Hiking Gear

The right hiking gear can make every mile safer, more comfortable, and more enjoyable. You do not need the most expensive equipment to explore the outdoors, but you do need gear that fits properly, performs reliably, and suits the conditions you may encounter.

A short walk on a maintained trail requires a different setup from a remote mountain hike, winter ascent, or multi-day backpacking trip. Distance, terrain, elevation, weather, water availability, daylight, and access to help should all influence what you carry.

This hiking gear page brings together Mountain Field Guide’s footwear, backpack, clothing, navigation, safety, and emergency-equipment guides. Use it to assemble a beginner hiking kit, prepare for more demanding trails, or compare equipment before making a purchase.

For broader information about outdoor skills and mountain travel, visit the Hiking & Climbing guide.

🎒 Start with the Hiking Essentials

A complete hiking kit is more than a collection of individual products. Each item should help you address one or more basic trail needs:

Navigation
Sun protection
Insulation
Illumination
First aid
Emergency fire
Repair supplies
Extra food
Water and water treatment
Emergency shelter

These categories are commonly known as the Ten Essentials. The specific equipment within each category should be adjusted for the route, season, weather, group size, and distance from assistance.

Begin with The Ten Essentials for Hiking to understand what every hiker should consider carrying.

A local summer walk may require only a compact version of each system. A remote winter hike may require additional insulation, backup navigation, traction equipment, emergency communication, and a more substantial shelter.

🏔️ Field Guide Tip: Pack for the conditions you could face if the hike takes several hours longer than expected—not only for the weather predicted while everything goes according to plan.

🥾 Hiking Footwear and Foot Care

Footwear is one of the most personal and important hiking gear decisions. The right choice depends on fit, terrain, weather, pack weight, hiking pace, and individual preference.

Hiking Boots

Hiking boots provide protection from rocks, roots, mud, water, and rough terrain. Models range from flexible lightweight boots for ordinary trails to stiffer backpacking boots designed for carrying heavier loads.

Learn about fit, support, materials, waterproofing, soles, and break-in time in Hiking Boots: How to Choose the Right Pair for Every Trail.

Trail Running Shoes

Trail running shoes are generally lighter and more flexible than traditional boots. Many hikers prefer them for established trails, warm conditions, fast hiking, and trips where reducing footwear weight is a priority.

Compare cushioning, traction, protection, stability, and heel-to-toe drop in Trail Running Shoes: How to Choose the Right Pair for Any Trail.

Hiking Socks

Socks help regulate temperature, manage perspiration, reduce friction, and cushion the feet. Their thickness and material should work with the footwear rather than making it too tight.

Read Hiking Socks: How to Choose the Right Pair for Every Trail to compare merino wool, synthetic fibers, cushioning levels, and seasonal options.

Traction for Snow and Ice

Ordinary hiking soles may not provide enough grip on packed snow or frozen trails. Depending on the terrain, hikers may need lightweight spike-style traction, hiking crampons, snowshoes, or technical mountaineering crampons.

Microspikes & Crampons explains the differences and the conditions for which each type is designed.

🎒 Daypacks and Backpacking Packs

A hiking backpack should carry your equipment securely without restricting movement or creating unnecessary pressure on your shoulders, neck, or back.

Daypacks

Daypacks are intended for trips that begin and end on the same day. Common considerations include:

Capacity
Torso fit
Hip-belt support
Shoulder-strap shape
Back ventilation
Hydration compatibility
Water-bottle access
Weather resistance
Trekking-pole attachments
Accessible pockets

Start with Daypacks: How to Choose the Right Hiking Backpack.

For specific models and comparisons, see Best Daypacks for Hiking.

Backpacking Packs

Overnight and multi-day trips require room for shelter, sleeping equipment, food, cooking supplies, additional clothing, and a larger emergency kit.

Proper torso sizing and load transfer become increasingly important as pack weight increases. Learn more in Backpacking Packs: How to Choose the Right Backpack for Multi-Day Hiking.

Backpack Comparisons and Packing Guides

Additional backpack resources include:

When packing, place dense items close to the back and keep the left and right sides balanced. Water, snacks, maps, rain gear, gloves, and first-aid supplies should remain accessible.

🥢 Trekking Poles

Trekking poles can provide additional points of contact with the ground, improve balance, and help hikers maintain a steady rhythm.

