A variety of packing lists so you can plan your trip with ease. Includes beach, road trip, hiking, female and destination packing lists with checklists.
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Hitting the hills and unsure what to pack?
This hiking packing list will discuss what to pack for one-day hikes or long-distance treks.
This guide has been created with years of experience of hiking at home and abroad. I’ve hiked up hills/mountains, trekked to the summits of volcanoes, walked along lakes/lochs and completed expeditions to epic landmarks.
I’ve experienced sun, rain, wind, hail and even snow! Learn from my (many) mistakes during these treks by using this free hiking gear list which has clickable links to products I recommend.
Dog Canyon, Big Bend National Park
Day Hike Packing List
The key to being comfortable when hiking is layers. They say there is no such things as bad weather, only bad clothes.
Hiking equipment and gear is something I recommend that you invest in. I am a walking example of ‘buy cheap, buy twice’. I’ve now learned and accept that some items of outdoor gear need money spent on them or they won’t withstand the elements.
Day Hike Checklist
Hiking Outerwear
A (truly) waterproof jacket like my Mountain Equipment Rupal US / UK .
OR
A lightweight, packable waterproof jacket like my Marmot Precip US / UK.
A down jacket like my Rab Alpine USA / UK for breezy stops. I love how it covers my bottom.
Top Tips
Rain should sit on top of your rain jacket, it should not be absorbed.
I’ve had too many to count, rain jackets which cost less than my monthly phone bill and they are point-blank not waterproof.
Water-resistant, maybe, but not waterproof like the jackets above. I was so uncomfortable during the West Highland Way multi-day hike when it rained. My clothes were soggy, don’t be me. Invest!
Just another rainy day in Iceland
Hiking Shoes/Boots (Broken In)
Salomon Quest boots US / UK – stylish, supportive and Gortex waterproof. Salomon Quest boots
If you prefer shoes, I also wear Salomon Ellipse US / UK but make sure they are GTX version.
Craig now wears Scarpa which are like slippers but heavier than my boots.
He has worn Salomon in the past but prefers his Scarpa leather boots now.
Top Tips
Go up at least one size when choosing hiking boots and shoes.
Previously I’ve gone for style over functionality but now feel I’ve got the perfect balance with the Salomon Quest. A well worn-in pair of hiking boots or shoes is a must-have hiking gear item.
Don’t buy new boots and then attempt a hard hike.
Gross one but cut your toenails! You’ll thank me later.
Bug net if visiting during high season. For example in Scotland the midges are crazy mid-May to late September on the West Coast so you need to cover your face!
Top Tips
Don’t wrap your fleece around your waist.
If it rains it will get wet.
I stupidly once kept my fleece wrapped around my waist but put my rain jacket on.
Needless to say, the fleece was useless that evening.
In this section, we will assume that your day bag is going on a one-day hike with you to carry all of your hiking essentials.
You will use the majority of the items during the hike, with a few reserved for emergencies. I also like a bag around my waist or a hip bag for easy access to my phone and tissues.
Buff/scarf.
Gloves.
Hat.
Sunglasses.
Clean socks.
Waterproof bag cover like this one by Osprey US / UK.
Phone – screenshot route, download map route, download music and podcasts.
Waterproof cover.
Phone cable.
Battery pack for phone – I use Anker battery charger US / UK.
A camera if taking photos.
Speaker, Craig loves the JBL US / UK as it clips onto your bag.
Lunch.
Earphones (if you want to zone out).
Water bottle(s) – I use Tree Tribe US / UK as I’m not a fan of the taste of camel packs.
Purifying bottle if applicable – Claim 15% off Water To Go bottles (quote TSA15 at checkout).
Vaseline/Petroleum – put on your feet before you put your socks on to hike.
Change of shoes – flip flops if warm, give feet a breather.
Change of clothes.
Water.
Snacks.
Soames Hill, Gibsons in Canada
Choosing a Day Hike Bag
When deciding on the perfect day hiking bag consider its weight without items packed. It doesn’t have to be waterproof if you carry a waterproof cover with it.
I had the unfortunate experience of a Vietnamese downpour killing my camera during the Sapa Valley hike. I’ve never hiked without a waterproof bag cover since then (2013).
The bag needs to be comfortable on your shoulders, straps that tighten and loosen are important. Ideally, the bag should have some kind of breathable material on the back.
Side pockets are great for storing water bottles, rubbish or maps in.
Multi-Day Hike Packing
The following section assumes that you are hiking with all of your contents, thus you are packing all of your trekking items in this bag.
