What Hiking Supplies do I Need on My Trip?

It can be hard to prioritise when packing for a hiking trip. The space and weight restrictions that a backpack places on you mean that one of a hiker's primary concerns is making sure that before he/she sets out, everything they might need is squared away neatly.

Unfortunately, this means that a lot of equipment and supplies that are surplus to requirements have to be offloaded, but how do you choose what to keep and what to get rid of? I like to make my list as follows:

Supplies You Must Take

These are the supplies that no hiker should be without. The list includes some items that you may not ever need- things are only ever required in the case of the emergency. You should never be tempted to forego the inclusion of these items in order to save space or reduce weight- the likelihood is that the one occasion you don't take it will be the first occasion that you need it. There are also some items in this list that you will use constantly- water and food, mainly, but also things like waterproof clothing that you should never be without.

• Food
• Water bottle
• Some kind of stove
• Matches
• First Aid kit
• Emergency Whistle
• Torch
• Mobile Phone
• Map
• Compass
• Waterproof clothes
• Sleeping bag

Supplies That Are Nice To Have

This list is comprised of gadgets and tools etc. that might make your hike run a little more smoothly. In theory you should have plenty of room to allow you to take a few (or more of these things) so it's up to you to choose the items from this list that are best suited for the type of hike you're planning, your surrounding environment, and the people you're walking with. Some of these will also depend heavily on whether or not you intend to spend the night outdoors.

• Wire saw
• Hat
• Insect repellent
• Swiss Army knife
• Lighter
• Camera
• Two way radio
• Gloves
• Toilet paper

Things You Probably Won't Need

There are very few items that have never have any place on a hiking trip. However, there are items which are very often carried that are very rarely required for use. Things such as combat shovels, axes and full sized saws are heavy and take up a lot of space in any backpack. Similarly, you can't really afford to pack a spare for every single piece of equipment you take. You should really try to assess which items are essential, but also likely to require a back up.