Trekking is an exciting and fun activity. But without packing your backpack with the right items, such a fun day can turn into a hard day. You have to make a list and then pack a wide range of accessories to make your trekking day worth memorable.
Making a list of trekking essentials is a time-consuming and hard job that you may not be well aware of. In case you miss the necessary accessories, maybe it would turn into a tedious day.
When we started trekking, we were also like you. In the past years, we have gained a ton of experience after travelling to various trekking destinations. Now, we carry the right trekking essentials ourselves and can recommend you correctly. So, read on to know all the essentials and equipment for trekking in India.
Trekking essentials list
Make sure that you carry the following equipment along with the proper quantity. So that when you would need it, then there’s no shortage.
Trekking equipment and organizing Tools
The trekking equipment and organizing tools are the most vital essentials on this list. Among the equipment, you must include the following items-
Rucksack
You should include a quality rucksack with rain cover. You must at least include at least one rucksack bag in your trekking list. A ruck suck bag is the basic trekking essential because you can carry all the mandated stuff in it.
You must consider the quality of the rack sack bag when you purchase it from the market. It should carry heavy items so, the bag must be sewn with good thread materials. You must take a rucksack of good fabrics -nylon or polyester. Also, choose the best trekking bag with proper padding.
Daypack Bag
If you are having a trekking summit day, then you can’t miss taking a day pack bag with you. Ensure that the bag can carry at least 4-5 litres of water if you are trekking in a group. You should carry a lightweight travel backpack because these are easy to carry and makes the trekking experience comfortable. A one-day pack bag is good for your adventure journey.
Duffle Bag
A duffle bag is made for your trekking in case you don’t like carrying backpacks. These duffle bags are accurate for carrying the correct stuff in organizing them orderly. If you have a larger duffle bag, then carry one, or else you have to carry two duffle bags. Considering the number of days you are staying outdoors, you must carry larger or medium-sized duffle bags accordingly.
Trekking Pole
If you are new to trekking, you must carry a trekking pole; otherwise, your day will turn hectic. In steep landforms with a trekking pole, you would have joint pains and unnecessary fatigue. You would have enough balance in your body when you take the support of your trekking pole. There are some foldable trekking poles available at e-commercial sites which can be travel-friendly for you. Only one trekking pole is sufficient for your adventure day.
Water Bottle
You would require a lot of water for your trekking. Therefore, don’t forget to carry at least two one-litre bottles or litres of water bottles in your backpack. You can carry a copper or stainless steel bottle with you.
Headlamp
A headlamp or a torch is something you can’t avoid if you are planning to trek. It is so because you never know when the weather will worsen, and you will have difficulty having farsighted visions. In that case, a handy headlight or a torch makes your journey convenient. Carry sufficient batteries for detachable torches or electrical chargers for your e-torch. It’s good to carry at least two headlights for your trekking journey.
Other than that, in your trekking equipment list, you have to carry sun-protected or UV rays-protected sunglasses (only one) on your back. It will protect your eye from sun exposure.
Trekking Clothing and Footwear
Some of the trekking essentials among clothing and footwear are also given below for your convenience.
Trekking Jacket
Fleece is a lightweight jacket that will keep you warm from the inside. The trekking jackets are made from breathable and warmer light-insulating fabrics. This type of jacket is perfect for activities like hiking, trekking, and biking. Keeping in mind the lightweight of the jackets, you can at least carry them in your backpack easily.
Trekking Shoes
The trekking shoes, a part of the trekking essential list, are the most comfortable footwear for trekking. The best shoes for trekking protects your feet and ankle from unwanted bruises or injury. Carry two pairs of shoes for your journey.
Slipper/Sandal
For your trekking, you should carry a sandal because your feet sometimes need to be free from your trekking shoes. You should carry one pair of sandals to make your feet light from the blisters and for making your feet breathe.