Long-Distance Hiking Checklist
Similar to the day hiking checklist but more extensive. To avoid repetition, I will point to the above when the items are the same.
Hiking Outerwear
Same as above.
Footwear
Same as above with the addition of:
Flip-flops – give your feet a rest, overnight hiking essential in my books.
Casual shoes – like trainers. I actually ended up hiking in trainers one day when my Achilles went during a long-distance hike. Poles were my heroes too.
Consider how you pack your bag allowing easy access to next wear items.
Pack a dry bag which can double up as a dirty washing bag and a washing machine! Just pop in warm water and travel detergent, give it a good swirl about and scrub holding on to the outside of the bag.
Vest top or quick dry t-shirt x 2-3.
Icebreaker top – 100% merino wool x2.
Fleece – make sure this in easy reach in your bag if you remove it x2.
Leggings/gym pants x 1 or 2.
(and/or)
Quick-dry walking pants x 1 or 2.
Over trouser waterproof pants/trousers.
Shorts x 1 (optional).
Sports bra.
Underwear – number of days + one (unless washing).
Hiking socks like Bridgedale x number of days hiking minus one or two.
Sock liners – Bridgedale x2 (optional).
Cotton socks for the night – x2.
Nightwear – consider temperature drop in evenings.
Gators which go over your ankle (optional).
Walking poles (optional).
Watch.
Swimming gear if you are taking a dip.
Craig rocking a headband
Comfort Items/Toiletries
See above plus:
Toilet paper.
Baby wipes – not very eco-friendly though.
Aftersun.
Toothbrush.
Tooth tabs – like paste but don’t spill.
Soap in a tin/wrapped in beeswax.
Face wash.
Moisturiser.
Hairbrush – I just stick mine up and add more clips as the days go on.
Clips/bobby pins.
Travel detergent – shampoo stinks after a while.
Dry bag US / UK – my Mum’s hiking bag bladder burst, twice! Protect your belongings.
Towel.
Tick remover if applicable.
Emergency/Functional Hiking Items
See above plus:
Mosquito net if applicable.
First Aid Pack for Hiking
See above plus:
Deep Freeze/Biofreeze US / UK for aches and pains.
Antihistamine.
Don’t let your ego get the best of you. If you are hurt then stand down for one day and join in the next. You will only cause yourself long-term damage.
This was the advice from my cousin why has hiked every Munro in Scotland. I sat out one day of the West Highland Way and joined in again on day five.
S’mores! Sweet crackers, chocolate and marshmallows from the campfire
Hiking With Your Dog
I love to hike with our dog, Bowie. She likes the attention of other hikers too! There are a few hiking items I recommend packing if you plan to hike with your dog.
Do remember that your dog will do twice even three times the amount of steps you do. I met a very poorly dog who had hurt its paws on a multi-day hike. The dog dad was going back to the starting point to hire a car and meet the dog mom at the next stage.
It is recommended to keep your dog on the lead at times to reduce its steps and protect its paws.
Our dog, Bowie, up Ben Vorlich in Scotland
Games to Play While Hiking
Some stretches of the trek are laborious!
Here are some fun games to play to get out of the woods (sometimes literally!)
A-Z of… Pop bands, movies, world leaders
Name a celeb, next person names a celeb with a name which starts with your celeb’s second name first letter (Lady Gaga, Gillian Anderson, etc)
I’m going on a hiking trip and I have packed, repeat item and add a new one
Lyric Challenge. Singer one starts, singer two takes the last word and starts a new line of the song (stolen from Pitch Perfect)
Would you rather… Snog, marry avoid
21 questions – yes or no answers
Save to your hiking board for future planning
Final Thoughts
Whether you are a first-timer aiming to get outdoors more or an avid hiker, this guide to things needed for hiking covers you for one-day treks to long-distance hikes during spring and summer. I hope you found my hiking equipment list useful, please do tell me in the comments below if I’ve missed anything essential out.
Undeniably, one of the best travel experiences for every adventure lover is waking up each day to fresh snow and that crisp Winter air. But what to pack for a ski trip? This guide will detail what to pack and how to save space while keeping costs down.
Craig and I (Gemma) have had the pleasure skiing at Whistler in Canada, the Cairngorms in Scotland, and Mayrhofen in Austria so feel equipped (boom boom) to offer advice during this ski trip packing list.
