2023 Top 10 hiking essentials

Going outside for a hike can be alot of fun but even for a day hike, you'll always find yourself happy to have brought the essentials. Although you won't have to use them everytime you jump into a trail, you certainly will be thanking yourself once something you didn't envisioned to happen that day happened.

The first ten essential list was made by the mountaineers in 1930's, an organization for climbers and outdoor enthusiasts to be prepared for anything that may happen while you're on your adventure and guide them through different emergency situations. The original list included things like a map , a compass, sunscreen, sunglasses, back up clothing, head lamp , fire starter , knife and extra food . Although all of these things are definitely essential and I think that everyone going for a hike or an outdoor adventure should atleast bring some if not all of these things in their backpacks.

In this article we are going to focus more on the things that I find really useful in my day hikes in 2023.

Ten essentials for day hikes

1. Navigation

Going for a hike is always exciting and some of us will trust trails too much and end up by getting lost. Relying on the tags installed across the trail may work most of the time but once you find yourself without sight of any of them without having any navigation systems or equipment you know are in trouble..

That's why I recommend always having backup options:

• Gps: Really reliable in most locations but most of them are expensive and not everyone has the budget for these that's why I got three recommendations for different costs from the most expensive to the most affordable:

-Garmin Montana 700i : this gps system is kind of expensive but really reliable alot of reviews are present online about this system and they're always positive.

https://amzn.to/3nfq2n7

-Garmin Gpsmap 64SX: this one stands at a lower price point but is still reliable and is a great option for a day hike it's battery life in GPS mode being 16 hours.

https://amzn.to/3FVNexh

-Your phone! If the options mentioned above are too expensive for you, the best option is probably using your phone. I am currently using the All Trails app and it has never let me down by now. There's alot of free fonctionalities but for a low cost subscribtion, you can access the whole thing.

2. Appropriate and reliable footwear

Footwear is one of the most important things while hiking! Due to our feet getting weaker by the centuries of using shoes and being protected everyday, the use of strong supported shoes has becomed really important especially for hikes.

Someone who hikes often knows the importance of having robust and comfortable footwear .

Robust hiking boots : https://amzn.to/3K8xkCl

Robust hiking shoes: https://amzn.to/3nkhvPW

3. Water

As you already know, we need water to stay alive so why not stay alive while you are hiking!

Jokes aside, bringing enough water for the particular hike you are doing is really important. You have to plan ahead if the environment is going to be cold, humid, hot , are you going to sweat alot? These are questions you have to ask yourself before getting to the trail.

As a guideline, you aim at about half a liter of water per hour in moderate temperatures/difficulty of the terrain.

Do not chug all of your water when you are tired even though it's tempting to do so. Manage your water and take small sips during the whole day.

Filter water bottle :https://amzn.to/3K86IRL

(You can put water you find in a lake or from a waterfall inside of it and the filter will remove any bacteria or gunk in the water for you to drink clean water even if it comes from the woods) perfect for survival needs if for example you don't have any water left you don't have to boil anything just put the water in the bottle, drink it and the filter will do its job.

4. Reliable backpack

If you plan on going for a hike , you need a backpack no matter the length of the trail. What is going to differ tough is the size and weight of it .

For the purpose of this article, we are going to talk about a reliable backpack for day hikes.We're talking about a bag that can contain everything you need for a day without it being too heavy for it to slow you down.

Choosing the right backpack for you and your purposes is an important part of preparation that shouldn't be overlooked.

My backpack: https://amzn.to/3z9EjEC

Smaller size suggestion: https://amzn.to/3K6x5HW

5. Extra clothes

Always bring extra clothes !

You never know what might happen during a hike. We should always aim to prepare and anticipate instead of reacting and suffer the consequences of not being prepared enough.

Each hike that I go for , I atleast bring one spair t-shirt,one pair of shorts and two pairs of socks (always bring spair socks! You don't want to be walking a whole day in wet socks ).

6. Fire starting

Mentioned earlier in the mountaineers list of essentials and rightfully so.

With a good fire you can cook , craft , warm yourself up and literally save your life in some survival situations.

There is alot of different way to start a fire but some are more effective than others.

Fire starting tools i recommend:

Ferro rod flint stone fire starter: https://amzn.to/3z77Uyr

Fire piston: https://amzn.to/40DbeND

(Lighter and matches are also great)

7. First aid

Another item mentioned from the mountaineer list that should not be left out!

Having a med kit is primordial. Again, you never know what might happen during a hike. You could fall and hurt yourself or get hooked by a tick and find yourself in need to remove it as soon as possible.

Here is a good med kit : https://amzn.to/3z9gWeE

Tick tweezers(always a good idea): https://amzn.to/3lOnbBd

8. Nutrition

Healthy and energizing food is an important thing to bring on hikes. Pack high calorie foods to help fuel your body during the hike.

Always bring extra provisions in case the hike turns out longer than you expected ... Starving is not a pleasant experience especially when you have to walk for hours without having anything to refuel.

Caffeine helps but the thing is that it tires you in the long run. Bring healthy food like nuts ,fruits , energy bars or trail mix

9. Emergency shelter

Although the representation in the picture isn't realistic (you probably won't have a happy face when you'll be in a situation where you need to pull out an emergency shelter of you bag) having an emergency shelter is primordial.

We never wish anyone to get lost or injure themselves to the point that they can't walk but sometimes these situations happen for real and you should be prepared in case it actually does.

An emergency shelter also protects you from the rain most of the time .

I got some suggestions for y'all below:

Emergency thermal blanket: https://amzn.to/3lR1qAK

Emergency xl thermal blanket (waterproof):https://amzn.to/3z8kCwZ

10. Good hiking partners

To close things off with the last essential , good and reliable hiking partners.

Hiking alone is the preferred option for some people but if you are to hike with someone, choose a reliable partner that you find trust in.

Choose someone that won't slow you down or pressure you to go faster .

Going for a hike day with your buddies is alot of fun most of the times but it won't be if you're with someone that has a bad attitude.

You are now set to go on your next hike.

Now you know what my ten essentials list is for day hikes.

My ten essentials probably won't be everything in your checking list before you go on an adventure but it will give you a strong foundation to build upon.

Check in later this week for my next blog post!

Have a nice day!