Category: Outdoors for Beginners

Ultimate Day Hike Gear Guide: 11 Things You Need On Your Next Hike.

Post author By Dylan
Post date January 18, 2022

Ultimate Day Hike Gear Guide: 11 Things You Need On Your Next Hike.

Alright, so you picked the trail, researched the conditions, and are excited about your next day hike. But do you have all of the necessary day hiking gear?

If you are unsure don’t worry you aren’t alone, many people have this question and with so many different blogs and gear lists out there, it can be tough to decide what you REALLY need to have with you on your day hike. The below day hike gear guide will give you a rundown of all the essentials.

Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links if you make a purchase through them I will receive a commission. The price of the product will remain the same if whether purchased through an affiliate link or not.

#1. Day Pack:

When going on a day hike, you do not need a big 60L backpacking pack with all of the bells and whistles like in our backpacking gear blog. All you need is a lightweight pack with enough space to store your water, snacks, and some of the other gear we will recommend in the rest of this article. The below is what I use and has served me well over the past several years.

Osprey Hikelite 18:

OR

With a sleeve for a water bladder, pockets in all the right places, chest and weight straps for added stability, and several compartments for gear storage, Osprey Hikeelite is an excellent option for a day pack.

#2. Footwear:

Whenever going hiking, you need to ensure you have the proper shoes/boots. Inadequate footwear can lead to ankle, knee, or back pain and can turn what is supposed to be a serene adventure into a miserable experience. While I have always been a fan of classic hiking boots, you can check out our article to see if any alternatives sound like a good option for you!

Oboz Men's Bridger Mid B-Dry Hiking Boots:

or

Oboz Women's Bridger Mid B-Dry Hiking Boots:

or

I love Oboz bridger hiking boots because they are not only comfortable but EXTREMELY durable, lasting me several years of heavy hiking. If I ever hike through these, you better believe I am getting another pair!

#3. Hiking Socks:

Hiking socks are essential for protecting your feet and keeping you comfortable when on the trail. Check out our hiking sock article to learn all of the benefits of hiking socks and why they are a must-have when hiking. I have always loved darn tough socks not only do they keep your toes toasty but they are extremely durable!

Darn Tough Men's Hiker Cushion Sock:

Or

Darn Tough Women's Hiker Cushion Sock:

Or

#4. Map and Compass:

Whenever going for a foray into the wilderness, you must have proper navigation tools and know-how to use them. While there are many high-tech GPS options out there, the most reliable navigation tool is still the classic map and a compass and should be with you whenever you are out hiking.

#5. Water Storage/Treatment:

Whenever out on the trail, you need to make sure you stay hydrated. That means that you need to be able to carry around enough water with you during your hike.

On longer hikes or situations where you are running low on water, need the proper gear to filter water from a local river or stream. If you want to learn more about carrying and filtering water check out our article that goes over it all.

Water Storage:

I always shoot to carry a minimum of three liters of water on me whenever I am hiking. The breakdown is usually two liters in my water bladder and one in a Nalgene water bottle. Keep in mind that the amount of water you bring depends on many factors one of which being the type of environment you are hiking in.

2L Water Bladder:

or

Nalgene Bottle:

or

Water Treatment:

Water treatment is essential, and although you may not need to resupply during a day hike, it is still an important piece of gear to carry with you in case of emergencies. I typically use one of the below methods to treat my water. Both are lightweight and easy to use.

Aquamira Chloride Water Treatment (drops)

Sawyer Mini Water Filtration System:

#6. Snacks!

Hiking is a tough aerobic exercise that requires you to take in enough calories and nutrients to keep you going. I typically recommend salty snacks with a high calorie content such as granola bars or trail mix. I love bringing the below on my hikes:

CLIF Bars:

Trail Mix:

#7. Clothing:

Having the correct hiking clothing is essential anytime you are hiking. You should have the proper clothing layers to prepare for temperature or weather changes. The below hiking clothes are made of good quality materials to help prevent chafing, blisters or discomfort when on the trail.

Baselayer:

Smartwool Men's Merino 150 Baselayer:

Smartwool Women's Merino 150 Baselayer:

Midlayer/Fleece:

Men's Helly Hansen Fleece:

Women's Helly Hansen Fleece:

Outerlayer/Rain Jacket:

Weather can be unpredictable when out on the trail so it is always important to properly prepare for rain no matter the forecast! The North Face Triclimate is an excellent rain jacket and will keep you dry on those rainy days.

North Face Men's Arrowood Triclimate Jacket:

Or

North Face Women's Arrowood Triclimate Jacket:

Or

Hiking Pants:

Hiking pants are very functional on the trail because they are durable, work at various temperatures, moisture wicking, and unlike shorts, protect your legs from thorns or branches that may scrape you up on the trail. I have only worn one pair of hiking pants over the past five years (gross, I know), but the below are fantastic and are still getting the job done.

