My Hiking Adventure Gear Checklist
Learn how to pack for a successful overnight Backpacking or Hiking Adventure Gear with lightweight gear essentials like a tent, stove, and clothing. My backpacking checklist!
From Backpacking in Dharamshala, Trekking in Stok Kangri, or Hill-walking in Har Ki Dun, I’m always searching for the lightest and most comfortable Hiking Adventure Gear. Updating my gear guides on a regular basis.
Fortunately, you get to benefit from my expensive hobby of collecting and testing Hiking Adventure Gear by learning from my experiences using it during adventures around the world.
Backpacking VS Hiking
Although We are majorly talking about Hiking Adventure Gear in this blog but still, first off, I want to define the difference between Backpacking, Trekking, and Hiking. These words are sometimes used interchangeably — but they can also have different meanings depending on who you ask.
Backpacking is a Hiking trip that includes Overnight Camping. Packing everything you need to be self-sufficient in the wilderness on your back. Like my 10-day solo backpacking trip in Dharamshala.
Trekking is hiking long-distance, for days or weeks at a time. You might pack everything in yourself, but more likely you’ll have a guide and pack animal or human porter to help you. You may or may not need to bring your own shelter. Like my trek in the mountains of Stok Kangri with a local guide & pack horse.
Hiking is just walking on a wilderness trail through the mountains, forest, desert, or even the countryside. Generally, this is used to define day hikes that don’t require an overnight stay. Like my day hike up at Har Ki Dun(Uttrakhand).
I’m going to focus on a typical 1-day backpacking trip, packing in your own food, water, and gear. But much of this will also work as a Hiking packing list.
Lightweight Backpacking Checklist
Backpacking Checklists & Packing Lists can be controversial subjects. Everyone has an opinion about what’s the Best Hiking Adventure Gear to bring on a trip! You have your traditional backpackers, lightweight backpackers, and even ultra-light thru-hikers who all do things differently.
Choosing A Hiking Backpack
Rucksack Bag / Rucksack Meaning
A bag with shoulder straps that allow it to be carried on someone’s back, typically made of strong, waterproof material and widely used by hikers. For single-day Hiking Backpacks, where you’ll need to carry everything on your back, I recommend choosing a 40-65 liter backpack that will hold your food, water, and other Backpacking Essentials.
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- Greenlands Tritus 40 Litres Rucksack – This is the backpack I take with me on most 2-3 day trips. It’s super lightweight, comfortable, and well-designed. Its best feature is its access to the main compartment with a front zipper opening where I don’t need to take the bag off my shoulders and unbuckle the top flap which still gives access to just the topmost stored contents, or otherwise rummage right through till the bottom. I just open the zip and everything from top to bottom is accessible.
Day Hiking Backpacks
Other than a traditional day hike that doesn’t require camping, you might also want a day pack to wear during a guided trek, for easy access to certain items while the rest of your gear is with a porter or pack animal.
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- Greenlands Tyro Campus Backpack -> This is a very lightweight 160 gms bag. I particularly like this one since most other daypacks are not as rugged as this one. This has bartack stitches usually found in the more heavy-duty bigger bags. Bartack stitches help reinforce stress points in bags that reduce the chances of tearing or stitches opening up.
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- Greenlands Inferno Campus Backpack -> This is another favorite since even with its compact look, it can store much gear. Sometimes when I start early in the morning wearing a heavy jacket that I need to take off as I begin to sweat or as the day starts warming up, this bag can comfortably stuff the same along with other necessities separately in its second compartment. Besides all this, it also allows me to carry along a couple of one-liter bottles for easy access on the outside.
Color-coded Stuff Sacks
To keep your backpack organized during your Hiking adventure, I recommend using a few lightweight stuff sacks and/or packing cubes, in different colors, so it’s easy to grab important gear quickly.
Hiking Hammocks
If you’re going to be Hiking in a forest or jungle, it might make sense to hang a hammock for your backpacking shelter. A hammock keeps you off the ground, away from bugs & wet conditions, but is also easy to pack with no aluminum poles. Some people prefer sleeping in them to tents also.
