Back in May 2017, I did a rim-to-rim-to-rim hike of the Grand Canyon. I was astonished to see so many day hikers inside the canyon carrying absolutely NOTHING!! No bottle of water. No daypack. Nothing but the cotton t-shirts, cargo shorts, and athletic shoes they were wearing.
Seriously?!? It’s 100+ degrees outside people. In a very harsh and unforgiving environment. What are you thinking?
Are my expectations too high?
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not an advocate of overpacking. Nor do I want everyone on trail to look like a Patagonia ad. But, I think it’s completely foolish to go out for a hike that takes you into the wilderness or miles away from a trailhead without even a bottle of water.
The past two months, I’ve gone hiking nearly every day. And time and time again, I’ve come across this same phenomena of unpreparedness. I wonder how these folks can possibly expect to avoid disaster on the trail?
Carrying the essentials
When I go hiking for more than an hour, I strongly believe in carrying a daypack. I’m not the only one trying to preaching this message either. The American Hiking Society’s list of 10 essential items is HERE.
So without further ado, here’s what I choose carry on my day hikes. While I don’t even pretend my personal set up is the gold standard, I sure feel better to be somewhat prepared.
My daypack and its standard contents
(Note: these are not listed in order of importance; it’s just how I numbered them in the photo layout)
(1) Daypack – After a lot of trial and error with day packs, I settled on the Cotopaxi Batac 16L. It’s big enough to fit all my essentials, but small enough to deter me from overpacking. No two Cotopaxi bags are alike because they often use remnants of material when making them. This makes it easy to tell my pack apart from others, and the material makes me visible to other hikers on trail. (Keith opts for the Osprey Kestrel 28L and Finn carries his water bottle sling by Chicobag).
(2) 1L Dry Sack – I use this small dry bag to store my keys and wallet. (I always carry ID because I never want to become the “unidentified hiker” if tragedy strikes). Why do I carry two dry sacks? It’s because I worry that putting these valuables in my larger dry sack could result in accidentally losing them. Let’s say I was trying to pull out an extra shirt or jacket as the rain was coming in, and my keys fell out without me noticing. That would be a devastating discovery at the end of my hike. So for my own piece of mind, I keep these items in a separate bag than my other items. You don’t need anything this fancy though. A quart-sized plastic baggie would work too.
(3) 13L Dry Sack – I use the larger dry sack as a liner inside my daypack. Anything I want to keep dry – from extra socks, gloves, or an extra shirt – goes in here. There is no set list of items I pack in here. It all depends on the weather forecast, time of year, and how long I plan to be out on trail. This size bag is pretty much big enough for anything I might need to keep dry, but still small enough to fit in my pack.
(4) Rain jacket – I carry my Patagonia rain jacket on about 80% of my hikes. It’s super lightweight and packs down into the size of a tennis ball. Even if there isn’t rain in the forecast, I find having an extra layer for cold or wind is usually a smart thing.
(5) Mosquito head net – A head net is a relatively new addition to my day pack after our hiking trips into the Porcupine Mountains. The bugs were so horrible there, I was going nuts. This net weighs hardly anything at all, and it can double as an extra sack to hold any wet items or my trash, if needed.
(6) Snacks – I always have some food for the trail, just in case. You never know when you might get lost (or when your 11 year old “hiking partner” is going to start whining about how far you have to walk until you get back to the car). My go-to hiking snack is a peanut butter granola bars, gummy bears, or suckers. Each item stands up well to inclement weather, and it will give you that little boost of energy you might need.
(7) Phone – I don’t tend to call or text on the trail. But you may need to use it to call for help in an emergency. Today’s smart phones serve so many other purposes too. I use mine as a camera to take pictures. There’s also a compass App If you need it. Plus, on those occasions when I don’t bring a map on my hike, I will usually take a photo of my intended route on my phone so I can refer to it, as needed. If you decide to bring your phone with you on the trail, it’s definitely worth getting a waterproof case for it (or at least putting it in your dry bag when you’re not using it).
(8) Body glide – This isn’t an essential item for everyone. But like the mosquito net, it can make your hike incredibly more comfortable when you do need it. I carry a mini body glide to help out on those occasions when I get a hot spot on my feet or if there’s a piece of damp clothing that’s creating a rash.
(9) First Aid kit – This is the ultimate “I hope I don’t need it item” that you will be so grateful you carried. My first aid kit is very compact, and I emptied it out of all the pre-loaded items so I could personalize it for what I need on trail. Mine has 15 bandages of different sizes, 2 blister pouches, a little bit of athletic tape, mini scissors, a few alcohol wipes, Neosporin, a safety pin (to pop blisters), and an ace bandage.
(10) Hand sanitizer (travel size) – If I’m going to eat on the trail, I want to make sure I’m not consuming tree sap, dirt, or other debris from the trail. Plus, if you need to go ‘talk to a tree’ (our family’s euphemism for using the bathroom in the great outdoors), this is always a good idea.
(11) Sunscreen (travel size) – Sometimes you start out a hike and it’s cloudy and overcast. Then you get above tree line and the blazing sun is pelting the back of your neck. Or, perhaps you are married to a 47 year old bald guy who forgot his hat (ahem….). So that’s why I carry sunscreen. I also find the tube is perfect for wrapping some extra tape too.
(12) Insect repellant (travel size) – If you’re hiking in the woods, there’s probably insects. I don’t put on insect repellant before every hike because I prefer to limit the amount of chemicals I spray on myself. But, if you find yourself in a mosquito-filled situation on trail, this can make the difference between a great hike and a not-so-great one. And when it’s really bad, and the bugs are not deterred, there’s always item #5 – the head net.
(13) Water bottle – You better have at least one!! I’ve hiked with a variety of different liquid carriers, from bottles to water bladders to camelbacks. My favorite setup seems to be one metal 800 ml water bottle (sometimes filled with watered down drink mix) and a 1L SmartWater bottle. The benefit of the SmartWater bottle is that it the Sawyer Squeeze filter easily screws on top of it if you are planning to refill your water from local streams or springs on your route.
(14) Mini flashlight and Swiss army knife – Weighs hardly anything and you never know…
(15) Toilet paper – Sometimes you need to go ‘talk to a tree,’ and there’s no bathroom nearby. Of course, there’s nothing quite as disgusting as someone’s used TP spoiling the scenery out in the woods. So if you need TP, make sure to Leave No Trace. Just dig a nice deep cat hole with a stick or trowel and be sure to cover everything up when you’re done. Or pack it out in a doggie doo bag.
(16) A wicking hat – I usually bring a hat or visor with me on every hike. I might not wear it every time, but it helps when there’s drizzle or excessive sun. And, it will help keep you warm if some cold weather moves in.
Beyond these essentials, I check the weather to carry a few items that I think I might need, whether it’s a pair of gloves, wicking long sleeve t-shirt for the summit, or a change of socks. And if I’m going out for 4 or more hours, I generally bring a meal to eat while I’m out there to make sure I have enough energy to make it back safely.
What do you bring on the trail??