They can be especially useful during:

Long climbs
Steep descents
Stream crossings
Muddy conditions
Loose rock
Snow travel
Heavy backpacking trips
Hikes where balance is a concern

Pole length, shaft material, locking system, grip shape, strap adjustment, and packed size all affect performance.

Learn how to select, size, and use poles in Trekking Poles: How to Choose and Use Hiking Poles.

For recommended options, visit Best Trekking Poles for Hiking.

💧 Water Bottles and Hydration Packs

Every hiking setup needs a dependable way to carry water.

Traditional bottles are simple to refill and make it easy to see how much water remains. Hydration reservoirs allow hikers to drink through a hose without removing the backpack, but they require more cleaning and can be harder to monitor.

Your water-carrying system should consider:

Temperature
Humidity
Elevation
Hiking intensity
Route length
Water-source reliability
Treatment options
Emergency reserves
The needs of children, pets, or other group members

Water Bottles & Hydration Packs compares bottles, reservoirs, soft flasks, filters, and other trail-hydration options.

Carry additional water when hiking in hot, dry, exposed, or remote terrain. Never assume a mapped stream or spring will contain usable water.

🧥 Hiking Clothing and Layering

Hiking clothing should help regulate body temperature while protecting against precipitation, wind, sun, insects, vegetation, and rough terrain.

A flexible layering system usually includes:

A moisture-managing base layer
A breathable midlayer
An insulated layer
A wind- or waterproof outer shell

Not every layer must be worn continuously. The advantage of layering is the ability to make small adjustments as activity levels and weather conditions change.

Base Layers

Base layers help move perspiration away from the skin and reduce the discomfort caused by damp clothing.

Compare merino wool, synthetic fibers, garment weights, and seasonal options in Base Layers for Hiking and Mountain Adventures.

Insulated Jackets

Insulated jackets provide warmth during rest stops, cold mornings, exposed summits, evenings at camp, and unexpected delays.

Insulated Jackets: How to Choose the Right Jacket explains down insulation, synthetic fill, warmth, compressibility, moisture resistance, and fit.

Rain Gear

Rain gear helps protect hikers from precipitation and wind. A good shell should provide weather protection while allowing excess heat and moisture to escape.

Learn about waterproof membranes, seam sealing, ventilation, breathability, fit, and rain pants in Rain Gear for Hiking and Mountain Adventures.

Hiking Pants

Hiking pants should allow unrestricted movement while providing suitable protection for the terrain and weather.

Hiking Pants: How to Choose the Right Pants for Every Trail covers materials, durability, ventilation, weather resistance, stretch, pockets, and convertible designs.

Hats and Gloves

Hats and gloves add relatively little weight but can make a significant difference in exposed, cold, windy, sunny, or wet conditions.

Read Hats & Gloves: How to Protect Your Head and Hands While Hiking for guidance on sun hats, warm hats, liner gloves, insulated gloves, and waterproof protection.

For summer and desert routes, see Essential Hot-Weather Hiking Gear.

🧭 Maps, Compasses and GPS Devices

Every hiker should have a dependable way to follow the route and recognize when something has gone wrong.

Smartphones are valuable navigation tools, but batteries can fail, screens can break, and maps may disappear when they have not been downloaded. A reliable system may combine:

Printed map
Baseplate compass
Offline phone map
Handheld GPS
GPS watch
Altimeter
Saved trailhead coordinates
Written route information

Hiking Maps

A good map shows more than the intended trail. It can reveal ridges, valleys, waterways, cliffs, roads, alternative exits, and surrounding terrain.

Learn how to select and interpret maps in Hiking Maps: How to Read and Choose Maps for Trail Navigation.

Hiking Compasses

A compass requires no cellular connection, subscription, rechargeable battery, or satellite reception. Used with a suitable map, it can help hikers orient the map, follow a bearing, and compare surrounding terrain with the planned route.

Read Hiking Compasses: How to Choose and Use a Compass on the Trail.

Handheld GPS Devices

A handheld GPS can display location, maps, routes, tracks, waypoints, distance, and elevation information. Outdoor models may provide physical buttons, replaceable batteries, rugged construction, and better operation in cold or wet conditions than an ordinary phone.