Prana Men's Brion Pants:

or

Prana Women's Halle Pants:

or

#8. Sun Protection:

Sun protection is essential when out on the trail, especially in areas with a high UV index. At the bare minimum, you should have sunscreen at SPF 30, but I also recommend a hat and sunglasses.

#9. Headlamp:

If you are going on a sunrise or sunset hike I highly recommend bringing a headlamp for some hands-free illumination. This makes trail finding possible when hiking prior to dawn or after dusk.

#10. Trekking Poles:

Trekking poles give you added stability when walking and are great to use if you have bad knees or hiking a trail with steep elevation gain. These Foxelli Trekking Poles will get the job done and are very lightweight as well.

Foxelli Trekking Poles:

#11. First Aid Kit/Emergency Kit:

I know some of you may be thinking this is a bit of overkill, but anything can happen on the trail, and you should be prepared for the worst-case scenario. I recommend a basic first aid kit to handle minor scrapes and injuries. It would also be a good idea to add a utility knife, paracord, waterproof matches, and lightweight tarp to this kit if you need to camp out overnight in the wilderness.

That's All ! Let Us Know What Do You Bring On Your Day Hikes?

Ultimate Backpacking Gear Blog

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Outdoors for Beginners backpacking for beginners

How To Carry And Treat Water When Backpacking or Hiking

Post author By Dylan
Post date January 15, 2022

How To Carry And Treat Water When Backpacking Or Hiking:

Why Is It Important To Stay Hydrated?

Whenever we are hiking or engaging in any activity that involves sweating, we must adequately rehydrate. Poor rehydration practices can lead to dehydration, which can in turn, cause muscle cramping, fatigue, dizziness, and in extreme cases, death.

What sets backpacking and hiking apart from other forms of exercise is that unlike going for a jog in your neighborhood, you can’t just grab a water bottle from a store when you are parched out on the trail. When hiking or backpacking, you are in remote regions without potable water readily accessible. Therefore, knowing how to carry and treat water when in the backcountry are vital skills for any outdoorsman.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase a product after clicking a link I will receive a commission. The price of the product remains the same if you purchase through the link or not.

How Much Water Do You Need To Bring When Backpacking?

Before we get into how to carry and treat our water, how much do we need? The answer constantly changes depending on the situation, as there are many variables to consider when planning how much water you need.

How Far You Are Hiking: The longer you’re trekking, the more you will sweat. Therefore it stands to reason that longer hikes will require more water to stay hydrated.
Water Accessibility: You should familiarize yourself with a park map before embarking on a hike to plan out potential water sources where you can resupply. This is especially important when hiking in desert regions, where water sources are few and far between. Sometimes hiking in a desert environment may even require you to carry all the water you will need for the trip on your person.
Climate: If you are hiking in warmer or more humid climates, your body will lose more fluid from sweat than in cooler temperatures, so it is crucial to keep the weather in mind when planning your water needs.
Bodyweight: Size is a commonly overlooked factor when planning on how much water to take on a backpacking trip. Someone with more bodyweight generally carries around more water than someone with less.

I personally carry three liters of water on me total with the expectation that I will resupply during a backpacking trip. As mentioned, the amount of water you need will vary based on many factors, so I would always check with a park ranger on conditions and appropriate water preparation for the time of year you are visiting the park.

Is Water Enough?

Is water all you need to keep you adequately hydrated on the trail? I used to think it was until I started hiking longer distances, then I realized I was frequently cramping and easily getting fatigued despite constantly drinking water.

Eventually, I learned that although I was frequently rehydrating with plain water, I neglected to properly replete my body’s electrolytes. Electrolytes such as sodium and potassium are crucial for sustaining long periods of repetitive aerobic exercise such as hiking.

I recommend adding an electrolyte tablet or powder to your water bottle or bladder to make sure you are correctly repleting your electrolytes while out on the trail. Some that work well for me are:

NUUN Sport electrolyte tablets:

Gatorade Endurance Powder:

Water Resupply

Where To Resupply Water When Backpacking?

When on a multi-day backpacking trip, it is not feasible to carry all of the water you need to drink during the trip in your backpack. Therefore you must rely on local water sources. Ideally, you want to get water from a fast-moving stream or river as these are generally cleaner and give less opportunity for bacteria to grow than the still water of a pond.

Do You Need To Treat Water While Backpacking?

Yes, you MUST treat your water before drinking it. The reason for this is that untreated water can contain parasites, viruses, or microbes that can wreak havoc on your digestive system.

Purifications Vs Filtration

Before we get into how to treat our water we first need to go over the important difference between water filtration vs purification.

Water filtration is filtering the water using a barrier technique which is commonly effective for larger debris, particulates, and bacteria however it often misses smaller organisms such as viruses.

Water purification is purifying the water typically through a chemical that will remove the smaller organisms like viruses.

How Do You Treat Water When Backpacking?

