The ultimate day-hike packing list

Day-hiking pack (25–35L)

A 25–35L daypack is perfect for carrying layers, water, snacks, and emergency gear for just about every day-hike. Look for a supportive hip belt, a ventilated back panel, and quick-access storage for sunnies, snacks & safety gear.

Best overall: Osprey Tempest 30 (women’s) / Osprey Talon 33 (men’s)

Best for one-day summits: Mountain Hardwear Scrambler 25

Raincover

Protects your gear from sudden downpours— some packs come with one built-in, but if not, make sure to pack a lightweight rain cover that fits over your bag (REI’s size small works for 25-35L packs).

Best overall: REI Co-op Duck’s Back Pack Rain Cover

Hiking boots

I’m a huge proponent of boots for basically every hike— better ankle support, more stability on rough terrain, overall warmer and dryer feet. We’ve trialled a LOT of boots over the years and these are our current favourites:

Best boots for trail: adidas Terrex Free Hiker 2.0 GTX Hiking Boots (women’s) / (men’s)

Best boots for terrain: La Sportiva Trango Tech GTX Mountaineering Boots (women’s) / (men’s)

If you’re running parts of the trail or looking to go ultra-light, we’d recommend swapping your boots for a robust trail runner (James loves his!)

Best trail shoe: La Sportiva Prodigio (women’s) / (men’s)

Boot socks

Proper hiking socks are nearly as important as your boots. Choose moisture-wicking merino wool to prevent blisters, manage sweat, and keep your feet warm even if they get damp.

Best overall: Darn Tough Hiker Micro Crew Cushion Socks (women’s) / (men’s)

Liner socks

Thin liner socks help prevent friction and can be layered under hiking socks for longer or multi-day hikes. I discovered these toe-sock liners about 8 years ago and I’ve been evangelising ever since— if you struggle with blisters, this should be your first line of defence!

Best overall: Injinji Liner Crew

Trekking poles

These aren’t just for steep trails— trekking poles reduce impact on your knees, help with balance on rocky or icy ground, and give you extra power on climbs. We both carry these on anything but the shortest and most straightforward of day-hikes!

Best overall: Black Diamond Trail Trekking Poles

PLB/SOS

A Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) is your lifeline in the outdoors and we NEVER go hiking without our Garmin InReach Mini 2, which allows us to send messages, get weather updates, track location, and place an SOS call in an emergency, even without phone service. It does require a subscription (starting at $12/month), but it’s worth every cent and has literally saved both of my parents’ lives in the backcountry!

Best overall: Garmin InReach Mini 2

GPS

Gone are the days where you have to purchase an expensive, clunky GPS device to access maps in the backcountry— the absolute best GPS resource is the smartphone you already own, paired with a reliable, a low-cast GPS mapping app that allows you to access detailed offline Topo maps and navigate via GPS satellites, even without mobile service

Our go-to is CalTopo, which costs just $20/year and is by far the most feature-rich, affordable, and accurate mapping tool out there.

As a supplement, we also use James’ Garmin Fenix 7X Pro, which is great for on-trail wrist navigation and turn-by-turn cues. But I still wouldn’t rely on it as our only GPS source.

Best GPS app: CalTopo (mobile app)

Best GPS watch: Garmin Fenix 7X Pro

First Aid Kit

A solid first aid kit is something every hiker should carry. Pre-assembled kits from Adventure Medical are a great place to start, but as you get more trail time under your belt, you’ll want to customise it based on your needs and preferences.

We always include:
• a mix of NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen)
• antihistamines (Claritin for allergies, Benadryl for bites/stings)
• a small selection of stomach meds (like Imodium or Pepto tabs)
• a roll of KT tape (insanely versatile for everything from blisters to rolled ankles)
• alcohol wipes, antiseptic, a few large gauze pads, and blister plasters like Compeed

Best pre-packaged First Aid Kit: Adventure Medical Ultralight .5

Headlamp

Essential even for day-hikes— if you end up hiking out late or anything goes wrong, you’ll be SO glad you brought one. Rechargeable options save on waste and weight.

Best overall: Black Diamond Spot 400-R

Powerbank

I always throw in a compact powerbank with built-in universal cables to top up my phone, headlamp, Garmin InReach, or whatever else requires additional battery. This is a safety essential, not an optional extra!

Best overall: VRURC Portable Charger with Built-in Cables, 10000mAh

Water filter

Even for day-hikes, a compact water filter is absolutely essential, enabling you to easily refill on the go from lakes or creeks without worrying about bacteria (take it from someone who’s had Giardia, a filter is non-negotiable).