Start with GPS Devices for Hiking and Mountain Navigation.

For model comparisons, visit Best Handheld GPS Devices for Hiking.

🏔️ Field Guide Tip: Download maps before leaving home and test them with your phone in airplane mode. Carry backup power and make sure at least one person knows how to navigate without relying entirely on a phone.

🔦 Headlamps and Trail Lighting

A headlamp belongs in a hiking pack even when the trip is expected to finish before sunset.

Injuries, wrong turns, difficult terrain, weather changes, and a slower-than-expected pace can keep hikers outside after dark. A headlamp leaves both hands available for walking, map reading, first aid, or shelter setup.

Important features include:

Usable brightness
Beam shape
Battery life
Weather resistance
Comfortable headband
Lockout mode
Low-light setting
Battery availability
Cold-weather performance

Read Headlamps: How to Choose the Right Light.

For recommended models, see Best Hiking Headlamps.

Check the light before leaving and carry spare batteries or a compatible backup power source.

🩹 First-Aid Kits

A trail first-aid kit should match the length of the trip, the number of hikers, the remoteness of the route, and the medical knowledge of the group.

A basic kit may help manage:

Blisters
Small cuts
Abrasions
Sprains
Minor burns
Insect stings
Pain
Allergic reactions
Wound protection

Carrying supplies does not automatically prepare someone to use them. First-aid and wilderness-medicine training can be more valuable than adding unfamiliar equipment to an oversized kit.

First-Aid Kits: What Every Hiker Should Carry explains how to assemble and customize a trail kit.

🏕️ Emergency Shelters

An unexpected night outdoors can result from injury, severe weather, navigation problems, trail damage, or a hike taking much longer than planned.

Emergency-shelter options include:

Reflective blankets
Emergency bivies
Breathable bivy sacks
Tarps
Bothy bags
Group storm shelters
Lightweight tents

No emergency shelter creates body heat. Its usefulness depends on clothing, insulation from the ground, remaining body heat, weather conditions, and how quickly it is deployed.

Learn how the main shelter types differ in Emergency Shelters: How to Stay Protected During an Unexpected Night Outdoors.

For specific options, see Best Emergency Shelters for Hikers.

🧭 What to Do If You Become Lost

Good gear is most effective when paired with calm decisions.

When you realize that you may be lost:

Stop moving.
Stay calm.
Protect yourself from immediate hazards.
Review your map, route, and last known location.
Check electronic navigation carefully.
Assess daylight, weather, water, and injuries.
Avoid wandering in an uncertain direction.
Improve your visibility when appropriate.
Contact assistance if the situation warrants it.

Follow the complete process in What to Do If You Get Lost Hiking.

🛰️ Satellite Communicators and Personal Locator Beacons

Cellular service is unreliable or completely unavailable in many mountain regions. Hikers traveling beyond dependable coverage should understand the emergency-communication options available.

Satellite Communicators

Depending on the device and service plan, a satellite communicator may provide:

Two-way text messaging
Preset check-ins
Location sharing
Tracking
Weather information
Navigation features
Interactive SOS communication

Read Satellite Communicators: How to Stay Connected Beyond Cell Service.

For current device comparisons, visit Best Satellite Communicators for Hiking.

Personal Locator Beacons

A personal locator beacon is a dedicated distress device. Traditional PLBs are designed primarily to transmit an emergency alert and location rather than provide routine messaging, weather forecasts, or tracking.

Learn how they work in Personal Locator Beacons: How PLBs Work and When Hikers Should Carry One.

For help choosing between the two systems, read Satellite Communicator vs. Personal Locator Beacon.

Emergency communication should supplement—not replace—route planning, navigation skills, appropriate equipment, weather awareness, and leaving a trip plan with someone at home.

❄️ Winter Hiking and Technical Mountain Gear

Snow and ice can turn an ordinary hiking trail into a mountaineering route. Winter travel may require:

Insulated boots
Traction devices
Snowshoes
Gaiters
Ice axe
Avalanche equipment
Additional insulation
Larger backpack
Waterproof gloves
Emergency shelter
Thermos or protected water containers
Additional navigation equipment
Specialized training

The presence of traction does not automatically make a snowy route safe. Slope angle, snow stability, exposure, avalanche terrain, and the consequences of a fall must all be considered.

