Equipment Used for Hiking (2024)

awesome - my family and I are going to climb Mt Washington NH soon so this is helpful

very informative, reads easy, like the humor!

Great tips, I have read through quite a few of these lists and there were some excellent reminders, thanks!

Great list. I actually use a military style Load Bearing Equipment set up with a buttpack attached to carry my gear. I like having the suspenders so not all the weight is on my hips.

Thanks, some great reminders.going hiking!

I'm already a trail runner but I want to get into hiking, so I did some searching and found this perfect! I already have a Osprey Talon 4 hip pack that I know will perfectly fit what you mentioned above, maybe even more so I think once I gather all of the supplies mentioned above, I get kick into a nice hiking start in no time! :) Thank you very much!

Just another thing to add to your first aid, I always keep benadryl in my first aid kit and small scissors. I have had to use both in the high country.

The only thing I see missing which an essential item is a mirror. Used for signaling in case of an emergency. A old CD / DVD will work also.

Loved your tips and humor, also I am looking at hiking for the first, I was told to search for a tour group to get started. But most tour groups I have looked into are accommodation and food all prepared for me. I was planning on hiking into the bush and staying overnight in my tent. Do you know any tour groupx with this style of hiking. Your input is much appreciated.

I was wondering what your take is on bear canisters. The ones I have seen are so expensive, and I feel like there must be a cheaper option. Do you know if you can use an empty Costco-sized plastic jar, or if there is something extra special that blocks the smells from coming out of the expensive ones I see online?

@Kelvin - I would check if there is a local hiking club in your area. Or, if there are public trails, find out who maintains them - they might have organized hikes.@Sara - Bear canisters are expensive because they can withstand bear efforts to get inside, not because they are smell-proof. If you are required to use a bear canister (like in Yosemite), then it must be from an approved list of products. I've never used a canister because I've not hiked where they are required. Instead, I use a food bag and hang it at night.

@Sara - Usually the trails that require them (like Yosemite) you can rent them nearby at a great savings compared to buying them. To find where and how, you may want to do a web search for local outrigger stores close to the trail that requires the canisters. I'm doing a through hike of the John Muir in June and am considering this option instead of buying a larger one that I will need for that particular trip. Hope I caught you in time.

Thank you for this helpful list, now I understand why every single thing in this list is important

How good of a flashlight would you recommend, lumen size, rechargeable/nonrechargeable? Thanks.

@Bill - I take a very tiny light. See this post. I've been using this light for the past 4 years.

The problem with anything rechargeable is that rechargeable batteries lose their charge at the rate of about 1%/day (REF: GE rechargeable battery manual). When you need it/want it, the batteries may have self-discharged. Better to use and carry spares of plain old Alkaline batteries. Modern Alkaline batteries have a rated "10-year shelf life". Carry fresh batteries in the item and 2-3 'spare sets'. Get fresh batteries periodically for trips and use the "non-fresh" at home in non-critical applications.