Backpacker Kitchen
You don’t need to lug a ton of pots & pans into the wilderness anymore. A lightweight backpacker kitchen allows you to boil water for cooking simple dehydrated meals on the go which includes Camp Stove, Fuel & a Mug/Bowl/Spoon set.
Hiking Clothing
Base Layers
Lightweight, breathable, synthetic t-shirt. I wear one and pack a spare. They weigh nothing. I always bring one pair of thermals to sleep in or wear under my clothes in cold weather.
Mid-Layers
I always bring one pair of thermals to sleep in or wear under my clothes in cold weather.
Down/Synthetic Puffy
Lightweight, packable down jacket with a hood. For extra cold conditions, or under a waterproof shell jacket.
Hiking Adventure Outerwear
These are the outer layers that protect you from nature’s wrath — the wind, rain, and snow. You should always pack some sort of rain gear on any backpacking adventure.
Warm Gloves & Hat
Obviously, this is going to depend on the season, but I usually bring something to keep my head and hands warm just in case the weather turns bad, or it’s colder than expected at night.
Hiking Shoes Or Boots
There is an ongoing discussion in the backpacking world about the benefits of using hiking shoes over heavy hiking boots. I own a pair of each and use them for different situations.
Hiking Food
Here’s the deal. I’m not a backpacker gourmet cook like some people are. Food is just fuel to me. So I keep my diet simple and fast to prepare.
Trail Mix & Snack
Usually bags of trail mix (nuts, dried fruit, etc) and some energy bars.
Breakfast: Instant Oatmeal
Instant oatmeal packets with some extra protein in different flavors. I usually add some dried berries too.
Coffee!
I’ll be the first to tell you I’m not a big Starbucks fan in person. But their instant coffee packets are pretty damn good.
Hiking Personal Hygiene Items
Wilderness Wash
Biodegradable soap that’s safe for the environment.
Quick-Dry Towel
To dry off after a cold-water dip in lakes or rivers!
The 10 Hiking Adventure Gear Essentials
These are the 10 most essential items to take with you on any Hiking adventure. From long-distance trekking to simple day hikes. They will help you survive in the wilderness during normal conditions or in an emergency situation.
1. Navigation
Getting lost in the wilderness can turn dangerous quickly. Knowing where you are, and where you need to go, is an essential part of safe backpacking.
2. Headlamp
Always pack a light to find your way back down the trail after an epic summit sunset! Plus a set of spare batteries.
3. Sun Protection
Many people underestimate the power of the sun, and a bad sunburn or sun blindness can quickly ruin a great trip. I always pack a combination of wilderness-friendly sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat, and a lightweight Buff.
4. First Aid Kit
Some kind of first aid kit is a must on any Hiking Adventure Gear list.
5. Water & Filtration System
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Always research how much water you need to bring on a hike to stay properly hydrated, and bring a water purification system too.
6. Sharp Knife
A key piece of survival equipment for Hiking Adventures.
7. Fire Kit
To help you cook food, boil water, and stay warm in an emergency situation. You don’t need to go crazy. I usually bring a pair of Bic Lighters, some cotton balls in a tiny zip-lock bag for tinder, and a few water/wind-proof matches.
8. Emergency Shelter
If you’re on an overnight Hiking trip, you’ll already have a tent as I mentioned earlier. But I also recommend bringing an emergency shelter (tent blows away, burns down, etc). It’s also wise to pack a shelter on long day hikes, in case you get injured or lost and need to spend the night.
9. Extra Food
Always bring at least an extra half day’s worth of food with you on day hikes and a full extra day’s worth of food on longer multi-day Hiking Adventures for unexpected situations.
10. Extra Clothing
Pack a few warm layers (thermal underwear, extra socks, hat, gloves, etc.) to help you stay warm & dry if the weather turns bad, you fall into a river, or have to spend an unexpected night in the wilderness.
Ok, That is all for now…
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See you in the next post, Have a Wonderful Day!