Start with Microspikes & Crampons and understand the differences between hiking and mountaineering.

For climbing equipment, visit Essential Mountaineering Gear.

Technical equipment requires instruction and practice. Owning an ice axe, crampons, rope, harness, or rescue equipment does not replace learning how and when to use it.

🛒 Hiking Gear Buying Guides

Use these guides when comparing specific equipment:

Product specifications, prices, subscriptions, and availability can change. Confirm current information before purchasing.

✅ Beginner Hiking Gear Checklist

A basic day-hiking setup may include:

Comfortable hiking boots or trail shoes
Suitable hiking socks
Weather-appropriate clothing
Extra insulating layer
Rain jacket
Daypack
Water and additional carrying capacity
Food and extra snacks
Paper or offline map
Compass
Fully charged phone
Headlamp
Small first-aid kit
Sun protection
Emergency shelter
Whistle
Fire-starting supplies where appropriate
Repair supplies or multitool
Personal medication
Identification
Trekking poles when useful
Satellite communicator or PLB for remote routes

This checklist is a starting point rather than a universal packing list. Add or remove equipment according to the route and conditions.

🧭 How to Choose the Right Hiking Gear

Match the Gear to the Trip

Begin with the terrain, weather, distance, elevation, remoteness, and expected duration. Do not buy technical equipment merely because it appears more capable.

Prioritize Fit

Fit is especially important for footwear, backpacks, clothing, helmets, harnesses, and traction devices. Equipment that does not fit properly may become uncomfortable or unsafe.

Test Equipment Before the Hike

Wear new footwear, load and adjust the backpack, operate the headlamp, download maps, inspect batteries, and practice using unfamiliar equipment before depending on it.

Avoid Unnecessary Weight

Every item should have a clear purpose. Carry enough equipment to manage realistic problems without filling the backpack with items that are unlikely to help.

Inspect and Maintain Your Gear

Check footwear soles, backpack straps, buckles, rainwear, batteries, first-aid supplies, water filters, emergency shelters, and communication devices regularly.

🏔️ Field Guide Tip: The best hiking gear is equipment that fits, works reliably, and has already been tested. Familiar, well-maintained gear is often more useful than complicated equipment you have never practiced using.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What hiking gear does a beginner need?

A beginner should carry suitable footwear, weather-appropriate clothing, water, food, navigation tools, a headlamp, rain protection, first-aid supplies, sun protection, and basic emergency equipment. Adjust the list for the route and season.

Do I need hiking boots?

Not necessarily. Hiking boots and trail running shoes can both be appropriate. Boots generally provide more coverage and protection, while trail shoes are usually lighter and more flexible. Fit and terrain matter more than the category name.

What size backpack is best for day hiking?

Many hikers use packs between approximately 15 and 30 liters. Short fair-weather outings may require less space, while winter, desert, family, photography, or remote hikes may require more.

Should I carry all Ten Essentials on a short hike?

The ten systems should always be considered, but the equipment within them can be adjusted. A short developed trail does not require the same kit as a remote mountain route, although unexpected delays can occur anywhere.

Is a phone enough for hiking navigation?

A phone with downloaded maps can be an excellent tool, but it should not be treated as infallible. Protect it, conserve its battery, and carry an appropriate backup for routes where navigation failure could have serious consequences.

Does every hiker need a satellite communicator?

Not every outing requires one. These devices are most useful beyond dependable cellular coverage, particularly on remote, solo, overnight, winter, or higher-risk routes.

Should I buy expensive hiking gear?

Not automatically. Spend according to fit, reliability, frequency of use, and the consequences of failure. Renting, borrowing, or buying used equipment can be practical when trying a new activity.

When should hiking equipment be replaced?

Replace an item when wear begins to affect traction, support, weather protection, insulation, fit, structural integrity, or reliability. Safety-critical equipment should be inspected according to its manufacturer’s guidance.

🔗 Explore More Hiking and Climbing Guides

Mountain Field Guide continues to expand its hiking equipment, outdoor safety, navigation, and mountain-travel resources.

Browse the complete Hiking & Climbing Gear archive for all available guides and new equipment comparisons.

You can also explore the main Hiking & Climbing page for trail preparation, outdoor skills, climbing information, and mountain adventures.