Day Hiking Essentials: What to Wear and Bring on a Day Hike
It might be cheesy to say, but hiking changed my life. Spending time in nature is my all-time favorite activity, and hiking allows me to see and access places I never would have imagined seeing. Are you interested in hiking, but not sure what to bring with you? This guide goes through everything I bring with me on a day hike, from the gear I bring to my favorite backpack to what I wear and more! The key to being a happy hiker is having gear that is comfortable and being prepared for any situation or weather. Safety and comfort are my top priorities when choosing what to pack. Keep reading to learn about everything I wear and bring on a day hike!
Disclaimer: This blog post contains affiliate links, meaning I receive a small percentage of every purchase at no additional cost to you. Read more about my affiliate policy here.
Gear
Backpack
First off, you’ll need something to carry all the following gear in while you’re hiking! I recommend a backpack that is comfortable and fits everything you plan on bringing. My go-to day hiking backpack is the Osprey Hikelite 18 (also comes in a 26L version). I love that it has a built-in rain cover, so I never have to worry about my gear getting wet if it randomly starts raining. It also has a spot for a water bladder, if that is something you like to use. Some other good daypack options include the REI Co-op Flash Pack Collection, the Gregory Nano 18 H2O Hydration Pack, and the Osprey Tempest 20 Pack. When I’m planning on taking lots of camera gear, I opt to take my Peak Design Everyday Backpack, which has storage components for my camera lenses!
Water Bottle
Water is easily one of the most important items you need to take with you on a hike! It’s easy to get dehydrated when hiking, so bringing enough water is essential. I always take my Nalgene (which also comes in a narrow-mouth version) with me on day hikes. Another good option is this Hydro Flask water bottle because it has a leakproof straw cap that allows you to easily sip. If you are looking for an option that allows you to easily sip while hiking, I recommend using a hydration bladder. If I’m on a longer day hike, I’ll also bring a water filter so I can get more water as I hike if there are streams. If the water is flowing well and is clear (meaning no floaties or bugs), I opt to use water treatment instead. I also like taking electrolytes with me on hikes, which also help combat dehydration. Some of my favorites are NUUN, Liquid I.V., and DripDrop.
Food
Don’t forget the snacks! Depending on how long your hike is, you’ll likely get hungry. Even on shorter hikes, I like to bring snacks just in case I stay out there longer than I originally planned. I also like to keep extra food in the car for when I’m done with the hike. Hiking involves a lot of exercise and you burn a lot of calories, so make sure to bring enough food. Some of my favorite snacks are granola bars, energy chews, oat bars, and peanut butter cups! This blog post breaks out some of my favorite foods to eat when hiking.
Light / Headlamp
Bringing some form of light, whether it is a headlamp or a flashlight is super important when hiking just in case you end up being out longer than you expect or if you get lost and have to hike in the dark. This is my go-to headlamp, which is super light, and here is a flashlight that you can easily store in your bag. Having some sort of light is also essential if you ever want to do a sunrise or sunset hike because you’ll need something to light up the trail when hiking in the dark.
Navigation
Don’t get lost on your hike! For day hikes, I typically use the AllTrails app on my phone. I pay for an annual subscription that allows me to download maps offline, so when I’m hiking I don’t have to worry if I don’t have cell phone service. On the AllTrails app, I can also save all my hikes and make a list of “bucket-list hikes” to reference in the future! Sometimes I’ll also bring paper maps with me. If you do opt to only take paper maps, I recommend learning how to use a compass to navigate.
First Aid Kit
When I’m hiking and traveling, I always take a small first aid kit with me just in case. Even if I just get a small cut, having bandaids and antiseptic on hand is super handy and can help it heal faster. Typically, I make my own first aid kit consisting of a little bag of all the essentials. If you are unsure what to include in your first aid kit, I recommend the Adventure Medical Kits Ultralight/Watertight .5 Medical Kit or the HART Outdoor Day Hike First-Aid Kit.
Sun Protection
Sunscreen and chapstick are essential! You’ll be spending a lot of time in the sun when hiking, so having proper sun protection is important. Some other options to help protect yourself from the sun are sun hats, sun gloves, sun umbrellas, sunglasses, and UPF rated clothing such as sun hoodies.
Bug Protection
Mosquito season comes every year and is always a part of hiking season. I recommend using both bug spray and a head net to help ward off mosquito bites. Wearing long pants and a long sleeves can also help prevent bug bites (I find the best combo is usually wind pants plus a windbreaker/rain jacket to avoid mosquito bites).
