New to hiking and backpacking? Here's the gear you need to get.
- Women of the Wild
- Sep 24, 2024
- 17 min read
The first question from every person new to hiking: what gear do I need?
I'm here to answer that question!
There's no one-size-fits-all when it comes to gear, and I hate to burst your bubble, but this isn't going to be a simple list of what to buy and what to avoid. What I can provide for you is what to prioritize, how to find what's best for you, my personal top picks, and where to find deals. The good news is: you don't need to have it all to get started!
I want to emphasize that while I do provide some personal top-picks throughout this blog post, just because I like them doesn't mean they'll fit you well or work for you. Additionally, there might be a piece of clothing or gear that's better for you that's also cheaper! Over the years I have accumulated some higher-end pieces of gear and clothing, but you do not need to pay top dollar to get yourself outfitted for hiking and backpacking. You can find a lot of great hiking clothing at stores like Old Navy! So! Before we get into the subtleties of choosing the right gear for you, let's get down to the basics.
Priority number 1: Safety
While you don't need to have all the gear or top-of-the-line anything to get started, you do need safety gear and equipment. This is a step you can not skip, and I recommend putting together your safety kit before you go on any hikes.
First off: a medical kit. You can buy pre-packed medical kits at any hiking/outfitting store and that's a great start, but you'll want to customize those kits. Learning what to put in your kits to make sure you've got what you need in an emergency is extremely important. I've put together an online course on how to build your first-aid kit so that you know how to do this and can get out onto the trails with confidence that if something were to happen, you'll be prepared.
Here's an example scenario from the course, picture this:
You're on a day hike with 3-4 other people and someone takes a wrong step, slipping off an exposed root, spraining their ankle and subsequently gouging their leg on a pointy stick. You're the only person with First Aid training, so the rest of the group is looking to you for help and guidance. There might be blood and other bodily fluids, and there might even be bone visible. The injured person doesn't know what to do and is going into shock while sitting in the dirt, waiting for someone to do something. Meanwhile, your other friends are starting to panic.
You open your first aid kit and spend what feels like ages frantically opening zippers, emptying pockets, searching for something that might be useful. You just bought this kit last week and never opened it, so you don't know exactly what's in it, where things are, or what would be the most useful. Finally, you find some alcohol wipes to clean the wound, and a sterile gauze pad. You clean the wound and apply the gauze, then get your injured friend to hold it in place while you search for tape or a tensor bandage to keep the gauze in place. No luck. You realize you've got to find something to keep it in place, so you ask your other friends for any piece of clothing they're not using. You end up tying a shirt around your friend's leg to keep the gauze in place and start frantically gathering all the supplies from your kit, now strewn about in the dirt.
This scenario could have played out better, here's the key takeaways:
Have a stocked kit
Know what's in it and how to use it
De-brief the group on what's in your kit and how to support you (or the person with first aid training) in the event of an emergency
Second: 10 Essentials
The "10 Essentials" is a set of gear/tools that should always be brought with you on your adventures. These are things that will help you survive in the wilderness should the worst happen, and are the bare minimum of what you should bring hiking. The 10 essentials are:
Navigation
The basics being a map and compass (and knowing how to use them)
Download the map from AllTrails or another trail app
A satellite GPS device - more on this below
First aid kit
I already mentioned the first aid kit above because to me, it's that important
Extra food
Extra water
Shelter
You don't need to bring a full tent, sleeping pad, etc. with you on every hike, but at the bare minimum you should have an emergency bivy
Headlamp
Even if you're just going on a day hike, always bring a headlamp - if anything goes wrong, you could quickly end up hiking in the dark. Bring extra batteries, or a battery bank and charging cable if it's a rechargeable headlamp
Sun protection
Sun glasses, a hat, sun protective clothing (hello, sun hoodies!)
Knife
Fire
Matches, lighter, tinder and/or stove
Note: waterproof matches are something that remain in my bag at all times!
Extra clothes
Having layers is always a good idea, and trust me, you will be so thankful for some dry layers when you've sweat through your clothes or hiked through an unexpected rainfall
Third: a satellite GPS device. In the backcountry, there is no cellphone service. Even if you're going to a location where there is cellphone service, having a GPS device that can send out an SOS to SAR and track your location is an invaluable asset. If your phone dies you'll be able to send an SOS message in the event of an emergency or send messages to update your safety contact (more on that below), and if you become unconscious or injured in a way which you can not use your hands then SAR can use your GPS device to track your location and find you.
I'm working on a blog post comparing the three main GPS devices most commonly used in the backpacking world so keep an eye out for that, but for now, here they are:
Garmin Messenger
Zoleo
Garmin inReach Mini
Fourth: wildlife protection. While relatively uncommon, wildlife encounters do happen and are something you should take into consideration. This gear will be particular to where you're hiking. If you're hiking close to home then you'll likely have an idea of what type of wildlife you may encounter. If you're hiking further from home, do some research to find out what's out there. For example, knowing there are bears is not enough. What kind of bears? Knowing whether there's black bears or grizzly bears makes a difference.
Most commonly this is bear spray, but be sure to check local guidelines - some parks don't allow bear spray. This goes for bear bangers, too. They are considered a firearm in some districts, so be sure you're not bringing them into an area where you could get fined for having them, or worse. Note: bear spray expires. After the expiration date, it may start to leak - reducing its effectiveness. Always check to make sure your bear spray is current before heading out.
Note 2: watch some tutorials on YouTube about how to use bear spray before heading out.
Another consideration is how you're going to protect your food. This isn't just about your food, it could be about your life or someone else's. Bears have an incredible sense of smell, and luring them to your camp with food is not a good idea. Store your food in a secure container, try to smell-proof it somehow, and stash it at least 200 feet away from your camp. Always follow LNT principles and pack out all garbage. This includes organic waste! Yes, your orange peel and boiled egg shells will degrade, but they will not degrade before the next person comes along to where you threw them and is put in danger of a bear sniffing them out while they're moving through or sleeping.
There are bear bins, Ursacks, and other options like hanging your food or putting it in a food locker, if available. Although cumbersome and heavy, I stick to bear bins. I find them most reliable and they also keep out rodents the best. If you're going to get a bear bin, check the park's guidelines on which one to get. Recently there have been reports in certain parks that bears have figured out how to open the blue BearVaults, therefore they require you use another style.
Note: some National Parks require the use of bear bins, therefore you can't show up and expect to be able to use your Ursack or just hang your food.
Other wildlife considerations include what kind of bugs, rodents and reptiles may be around. Animal-proofing your food includes having it stashed in a way that rodents won't chew through to get to it, and yes, mice can get up to your food hang. Bugs such as mosquitos and horseflies can be a nuisance, so find out if where you're going will have lots of them or not and plan accordingly. Mosquitos can also carry diseases, so taking the "pay no mind" approach is not recommended. Bug sprays and permethrin are bad for your health and Thermacell refill cartridges are expensive, so full sleeves and bug nets are my go-to.
Alright! You've got your safety kit and are ready to hit the trails. What else do you need to do before you head out there?
Finally: have at least one safety contact. This is the person or people that you give your itinerary to. Where are you going, which trail(s) will you be on, where will you be camping, and when should you be back. If you don't get in contact with your safety person by a designated time, it's their job to inform local authorities to get a Search and Rescue mission underway.
This is another situation a satellite GPS device is handy. If you're going to be late or are held up for any reason, you can send them a quick message to let them know so that they don't pre-emptively activate an SAR mission.
2: Clothing & Footwear
The clothing and shoes that you choose are going to be extremely personal. This is going to depend on where you're going, how your body is built, what is comfortable for you, what the weather will be, and what your budget is, among other factors. Sorry, but I'm not going to give you a list of exactly what clothes to wear and shoes to buy, but I will outline how to choose what's best for you.
Note: this is coming from a female perspective.
Considerations for what to wear include:
Durability
You're going to want to purchase clothing and footwear that will last on the trail. You don't want to get half way through a hike and have rips all through your pants!
Function
Pockets. Every girl's dream: accessible, functional pockets. Just having pockets isn't enough, they need to be functional. Can you fit your phone in them? Snacks? Can you sit down with your phone in your pant/short pocket and not have it jab into your hip? These things truly do matter.
Comfort
Self explanatory, but as you try out different clothing and spend more time outdoors you're going to realize how much comfort takes a role, and a toll. Unfortunately, this is highly dependent on your body. When you've got your pack on you'll notice how the shoulder straps chafe the top of your shoulders if your shirt doesn't fully cover your shoulders, or how the button on your pants digs into your stomach when your pack's hip belt is done up, or how when you hit mile 3 in August and sweat is pouring out of every inch of skin on your body the material of your pants stick to your legs in a super uncomfortable way. This is something I can't do for you, you're going to go through some trial and error!
Weight
Not so important for day trips, but if you're backpacking then weight will play a big factor in how well you do in the trail, how well your body holds up, and ultimately how much fun you have because if you're suffering due to too much weight, you aren't having fun.
Packability
The smaller it packs down, the better!
Weather conditions and climate
Do you need pants? Shorts? Layers? Merino wool? Rain gear? A puffy? etc.
Footwear
"What boots should I get?" is probably the question I see most online.
Well... maybe you shouldn't get boots at all. There's a huge shift away from hiking boots and toward trail runners, for multiple reasons. Trail runners are typically lighter and more flexible, and the idea that you need a thick sturdy boot is somewhat outdated because backpacking gear in general is much lighter than it used to be, so your footwear doesn't need to support all that extra weight anymore. That being said, I still use hiking boots, but they're barefoot boots that are flexible and lightweight.
"But I need the ankle support of a firm boot!"
I may be biased, but maybe you actually need to work on your ankle strength and mobility.
Top picks:
Trail runners: Altra Lone Peak
Boots: Lems Outlanders
One of the most common choices in long distance footwear over the past few years has been the Altra Lone Peak series. It's a trail runner with a wide toe box and zero drop making it lightweight, flexible and supportive of your foot's natural shape and function. I personally have not tried them yet, but they're in my sights for a future shoe purchase.
Bottoms
There's way too much that can go in to this conversation, so I'll sum it up with a quick-and-dirty when-to guide:
When to wear durable pants:
When the trail is overgrown or you're going to be bushwhacking
When ticks or other unpleasantries are in the region
When you want to cover up from the sun
When you need to put layers underneath
When to wear shorts:
When damage to your legs and insects are not a factor
When it's hot and humid
When you're not going to get sun burnt
When to wear leggings:
When they're durable, not going to rip on trail, and you don't mind them getting muddy
When getting jabbed with sticks and roots isn't a concern (you'd want more durable pants for this)
When you're going for comfort over function
My top picks:
Pants:
Fjallraven Vidda Pro Ventilated (see fitting issue below, under 'what I wear')
Fjallraven Keb Curved might fit better, but I haven't worn them to test it out
Arc'teryx Gamma LT
Shorts:
Patagonia's Outdoor Everyday Shorts
Patagonia Baggies
Fjallraven Abisko Shorts
Leggings:
Fjallraven Abisko Trekking Tights
Tops
This is also extremely personal. Without getting too much into the weeds, we can (probably) all agree that in the summer you want to stay cool and in the winter you want to stay warm. I know, revolutionary.
In the summer my best suggestion is to wear a loose sun hoody. Something that has UPF and is light, quick-drying, and not skin tight. You wan the air to be able to flow between your skin and the fabric. I prefer sun hoodies because I don't like wearing sun screen, and I don't want to get burnt. I tuck the hood underneath the strap of my visor or under a hat to keep my neck covered and to keep it in place. A lot of people struggle with overcoming the idea of wearing long sleeves and a hood in the sun, and believe me I did too, but it's been a game changer. As long as you get the right one, you'll find it's not as bad as you thought. I personally feel I don't get as hot because the sun isn't directly hitting my skin. I also find that wearing shirts that don't cover my whole shoulders and armpits causes very unpleasant chafing.
Top picks for summer:
Winter is much more difficult to plan for in regards to clothing, and it's going to involve layers. What you wear is going to vary a LOT depending on the trail (distance and elevation gain/loss), weather, elevation and wind. You want to avoid sweating, and if the trail is uphill one way and downhill the other then you're going to need to have two different sets of layers.
Going uphill you're going to be way hotter than going downhill, so sweat management is key. If there will be no precipitation you may be able to get away with just a long sleeve shirt. However if there will be precipitation, you'll want a waterproof shell layer to wear on top of a minimal inner layer. The more waterproof a piece of clothing is, the less it breathes, so it increases the chances of sweating. I'll usually wear a merino wool base layer under my rain jacket.
Going downhill you're going to have cooled down a lot and aren't likely to be sweating. I tend to get really cold going downhill. If you've sweat through your layers going uphill, you might want to fully change out of those clothes and put on dry layers for the descent. On a recent day hike not only did I sweat through my layers going uphill, but it was also raining on and off, so at one point when it wasn't raining very much, we took off our rain jackets and then the following downpour soaked through our layers. Not only that, at the end of the trail we were at such a high elevation that it was snowing. As soon as we stopped, we were freezing so we stripped down to our sports bras, put on a dry base layer, then our fleeces, then our rain gear back on top. Having dry layers on for the descent was an absolute necessity and may have stopped us from getting hypothermia.
Typical layers for winter look something like this:
Merino wool base layer
Fleece and/or puffy (insulated jacket)
Waterproof shell (shell just means a layer without insulation, they're good for wearing on top of layers)
Depending on how cold it is and the quality of your clothes, you may just use a fleece or a puffy, not both. Also, your waterproof shell is going to cut the wind quite well, so even if it isn't raining or snowing you may find it useful. Typically, I wear a merino wool base layer by itself or with a shell going uphill, put on my puffy or fleece at the summit (both if it's extremely cold), and on the way down will wear my base layer and fleece.
A note on puffies:
Down is awesome for keeping you warm, BUT it is NOT awesome as soon as it gets wet. Once it's wet, it's useless, and will not keep you warm. This goes for sweating too much in it, too. If you'll be hiking with precipitation you'll want to get a synthetic puffy because if it gets wet it will still keep you warm.
Top picks:
Socks
Believe it or not, socks can make or break your hiking experience. Comfortable feet can make the difference between loving your trip and wanting to go again, and never wanting to step foot on a trail again.
Merino wool wins my heart when it comes to socks because they help to regulate your foot's temperature and are much better at controlling stink than other materials. There's a couple brands that stand out from the rest, Darn Tough topping the list for me. Darn Tough is a phenomenal brand with phenomenal socks. Not only are their socks highly durable, they also have a lifetime warranty! So if they ever wear out, you can get them replaced. When you think about it that way, the price tag isn't so scary. SmartWool is another great brand with merino wool socks and I absolutely love my SmartWool socks.
What I wear
TL;DR I wear Fjallraven Pants, sun hoodies, merino wool and Lems Outlander boots.
My friends all know me to wear very durable, full length pants, (I call them my adventure pants), and a sun hoody. The pants are Fjallraven Vidda Pro Ventilated, and I have a variety of sun hoodies. About 80% of the time, this is what I'm wearing - to the extent that a friend started a hike an hour or so after me and my group, and when she caught up to us she was shocked and exclaimed "Trish! What are you wearing!?" because I was not wearing my Fjallravens and a sun hoody, but instead leggings and a t-shirt. Apparently she had made a bet with her boyfriend on the way up that I'd be wearing Fjallraven pants, and to her surprise, she lost. Are those pants heavier, less packable and hotter than some other options? Yes, but they are also incredibly durable and that's why I wear them so much. After 4 years of wearing the Vidda Pro Ventilated pants almost exclusively, I am on the hunt for a new pair of durable pants that are more lightweight for summer, but I will still wear the Vidda Pros during the rest of the year.
