Are you planning to spend summer in the mountains? You came to the right place! This is the best day hiking packing list for you’ll find.

Canadian Rockies, Alps, Patagonia, whichever mountains you choose, you’ll need some hiking essentials. You need to be prepared for all 4 seasons while carrying as little as possible.

After thousands of kilometers of hiked trails, and after many fails carrying stuff we didn’t use, we now consider ourselves experts for packing light for the mountains.

Are you are considering visiting Canadian Rockies? I know you want to. These articles will help you:

Hiking packing list for summer in the mountains

Start packing with our guide and let us know which mountains you’re going to visit next.

01| Backpack

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

• size 20-35l (ideal for a day)
• lightweight
• fit to your body
• waist straps
• rain cover included

OUR RECOMMENDATION
North Face Angstrom 28l because it’s light, comfortable on the back and has many pockets

OTHER GREAT OPTIONS
Osprey Packs Talon 22l
Gregory Miwok 24l
Deuter Trans Alpine 30l

See prices on REI

For comparison of different backpacks, read this post.

02| Trail running shoes

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

• comfortable on your feet
• lightweight
• very good grip in any terrain
• strong laces

OUR RECOMMENDATION
Salomon Women’s Speedcross 4 because they fit perfectly and the grip never failed on wet trails

OTHER GREAT OPTIONS
Salomon Men’s XA Pro 3D with rubber toe cap
hiking boots for harder trails:
Salomon Men’s X Ultra Mid
Adidas Outdoor Terrex Women’s

See prices on REI

 

03| Jacket

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

• waterproof and windproof materials
• one size bigger to your naked body
• adjustable/hideable hood
• pit vents/zips

OUR RECOMMENDATION
Mountain Hardwear Alchemy Hooded Jacket because it has everything you can possibly need, even high pockets you can use when your backpack is strapped around your waist

OTHER GREAT OPTIONS
Mountain Hardwear Plasmic Jacket W
Marmot Magus Jacket for Women
The North Face Venture Jacket Men

See prices on REI

 

04| Fleece or down jacket

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

• comfortable & stretchy
• breathable & light
• front zipper for easy changing of layers

OUR RECOMMENDATION
MH Nitrous Hooded Down Jacket
because down jacket is lighter and offers more warmth than fleece

OTHER GREAT OPTIONS
Columbia Women’s Fast Trek 
Marmot Flashpoint Jacket – Women
Mountain Hardwear Monkey Woman Jacket

See prices on REI

 

05| Shirt or Tank Top

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

• quick evaporation and drying
• easy roll-up sleeves

OUR RECOMMENDATION
Mountain Hardwear Women’s Mighty Stripe Tank because with roll-up sleeves, it’s for every weather

OTHER GREAT OPTIONS
Mountain Hardwear Women Shirt
Columbia Men’s Shirt
Icebreaker Merino T-Shirt

See prices on REI

 

06| Sports bra

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

• light support
• wire-free for comfort
• quick drying fabric

OUR RECOMMENDATION
CRZ YOGA Women’s Light Support Bra because the cross back is comfortable while moving

OTHER GREAT OPTIONS
Columbia Women’s Bra
Under Armour Women’s Bra
Lululemon Free To Be Bra

See prices on REI

 

07| Pants or leggings

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

• long with rollup option
• water repellent
• quick dry and breatheable
• perfect fit and stretchable

OUR RECOMMENDATION
Mountain Hardwear Dynama Capri Pant because it’s a great compromise between shorts and pants and have comfortable waistband

OTHER GREAT OPTIONS
Columbia Men’s Pants
Singbring Women’s Waterproof Pants
Hiking leggings

See prices on REI

 

08| Socks

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

• antibacterial material
• rather thicker than thinner for blister-free feet
• soft feel on skin
• odorless

OUR RECOMMENDATION
Darn Tough Hiking Socks because merino wool makes them almost odorless

OTHER GREAT OPTIONS
Merino Wool Hiking Socks
Enerwear Women’s Merino Socks
Icebreaker Light Crew Socks

See prices on REI

 

09| Hat or Bandana

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

• adjustable back strap
• breatheable mesh

OUR RECOMMENDATION
Billabong Hats

OTHER GREAT OPTIONS
Oakley Men’s Chalten Cap Hat
3 Piece Bandana Set

See prices on REI

 

10| Sunglasses

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

• polarized lenses
• cover whole field of vision
• scratch proof

OUR RECOMMENDATION
Polarized Wrap Around Sport Sunglasses because you want to protect your eyes

OTHER GREAT OPTIONS
Columbia Polarized Oval Sunglasses
Womens Polarized Sunglasses

See prices on REI

 

11|Sunscreen

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

• natural ingredients
• SPF min 15
• water resistant

OUR RECOMMENDATION
Badger All Natural Sunscreen

OTHER GREAT OPTIONS
Goddess Garden SPF 30 Natural Sunscreen
Kiss My Face Sunscreen spf30

See prices on REI

 

12| Bug Spray/repellent

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

• biodegradable
• deet free
• smells nice (personal preference)

OUR RECOMMENDATION
DIY repellent – combine 200 ml witch hazel, 5 drops of lemon essential oil, 5 drops of eucalyptus essential oil and pour it into a spray bottle. Shake well before each use and spray on your skin or clothes few times a day. It’s effective (tested in Canadian backcountry) and smells awesome!