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Whether you take your own ski equipment with you or not is a personal preference. We opt to hire onsite to keep airfare costs down and for a smooth transit between countries (like us catching a train between Germany and Austria).
Airlines charge between £30/$38-£60/$76 depending on the size of the sports equipment and if you book online or at the airport. Naturally, if you can keep within the baggage measurements and weight you don’t have to pay an additional fee.
Option 2: Carry Your Own Kit
Our friends travel with their kit, not wanting to waste the investment or rely on the potentially lower quality equipment at the resort. They state that it can work out cheaper regardless of additional ski gear charges.
Option 3: Pack the Essentials, Hire the Rest
An ex-colleague and committed skiing friend recommends investing in boots, packing them and then hiring skis (or boards) on holiday. He says this puts the onus on the hire company to ensure that the skis and boards are safe but lets you skip the boot queue which can take the longest.
Wheeled Ski Bags
If you do decide to travel with your own ski or board equipment you will need a durable wheeled ski bag. Wheels are ideal for pulling through the airport, train stations and streets. The awkward length of skies makes carrying on your shoulder a no-no.
The 5th Element ski bag (U.S only) is padded and has a grab handle at the side.
There’s a larger handle at the top which can be thrown over your shoulder. A smaller pocket for items like wax and gloves etc is located at the bottom of the bag.
The padding is ideal for air travel – airlines really aren’t known for delicately handling our luggage!
A helmet is one of the skiing essentials for beginners.
Go for one that is adjustable.
Craig doesn’t ski with poles but I do. It’s entirely up to your skiing style but I like using them to help me turn (or get up during the occasional fall when I’m exhausted!)
They are another thing to pack but should fit in your ski/board bag. You can’t go wrong with lightweight Salomon ski poles (or gear) but they can get pricey.
What to Pack for Ski Trip
1. Footwear
As mentioned in the evening wear section of our guide, footwear is required to give the feet a rest!
Pack a pair of trainers for the bar, snow boots or just do what Craig does and wear your hiking boots with a good grip if there is snowfall in the town and leave the heels at home.
If staying in shared accommodation with communal showers, pack a pair of flip-flops to avoid verrucas.
Pack enough ski socks for every ski day or one less if your feet aren’t prone to smelly sweat.
Merino wool-based socks are the best bet (see base layer section for more information). Be careful, some socks are not 100% merino.
Stock up on fresh cotton socks too for the post-shower evening outfit.
Don’t forget your swimming gear if there’s a hot tub or the potential of an invite to a hot tub!
2. What to Wear Skiing
Base Layers
Choosing the best tech apparel will keep you warm and dry.
Although we are inclined to go all out on our snow outerwear, the base layer is actually one of the most important because it controls your temperature and sweat.
You are likely to find that it’s not actually the snow that makes you feel cold but a sweaty layer on your skin. You want your base layers to allow air to circulate throughout (breathable) so the need to avoid sweat drying cold and sticky is essential.
That’s where the materials come into play.
They work because they wick water away from your body to the surface of the layer so it can then evaporate.
General polyester is cheaper than merino but not as comfortable and if you sweat it will smell quicker!
Personally, for skiing (and hiking) I go for merino options such as I wear Icebreaker Merino wool base layer USA / UK. A good base layer will keep you warm in cold conditions but cool in hot climates so you don’t have to pack it away come summer outdoors trip time. A great investment.
Sports bras
If you are top-heavy adventure lover like me, don’t forget a comfortable but shockproof sports bra.
A quality outwear coat is one of the ski trip essentials you should invest in.
There are two options for outerwear coats. You can either go full ski jacket with a hard shell which is great for all temperatures and conditions or an insulated down puffy jacket with a waterproof softshell.
The latter is ideal for skiers who get hot easily and/or travellers who are packing for a multi-season trip.
I love my Marmot Precip US / UK as it is bright (blue) and folds away into its own pocket.
If you fall into the last category, consider packing thin trousers/leggings and a quality pair of over the overtrousers USA / UK. Saves space and money.
I did this in Whistler, Canada as I didn’t have my full kit with me.
For Austria, I wore slim-fitting O’Niell’s ski pants, the brighter the better.
If you have space go for the first option for a ski coat and enjoy the flexibility of hood adjustments, wrist gaiters and vents. I also like a snow pass clip so I don’t have to remove my gloves when leaving the chairlift (I get cold hands).
Alternatively, go 80s and splurge on a crazy one-piece number.
4. Toiletries and Medical
First up – travel insurance. Make sure your insurer covers adventure winter trips. We use True Traveller, I had to claim in Vancouver and they paid out fast. Check to see if they are right for your trip here.
