John Roman
Day Hike Essentials: The Top 4 Things You Need
It’s time for a day hike. You don’t want to pack the essentials, but you don’t want to over-pack and risk carrying too much weight throughout the day. So what exactly are the day hike essentials?
Here are our top essentials, inspired by Mission 38: Day Hike:
A good backpack.
The BattlTac 40L Hiking Backpack is the ultimate necessity for any day hike, long or short. Its bright orange color gives you high visibility so you never have to worry about getting lost or being put in danger.
You need something that allows you quick and easy access to all of your gear, and that’s exactly what you get from its many zippered compartments and pouches throughout. Oh, and have we mentioned this thing is comfortable? Its adjustable shoulder space and back padding will make it feel like you’re not actually carrying all that gear (even though it can hold a lot).
A few more cool features… water bladder pouch, plastic clip on the shoulder strap for easy access to a mouthpiece, loops and elastic webbing on the front, straps for a sleeping bag, tent, or bedroll on the bottom, zippered compartment for a rain fly, allowing you to stay dry.
Water.
We all know water is vital when hiking, especially in the heat or as we reach higher elevations. Having plenty of water on hand can get tough and heavy, but a strong water bladder can typically do the trick.
The Aquatic Way Hydration 2L Bladder will keep you hydrated all day long, using only the highest quality anti-bacterial food-grade materials. The thick TPU water bag material is pressure-resistant and wear-resistant, so you don’t have to worry about it spilling. Plus, the large opening lets you add ice!
Food.
Oh yeah, you knew we couldn’t get through one of these without talking about food. And we’re not just talking trail mix and protein bars. What if you could eat well (like, really well) while on your day hike?
You can.
Enter the Esbit Ultralight Folding Pocket Stove with Solid Fuel Tablets. It’s small, ultralight, and compact enough to fit into a pocket. Use cups, pots, or pans - whatever you need to whip up something good. The fuel tablets will burn for about 12 minutes each, work in any temperature, and are smokeless.
As a bonus, check out Mission 24: Camp Chef to get some more ideas about what you can make on the trail.
A solid multitool.
While day hiking, you’ll need a way to get out of any tough situations that you may find yourself in. The SOG Baton Q3 Multi Tool can endure pretty much anything. It’s a classic and fulfills your basic needs while in the wild.
Pliers, wire cutters, a straight blade, a can opener, bottle opener, chisel, screwdriver, and more… Seriously, what else could you need?
There ya have it, folks. If you have these items, you’ll be good to go for a successful day hike. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have some more gear that can help you on the trail. Check out Mission 38 for a full breakdown of all of our favorite day hike items.