There are four methods to filtering water when in the backcountry:

Treat it with purifying drops or tablets.
Mechanical Filtration
Ultraviolet Light purification
Boiling

Water Treatment With Purification Drops Or Tablets:

Treatment with purification drops or tablets is a method that relies on a chemical reaction to kill any bacteria, viruses, or parasites in your water. Before treating your water with these methods, you need to make sure you perform a basic filtration of your water by using a piece of cloth such as a buff to keep out larger debris from entering your water bottle. Two popular options for this version of water filtration include:

Aquamira Chloride Water Treatment (drops)

The Rundown:

Wait time to drink: 15 Minutes
Cost: $
Ease of use: Very easy just place drops and wait.
Taste: Has a metallic aftertaste
Upkeep: None

Iodine Tablets Water Treatment

The Rundown:

Wait time to drink: 30 Minutes
Cost: $
Ease of use: Very easy just drop tablets in and wait.
Taste: Has a metallic aftertaste
Upkeep: None

Pros

Cheap
Easy to do
Lightweight

Cons

Gives water a metallic aftertaste.
Requires waiting for water to be treated.

Pump Filtration:

Using a pump relies on mechanical filtration that removes the debris and particulates such as harmful bacteria and protozoa from the water. A pump filter usually requires having a separate bag that you use to capture unfiltered water. After you have your unfiltered water, you will need to attach the filter to the bag and squeeze the bag to push the water through the filter and into your water reservoir or mouth.

One nice feature is that some pumps can be attached to water bottles or even the hose of a water bladder, so you can filter the water as you drink it.

There are many different water pumps out there(many of them extremely bulky), but my number one choice is the Sawyer mini pump below:

Sawyer mini water filtration system:

The Rundown:

Wait time to drink: None
Cost: $
Ease of use: More time-consuming if manually filtering water each time.
Taste: Like regular water!
Upkeep: Requires regularly backwashing the filter to remove filtered debris and particulates from prior uses.

Pros

Cheap
No aftertaste
Lightweight and smaller than traditional pumps.
Can drink water immediately after filtration.

Cons

More tedious to filter water if not drinking directly from the filter.
Risk of malfunction with bag breaking if you squeeze too hard.
Requires upkeep
Will not remove smaller bugs like viruses.

UV Light Filtration

This process uses UV rays from a lamp light to kill harmful bacteria, viruses, and protozoa in your water. It ist as easy as dipping the light into your water and holding it there for the specified amount of time. If you are interested in this type of filtration check out the following product:

Steri-Pen UV Water Purifier:

The Rundown

Wait time to drink: 48-90 seconds
Cost: $$$
Ease of use: Very easy just wave the light around the water until prompted to stop.
Taste: Like regular water!
Upkeep: Battery operated
***Can only filter up to 1 Liter of water at a time***

Pros

No aftertaste
Lightweight
Can drink water shortly after treatment.

Cons

Expensive
Can only limit 1 liter of water at a time making it inconvenient to use with water bladders as they often hold more than 2L. You would need to make sure your bladder is not holding more than 1L.

Boiling Water To Treat It:

Boiling water as a means of filtration should only be used as a last resort if one of the above methods has failed. Boiling water is a tedious and time-consuming process and would be extremely inconvenient when backpacking. Not only does it require carrying a large pot around to boil your water, but you also need to wait for the water to cool off after boiling.

Rules With Boiling Water:

According to the CDC, you must have water at a rolling boil for 1 minute if under 6,500 ft in elevation and 3 minutes if over 6,500 ft elevation.

How To Carry Water When Backpacking/Hiking:

Okay, now that we learned how to resupply and filter our water, how do we carry it all? Fortunately, there are several different methods that you can go with when it comes to transporting your water during your hike.

I try to carry a minimum of three liters of water when backpacking, usually consisting of a two-liter bladder and a Nalgene bottle(as previously mentioned this can change depending on the regions I am hiking).

Water Bladder:

Water bladders are a bag-like reservoir typically stored in a pouch in your pack. These bladders carry anywhere from two to six liters of water. While they can get heavy when full, they are good to have when going on longer-distance treks as you can sip as you hike rather than stopping each time you need a sip of water.

Hydropak Water Bladder

or

The Rundown:

Water Capacity: has 2 and 3 Liter options
Cost: $$
In Line Filtration: (aka can you connect a filter to the hose)

Nalgene Water Bottle:

Nalgene bottles are a classic with the hiking community. These nearly indestructible water bottles typically carry about a liter of water and are very helpful when cooking or washing up after a long day’s hike.

Nalgene Water Bottle:

or

The Rundown:

Water Capacity: 1L
Cost: $
It’s a water bottle but indestructible.

Plastic Water Bottle

One of the other options available for carrying your water around is a run-of-the-mill plastic water bottle. I found that these are not great for backpacking trips because of their lower volume but for a day hike they can work quite well.

Drink Up!

Water is something we all need no matter where we are. I hope this article helped you answer your questions water storage and treatment in the backcountry.