eat at the top. Something like peanut butter and jelly or turkey are good options that can stay in your backpack for a little while but are also easy to eat.

Camera

You know we love taking pictures so we never leave for a hike without our camera. We have the Sony A7iii and love it. Dave uses this clip to hold the camera on the strap of his backpack while we’re hiking. It’s a lot more comfortable than wearing it on the neck strap especially on a longer hike. Just to be safe we also bring a dry bag for the camera and camera accessaries in case the weather dramatically changes while we’re still out.

Sunglasses

Emergency Toilet Paper

You don’t want to find yourself needing to go and with no toilet paper. Always make sure to pack it in and pack it out! We have a plastic bag with some emergency toilet paper and a second plastic bag to put the toilet paper if we need to use it. We always see so much used toilet paper on the ground on trails and it makes us so sad! Remember to always leave no trace so we can all enjoy the trails!

Chapstick with SPF

This one is really good because it has SPF in it so your lips don’t get sunburnt while hiking!