You have settled on a place you want to visit, and now all you need to do is pack. Think lightweight, and only bring what you need to bring. This will make it easier to carry around, so you can spend more time enjoying the great outdoors. A compiled complete list is at the bottom of this post!
Safety and Survival
Always the first priority, you should always bring some form of a First Aid kit with you. Wouldn’t you rather be happy you brought one, than wish you would have?
You can either pre-pack a First Aid kit by assembling individual supplies, or you can purchase a pre-assembled kit. Good things to include in a kit for a day hike are bandaids (for blisters), aloe vera (for sunburns), and tweezers (dreaded ticks). Our favourite First Aid Mini kits are affordable, compact, and has enough space to slip in some other items.
If you are someone who likes to hike alone, bring some sort of personal alarm with you. This is a small compact item that when you pull the pin out, makes a loud alarming noise. This handy item can be used for many reasons, like deterring wild animals or human attackers. I prefer these to whistles because if you drop the whistle or it is knocked out of your mouth it is no longer effective. With the personal alarms, you can unplug the pin and throw the alarm to the side, with throwing the pin away to the other side (it can be turned off only by reconnecting the pin).
As long as you keep to the trail paths and have a general understanding of the navigation of the area, there isn’t a strong possibility that you will get lost. But in case, it doesn’t hurt to bring a lighter or two. You can use these for starting fires that can produce smoke for an S.O.S signal.
We also suggest considering bringing a multitool on your day hike. The best of multitools offer a variety of useful functions, with being lightweight.
Protection From the Elements
Look up what the weather will be like for the entire day in that region, and understand how to properly dress for the environment. It’s a good idea to layer, so you can add or remove clothing throughout your trip. Ideally, wear waterproof hiking shoes that have grips on the bottom of the sole. If hiking in the winter, dress warm and consider bringing mittens, scarf, toque, etc.
If it’s sunny and warm out, it’s a good idea to bring sunscreen and chapstick. Choose a sunscreen that is waterproof (sweat) with higher levels of SPF and apply regularly throughout the day. My go-to sunscreen to take with me hiking needs to be affordable and travel-friendly. Using chapstick will help protect your lips against the UV rays (go for one with an SPF of at least 30
Is it summertime? There is a solid chance you are going to encounter some mosquitos. Bring something that will deter the pests from you, like debt-free natural bug spray. And when they bite, be prepared by bringing some After Bite
Hydration and Fuel
It’s smart to stay hydrated for your hike, so bring water!
Use a lightweight water bottle that is airtight and will not be prone to leaking. The worst feeling is opening up your backpack and finding your water has leaked onto your other items. You could also opt for a water reservoir
Bring some food items that are guaranteed to give you needed energy and protein. My experiences are the foods with higher calories, fat, and protein and with less carbs and sugar give me the most sustained energy.
Try snacks like nut butter and apple, beef jerky, nuts and dried fruit, and certain granola bars. You can opt for homemade granola bars where you can control the ingredients and taste of the bar. Alternatively, you can go for prepackaged bars.
Navigation
I love researching about the place I am travelling to before going. It’s fun to me to find pictures and photos online, and then visit the area in person. The best option is to bring a physical copy of the map or trail (better than relying on a phone, which is useless if it dies).
Decided to visit a trail on a whim? No problem. Most trailheads feature hiking maps so you can have an overview before journeying. I suggest taking a photo of this so you can reference it at different points during your hike. At the very least, bring a reliable pocket compass
Miscellaneous
Is it just me that can sometimes randomly get a bought of a stuffy nose? Bring a small package of pocket tissues
And, of course, what are you going to pack everything in? I am loving this backpack I purchased that is super lightweight, and when not in use, can fold up into itself for storage.
that can fold into itself for easy storage.Is there anything missing that you often bring with you on a hike? Let us know!
Safe trekking!
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The Ground Stompers 
Good advice!! I hiked for years before smartening up and realizing how important these things are. Especially a flashlight, very scary being too far out and trying to navigate back in the dark.
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