What to bring on a short hike?

Hiking is an intense sport requiring a lot of preparation. You need to be mentally alert at all times, physically prepared for the obstacles and trek that will mark your way, and lastly, you need to have all necessary equipment, survival kit, and consumables ready for overnight trips or unexpected delays.

There are a lot of things to bring on all kinds of hikes both long and short. In this article, we’ll talk about the most important basic commodities as well as some other optional items that can be useful in your travels.

Hiking Gear

As with every sport, hiking requires specific sets of clothing that will make the adventure easier, more convenient, and will significantly lessen unnecessary discomfort or trouble. It is important to first and foremost prepare what you’ll wear as you learn about what kind of hike awaits you.

1. Bag

You need to know what type of bag you will bring along with you. As it carries all of your belongings, it is very important to bring a tough and durable bag, leaving no chances of it ripping off especially at challenging parts of your hike.

2. Footwear and Socks

The next thing you have to consider is the type of footwear you will be wearing on the hike. This is a very important consideration you need to sort out while planning. There are a lot of types of shoes to choose from, all of which range in the type of outdoor travels you choose to do and what they’re designed for.

Generally, hiking shoes are enough for light day hiking and on low to medium difficulty hikes. The next level requires hiking boots, more specialized footwear that will definitely get you miles. They are relying on tough and challenging hikes. You need to choose the most comfortable, yet most fitting footwear in order to assure a smooth-sailing and hassle-free hike.

3. Scarf / Bandana

Don’t mistake this as a fashion accessory only. The scarf can be pretty useful in a lot of varied situations. Its main function is to protect your neck from dust as well as the scorching sun, especially during the summer, or against the cold during cooler seasons. It can also serve as a good eye mask at night.

4. Hat / Cap

To keep you fully prepared and safe against the elements, a cap is another must have. Some of the easiest parts of the body to get burned on hikes are the ears and neck. Bringing a cap along with you minimizes this risk, effectively keeping off heat, or can also keep you from getting too cold.

5. Hiking Watch

One of the best equipment you can have is a timepiece, more so if it’s a hiking watch. The most obvious reason for its importance is for telling time. You can gauge your hike if you got a bit late by being side-tracked or if you have some more time to spare as you enjoy your hike.

More important features that most hiking watches have are the altimeter, barometer, and compass. These three are great environment trackers that help you analyze your situation and location when getting lost. Besides all these, hike watches are also made to be very durable, withstanding hits and scratches that usually occur to timepieces on these types of travels.

6. Clothes and Extras

Consider the weather on the day of your hike when choosing what to wear and what extra you should bring along. You can manage it off with a short sleeved shirt if it’s just a short hike and the weather will be fair. However, cooler seasons would require long sleeves that would effectively repel the cold weather. Take note and keep away from cotton, as they keep moisture near the skin.

7. Pants or Shorts

Waterproof pants are the most advisable choice when it comes to lower body garments. It effectively keeps insects away, avoids getting in contact with unknown plants, and keeps your legs dust-free and water-proof. However, if you’re sure that the weather will be fine, you can opt for rugged shorts that are thick enough to protect you from bumps, scratches, or falls to the ground.

8. Jacket

Jackets are optional and are only recommended when hiking at cooler temperatures or when camping for a few days as they can also be used as blankets.

9. Sunglasses

Sunglasses can be pretty helpful when the sun becomes glaringly bright. It prevents your eyes from getting dried out too much. But do take note to only use them when necessary, as they might blur a bit of your vision.

Survival Items

Along with the basic gear, you need to make sure that all the other essentials are with you. These are the contents of your bag, ranging from consumables that keep you up and about while hiking to survival kits that help guide you during emergencies.

1. First Aid Kit

It’s important to always be prepared for unexpected delays or incidents. This makes your first aid kit all the more important. The difference between safety and danger may lie on the amount of preparation you’ve done, and an additional first aid kit makes a large one. Make sure that inside the kit, you have your medications, if you have some, some bandages, medicine, and alcohol for disinfecting.

2. Insect Repellant

When the trail lays in a thick a thick forest, it’s important to bring an insect repellant. As some insects bring certain illnesses, you should conduct proper measures to keep them off you as much as possible.

3. Sunscreen

For hikes on scorching heat, sunscreen will save the day and your body against sunburn. A common occurrence for both amateur and pro hikers is sunburn, and you can get by the heat by wearing a layer of sunscreen to protect your skin from the raging heat.

4. Swiss Knife

One of the most important survival equipment is a swiss knife. It offers a lot of functions on a small piece. You can cut cloth, rope, wood, or use the screwdriver to fix equipment when necessary. It can also protect you from wild animals that might attack you on the wild.

6. Trail Food

As with all the exhausting activities and sports, you should bring some snacks for your hike. Trail mix of nuts and dried fruits are the best option as they provide a healthy and necessary energy boost you may require during a long hike. You can also choose other snacks based on what you think keeps you up and about.

7. Water

Don’t ever forget your water. A recommended water intake is roughly 1 liter every 2 hours when hiking. Make sure to pack accordingly as you plan ahead for your hike. You can also choose to go with stainless steel containers so you can keep the cold and refreshing temperature of water intact.

8. Flashlight

If you got lost in the trail and it starts getting darker, a bright and portable flashlight will become your best friend in no time. It’s important to know where you’re walking, and keeping the way lighted makes things easier and much safer for you. Just remember to check the batteries if they need replacing before the hike.

9. Whistle

At times when there are emergencies and you need other people for help, you should have a whistle with you. This greatly helps any situation requiring help as the noise will notify any people nearby of your location.

10. Map and Compass

Even though hikes are usually planned up to the dot, there would be instances that you might still get lost due to a confusing fork or a sudden dead end. This makes a map and compass helpful; they orient you back towards the right path, or at least to where the road becomes recognizable again.

Hiking and the Things You Need

There are a lot of considerations when planning for an outdoor activity, much more when it is hiking. Although the list may seem a lot, they are important checklists for you to determine how ready you are when the day of the hike arrives. Consider every bit on the list and check your locality’s condition on what to choose and what not to choose, when applicable.

In this list, we recommended a lot of things you need to bring along with you on hikes. Of them all, one of the most basic and helpful equipment is the hiking watch. Not sure what to get?