Satellite Communicator / Emergency Device
Taking a satellite communicator/emergency device is usually not necessary for a day hike, but I always take one on long hikes or on hikes that I know I won’t have cell phone service on. It is also really nice to have when hiking solo. These devices allow you to send messages, track your location, and have an SOS button that you can use to contact search and rescue if there is an emergency. My go-to satellite communicator is the Garmin inReach Mini.
Portable Charger
If I’m going on a longer day hike or if I’m worried about my phone dying, I’ll bring a power bank with me so I can charge my phone. This is especially important when I rely on maps on apps on my phone. This is currently my go-to portable battery.
Trekking Poles
Trekking poles can help with stability when hiking, especially on uneven terrain. Trekking poles are not for everyone, but when I first started taking hiking more seriously, these really helped me to stop tripping and falling all the time. I used to roll my ankles ALL the time and would literally fall flat on my face, but having trekking poles helped me a lot. These are the trekking poles I’ve used for the past few years. If you’re looking for even more ultralight trekking poles, I recommend these ultralight carbon trekking poles. If you’re just starting out and are unsure if you like using trekking poles, a more affordable option are these trekking poles.
What to Wear
Hiking Shoes
Having happy feet is essential when hiking. Choosing a shoe that is comfortable is so important. There is no “one size fits all” when it comes to choosing a hiking shoe because everyone has different feet and preferences. I recommend trying a few different styles of shoes to figure out what works best for you. What works for me might not necessarily work for you.
I generally look for lightweight shoes because you’ll really start to feel heavy boots over miles and miles of hiking. I personally love wearing trail runners because they are super lightweight and quick-drying. The Altra Lone Peaks have been my go-to trail runner since 2019 and I’ve worn them on my thru-hikes of the 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail, the 210-mile John Muir Trail, and the 800-mile Arizona Trail. Another trail runner I’ve been trying out recently is the HOKA Challenger. If the hike is longer than 9-10 miles, I’ll almost always wear trail runners because I usually don’t get blisters in them and I know they’re comfortable for long days of hiking.
However, if the trail is shorter (under 9 miles), I’ll sometimes opt to wear other styles of hiking shoes and hiking boots. I’ll also choose to wear waterproof hiking boots if it the trail is covered in snow to help keep my feet warm. A couple of my favorite hiking boots are these Columbia hiking boots and the Danner Mountain 600 hiking boots.
I’ve also been wearing the Merrell Bravada 2 Waterproof Hiking Shoes more recently on shorter day hikes, especially when it is raining (which it does often in the PNW) or the trail is wet. These are a nice in-between of trail runners and hiking boots, but also help keep my feet dry when it is wet.
The main difference between hiking shoes and normal sneakers is the traction on the bottom. Having additional traction helps you hike on rocky and more technical terrain.
Hiking Socks
Almost as important as choosing the right hiking shoe, having good hiking socks also helps keep your feet happy when hiking. I prefer to wear comfortable and breathable socks for hiking. My all-time favorite hiking socks are Injinji toe socks because they help prevent blisters. I also love wearing merino wool socks, including Darn Tough socks and Smartwool Everyday Cable Crew Socks.
Hiking Shirt
When choosing a shirt to hike in, I recommend choosing something that is comfortable, sweat-wicking, and breathable. You’ll be working up a sweat when you are hiking, so I don’t recommend wearing anything too thick (if it’s colder outside, this is where layers come in - more on that below). I typically avoid cotton shirts since they are not sweat-wicking or breathable, and instead, I try to stick to hiking shirts that are either made from synthetic materials or merino wool, such as the Icebreaker Sphere II T-Shirt. Merino wool shirts typically are less smelly after sweating a lot.
I almost always wear long sleeves when hiking, even in summer for sun protection. I really love sun hoodies, like the Outdoor Research Echo Sun Hoodie (Women’s / Men’s) and the Cotopaxi Sombra Sun Hoodie (Women’s / Men’s). The sun hood is awesome to pull up over my hat, which provides additional sun protection when hikes are super exposed to the sun with no shade. A few of my favorite long sleeve shirts for hiking are:
Patagonia Capilene Cool Daily Long-Sleeve Shirt (Women's / Men’s)
REI Co-op Sahara Patterned Long-Sleeve Shirt (Women’s / Men’s)
If I do wear short sleeves or a tank, my favorites are the Patagonia Capilene Cool Daily Shirt (Women's / Men’s) and the Lululemon Align Tank Top.