OTHER GREAT OPTIONS
Badger Balm Anti-Bug Spray
Skedattle Natural Insect Repellent

See prices on REI

 

13| Camera

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

• lightweight
• reasonably priced
• mirrorless (not bulky as DSLR)
• takes great pictures in all conditions

Check out this review of best travel cameras for backpacking

OUR RECOMMENDATION
Sony Alpha a6000 because it’s been awarded several times as the best travel camera and we agree.

OTHER GREAT OPTIONS
Sony Alpha a6300
GoPro HERO4 Silver
GoPro HERO5

 

14| Map or Navigation

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

• waterproof paper map
  For navigation:
• long battery lifetime
• great options for maps
• access to satellite if possible

OUR RECOMMENDATION
hiking maps

OTHER GREAT OPTIONS
Garmin Inreach Explorer+
Garmin eTrex 20x
Garmin GPSMAP

See prices on REI

 

15| External battery pack

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

• min. 3000 mAh capacity
• lightweight
• waterproof
• impact resistant

OUR RECOMMENDATION
10400mAh Waterproof External Battery because it charges up to 3 phones and nobody wants to miss out on pictures when your camera/phone died.

OTHER GREAT OPTIONS
FKANT Waterproof Solar Charger
Ultra-Compact Waterproof Battery
WESDAR Power Bank Waterproof

See prices on REI

 

16| Water filtration

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

• filter that blocks organisms
• mechanical filter
• easy to use
• carbon filter for better water taste

OUR RECOMMENDATION
LifeStraw Go because we use it for years, drink from everywhere and swear by it wherever we go

OTHER GREAT OPTIONS
LifeStraw Steel Personal Water Filter
Potable Aqua Water Purification Tablets
Survivor Filter PRO

See prices on REI

 

17| Snacks

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

• healthy ingredients – nuts, fruits
• great taste

OUR RECOMMENDATION
Clif Bar because of the huge variety and deliciousness.

OTHER GREAT OPTIONS
Healthy Bar Snack Mix
Protein Recover BarsPure Protein Bar

See prices on REI

 

18| Hand sanitizer + napkins

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

• anything that cleans your hands

OUR RECOMMENDATION
PURELL Advanced Hand Sanitizer because it’s small and doesn’t produce unnecessary waste like sanitizing wipes do.

OTHER GREAT OPTIONS
EO Hand Sanitizer Spray
Kleenex Facial Tissue

 

 

19| Emergency blanket

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

• big size
• durable material, not easily tearable

OUR RECOMMENDATION
Emergency Thermal Blanket when hail comes, which is very common in the mountains, and you have all your layers on, carrying an emergency blanket will give you a piece of mind. This extra layer retains most of the body heat.

OTHER GREAT OPTIONS
Two-Sided Emergency Blanket
Survive Outdoors Blanket

See prices on REI

 

OPTIONAL GEAR

20| Hiking poles

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

• leightweight
• ergonomic fit for your hands
• anti-shock springs

OUR RECOMMENDATION
Anti Shock Hiking Poles if we  were to buy hiking poles, we would chose these, it’s a great deal. But we’ve never used poles for hiking. It’s on the list because some people need them for steep terrain and knee support.

OTHER GREAT OPTIONS
Cascade Mountain Poles
Carbon Fiber Trekking Poles
Foxelli Trekking Poles

See prices on REI

 

21| Gaiters

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

• water resistant
• bottom strap around the sole of the boot

OUR RECOMMENDATION
Outdoor Research Low Gaiters because you can easily put them on  with the front closure while wearing your shoes. It’s an essential item for hiking high in the mountains where snow is present your round.

OTHER GREAT OPTIONS
Waterproof Outdoor Hiking Gaiters
Salomon Trail Gaiters

See prices on REI

 

22| Headlamp

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

• different modes for light strength
• waterproof

OUR RECOMMENDATION
Black Diamond Storm Head Lamp we always carry this headlamp. You never know how long you’ll stay out and if you will literally need to find your way back to the civilization.

OTHER GREAT OPTIONS
LED Headlamp 6000 Lumen flashlight
Black Diamond Unisex Spot Light
Petzl – TIKKINA Headlamp

See prices on REI.

 

23| Bear Spray

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

• long spray range

OUR RECOMMENDATION
Bear Spray Repellent essential item in Canada, US and some parts of the world. Make sure you know how to use it, test it and keep it close. Never approach bears and learn how to behave when you see them.

OTHER GREAT OPTIONS
Frontiersman Bear Spray
Counter Assault Bear Spray

See prices on REI

For all your hiking friends, check out this gift guide.

*In the spirit of full disclosure: Some links in this post are affiliate links, which means that if you purchase through them, we receive a small commission at no extra costs to you. We appreciate your support!

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Do you carry anything else when you go hiking? Let us know in the comments.

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