5 Things I Bring On Every Hike Regardless Of The Distance

Sarah standing at the top of Joceylyn Hill, Victoria BC

Photo taken on iPhone 14 Pro

I am someone who likes to be prepared… Usually over-prepared.

Even for like 6 or 7km hikes I will bring my big hiking backpack. Not necessary but since it straps at the chest and waist it actually doesn’t sit on my shoulders which is important for someone with a shoulder injury.

But I have had times where I wasn’t able to be prepared and something happened that I could have helped with, if I had my regular stuff.

Every time you go for a hike anything can happen. Injuries occur, hunger/dehydration, if you bring an animal or a child you need extra considerations.

So, here are a few things that I bring on every hike regardless of length, complexity or distance from things:

1. A hiking first aid kit (or any first aid kit)

100% a non-negotiable. I could be doing a flat 3.5km hike and I will bring it. It’s always the hikes you don’t bring one that someone has a big fall and gets hurt.

When I was hiking Mount Cokely on Vancouver Island I had this happen. I had a big fall and completely tore up my leg and knee. We didn’t have a first aid kit. We still had a bit of a ways to go down the mountain so I decided not to look at my leg until we got back to the car. I figured if I looked then I probably wouldn’t make it back. Luckily, when we got back my friend had band-aids but nothing else and it was a pretty long drive home

2. Snacks!

I have discovered that on hikes my blood sugar can drop pretty quickly, especially if it’s a tricky one. So I bring a ton of snacks… more than I would ever want to eat on a hike.

My big backpack has small pockets on the bottom attached to the waist strap. In one of them, I have a couple of small, packaged snacks whose purpose is to give me a quick shot of energy. I have fruit bars and Go-Go Squeezes usually and a small packet of nuts/seeds.

I always bring other food but that typically goes in the main part of the backpack. If the hike is long I will bring something to make such as miso soup or some kind of ramen noodles. Those tend to be the easiest to make and eat while hiking. But the MVP of the hike is definitely the little pocket snacks!

3. Hygiene supplies

In the second waist strap pocket I have small hygiene supplies — Hand sanitizer, tissues and wet wipes. In the upper pockets of my backpack, I have more hand wipes and a microfiber cloth.

I am someone who hates sticky hands. I find it distracting and my brain can only think of them when they’re dirty or sticky. So I have an excess amount of ways to keep my hands clean.

This is super helpful when you need a bathroom break or you’re going to eat. You never know what your hands come in contact with in the wild (my fear is animal pee! lol) so it’s always good to come prepared.

4. A small zip lock for garbage

What you take in you take out. I always take a zip lock with me (the same one each time. I separate it into bins and wash the zip lock for next time). I prefer a zip lock because I can close it and not worry my garbage is going to end up in my bag.

Even compost goes in the zip lock. I have a compost bin and prefer to take that with me. If I use a wet wipe I must take it with me. This is mandatory.

The worst thing to see on the trail is someone’s garbage, including dog poop bags. The zip lock doesn’t take up a ton of space, I just use a medium one and for the most part, I don’t create a lot of waste on my hikes so it’s an easy enough addition.

5. A thin raincoat and liner

Now, if you don’t live on Vancouver Island this may not be applicable to you but I do. Victoria is a rainforest and even if there is no rain in the forecast any Victoriaite will tell you that means nothing. So, even in the dead of summer, I will always bring a raincoat.

But I have also shown up to a hike and been surprised by snow so I have a set that includes a waterproof outer layer and a fleece-lined inner layer. I can button them up together or wear them separately. But I always make sure I have them. The worst is getting halfway through a hike and either ending up wet or cold. Or if you have a friend who didn’t come prepared you can be their saviour.

Being over-prepared is completely fine when you’re hiking or out in nature.

There are some things that I bring on every hike even if I think I won’t need them. I’d rather they stay untouched than make it into a hike have to cut it short or suffer because I didn’t come prepared.

These items are helpful when I am hiking alone or with other adults. For tips for hiking with kids check out this blog post.

Happy Hiking!