Hiking Pants or Shorts
This comes down to comfort again - wear what you are most comfortable exercising in! I love hiking in leggings, such as the Lululemon Wunder Train High-Rise Tight or the Vuori Studio Pocket Leggings. When it is hot outside, I’ll opt to wear shorts instead. My go-to hiking shorts are the Vuori Dash Shorts and the Vuori Studio Pocket Shorts. If it’s a bit colder out, I’ll opt to wear fleece-lined leggings. I know a lot of women also love wearing the Patagonia Baggies Shorts or the Patagonia Barely Baggies Shorts! If you rather wear hiking pants, which are usually a bit more durable than leggings, I recommend the prAna Halle Straight Pants II.
For men, my partner’s favorite hiking pants are the prAna Stretch Zion Pants II and his favorite hiking shorts are the Patagonia Baggies Shorts - Men's 5" Inseam (which also come in a 7-inch inseam version).
Warm Layers & Jacket
Having extra layers is so important when hiking! It can get super chilly in the mountains, so I recommend bringing layers just in case it is colder than you expect, whether that’s a mid-layer fleece or a puffy jacket. My favorite fleeces to take hiking are the Melanzana Micro Grid Hoodie and the Patagonia Better Sweater Quarter-Zip Fleece Pullover (Women’s / Men’s). Another good option is the REI Co-op Trailsmith Fleece Pullover (Women’s / Men’s).
For a hiking jacket, I always opt to bring a lightweight and warm jacket. A couple of my favorite lightweight synthetic jackets are the Arc'teryx Atom Insulated Hoodie (Women’s / Men’s) and the Outdoor Research SuperStrand LT Insulated Hoodie (Women’s / Men’s). When I know it’s going to be pretty cold, my all-time favorite ultralight puffy jacket to bring hiking is the Arc’teryx Cerium Down Hoodie (Women’s / Men’s).
Rain and Wind Protection
The weather can change quickly, so bringing both rain and wind protection is important on hikes. A rain jacket can also double as a windbreaker. For a budget ultralight jacket, I recommend the Frogg Toggs Ultra-Lite2 (Women’s / Men’s). Here are a few of my favorite rain jackets:
If you know the weather is going to be clear but potentially windy, just brining a windbreaker can be nice since windbreakers are usually a bit lighter than rain jackets. My favorite windbreakers are the Patagonia Houdini Jacket (Women’s / Men’s) and the Cotopaxi Teca Half-Zip Windbreaker (Women’s / Men’s). I’ll also bring wind pants to layer over top of leggings if I know it’s going to be super windy.
Sports Bra and Underwear
I usually opt for wearing a light-support and sweat-wicking bra. My favorite sports bras for hiking are the Vuori Yosemite Bra and the Patagonia Active Mesh Bra. If I know I’m not going to sweat too much, I also like the Lululemon Like a Cloud Bra. For hiking underwear, my go-to is the Patagonia Active Hipster.
Hat
I always wear a hat when hiking. It helps keep the sun off my face and my hair out of my eyes. I generally wear some sort of ball cap. If you are looking for even more sun protection, I recommend the Outdoor Research Sunbiolet Sun Hat and the Tilley LTM6 Airflo Broad Brim Hat.
Beanie
Since the weather changes fast here in Washington, I almost always take a beanie with me on my hikes, even in the summer for when it cools off in the morning or evening! A few of my favorite beanies are the Patagonia Everyday Beanie, the Pendleton Cable Hat, and the REI Co-op Lightweight Logo Beanie.
Gloves
I always like to take gloves with me on hikes, even in the summer. My favorite gloves are the Outdoor Research Vigor Heavyweight Sensor Gloves (Women’s / Men’s). For a lighter glove, I recommend the Outdoor Research Melody Sensor Gloves.
Sunglasses
I prefer to wear polarized sunglasses when hiking to help keep the sun out of my eyes and to block the glare of reflections. Goodr sunglasses are my go-to polarized sunglasses to wear hiking!
Final Thoughts
As I said at the beginning, hiking gear and clothes are all about being comfortable and prepared for any conditions. I hope this list of what I bring on a day hike helps you create and finalize your own day hiking gear list!
