9 Essentials You Must Add to Your Backpacking Checklist

Backpacking is an excellent way to explore areas close to where you live or destinations halfway around the world. However, backpacking is slightly different than a vacation, or even camping, because you will not have one spot to return to at the end of every day. That means you need to take everything you bring with you everywhere you go for the duration of your backpacking adventure.

9 Essentials You Must Add to Your Backpacking Checklist

1) Consider a Day Pack

Yes, you will need a backpack when you head out backpacking, but it is also a good idea to have a day pack with you as well. You can place the items you know you will need throughout the day in this smaller pack, so you do not need to unload your larger pack every time you need something.

 2) Maps and a Compass

While you may plan on using your smartphone to get you to where you need to go, that one item is not going to be too helpful if you are not near a cell signal. Maps and compasses are a much better option when you are backpacking, because they will never lose a signal when you need them the most.

3) A Light

There are many different lights you can use when you are backpacking, and they will come in really handy when you haven’t reached your destination yet and it is getting darker by the minute. A portable lantern can be nice, but a headlamp takes up a lot less room in your pack when it is not in use.

4) First Aid Kit

You never know when you may get scraped by a twig, bitten by a snake, or stung by a bee. All those things and so much more are reasons why you must pack a first aid kit into your backpack. A few things to make sure you include in your first aid kit include band-aids, gauze, scissors, tape, ointment, and different types of medication.

5) A Towel

So many first-time backpackers throw an old bath towel into their backpack and call it a day. However, those towels can be bulky and heavy, especially when they are wet. If you are looking to save space and keep the weight on your back as low as possible, you should consider a microfiber towel. These towels are light, and they dry super quick, so you are never trying to dry yourself off with a wet towel.

6) Clothing You Can Layer

Since you never know what the weather will truly be like when you are backpacking, you must be prepared for anything and everything. One of the best ways to pack is to include clothing items that can be easily layered for additional warmth and then taken off when they are not needed.

7) Dry Bag

Speaking of weather, the rain can wreak havoc on the electronics you take with you on your backpacking trip. If you think you are going to encounter rain, or plan on crossing a river where your belongings can get wet, you are going to want to protect your electronics by placing them in a dry bag. These bags come in all sizes, but a five-liter bag is usually the largest you will need.

8) A Multi-Purpose Tool

You never know what you will encounter when you are out backpacking and there may be times when you need a saw, screwdriver, pliers, or hammer. One of the many multi-purpose tools will solve all these needs, so make sure you toss a good one into your pack before you leave.

9) Mosquito Repellent

Backpacking means spending lots of time in wooded areas amongst trees and wildlife. Mosquitos, ticks, and other insects live in these areas and mosquito repellent, or other insect repellent, can be helpful in keeping you safe and bite-free.

These are nine of the essentials you must add to your backpacking checklist. However, did you know there are things that you should never include on this checklist, let alone take with you when you head out?

Sentimental items should never be taken for a backpacking trip, because they can easily be misplaced or stolen. While you may think these items will be safe, because you won’t encounter anyone else on your journey, that is not always true. There are usually other people on the same trails that you are taking or some of the unsavory locals stick near these trails to see what they can steal from unsuspecting backpackers like yourself.

Other items you should never take with you are those items that are huge or unusable when you are out backpacking. Camp stoves are a great example. When it comes to camping, these stoves are wonderful, but they can be a heavy burden when you are backpacking.

So, stick with the essential items on this backpacking checklist and only add those other items that you know you cannot survive without during your backpacking trip.