One of the most common challenges when going on a hike is knowing what you need and what you do not need. Of course, we are all different and so we need different things but here is a general guide that you can follow. It took me a few trials to figure this out and I sometimes still overpack or underpack. But at least I always have the bases covered.

My best tip when it comes to packing is to try different things and find what works for you. There are some things you must have but then there are many that will depend on your unique preferences.

I have a standard checklist I use, and then I vary it based on the specific hike (weather, location, intensity). Below is an example of what I use for a day hike to the Aberdares (Elephant Hill, Mt. Satima, Table mountain etc) or a day hike to Mackinder’s camp at Mt. Kenya. This should be a guide and each person should customise it based on individual preferences.

Here is a summary

1. Wear appropriate hiking clothes & boots
2. Carry protective gear (rain gear, sun protection and fleece)
3. Water & high energy snacks
4. Personal items like – soft tissue, feminine hygiene products, Vaseline or lip balm
5. Phone & power bank

Below is a more comprehensive list.

Clothes (wear)

• Inner wear (bra, panties)
• Quick dry t-shirt (can be short or long sleeved). Depending on weather, sometimes I hike in a thermal top. In that case, I do not carry a fleece jacket as this would keep me warm enough
• Pants – hiking pants, or quick dry pants, or cargo pants. Sometimes I hike in my thermal pants though rarely. I find hiking pants the best to use for Aberdares since they keep me warm when it is cold. For cargo pants, I pair them with thermal pants to keep me warm
• Fleece jacket – I wear this only if I have a quick dry T-shirt. If I am wearing a thermal top, I do not wear the fleece jacket and I do not even carry it
• Hiking socks – these are special socks formulated to keep your feet dry while keeping you warm
• Hiking boots – Of course!
• Sunscreen – yes, wear sunscreen. Vaseline (or Arimis) can also be used as sun/wind protection

Clothes (carry in the day pack)

• Baseball hat, or any other hat that will protect from the sun
• Marvin/beanie hat – I always have this because I tend to feel cold, and I often use it but it is not necessary for everyone
• Either a balaclava or neck gaiter – I carry only one of these depending on my mood. Purpose of the balaclava is to cover the neck, head and part of the face. With a neck gaiter & marvin, I can achieve the same coverage. And I almost always have my marvin so I rarely need the balaclava
• Hiking pole – ALWAYS!
• Rain/wind jacket – ALWAYS! Even if the weather forecast says otherwise. I always have my 2-in-1 jacket (rain & wind)
• Rain pants – these help a lot with both wind and rain
• Leg gaiters – these are worn to offer extra protect for your feet
• Good to have in your bag
  • Light gloves just incase it gets too cold
  • Rain poncho – this is generally a good to have with you always. Especially in the rainy seasons because it offers more protection than the rain jacket.
  • Knee support – If you need this, you should wear them. I am not always diligent in wearing mine, but always have them.

Snacks

Snacks will depend on your preferences, but they should be high energy and things which are easy to eat while you are walking. And not heavy or bulky. I have found that my taste in snacks changes from time to time so I allow myself to go with the flow. Here is my general guide

• Water – if nothing else, carry water! I usually have 3 litres in my water bladder. If its a very long hike like a traverse, I also carry my 1 litre soft flask with more water. But I generally take too much, most people do well with 2 litres on an average hike
• Energy bars (3 is enough)
• Something salty – masala sticks or chevda or peanuts or crisps
• Fruits – An apple, an orange, sometimes bananas
• Sweets – sometimes I am all in on the lollipops. Apparently they give the kick of sugar but I just do this for fun
• ORS sachet – you probably do not need this especially on a day hike, but I just like to carry one
• Sometimes a 1 ltr hot flask with black tea or cocoa or just hot water especially in the colder months

Other personal items

• lip balm, or Vaseline (or Arimis) for the lips
• sunscreen to re-apply
• wet wipes, and soft tissues
• a pad (always) – and a brown bag to dispose used pads
• Phone – for photos only. And power bank if you need it.
• basic first aid items like painkillers, band aids, antihistamine cream
• emergency blanket – another one of my just incase items. It is small and light so I do not mind carrying it.
• I used to carry a nail cutter but it punctured my water bladder once, so I stopped.
• a whistle – an item I used to carry, not anymore

I hope this list is helpful to you. What is the one item you cannot do without?