I’ve been there before. Scrambling to get out the door for my backpacking trip, hoping I actually remembered everything I needed. Then, with darkness descending, I realize with dread that I forgot my headlamp.
It doesn’t matter how many times you’ve gone backpacking. Forgetfulness strikes the best of us. Don’t ruin your next backpacking trip by forgetting something important.
Here', I’m breaking down my full packing list.
While every trip is unique, and locations and climate will heavily influence your backpacking experience, some things remain the same. Here’s my breakdown of everything I might take with me backpacking.
The Most Obvious Things:
- Backpack
- Sleeping Bag
- Sleeping Pad/Mattress
- Tent/Shelter
The Essentials That Aren’t as Obvious:
- Stove with Sufficient Fuel
- Cookset (Pot/pan)
- Water Treatment (water filter, iodine, treatment tabs, or plan on boiling all water)
- Water Storage (at least one water bottle, plus dromedary or water bladder),
- Headlamp/illumination (with spare batteries)
- Rain gear (at least a rain jacket, even if no rain in forecast)
- Clothing with multiple layering options (puffy jacket, fleece, wool baselayer, synthetic tshirts, underwear, long johns, socks, beanie)
- Map and Compass (navigating plan)
- Sun Protection (hat, sunscreen, lip balm, etc.)
Very Important Things:
- Personal Hygiene items
- Pocket knife
- Eating utensil, bowl or plate, cup/mug
- Spare clothing/dry layers to change into
- First Aid Kit (including nail clippers, mole skin/blister care, ace wrap, athletic tape, duct tape, pain reliever)
- Lighter
- Trowel and toilet paper
- Trash bags (for trash and option to keep stuff dry if needed),
- Extra zip-lock baggies
Extra stuff (optional):
- Raincover for pack
- Dry sack (for phone, keys, camera, etc.)
- Camp shoes (sandals or something comfy to change into once arriving to camp)
- Coffee or tea (who am I kidding, this belongs at the top of the whole list)
- Spare cordage (for hanging food in a tree, lowering a pack down a cliff, etc.)
- Extra tent stakes and guylines (for your tent in case of extreme weather)
- Foam pad to sit on
- Footprint for tent
- Insect repellent
- Bear spray
- Quick-dry towel
- Journal and pen
- Camera
Got something I missed? Leave a question in the comments and let me know I can improve the essentials list!
I’m going to try to go camping on my own close to home and have had great joy from your content on Youtube, thank you for linking me this one. I am solely focusing on basal needs as it’s winter camping, so stay warm, hydrate, have some calories (low maintenence- probably soup on a Thermos), a little light! This list is great, thank you so much, for that little nudge to just get into it! I can’t wait until spring, that’s for sure. Winter is too long here in Norway!
Remember additional items adds weight, but the list is not complete.
No mention of food. More than one day means more than a sandwich. Cold weather=hot food. Freeze dried is light. Leave the extra tent pegs home and whittle some from fallen branches. Water purifacation. Camera? Cell phone. Signaling device. 2 lighters in cold weather.