For day hikes, I like to be prepared, but not overly prepared. Knowing that I’ll be out for only a few hours, I pack light so that I can enjoy the most of my hike without the extra weight. These are my essentials for a day hike.
1. Hiking Day Pack
My go-to day pack is the Patagonia Nine Trails 18L Day Pack (discontinued now, similar linked below). It has a ton of pockets; my favourite are the belt pockets which I use for my phone and chapstick. There’s a stretchy front pocket that I can easily stuff snacks and papers in. The shoulder cushioning is fantastic, and the mono-mesh back panel is great for airflow especially in hot weather.
Pictured left to right: Patagonia Nine Trails 18L Day Pack (discontinued), Patagonia SnowDrifter Pack 20L (link)
2. Comfy Outfit
When I hike, comfort is key. Put away the compression leggings and tight sports bras. My go to outfit is
- a pair of stretchy leggings (gym leggings are fine! Just consider the compression level since you’ll be wearing them longer for hikes)
- a sports bra
- a lightweight tank or t-shirt
- in the Winter, I would layer up with a warm fleece
A few accessories would be:
- a hat
- long wool socks to cover my ankles and keep me dry
- a watch to track my steps (always fun to measure how far you’ve gone!)
Pictured left to right: Gymshark Vital Leggings (link), Gymshark Adapt Leggings (link), Aerie Offline Sports Bra (link), Uniqlo Fluffy Yarn Fleece (link), Roots Hamilton Toque (link), Lululemon Fast and Free Run Hat (link)
3. Jacket(s)
Depending on the season, I will bring a one or more of these jackets.
UV jacket
This is mainly for hikes with a lot of sun exposure. Wearing a UV jacket not only protects you from the harmful UV rays, but also keeps you cool from the direct sun. My UV jacket came on almost every hike while I was out hiking in Italy and Switzerland. The one I have is from Uniqlo. It has a hood which is good if you forget your cap, or want extra coverage for your neck.
Uniqlo Airism Mesh UV Hoodie (link)
Rain Jacket
A North Face Venture rain jacket comes with me when there might be showers or snow. I sometimes bring it with me regardless, because weather can be unpredictable. In that case, it doubles up as a warm layer for me. Pro tip: get a bright-colored one so it pops in your pictures!
The North Face Venture Jacket (similar)
Puffy Jacket
My puffy jacket is actually a light weight down jacket. It’s mainly for cold mornings/evenings. When I start hiking, I warm up and eventually pack this jacket into my backpack. That’s why a lightweight one is important for me.
Fjallraven Expedition Pack Down Jacket (link)
4. Hiking Poles
My hiking poles come with me on long hikes, or hikes with a lot of elevation. I have trouble with my knees (hiker’s knees!), so hiking poles really come in handy to distribute my weight during a challenging hike.
Gossamer LT5 Three Piece Carbon Trekking Poles (link)
5. Hiking Shoes
A good pair of hiking shoes is absolutely necessary. They will save you from wet feet, rolling your ankles, and generally improve your hiking experience exponentially. Mine are the Danner Mountain 600 hiking boots which give me extra ankle support. They are waterproof and have a comfy sole. I walked 8 hours on Mount Tongariro in New Zealand, and it felt like walking on a cloud the whole time!
Danner Mountain 600 Hiking Boots (link)
6. Water
For a day hike, a water bottle is enough for me to stay hydrated. I have a Swell bottle. Nothing fancy, does the job.
7. Snacks
I like to take granola bars as my main snack. They’re lightweight, really tasty (my favorite is chocolate chip), and give you the energy you need to keep going. I go through about 2-3 bars during most hikes.
For full day hikes (6-8 hours), I would also prepare a sandwich the night before. If I’m travelling, I would pick one up from a local grocery store. Ham and cheese is a good staple, it’s not messy and tastes great.
8. Skincare
This includes sunscreen, chapstick, hand sanitizer, lotion. These come in handy; I don’t like the feeling of dirty, dry skin or cracked lips.
Not exactly skincare – but I also bring sanitizing wipes with me. There have been times that I’ve muddied up my gear, or fell into the mud. Sanitizing wipes make it easy to clean up and keep going.
9. Medication
I have a small bottle of medication I might need. This includes painkillers, Tums for heartburn, Gravol for nausea. I also have a small first aid kit with bandaids in case I get any scratches. During the summer, I also bring some Afterbite because.. bugs.
10. Miscellaneous
Some miscellaneous items I bring include:
- Plastic bags – this is very multi- use. I find I mostly use it to pack my garbage or protect other gear from wet items.
- Camera – since I am a content creator, my camera comes with me on all my hikes.
- Hair clip/hair tie – to keep my hair out of my way
That’s it! Do you have all of these items in your day pack? What else would you include? Let me know!
While you’re here, you might be interested in some of my other posts: