Hiking Gear: The 20 Essentials Everyone Should Carry

Heading out into nature this summer? Here are the hiking gear essentials you need to pack to keep you safe, comfortable, and happy.

What you need to know before hiking

Hiking wasn’t even a hobby, much less a passion, for Jennifer Pharr Davis when she decided to hike the Appalachian Trail. Just 21 years old and fresh out of college, all she knew was that she needed something to help her transition from student to adult life, and tramping 2,190 miles through the wilderness seemed like a good plan.

“I had never really hiked before or spent a night alone in the wilderness,” she says. “It didn’t really hit me what I’d gotten myself into until that first night on the trail and I couldn’t figure out how to set up my tent. I realized I probably should have practiced that at home before I left.”

Filtration device: Sawyer Micro Squeeze Water Filtration System

Water is one of the most essential things to bring on a hike but it’s also really heavy to carry and takes up a lot of room in your pack; if you’re planning a longer hike, or want back up in case you get lost, it’s smart to bring a filtration device so you can refill your water from streams, lakes or rivers, Pharr Davis says. All three of our experts love the Sawyer filtration systems for durability, quality, and ease of use.

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October 29, 2024

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Much of his work centers around telling stories of underserved voices. He documents indigenous stories, especially up in the Arctic, and stories from the BIPOC community that revolve around their connection to the outdoors.

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Get clean water during your adventures with this ultralight filter that removes 99.99999% of bacteria such as salmonella, cholera, leptospirosis, and e. Coli. It also removes 99.99999% of protozoa!

Derek Rasmussen
Marketing Director at Outdoor Vitals

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Its a project where residents are given buckets that connect with water filter, a Sawyer PointONE model, that is designed to last over 20 years, effectively removing harmful bacteria, parasites, and protozoa.

Judy Wilson
Contributing Writer