Backpacking Packing List: Backpacking Gear Essentials for Every Hike

Summer is coming in HOT, which means backpacking season is too–it's time to start gearing up for your epic warm-weather backpacking trips! In this post, we'll dive into the backpacking gear essentials for a safe and successful trip. Let's get it!

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Table of Contents

What's the difference between camping and backpacking?

Camping usually involves some sort of transportation (like a car), while backpacking is all you! Backpackers often hike in to their site, carrying everything on their backs. For that reason, backpackers have to be extra careful when it comes to gear weight, carrying only the necessities. Suddenly it matters whether your tent is 2 lbs. or 5 lbs., or if your first-aid kit is built for a family of five or just you. And Cornhole? Sadly, that's a no go. Try cards instead!

What's your base weight and why is it important?

Glad you asked :) Your base weight is how much your loaded pack weighs sans consumables like food, water, and fuel. Lightweight backpacker base weights are around 20 lbs, while ultralight backpackers can get down to just 10! That's really hard to do and takes a lot of skill and experience.

So how much should my backpack weigh?

20% of your body weight is a good rule of thumb! So if you weigh 150 lbs, your pack's base weight should not exceed 30 lbs.

Backpacking gear is very dependent on the type of trip you have planned. Things like trip length and climate will have a huge effect on what gear you'll need, which is why your list might differ quite a bit from the list included below.

Seasoned trekkers and first-timers alike, this list of backpacking gear essentials will get you started. If you already have these items on deck, save this list for a pre-trip gear check down the road!

GEAR ITEMS

Essentials

Backpack

A good-fitting backpack is key to peak happiness on the trail. If it's pinching your hips or heavy on your shoulders, your body isn't going to be stoked about it, and it'll let you know in some pretty painful ways. If there's a time to splurge, it's now.

There's a lot that goes into picking the perfect pack–you'll need to determine your priorities. For me, it's a lightweight pack with two access points, side stretch mesh pockets, and exterior straps.

A good all-around backpack I recommend on the daily is the Osprey Aura 50 for women. It's just 2 lbs., 8 oz., which is light for a pack with an internal frame, and can be slimmed down even more (to 2 lbs. 3.4 oz.) by removing the top lid and straps. It's built for women, meaning the sternum strap sits at a slightly different spot and the shoulder straps are less bulky. It has a breathable back-mesh panel, side stretch-mesh pockets for water bottles, snacks, or gear.

Pictured: Hubba Hubba NX 2-Person

Tent

There are so many tents to choose from, all with their own unique features–it can be a lot of fun picking out your new wilderness tiny home that fits your style! The three most common in backpacking are your single and two-person tents, bivy tents, and hammock tents. I have the MSR Hubba Hubba NX 2 tent, which fits two people and weighs just 3 lbs. 8 oz. It's a great 3-season tent for your wetter adventures!

Download the Backpacking Packing List Here

Sleeping bag

Your sleeping system can make or break a backpacking adventure, so take the extra time to figure out what's important to you, whether that's peak comfort, lightweight gear, or a combination of both! I'm all about down sleeping bags. While a little more expensive than their synthetic counterparts, down (feathered) is much warmer, lighter, packs up smaller, and can be water resistant depending on which one you pick! My rec? REI’s 15º Magma Down Bag. It's rated for 15 degrees, is water resistant down, lightweight, and warm–perfect for three-season camping.

Sleeping pad

If there's a chance you'll want to give snow camping a go sometime down the road, splurge for the four-season pads rated 4 or above. The Nemo Tensor V-Lite Insulated Sleeping Pad is great quality, low-cost, 3-season option, which packs up super small (20 x 6.5 cm) and weighs just 12 oz.

Non-Essential Gear Items

Hammock

If I know there's going to be trees, I'll sometimes eat the extra weight of the hammock just to be able to swing off the ground with the best view around. Eno DoubleNest Hammock is lightweight and easy to set up. I'd recommend getting additional heavy-duty straps for length and strength, just in case! You can also swap your tent for a hammock if you'd like.