Track pants
While staying in the tents, you should feel comfortable with the track pants. Carry thermal quality track pants with you. You must carry two pairs of track pants with you. However, remember that you should not use track pants during trekking but use them only while staying in tents.
Full-sleeve shirts and Sweatshirts
Sweatshirts are light in weight and give you the feel of cosiness on a fogy trekking day. Carey SPF protective t-shirts with at least four to five with you.
Woollen Socks
Carrying socks for hiking is among the most trekking essentials for your adventure journey. Woollen socks regulate your body temperature and keep the feet less sweaty. It also gives a cushioning effect to the feet. Carry at least four to five woollen socks with you since you would need them regularly
Umbrella and Raincoat
An umbrella or a raincoat is your saviour in case of worse weather conditions. An umbrella also acts as a shield for your head to protect a tarp for your head. For monsoon treks, raincoats and umbrellas are essentials.
Hat or Caps
Your eyes and head are protected from the sun with a head cap. Sometimes there’s scorching heat outside during trekking days. And putting a hat on your head protects you from the sun.
Sweater
A woollen sweater keeps you insulated from cold or wind conditions in the lofty hills. Some of the best thermal sweaters are woollen knitted and full-sleeved. Two sweaters are sufficient for your trekking essential list.
Gloves
For adverse weather conditions, y gloves are important for your otherwise frozen hand palms. You will get a good grip on your trekking pole after wearing warm gloves. Only one pair of gloves is sufficient for your trekking.
Undergarments
They are the basics you must carry everywhere you travel. Carry delicate undergarments which will make you feel at ease for your adventure travel. Carry enough undergarments depending upon the number of trekking days.
First Aid and Medical Kits for Trekking
You must have taken some of the necessary first aid as the trekking equipment to make your trip memorable. Also, check the general travel essentials list if you do not want to miss any other items.
There are certain medications you can’t afford to miss. Those are painkillers, allergy pills, iodine ointment, and some sprain or bruise sprays. Don’t forget to carry burn cream and fun cream in case of some unwanted burnups. Regularly keep your body clean. Therefore, bring soap. Carry the quantity according to your health requirement and the number of days you are travelling for.
Along with that, also carry sterile gauze pads of 3*3 size, elastic bandages, triangular bandages, and other duct-type tapes. Also, try to apply band-aids on the minor cuts. For dressing wounds, you must cover your injuries with bandaids. Carry at least ten to twenty small strips of band-aids.
Camping Kits During Trekking
During a trekking trip, you can be camping for more than one day. Therefore, some necessary trekking equipment for camping must carry and plan before reaching the trekking journey. You can also check the camping essentials to check an exhaustive list.
Tent
For camping, you would require a tent mostly for night shelter. When you are on a trip, then you must consider carrying the best tent for camping. But again, the type of tent you should take depends on the season and land type where you will place the tent. Carry portable tents to get free from the heavy load. For one individual, a single tent is sufficient.
Sleeping bag
Sleeping bags are vital if you have planned your trekking adventure in summer times. The best sleeping bags keep your warmth and provide thermal insulation and protect you from harsh weather conditions. Traditionally, for outdoors, rectangle trekking bags are suitable. Carry one portable sleeping bag to feel the warmth in cold weather.
Camping stove and Cookware
A camping stove powered with butane gas is a crucial appliance to cook in harsh climatic conditions. You can’t eat raw food items. Therefore, a camping stove will make your trekking experience worthwhile. For a group of 2-4 trekkers, the easy-to-cook camping stoves are fair enough. For all trekking, you need not carry a camping stove if you avail food from local homestays.
Apart from the camping stove, other essential cookware for camping is- a fire starter, frying pan, containers, spoons mixing could and one box of napkins among your cookware. The trekking essential list is complete without this cookware.
Essential Gadgets for Trekking
For making your trekking adventure exciting, there are some gadgets or supporting accessories you should not miss.