For shoes, I'm a barefoot shoe person (and I think you should be, too!)
There's nothing normal about "normal" shoes. They squish your toes into a narrow toe box causing muscle strain and foot pain and they elevate your heels causing knee pain, to name just a couple reasons I don't wear them. There's lots of different minimalist and barefoot shoes on the market, and I can't say for sure that I've found the PERFECT shoe for me yet, but I do love my Lems Outlander boot. They're not a true barefoot shoe, but they do have a wider toe box, zero drop (no elevated heel relative to toes), have incredible tread, are waterproof, are super durable, and had NO break-in period. As soon as I got them I went on a 5-day backpacking trip and had exactly zero issues.
3: Packs
What pack you use is also highly individual. If you're just getting into hiking, the good news is: you DO NOT need to spend a lot of money to get a top-of-the-line backpack to get started. One of our trip hosts, Liz, has shared that she started hiking with her college backpack!
Choosing a pack
Backpack sizes are sorted in two ways: litres, and S/M/L. Litres is a measurement of how much a backpack can hold, and the S/M/L is the personal sizing that is determined by the length of the wearer's torso.
You can follow this general guideline for how to choose what litre pack you should get based on how long you will be hiking/backpacking:
10-35 litres: 1 day
40-60 litres: 2-5 days
65+ litres: 5+ days
If you're really good at packing and/or have UL (Ultra Light) gear, you might be able to get away with a 35-45 litre pack for an overnight, but typically people use a 10 litre pack for short/non-technical day hikes, 20-35 litre packs for longer or more technical day hikes, and 55 litres+ for overnights and beyond.
Choosing whether small, medium or large is the right size for you is difficult to sum up without trying on packs. Different brands will have slightly different sizing specs for their packs, so the best advice I can give is to go into an outfitter such as REI and have someone who works there help you try on packs. They'll have knowledge of how the brands differ and can help you make sure you're wearing the pack right to be able to get an appropriate size. It is also worth noting that men's and women's sizing will differ, so if you find a size medium women's fits you well that does not mean a size medium men's will fit you well at all.
The weight trade-off:
If you're going for the lightest pack weight, you're going to be compromising on durability. Said another way, if you're looking for a highly durable pack that will last you years of abuse, it's not going to be very light. All UL gear is inherently less durable as there is less material and therefore it is much thinner. Personally, I wouldn't want to be 50 miles from a town and have my pack rip open because it got snagged on a branch, or I set it down too rough, or I stuffed too much gear into it and the seams popped. My advice is: when you're starting out, don't worry too much about the weight. Get something you don't have to stress about breaking too easily, and when you learn your habits and know where you're hardest on your gear, then you can start deciding where to cut the ounces of weight out of your base weight.
Purchasing tips
If you're set on purchasing gear and clothing, consider buying second-hand. While you can sometimes find good hiking clothes at thrift stores, some of the top brands have recycling programs where they refurbish used clothing and re-sell them at discounted prices. They'll even tell you if there's anything wrong with the clothing, so you can make an informed decision on whether or not you want to buy it. Here's a couple that I use frequently:
Don’t sweat it
In other words, don't over-complicate it. Those are the basics of what to get, and what to forget when you're getting into hiking and backpacking. Focus on safety, and don't be afraid to use your high school backpack and hand-me-down fleece from grandma to get yourself started. Too many people hold themselves back from starting their hiking journey because they think they need top-of-the-line gear before they can step foot on a trail. Get out there, you'll figure it out along the way!
If you want to get some ideas and take a look at the gear that I use and love, click here to head to my RockPorch profile and peruse my lockers!
Now get out on the trail, Wild Woman!
Note: this blog post may contain affiliate links which, at no cost to you, may provide Women in the Wild with a small commission should you choose to make a purchase.
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