Hiking Bag Essentials: The Ultimate Guide

“There’s no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing”

One thing is for sure on a hike of any kind, the weather can change several times as you go up a mountain. Being prepared for this, as well as all other aspects of hiking, will make your hike a much more enjoyable activity.

So, if you are new to hiking and you are wondering what you might need to take with you; here is our Hiking Bag Essentials packing list – everything we like to take with us and why….

1. Drybag

First on the list is a drybag… Especially essential if you are hiking in the UK or other rainy climates. This protects all our items from getting wet if the heavens open on us! The first time I went up Snowdon Mountain, I didn’t take a dry bag, so of course, I got caught in a storm! EVERYTHING was soaked!… Lesson learnt. Learn from my mistakes and pack at least one drybag.

2. Hydration Pack

Because hydration is key! We both carry a 3litre CAMELBAK hydration pack each. We fill them with 2-3L dependent on the distance of the walk and the temperature that day. Whether you have a hydration pack or not, taking plenty of water with you, is essential!

3. Food

We always carry plenty of food and snacks with us (it is better to have too much than not enough!). For hikes we tend to take sandwiches, as we find they are the easiest thing to eat whilst on the move. For walks/trails where we might stop and have a picnic, we take something like a quinoa salad or pasta salad. However, if we don’t plan to stop much, we will still take sandwiches or wraps. For snacks, we take easy packaged things, like protein bars, fruit, nuts, crispy chickpeas. If taking packaged items, please remember to take your rubbish home with you! 🙂

4. Waterproofs

Even when the weather looks like it is going to be dry, we still pack our waterproofs (just in case). We each take a thin waterproof coat, waterproof over trousers, waterproof shawl, waterproof socks and waterproof backpack covers. As mentioned at the beginning, I did not have any of this on my first hike up Snowdon, and let me tell you, I got soaked!!!

5. Warm Layers

Especially important in the UK no matter what season it is. We each have a warm hat, gloves, neck warmers and buffs. Sometimes even on a warm day, the summit of a mountain can be bitterly cold! We also pack or wear a fleece and/or a windproof jacket. During a hike, especially a long one, or one with high elevation, the weather conditions can change several times throughout. Therefore it is best to be prepared for it all.

6. Hot Drinks

Speaking of the cold, we take a flask of peppermint tea with us on every walk and hike. This is always enjoyed at the top of a cold mountain – while taking in the breath taking views!

7. Hygiene

We always pack tissues, mini wipes, hand sanitiser and little plastic bags. The tissues are especially useful for ladies – when you’ve got to go, you’ve got to go! We then use the plastic bags to put any used tissues or wipes in so we ensure we don’t leave any litter on the mountains. (Please also do this!!!)

8. Sit Mat

We usually take a little sit mat for our food and drink stops. This makes it more pleasant to sit on the ground if it is wet, cold or just rough terrain. It folds up nice and small and is very light, so in our opinion its worth taking for that little bit of comfort.

9. Emergency and Essentials Items

First aid kit, whistle, map, compass, sun cream, spare shoelaces. Spare shoelaces are essential for if one of your own shoelaces were to break, as it would be very difficult to carry on the hike without them! Lastly, a fully charged phone. We usually take a ‘non-smart phone’ that holds charge really well (as well as our usual smart phone) in case of an emergency.

If the weather is especially cold, your phone battery can die extremely fast! As we found out for ourselves on climbing Ben Nevis. Therefore, a spare emergency phone could become very essential if ever needed. (I hope not though!)

10. Other Hiking Bag Essentials

We take our compact camera for ease and a selfie stick. A mini tripod also helps to capture those awesome mountain shots! Sunglasses and a cap are a must for sunny day. A head torch can be useful if it is likely that the sun may go down while you are out. Lastly, a walking pole is always a great help on a tough walk/hike.

Thank you for reading – we hope you found this useful… If this has helped you or there is something you think we missed please let us know in the comments!

Have fun, enjoy the adventure, happy hiking!

Lu & Ad

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If you enjoyed reading this list… head over to Our top 5 hiking tips -For Beginners for more hiking tips.