Essential Backpacking Gear: 15 Items I Can’t Hike Without
Written By: Noel Krasomil
If you’re on a quest for essential backpacking gear — the top-notch items that’ll enrich your life on the trail — you’ve come to the right place. Why? Because I’m a hopeless ultralight backpacking junkie, and I’m itching to nerd out over my 15 all-time favorite pieces of gear.
Health, happiness, and comfort in the backcountry have a lot to do with the gear you bring along. The items you pack will become your bliss or your burden every single step of the way. The choice is yours.
I’ve poured countless hours of my life and thousands of my hard-earned dollars into my backpacking habit. So, take a look through all of the lightweight, durable, and versatile gear that I bring along on my overnight trips and swear by wholeheartedly.
After my gear recommendations, I’ve included a complete backpacking checklist and a few tips to help you find some unbeatable gear of your own.
So, without further ado, here are the very best pieces of backpacking gear I’ve ever laid hands on — the essentials, if you will.
May 7, 2022
The Packable Life
Hello, world. I’m Noel Krasomil, the guy behind The Packable Life. I’m a trail-seeking, deal-finding, street food-devouring, blog-obsessed 30-something from Colorado, U.S.A. I have been a full-time travel writer for over a year, with no end in sight.
I created The Packable Life to inspire others to travel, hike, and blog with purpose — to grow stronger, more focused, and more inspired every day on the road. I want to challenge you to pack lighter, travel longer, hike farther, and blog smarter.
LIFE OUTDOORS
MEDIA MENTIONS
Depending on where you travel, you may want to pack bug spray, too. In places like Florida and North Carolina, summers get buggy, and you’ll be happy to have packed a spray on nights when you want to sit on the porch or dine outdoors.
MEDIA MENTIONS
As a veteran of the Iraq War, I found myself struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder from which greatly impacted my mental health. In 2016, I came across the film “Wild,” an adaptation of Cheryl Strayed’s memoir about healing by hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT).
MEDIA MENTIONS
Sawyer Permethrin Premium Insect Repellent is used on clothing, not skin, and it provides long-lasting protection against ticks.
