The 10 Essentials in My Hiking Day Pack: Lightweight & Low Cost

You don’t have to be a “serious hiker” to need the ten essentials when hiking. Emergencies can happen anytime, even if you’re a now-and-then hiker like me, so it’s important to carry the essentials with you on every hike.

But let me tell you, I’m keeping it as light as possible!

If you’re not familiar with the ten essentials, it’s the recommended gear you’d need to survive in the woods if you ever got lost.

We don’t like to think about that, but circumstances can change fast, whether that be the weather or a wildlife encounter, and it’s better to be prepared than be stuck in the woods with nothing.

I only carry a small day pack when I go hiking, but it checks every box on the 10 hiking essentials list and even includes a few optional extras that make me feel safer when hiking.

And it doesn’t have to be expensive!

So, let’s get you up to speed on all ten essentials and how you can pack them in a light day pack for your next hike!

What are the 10 Essentials for Hiking?

The 10 essentials for hiking are recommended gear to always have on hand in case of an emergency, usually while hiking or backpacking in the wilderness.

The National Park Service (NPS) is the expert in this category. You can read all about the ten essentials and why they’re important on their website.

I’m bringing this up today so we can talk about how to pack the 10 essentials for easy day hikes – without adding a ton of weight or costing an arm and a leg.

Here’s the hiking 10 essentials:

1. Navigation: map, compass, GPS
2. Sun Protection: sunglasses, sunscreen, hat
3. Insulation: jacket, hat, gloves, rain jacket, thermal underwear
4. Illumination: flashlight, lanterns, headlamp
5. First Aid Kit
6. Fire: matches, lighter, fire starters
7. Repair kit and tools: duct tape, knife, screwdriver, scissors
8. Nutrition: energy-boosting food
9. Hydration: water, filter, treatment supplies
10. Emergency Shelter: tent, space blanket, tarp, bivy

Plus, my additional must-haves:

1. Safety: whistle, noisemaker, bear spray
2. Hair ties
3. Pen

To be honest, I’m surprised safety isn’t included in the 10 essentials. I guess it gets lumped in with first aid, and I realize that bear spray isn’t necessary on every hike.

A whistle, though, can help get you found if you’re lost or unable to move, and in some cases, it can also deter animals. I feel better having it, and it’s so light, it’s a negligible addition to my pack.

A pen is handy to have to sign in at trailheads, to leave notes if needed, and to track swelling from bites on your body. Another basically zero-weight item.

Hair ties are my favorite, surprisingly versatile, zero-weight item.

As a woman who never wears her hair down, I keep spare hair ties everywhere: in every backpack I own, my wallet/clutch/wristlet, my toiletry bag, my wrist, and, of course, the one or two in my hair at any given time.

Overkill? Maybe. Always prepared? Definitely. But this isn’t just about hair style choices.

Hair ties can be helpful for securing makeshift tent poles, closing a food pack, and tightening tourniquets, among other things.

Every Type of Hiker Needs the 10 Essentials

Anyone can be a hiker. Some are just taking themselves more seriously than others. That’s ok. Neither one is better than the other.

I’m an every-now-and-then hiker. I don’t hike every weekend. I don’t want to carry “gear” but I want to be safe in the woods.

So, yes, I bring a day pack with me when I hike.

But you better believe I keep that thing as light as I can so it’s not a nuisance on my hike. I’m here for the views, not the exercise! 😂

“My Hike is Short. I Don’t Need All of This.”

While many (most?) weekend hikers don’t bring the 10 essentials with on their hikes, that doesn’t mean they’re right. I’ve seen people hiking in flip flops, and I guarantee you they’re wrong.

Even for a 3 mile hike, you should bring the 10 essentials!

You never know when the weather will change for the worse.

A landslide could wipe out the trail or a flood take out a bridge and block you from returning to your car.

Or worse, a grumpy wild animal chases you off trail, and now you’re lost.

Always bring the 10 essentials on every hike.

How Much Does This All Cost?

The beautiful thing about hiking is you can do it at almost every price point.

You don’t need special boots, packs, or gear that costs hundreds of dollars. You can go hike in $30 tennis shoes and still have a great time.

Same goes for hiking essentials!

You don’t need to shop at an outdoor outfitter to get all this gear. Most dollar stores and convenience stores sell many of the things you’d need for a fraction of the cost.

You don’t need a top-of-the-line whistle or duct tape. You just need ones that work.

Now, there are a few items that you’re better off buying from a more reputable source than a dollar store. Iodine water purification tablets and an honest-to-goodness compass are good examples. (Those are both under $15, by the way.)

I did a quick check online and ended up around $150 for gear covering the list above, not including bear spray. That’s if you’re starting from scratch and you don’t use the dollar store trick.

Keep in mind that you probably already own many of the items needed to cover the 10 essentials.

The only items I bought specifically to keep in my day pack are iodine tablets, a compass, and space blankets. I already had everything else for one reason or another.

• That beanie I got for finishing a 5k that I never wear? Lives in my day pack.
• Granola bars and trail mix that doesn’t expire for a year? Stays in my pack.
• Headlamp, flashlight, matches, first aid kit, multi-tool, and tarp? Camping gear that migrates as needed.
• Bear spray? Rented as needed.

Start with what you’ve got and add upgrades as you go.

