Day Hiking Checklist
Note: This list is intentionally extensive. Not every person will carry every item on every day hike.
Helpful Pre-hike Hints:
- Check that shoes soles are fully intact before hike
- Clip toenails straight across and short
The Ten Essentials (for safety, survival and basic comfort)
1. Navigation
- Map (with protective case)
- Matches or lighter
- Compass
- GPS (optional)
2. Sun protection
- Sunscreen and lip balm
- Sunglasses
3. Insulation
- Jacket, vest, pants, gloves, hat(see Clothing)
4. Illumination
- Headlamp or flashlight
- Extra batteries
5. First-aid supplies
- First-aid kit
- (see our First-aid checklist- below)
6. Fire
- Waterproof container
- Fire starter (for emergency survival fire)
7. Repair kit and tools
- Knife or multi-tool
- Duct tape strips; repair items as needed
8. Nutrition
- Extra day’s supply of food
9. Hydration
- Water bottles or hydration system
- Water filter or other treatment system
- Electrolytes
10. Emergency shelter
- Tent, tarp, bivy or reflective blanket
Beyond the Ten Essentials
- Daypack
- Multifunction watch with altimeter
- Camera
- Binoculars
- Trekking poles
- Insect repellent
- Headnet
- Toilet paper
- Sanitation trowel
- Hand sanitizer
- Quick-dry towel
- Two-way radios
- Cell or satellite phone
- Energy food (bars, gels, chews, trail mix)
- Energy beverages or drink mixes
- Lunch
- Utensils
- Cups
- Route description or guidebook
- Interpretive field guide(s)
- Notepad or sketchpad with pen/pencil
- Bag for collecting trash
- Post-hike snacks, water, towel, clothing change
- Trip itinerary left w/friend + under car seat
Warm weather clothing options
- Wicking T-shirt
- Wicking underwear
- Quick-drying pants or shorts “or zip-off”
- Long-sleeve shirt (for bugs, sun)
- Sun-shielding hat
- Bandana or buff
- Rain jacket (or soft shell and waterproof hat)
- Rain pants (or soft-shell pants)
Cool weather clothing options
- Wicking long-sleeve T-shirt
- Wicking long underwear
- Hat, cap or headband (synthetic or wool)
- Gloves or mittens
- Insulating fleece jacket (or vest) and pants
- Rain jacket (or soft shell and waterproof hat)
- Rain pants (or soft-shell pants)
Footwear
- Boots or shoes suited to terrain
- Gaiters
- Socks (synthetic or wool)-add an extra pair
- Sandals (for river fording, trip home)
First-Aid Checklist
Basic Care: Prepackaged first-aid kits available at REI typically contain many of the following items:
- Antiseptic wipes (BZK-based wipes preferred; alcohol-based OK)
- Antibacterial ointment (e.g., bacitracin)
- Compound tincture of benzoin (bandage adhesive)
- Assorted adhesive bandages (fabric preferred)
- Butterfly bandages/adhesive wound-closure strips
- Gauze pads (various sizes)
- Nonstick sterile pads
- Medical adhesive tape (10-yd. roll, min. 1″ width)
- Blister treatment (e.g., Moleskin, 2nd Skin, Glacier Gel)
- Ibuprofen/other pain-relief medication
- Insect-sting relief treatment (e.g., AfterBite)
- Antihistamine to treat allergic reactions
- Splinter (fine-point) tweezers
- Safety pins
- Comprehensive first-aid manual or information cards
Comprehensive Care: Carry all of the basic items listed above; add items below based on anticipated needs.
Note: The list below is intentionally extensive; rarely will a single kit include every item shown here.
Wound Coverings
- Rolled gauze
- Rolled, stretch-to-conform bandages
- Elastic wrap
- Hydrogel-based pads
- First-aid cleansing pads with topical anesthetic
- Hemostatic (blood-stopping) gauze
- Liquid bandages
- Oval eye pads
Medications/Treatments
- Hand sanitizer (BKZ- or alcohol-based)
- Aloe vera gel (sun exposure relief)
- Aspirin (primarily for response to a heart attack)
- Antacid tablets
- Throat lozenges
- Lubricating eye drops
- Loperamide tablets (for diarrhea symptoms)
- Glucose or other sugar to treat hypoglycemia
- Oral rehydration salts (e.g., CeraLyte)
- Antifungal foot powder
- Prescription medications (e.g., antibiotics)
- Injectable epinephrine to treat allergic reactions (e.g., EpiPen, Twinject)
First-aid
- Knife (or multitool with knife)
- Paramedic shears (blunt-tip scissors)
- Safety razor blade (or scalpel w/#15 or #12 blade)
- Finger splint(s)
- SAM splint(s)
- Cotton-tipped swabs
- Standard oral thermometer
- Low-reading (hypothermia) thermometer
- Irrigation syringe with 18-gauge catheter
- Magnifying glass
- Small mirror
- Medical/surgical gloves (nitrile preferred; avoid latex)
- Triangular cravat bandage
- Steel sewing needle with heavy-duty thread
- Needle-nose pliers with wire cutter
- Headlamp (preferred) or flashlight
- Whistle (pealess preferred)
- Duct tape (small roll)
- Small notepad with waterproof pencil or pen
- Medical waste bag (plus box for sharp items)
- Waterproof container to hold supplies and meds
- Emergency heat-reflecting blanket
Personal Care, Other Items
- Sunscreen
- Lip balm
- Insect repellent (plus headnet, if needed)
- Biodegradable soap
- Water-disinfection system
- Collapsible water sink or basin
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