Hiking Daypack

Backpack

The perfect daypack balances capacity and minimal weight in a comfortable ergonomic design. We love the: Osprey Tempest 20 Pack - Women's and Osprey Talon 22 Pack - Men's. They are both comfortable, have all the essential features, and will last for years.

Water Reservoir

When hitting the trails, it's always best to err on the side of overpacking water. You never know when things will take a turn and you might need more water to stay safe. We like the Osprey Hydraulics Reservoirs - They come in 3, 2 and 1.5 liter sizes depending on your hike length and conditions. Osprey also has handy replacements for the bite valves and tubing when you need it.

Sunscreen

Minimize your UVA & UVB exposure, and take enough that you can reapply throughout the day. We like spray bottles like the Sun Bum Mineral SPF 50 Sunscreen Spray, so you can make sure your shoulders and back are covered on solo hikes.

Chapstick

There is nothing worse than chapped lips a couple of hours into a hike. Look for one that has a SPF of 15+ like this Sun Bum Mineral SPF 30 Sunscreen Lip Balm.

Hat

Protect your eyes and face with a comfortable hat. Pretty sure the Patagonia P-6 Logo Trucker Hat is a staple in every outdoor-lover's closet.

SOL Scout Kit

Be prepared with the essentials you'll need in an emergency situation. The waterproof SOL Scout kit is just 5.4 oz and comes packed with a survival blanket, signaling mirror, rescue whistle, fire striker, waterproof tinder, compass, duct tape and a survival fishing and sewing kit.

HART Outdoor Day Hike First-Aid Kit

HART makes a few different sizes of First Aid kits, but our favorite is the HART Outdoor Weekend first-aid kit. Sized for 2 people on a 2-3 day trip this kit has all the essential medicines, bandages and wound treatments for standard mishaps along the trail.

Jacket

Always handy to have a packable jacket in your daypack in case the weather shifts or something happens. If you're looking for quality the REI Co-op Rainier Rain Jackets (Women's & Men's) will last you through years of hikes for a good price point.

Matador Pocket Blanket Mini

We carry one of the Matador Pocket blankets in our packs to help stay dry when resting along our routes. Think of this tiny foldable waterproof blanket as a tarp, to keep you and your gear clean and dry.

Matador Nanodry Towel

For any hike that is near a Lake, Stream or Ocean, we always make sure to bring a Nanodry towel from Matador. Made of absorbant fabric they, make quick dips in the water an easy task and pack small in your backpack.

Matador Droplet Water-Resistant Stuff Sack

The Matador Droplet Water-Resistant stuff sack is so tiny you'll forget it's in your back until you need to keep wet clothing separate from the rest of your backpack after a swim or want to store a small item.

Snack Bar

Epic hikes need fuel. There are a lot of cool new brands out there producing bars and snacks that aren't loaded with sugars and highly processed ingredients. Find your new favorite like Kate's Real Food Dark Chocolate Mint Bar, yum!

Knife Multitool

On a day hike, you want to make sure you have the essentials without too much excess weight. The Leatherman Bond Multi-Tool has a compact design with 14 tools including a 420HC knife, a wood/metal file, and pliers.

Bear Deterrent Spray

Most bears should be afraid of humans, but they are getting more and more familiar with humans and our food. We always practice safe wildlife habits when hiking but carry a mini Bear Deterrent Spray just in case.

Rain Poncho

Nice to have on hand when you get caught in a storm. Look for a reusable poncho like this Outdoor Products Backpacker Poncho that packs small, yet is big enough to keep both you and your backpack dry on the trail.

Sunglasses

Let's face it, avid adventurers are always scratching, breaking, or losing sunglasses. Thankfully, finding good quality polarized sunglasses no longer has to break the bank with new brands challenging the retail giants like these Goodr Circle Gs polarized sunglasses.

Headlamp

Whether you're a dawnbreaker or always find yourself racing the sunset home, having a small headlamp in your pack will help you stay safe when you can't resist maximizing that trail time. We have Black Diamond Astro 300 headlamps they shine with 300 lumens and can run on alkaline batteries (included) or a rechargeable lithium-ion battery (not included).

Bandana

Bandanas are the ducktape of hiking. Blazing sun? Bandana. A little chilly? Bandana. Too hot? Wet bandana. Cut or scrape? Bandana. Sweat drip? Bandana. Bug swarm? Bandana. Even better, one with added UV protection like the Buff CoolNet UV+ Insect Sheild.

Charging Bank & Cord

Keep your navigation and communication devices charged out on the trail with a travel charging bank. One like this Goal Zero Flip 24 power bank can keep your tech going with its 24 Wh, 6,700 mAh battery and 2.1A (10W max) USB power output.

Insect Repellant

When you need it, you need it. Avoid bites from mosquitos and ticks with a good Insect Repellent, this one from Sawyer is a favorite and DEET-free.

Paracord

With a carabiner and 30 ft of cord, the Gear Aid 550 Paracord can be used for anything from hanging your gear in a tree to making a shelter.

Wet Wipes

Whether you prefer baby wipes or wilderness wipes, they come in handy for everything. Make sure they are sealed well so they don't dry out!

LifeStraw

The new LifeStraw Peak is smaller and lighter than the original design and is a great backup when you run out of potable water on the trail.

Garmin inReach Mini 2

Weighing just 3.5 oz, the Garmin inReach Mini 2 can keep you safe on those epic backcountry treks. Not only is it enabled with 2-way comms and routing, but it can also track your location and send an emergency SOS signal to search and rescue.

AllTrails Downloaded Area

Not sponsored, we are just AllTrails fanatics. Before we head out on any adventure, worldwide, we download the map for that area in our AllTrails Pro app. The navigation accuracy is impressive down to the smallest deviations and the posts from other hikers with pics and insights make for some epic experiences.