Best overall: Katadyn BeFree 1.oL Water Filter

Water bottle or bladder

I don’t use bladders on overnight backpacking trips since they can be so annoying to fill, but for day-hiking, they are the BEST way to stay consistently hydrated. We love 2-3L bladders for sipping on the move, but Nalgene bottles work well, too— especially in cold weather when hoses might freeze.

Best water bottle: Nalgene Wide Mouth

Best water bladder: Osprey Hydraulics Reservoir 2L

Electrolytes

If you’re sweating a lot and/or gaining serious elevation, drinking plain water simply isn’t enough to replenish the salts your body is losing. We recommend adding electrolyte tablets to every litre of water during hard hikes to help with performance and hydration!

Best overall: Liquid IV

Snacks (as needed)

Make sure you pack more snack food than you anticipate eating— these should be a variety of high-protein, high-calorie, and high-glucose snacks keep energy up and moods high.

This is obviously super personal, but I love Mini Kind Bars, Wonderful Pistachios, cheese sticks, salami from the supermarket, and a good handful of candy never goes astray.

Long-sleeve layer

This is your first layer of real warmth and protection if conditions start to shift— in summer, it might be as simple as a lightweight Merino wool top that keeps the sun off and regulates body temp; in cooler weather, opt for something heavier like a fleece quarter-zip.

Best for warmer weather: Arc’teryx Rho LT Zip Neck (women’s) / (men’s)

Best for colder weather: Arc’teryx Kyanite Zip Neck Base Layer Top (women’s) / Rho Heavyweight Zip Neck (men’s)

Synthetic insulation layer

For day-hikes, synthetic insulation is usually a smarter choice than down— it’ll still keep you warm if it gets wet and it’s totally fine to sweat in it on the trail.

If you’re doing a high-altitude hike or expect very cold summit conditions, you might consider also packing a down jacket, but for most trips, one synthetic insulation layer is plenty.

Best overall: Arc’teryx Atom Insulated Hoody (women’s) / (men’s)

GoreTex rain shell layer

A rain jacket is your lightweight shield against wind, storms, and unexpected mountain weather. You might not need it on a short forest stroll or desert hike, but for anything alpine, exposed, or longer than a few hours, this should always be in your pack— it’s not very heavy!

Best overall: Arc’teryx Beta SL (women’s) / (men’s)

Lightweight hiking gloves

They might seem like a small addition, but gloves can make a huge difference in your overall comfort if the weather turns. A light fleece or wool pair will keep your fingers warm on exposed ridgelines or breezy mornings, and they weigh basically nothing.

Best overall: Outdoor Research Trail Mix Gloves (women’s) / (men’s)

Waterproof exterior mittens

If there’s any chance of rain or snow, bring a lightweight pair of waterproof shell mittens to layer over your regular gloves for extra warmth and full weather protection. I’ve used the Outdoor Research Revel Shell Mitts for years, but they appear to have been discontinued, so these are the best alternative.

Best overall: Black Diamond Waterproof Overmitts

Buff

This super compact, multi-functional neck tube is an outdoor staple on every trip— use it as a scarf, headband, to block sun and wind, to wipe sweat off your face, to blow your nose… the list is endless and we never go hiking without one!

Best overall: Buff Original

Best for extreme cold: Buff Polar

Bathroom bits

A simple bathroom kit goes a long way on a day-hike! Grab a small pouch or ZipLock and pack toilet paper, hand sanitiser, and a spare bag to pack out used bits— because nothing ruins a trail like someone else’s used tp.

Kula Cloth (for women)

This reusable antimicrobial pee cloth is designed specifically for backcountry female hygiene— it’s absorbent on one side, waterproof on the other, and treated with silver ions to resist bacteria growth and odour.

It’s easy to wash, dries fast, snaps shut for discretion, and clips onto the outside of your pack so it’s always accessible. Not only is it way more hygienic than carrying used toilet paper in a ziplock, but it also seriously reduces your trail waste, making it a no-brainer for sustainable hiking and women’s health on the go.

Best overall: Kula Cloth

Sun safety

Sun exposure can creep up on you fast, especially at high altitude or on snow. Always pack sunscreen (SPF 50+), SPF lip balm, a sun hat, and polarised sunnies to protect your eyes. If you’ll be on snow or glaciers, upgrade to glacier glasses for full protection.

Best glacier glasses: Julbo Vermont

Best sun hat: Arc’teryx Gamma 5-Panel Cap

Camera (optional!)

One woman’s extra is another woman’s essential, and we wouldn’t leave home without a camera! This is what we personally shoot all our mountain photos with:

Best overall: Canon R6 Mark II + 24-105mm lens

Best compact: Fujifilm x100vi