Luci Light + Charger

While not necessary, this solar-powered light is a fantastic second light source to your headlamp. At full charge, it lasts up to 50 hours and features a USB port to either charge it up before you hike out, or to charge your phone on the trail. It's also inflatable, which allows it to be packed up small for easy transport when not in use.

Small Micro-Fiber Towel

If I know I'll be swimming, I might pack a light micro-fiber towel to quickly dry off before putting my clothes back on. I love Nomadix’s ultralight towels for stuff like this!

Cards

Definitely not a necessity, but I love having some sort of activity to do as the sun goes down. There are so many ways to play with a deck of cards, which makes it a great small, packable game to bring along.

Journal

Sometimes you'll want to draw your campsite, a friendly squirrel, or the ridge line views, and you'll need a journal for that. Field Notes are small, lightweight, and this one even lets you write in the rain.

Backcountry Kitchen

Essential Items

Water Filtration + Storage

The Grayl keeping us quenched throughout our two-night backpacking trip.

A lightweight water bottle and a quality water filtration system is key to spending multiple days in the backcountry. Water is HEAVY, so instead of carrying a ridiculous amount of dense water, refill your bottle along the way with a filtration system. The Sawyer Squeeze is is a great lightweight and easy-to-use option for backpacking!

The Grayl (pictured here) is a great filtration option for shorter adventures.

**Check to make sure there is some type of water feature on your trail before heading out!

From tablets to filters to straws to UV, there are tons of water filtration options, and it's important to find the best one for you and your adventure style.

Food

Duh, right? But for real, deciding on food can be just as tough as any other gear! A good rule of thumb is only bringing what you LOVE. If you only kind of love trail mix at home, you're going to like it even less on the trail, trust me. The best part is, you'll be burning a heck of a lot of calories, so snacking on your favorite sugary treats is actually encouraged for little boosts of energy throughout the day. I always bring M&Ms, nuts, granola bars/cliff bars, freeze-dried camp meals, and beef jerky or pepperoni sticks to name a few!

Mountain House makes my favorite backpacking meals. I always have at least one Lasagna with Meat Sauce with me on every adventure.

Stove + Pots + Fuel + Utensils

There's nothing like enjoying sunrise in the wilderness with a steaming cup of coffee. The MSR Pocket Rocket Mini Stove Kit is a great lower-cost, light option (at 9.5 oz.) that comes with a 0.75-L pot and a lid, a 16-oz. bowl, and a grip. It's all I ever need to make a meal on a backpacking trip.

MSR Pocket Rocket Stove Kit (Plus Fuel).

Bear Canister

Will you be hiking in bear country? Or maybe raccoons are more of the threat? If the bears aren't around, the raccoons will try everything to infiltrate that hard plastic. While the parks do offer them for free, they actually ran out last year! Snag a bear canister of your own so you never have to worry about that again.

Non-Essential Items

Mug/cup

If I'm going light, I'll drink straight out of the pot, but sometimes you want an insulated camp mug to add a little feel-good touch to your morning cup of joe. They also keep your coffee hot longer. Here's one I'd recommend! The Hydro Flask pictured above is a little heavier than I'd like but insulates the heck out of any cold or hot beverage. Sometimes it's worth the weight!

Clothing

Head:

• Baseball cap

  • You'll be out in the sun all.day.long if you're summer backpacking, and a cap can add an extra layer of sun protection.

• Beanie

  • For those chilly mornings and evenings! Merino wool works best, but I've been caught wearing cotton.

• Chapstick with SPF

Body:

• Base layers: Moisture-wicking, quick-dry clothing layers

  • Choosing a good pair of leggings and a long sleeve shirt is vital for optimal comfort on your trip. Merino wool retains heat in the winter and repels heat in the summer, making it a sweet year-round backpacking staple. Every one of my base layers is a quarter-zip like this one here, so I can unzip if I'm too hot or zip up if it gets chilly.

• Insulating layer:

  • This is an extra layer of warmth on those chilly days. Think fleeces and down jackets. I prefer down because (just like down sleeping bags) they're lightweight and pack up small. I love my orange Stio Pinion Down Pullover Puffer!

