Most of these aren’t essential for survival; they’re essential to me for having a good time on on a hike. (The official survival essentials are listed at the end) <\/p>\n
1. A water supply<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s not just a matter of carrying enough water \u2014 you need access to more if you run out.<\/p>\n That means two things: a) letting your water supply determine your hike length (turning back when it\u2019s half-gone, for example); and b) having a plan for running dry.<\/p>\n There\u2019s a whole industry built around keeping you hydrated. Make use of it, and shop wisely. Hydration bladders are over-rated \u2014 prone to leakage and unable to tell you how much you\u2019ve got left. Filters and chemical purifiers and plentiful and good to have if you don\u2019t mind the extra weight.<\/p>\n Availability of water is as integral to a hike plan as distance, elevation gain and altitude. Without it you\u2019re going nowhere. Even if you\u2019re carrying plenty, keep an eye out for more. Make mental notes of spigots at trail heads and log all streams and springs in the backcountry (keeping in mind they do run dry in the summer).<\/p>\n Water should never be far from your mind \u2026 but you don\u2019t want to be in a situation where it\u2019s all you think about, though, because that usually means you\u2019re all out.<\/p>\n 2. A reliable map<\/strong><\/p>\n The most basic risk of hiking is getting lost. And just as it\u2019s possible to drown in your kitchen sink, it\u2019s possible to get dangerously lost in just about any outdoor locale beyond your back yard.<\/p>\n It doesn\u2019t really matter what kind of map you have, so long as it tells you where to turn to get back where you came from. There are topographic maps and Google maps and specially created trail maps of the kind crafted by Tom Harrison, one of our sponsors. All are better than nothing.<\/p>\n The map can be in your head, but the only way it gets there is by repeated exposure to the same trails. Never take a strange trail without map. Really, never. And keep in mind: weather can change the trail you think you have memorized: if 600-year-old, 250-foot-long redwood has fallen across the trail in front of you, your memory of how to get to where you need to be might not be of much help because your access will be blocked for a long distance in two directions, and if the tree\u2019s fat enough, you won\u2019t be able to climb over it. So even if you think you know the place by heart, take a map anyway.<\/p>\n Also: Keep your map dry \u2014 seal it in a Ziploc \u2014 sweat is more likely to ruin it than rain.<\/p>\n 3. Comfortable socks<\/strong><\/p>\n The fabric closest to your feet has the most impact on them.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t imagine the old cotton athletic socks in your drawer will do. They don\u2019t. They aren\u2019t designed for walking long distances, they\u2019re designed for chasing inflatable rolling orbs around a sporting green. For hikers, cotton socks are blisters waiting to happen. Avoid them. Also: cotton loses its insulating power when wet.<\/p>\n Shell out the extra money and invest in hiking socks made of synthetic wicking fibers that move moisture away from your feet (imperfectly, but far better than cotton). Some people wear wool socks with thin synthetic liners. All these liners do is protect your feet from harsh wool and add weight. If you go synthetic, you don\u2019t need the liners.<\/p>\n Also, synthetics do a better job of insulating when they\u2019re wet.<\/p>\n Some hiking socks have extra padding in them \u2014 I find it doesn\u2019t add that much comfort and just tends to make your feet hotter. Your mileage will vary.<\/p>\n Whatever you do, don\u2019t scrimp on socks.<\/p>\n 4. Comfortable shoes<\/strong><\/p>\n No two feet are alike, but shoe manufacturers seem to think otherwise. Which means you have to go to the store and try on half-dozen models and sizes to see what feels best on your feet.<\/p>\n Do you need big heavy hiking boots? Not unless you a) have weak ankles; and b) are going backpacking.<\/p>\n Running shoes will do fine for most day hikes. If you\u2019re into longer distances, consider going with running shoes designed for trails \u2014 they have more padding around the ankles and better traction.<\/p>\n The main thing is: they have to be a good match with your feet. Everything else is secondary.<\/p>\n Though I never hike in boots anymore, I have to admit there\u2019s a certain appeal to having good ol\u2019 leather clod-hoppers you have to break in over several hikes, tend to with tender loving care and resole every few years. We live in a time of terrible over-consumption so from a green standpoint it\u2019d be better to buy this kind of footwear and use it till it can\u2019t be used anymore.<\/p>\n It\u2019s worth considering.<\/p>\n 5. Underwear that doesn\u2019t chafe<\/strong><\/p>\n There\u2019s nothing worse than getting rubbed raw in your nether regions, which can happen (especially on hot days) on long hikes, especially if you\u2019re wearing the same cotton briefs you wear in your non-hiking life.<\/p>\n Synthetic, boxer-style briefs fit snug against the bod, help wick moisture away from the skin and prevent your inner thighs from rubbing against each other. They work well for me. Others skip undies altogether and go with Spandex tights.<\/p>\n Whatever you go with, mind the chafe, or it\u2019ll bite you. In a place you don\u2019t want to be bitten.<\/p>\n 6. Something to keep crud out of your shoes<\/strong><\/p>\n A constant annoyance is having to stop what you\u2019re doing, find someplace to sit down, take off your shoes and dump whatever bits of dirt, gravel or whatever has insinuated into a place seemingly calculated to cause the most discomfort.<\/p>\n I used to hike with gaiters, which wrap around your shoes and block stuff from falling inside, but they retain heat, add weight and make my feet sweat. I\u2019ve found out that hiking in long pants serves the same purpose most of the time.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve often seen trail runners wearing very tight-fitting, stretch-fabric gaiters \u2014 which looks like a good idea, but keep in mind the anti-crud mandate is munch stronger for runners, who are even more loath to stop what they\u2019re doing and much more vulnerable to the blistering consequences of not stopping when there\u2019s a pebble in there. They need those gaiters much more than hikers do.<\/p>\n Still, taking care to reduce your crud encounters will make your hiking much happier.<\/p>\n 7. Nylon hiking pants<\/strong><\/p>\n A couple years back I bought a pair of nylon hiking pants with the zip-off lower legs. They have a bunch of pockets for maps and other stuff, weigh practically nothing and have worn like iron. Also: extremely comfortable.<\/p>\n When they get wet, they dry out quickly. The little burrs that stuck to every other fabric like glue come off with a little brushing. They wash clean, no matter how mucky and stinky I get them.<\/p>\n Lots of folks hike in jeans, which are 1) heavy; 2) extremely slow to dry out; and 3) overkill for most day hikes. You really don\u2019t need that tough canvas fabric for walking on a trail.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t get crazy when buying these pants. Just get the basic model with the extra pockets. The zip-off legs are nice to have, though the only time I\u2019ve ever unzipped mine was when we stopped by the beach on the way home from hiking. I got a half-off deal on some top-of-the-line Ex-Officio pants that I almost never use because they have a sewn-in belt and mesh crotch liner, both of which are worthless to me.<\/p>\n Better to keep it simple and light.<\/p>\n 8. Something to block the sun<\/strong><\/p>\n I never hike without my floppy hat and sunglasses.<\/p>\n Ultraviolet rays from the sun are almost perpendicular to the top of your head, which means if you go around with no hat on you\u2019re essentially asking nature to grant you a nice, convenient case of skin cancer.<\/p>\n Those same rays of the sun do a number on your eyes if unblocked. If you have bad eyesight, consider prescription sunglasses. I started buying them a few years ago and haven\u2019t gone back.<\/p>\n I\u2019m little less finicky about wearing sun screen (though I shouldn\u2019t be), but I try to wear as much fabric barrier between skin and sun as I can stand.<\/p>\n 9. Nourishment<\/strong><\/p>\n Always take some food along \u2014 it keeps your energy level high and means less of your hike will be spent wishing to hell it was over.<\/p>\n You don\u2019t need much: an apple, an energy bar, some dried fruit, homemade chocolate chip cookies. If you\u2019ll be out all day, toss in a PB&J.<\/p>\n Fresh oranges really hit the spot on long hikes. Peel one before you go and you\u2019ve got sliced goodness to propel you along.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t get carried away, but don\u2019t worry if you carry things you don\u2019t end up eating. Extra food means you\u2019ll have something for the next hike.<\/p>\n