Photography Camera
What’s the point of trekking by clicking some awesome serene nature snaps? With a DSLR, Point and Shoot, or mirrorless camera, you will have some fine-quality photos that will make your trekking a good experience. Therefore, don’t miss your camera while planning for your trekking trip. As an alternative, you can also use an action camera for vlogging to keep up the moments.
Binocular
While trekking, you will have some incredible sightseeing opportunities. You can consider the best 10×50 or 10×42 binoculars to get a detailed vision of the scenery and experience nature. You can also choose HD binoculars to get a clear resolution of the mountainous environment.
Power Banks
Without a power bank, you won’t get your mobile phone or other devices working. Therefore, purchase at least 10,000 mah to 20,000 mah power banks for getting your mobile and other devices working.
Solar charger
If you don’t have a good working capacity power bank, then carry a solar charger with you. The price of solar chargers ranges from Rs 1000 to Rs 1500. Therefore, take one solar charger if you are travelling in the daytime when the sunlight is sufficient.
Small Telescope
Though a small telescope is optional, you should carry this trekking equipment. If you love watching the night sky, getting a portable telescope would certainly help you. A small portable telescope will give you a good adventure experience of stargazing during the night.
Drone Camera
Carrying a drone with a camera is a fantastic idea for photographers and bloggers during trekking/hiking. The best drone cameras have a large transmission range and longer flight times. Thus, you can sit somewhere and shoot breathtaking photos and videos.
Essential Personal care items for Trekking
Some personal care essentials you should pack in your backpack are-
Foot care creams
Bring some foot care ointment and creams. With that, you can heal your blisters. If you have a weak foot, then on elevated platforms, you cannot happily travel. Therefore, pack your bag with some creams.
Brushes for oral hygiene
In a dry environment, you must take a beach to maintain your oral hygiene. Other than that, toothpaste would need water. Therefore, try to do dry brushing.
Sponging Materials
To keep yourself clean, you should carry small towels and also aloe vera sprinkles. However, don’t carry wet wipes as you can’t dispose of them everywhere and which is harmful to the environment.
Suggested Read: How to pack a travel bag?
Other miscellaneous trekking essentials
Some of the necessary items every female trekker should carry are-
- Sanitary pads or menstrual cups: If you are a girl, you never know when you will be in your menstrual cycle. Therefore, take a pack of sanitary pads with you. Or else, if you use a menstrual cup, you should also carry those.
- Compass: A magnetic compass during trekking or hiking can help you walk towards the right direction.
- GPS: You can use a GPS device to track the trail of the trekking trip.
How Should You prepare for trekking?
There are four significant points you should consider before starting your trekking adventure.
- Have a healthy diet: At least a week before trekking, balance your body with healthy food items. Take a fair number of proteins and vitamins so that you get enough stamina for your trekking. Eat healthy fruits and green vegetables beforehand.
- Do some exercise: Consider some free hands are another indoor exercise before planning a trekking trip. Practising exercise will help you in maintaining the flexibility of your body.
- Take proper sleep: Get at least eight hours of sleep before the day of your journey. Otherwise, on your trekking days, you may have a comfortable sleep, so rest well before your journey day.
- Pack the Trekking Essentials: You must pack up the trekking essentials at least 3 days before starting the trip. It will help you track every item and let you miss any important equipment, apparel, gadget, medicine or camping tools.
After commencing the journey, you must stay healthy and comfortable. Check the detailed process of how to prepare your body and build stamina for trekking and start today!
Trekking Essentials – Bottom Line
Trekking and hiking are exciting adventure activities that require planning to make it worth memorable. To keep the experience forever, you must plan and arrange the trip very well. Apart from booking homestays, hotels, cars and hiring guides, carrying important trekking equipment and tools is necessary.
Carry the trekking essentials for convenience to trek to most of the trekking destinations. All the above-listed items recommended on our website are necessary to trek. Therefore, don’t miss them and have a happy trekking journey.