The Cheap & Easy Way to Get Started with the 10 Essentials

Don’t worry about having the fanciest things. You can get started with items you already own and upgrade gear as you go.

Even if you can’t get it all to start, having some is better than none. Start with a first aid kit, whistle, map, and snacks.

Here’s my full list to cover all 10 essentials:

• Compass
• Waterproof map of your hiking area
• Iodine tablets or a LifeStraw
• Waterproof matches
• Sun hat
• Sunglasses
• Jacket
• Beanie hat
• Handwarmers
• Headlamp
• Mini flashlight
• Duct tape
• Multi-tool
• First aid kit
• Space (mylar) blankets
• Tarp
• Paracord
• Whistle
• Hair ties
• Pen
• Granola bars/Trail mix/Jerky
• Bear spray, if needed

Before you rush off to the dollar store, let’s talk about bear spray for a minute.

Do You Really Need Bear Spray?

Whether or not you need bear spray depends on the area you’re hiking. Not a lot of bears in the desert or the swamp!

If you’re hiking in bear country, there’s usually a lot of signs warning you that you’re in bear country, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise.

There’s a difference between black bear and brown bear territory, and I won’t pretend that I always hike with bear spray, even though I know I should.

At the end of the day, though, bears are wild animals that can attack when threatened.

The safest answer is always to have bear spray in bear country, regardless of the type of bear.

If you’re hiking in a park, check with a ranger or the park’s website for their bear guidance. They know their areas best!

Bear Spray: Do’s and Don’t’s

First, if you’re in the woods, know there are bears. They live there. You’re the one that’s trespassing. That being said, bears don’t all want to do you harm, but it is good to be prepared.

The NPS has great bear safety information I recommend you check out.

They touch on bear spray, but here’s some quick do’s and don’t’s.

DO: Bring bear spray on every hike in bear country.

If you hike out west in brown bear (aka grizzly) territory, you should always carry bear spray. It’s expensive, yes. But so are medical bills if you get mauled. Bring the bear spray.

If you’re visiting, rent bear spray from an outdoor outfitter. You can’t bring bear spray on a plane, not even in your checked bag.

Black bears in the eastern US are typically more skittish than brown bears, making them more likely to run away than attack you.

But! They are still wild animals that will attack if you come between a mom and her cub or you act like prey (don’t run!). It’s still a good idea to carry bear spray, just in case.

DON’T: Make your own bear spray or use regular pepper spray.

A squirt bottle does not have the range you need, and you don’t want to permanently blind the bear with a random concoction of cleaners you found under your kitchen sink. It probably won’t stop them anyway.

Regular pepper spray, meant for personal protection against humans, is not potent enough for use on bears. It won’t even slow them down. You need real, EPA-approved bear spray.

If you’re worried about cost, rent bear spray.

DO: Take the bear spray out of the package before you start hiking.

Having bear spray is one thing, but knowing how and when to use it is just as important!

You will not have time to rip open a package and read the instructions if you’re being charged by a bear.

The spray should be easily reachable without fumbling around in your pack.

When you rent bear spray, they show you how to use it. When you buy bear spray, instructions for use are included.

DON’T: Spray every bear you come across.

Bear spray is a last resort deterrent, not an automatic fix. You should still know how to handle yourself if you encounter a bear. You don’t want to have to use the bear spray.

Use the NPS bear safety information to know how to act if you come across a bear. Most encounters end with the bear moving off peacefully. Bear attacks are rare.

Items that Don’t Count as 10 Essentials

Before we wrap up, I want to address items that DO NOT qualify as hiking essentials.

There are a few items I know you think are checking a box on your checklist that you actually shouldn’t be counting.

• Your phone as a GPS system.
• Your phone as a compass.
• Your phone as a flashlight.
• Your jacket as emergency shelter.

✳️ Your phone has limited battery life. You should not rely on it as your do-all tool.

The flashlight drains battery fast. Doesn’t matter if you have a battery pack. That’ll drain, too.

Your GPS system probably doesn’t work a mile from the trailhead, if it works at the trailhead at all. Offline maps aren’t going to help you if you’re lost in the woods.

✳️ You need a separate light source. I recommend a headlamp, because you don’t have to hold it while you walk, and a small flashlight for pointing, if needed.

✳️ An independent GPS system could be the difference between being lost a few hours or being lost a few days.

The Garmin inReach Mini is popular with backpackers and solo hikers for a reason. It uses satellites to track you, send GPS coordinates, and even text with loved ones from the trail.

These are on the pricier end, and so usually only “serious” hikers have them, but they’re incredibly useful, both for peace of mind and for safety and navigation.

✳️ While a portable tent may be overkill for you if you’re only ever a day hiker, your jacket still doesn’t count as a sufficient emergency shelter.

Try paracord and a lightweight tarp instead. That’s called compromise. It’s not as good as an actual tent, but it’s better than nothing if you get stuck.

Get Out There Now That You’ve Got the 10 Essentials Covered!

Hiking with the 10 essentials safely tucked into your day pack will give you a certain peace of mind that’s invaluable when things start to go sideways out on the trail. I hope you found this info valuable!

Here are some of our favorite hikes to get started on your hiking adventures.

• 7 Easy Hikes in Shenandoah National Park
• 11 Best Hikes in Congaree National Park
• 7 Easy to Reach Waterfalls in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
• Easy Hikes on Blue Ridge Parkway near Asheville

Happy travels!

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