Regardless of the snow, you still burn!
Buy a high factor face moisturiser like the lovely La Roche-Posay US / UK.
Go eco-friendly and pack soap instead of gels – if you travel with only a cabin bag this saves more space in the 100ml restrictions bag too. Consider solid shampoo and conditioner too.
Ladies, a good tangle teezer is recommended. Why does our hair get so tuggy on the slopes?
Lip salve/chapstick for dry lips. Avoiding licking them if you can.
Blister pads for rubbing, pack just in case.
Hydration tablets US / UK for the next day. Believe us, they work. It was actually a British doctor that recommended them in Cuba after too many rums.
If, like me, you really feel the cold, buy heat pads for your hands.
I’m never one to promote single use but if you are staying in a hotel it is unlikely you will have access to hot water for reheating. Little Hotties state that they are biodegradable.
5. Ski Accessories
Insulated Gloves
The best investment I made was splurging on these three-finger leather US / UK.
The internal mitten separates from the external leather outer so you can dry the fleece mittens without melting the outside.
The three-finger glove retains the heat because the heat stays circulating around your three-fingered section I made my own mitten straps to ensure I didn’t lose them but they also come with wrist clips.
I only had cheap gloves in Whistler and was left feeling sick with the pain from the cold whenever we stopped skiing (chair lifts, waiting on friends, fixing gear).
If you don’t want to invest, buy cheaper waterproof gloves and also mitten liners.
Shades aren’t just about looking suave, they also block out the glare from the sun but glasses are useless when caught in heavy snow (every day, 3pm in Austria).
You need goggles to help with visibility at this stage.
The best goggles have adjustable head straps and correctly coloured tint (dark colours for bright sunny use, yellows for low light weather).
When wearing a helmet, a headband works best to keep the nip from your ears. Keep a hat in your day bag for lunch stops. Avoid a woollen hat, they get heavy when wet (and ruin).
A headband with pony hole is perfect for long-haired skiers.
Neck warmers are great when they are dry but can get moist when active on the mountain.
The wet just turns cold and is pretty unpleasant! The more expensive versions like the Airhole range have mouth holes to let you breathe, this would resolve the wet issue.
Snot! Steal some toilet roll from your accommodation or buy a hanky for a more environmentally friendly answer.
Waterproof phone covers, don’t lose the incriminating photos from the bar the night before.
Record the ride, don’t forget your GoPro, body harness and selfie stick.
6. Baggage
Laugh all you want but I like a bumbag (fanny pack) for ski trips so I can easily access my phone/camera, lip salve and some cash.
There are no loose straps to get tangled with either. Handy for the pub at night too.
Craig tends to ski with a day bag so he can clip our JBL speaker US / UK to it. He’s all about the tunes. It’s waterproof
He’s also the chief controller of the water bottle and sun cream.
The apres-ski outfit is something that I thought a lot about before packing for Austria in March.
From my experience, skiers and boarders don’t get dressed up for dinner and drinks after a day on the slopes.
There definitely is a lot of socialising going on but this is done in jeans or leggings, casual tops, flats like trainers and hats.
Pro tip: go for black trainers as they look dressier. I wear black trainers with dresses and jeggings during travel trips.
Surprisingly, there was no snow on the ground in the village at Mayrhofen but there was ankle deep at Whistler so winter boots are recommended for grip. Heading to Whistler? Here’s our affordable accommodation guide.
If you are attending a ski festival – pack the glitter, stock up on the superhero capes and look out for the themed night shoutouts!
Ski Packing List
Own kit or hire?
Wheeled ski bag with own kit
Helmet
Ski goggles
Gloves
Hat
Buff
Day bag/bum bag
Shades
Outerwear jacket
Ski trousers
Trainers/waterproof snow boots
Flip flops for communal shower rooms
Merino based socks
Merino base layer
Sports bra
Casual night gear
Swimming gear
Toiletries and medicine
Suntan lotion
Heat pads
Final Thoughts
Creating a packing list for ski trip doesn’t have to be daunting. This guide has detailed the essentials and some extras depending on your Winter travel needs.
I’ve also provided some do’s and don’ts of looking cool without feeling cool while skiing and boarding. Ski trips are honestly one of my favourites and nothing tastes better than that first cider after a day’s ski (or maybe just the one on top of the mountain)!
S’mores! Sweet crackers, chocolate and marshmallows from the campfire