• Outerwear:

  • If you're in a wet climate, bring a waterproof outer layer to stay dry. These can be raincoats, windbreakers, etc. I almost always have my REI Xero-Dry GTX raincoat with me that doubles as a windbreaker!

• Hiking pants:

  • You want your hiking pants to be lightweight, durable, waterproof, and breathable. You'll also want to know what climates you'll mostly be hiking to choose the best pair for you! I love my Stio Pinedale Pant because it has a built in belt that lets you synch your waist as much or as little as you need! They’re also super stretchy!

• Hiking shorts:

  I'll swap between longer bike shorts and shorter, flowy shorts throughout the trip depending on thigh burn and the amount of breathability I want that day. Whatever you choose, make sure it's quick drying! I often wear my quick-drying shorts and sports bra for swimming if other people are around. I’ve been wearing REI’s Amphib shorts.

Danner Mountain 600s and From the Ground Up Socks: Olympic National Park

Feet:

• Socks

  • Darn Tough, Smartwool, and From the Ground Up socks are great go-to's for moisture-wicking, odor resistant options. Get a pair that'll you love, because you'll be seeing a lot of them when you're looking for rogue roots or rocks on your hike.

• Boots:

  • The Danner Mountain 600s are my favorite boots of all time! They're super comfortable, lightweight, have killer grip, are waterproof and breathable with ankle support... I can go on for days!

Non-Essential Items

Sandals

You can get by without them, but this is a luxury on my personal essentials list. After a long day on the trail, I love swapping my boots and nasty socks for sandals to free the toes and still be able to get around my campsite. Check out how cool these Teva's are!

Health + Hygiene

Toothbrush + Toothpaste

Find an eco-friendly toothpaste to bring with ya! Huppy makes these sweet little toothpaste tablets that are super portable, come in compostable packaging, and are made using ingredients you can actually pronounce.

Feminine hygiene products (menstrual cup)

A menstrual cup is a great no-waste option for life on the trail! This one from Cora lasts for up to a decade, AND the company gives back by sending cups to women in India and Kenya.

Toilet paper + sealable bag to pack it out

Aside from its harmful impact on the environment (did you know it can take up to two years to decompose?), stumbling upon used toilet paper on the trail is straight up GROSS. Pack it out with you.

There ya have it! These along with the 10 Essentials (10 things to pack for every adventure), and you’re good to go!

Download the Backpacking Packing List Here

Miscellaneus

Essential Items

Paracord

A little bit of paracord can go a long way. It's a great gear item to have in case of emergencies. Use it to tie up your shelter, pull out the inner cord for a makeshift fishing line, and it can be used as a tourniquet in worst-case scenarios.

Duct Tape

Another in-case-of-emergency item, duct tape is waterproof and super strong, which makes it great for patching holes, clothing, rain gear, and even water bladders.

Bug Spray

Bugs can be nasty in the summer months! Snag an eco-friendly bug spray to keep those tantalizing mosquitoes at bay.

Bear Spray

Always carry bear spray. If not for the bears, as a safety precaution against other animals and humans.

Whistle

These can scare away animals and alert others if you need help.

Personal Items

Permits

Check to see if your backpacking trip requires a permit. Read up on how that park requires your permit to be displayed.

ID

Just in case!

Finally, double check that you have all 10 Essentials for a Successful Adventure and your pack will be all ready to go!

But before we trek out, let's touch on a few pro tips for protecting and respecting the trails we visit.

Download the Backpacking Packing List Here

Remember to Leave No Trace

These gorgeous ecosystems are delicate and require a little conscious care from us visitors to help maintain a balanced and healthy environment, which also lets us to enjoy the wildflowers, wildlife, and vast landscapes for years to come.

Leave No Trace features seven core principles for responsible outdoor recreation. It's our responsibility to follow them and practice good stewardship on every adventure. Read more about the Seven Principles to Leave No Trace here.

THE SEVEN PRINCIPLES

• Plan and Prepare

• Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces

• Dispose of Waste Properly

• Leave What You Find

• Minimize Campfire Impacts

• Respect Wildlife

• Be Considerate of Other Visitors