This is the checklist we actually use — built from years of multi-day trips across the Pacific Northwest, Patagonia, Norway, and beyond. We've cut it down and added to it trip by trip. Everything on here earns its weight.
Adjust for trip length, season, and location. A summer overnight in the Cascades and a 10-day circuit in Patagonia have different requirements — but this covers the complete base.
Shelter
🏕️ Sleeping
- Tent or shelter
- Tent footprint / groundsheet
- Sleeping bag (rated appropriately)
- Sleeping pad (R-value ≥ 2 for 3-season)
- Pillow (inflatable) or stuff sack
🎒 Pack & Protection
- Backpack (properly fitted)
- Pack liner (heavy-duty garbage bag)
- Pack rain cover
- Dry bags for valuables
- Trekking poles (optional but recommended)
Clothing
👕 Base layers
- Moisture-wicking shirt (×2)
- Lightweight long sleeve (×1)
- Hiking pants or shorts
- Underwear (merino or synthetic) ×3
- Hiking socks ×3 pairs
- Camp socks (dry, for sleeping)
🧥 Outer layers
- Insulating layer (down or synthetic)
- Rain jacket (waterproof, not water-resistant)
- Rain pants (if high precipitation risk)
- Sun hat + warm beanie
- Gloves (liner weight minimum)
- Neck gaiter
Footwear
- Hiking boots or trail runners — broken in before the trip
- Camp shoes (lightweight sandals or Crocs — worth every ounce)
- Gaiters (for snow, mud, or scree)
Navigation
- Phone with offline maps downloaded (AllTrails, Gaia GPS)
- Printed paper map as backup
- Compass
- GPS device (for remote trips, highly recommended)
- Satellite communicator (inReach) for trips without cell coverage
Water
- Water filter (Sawyer Squeeze or BeFree)
- Chemical backup (Aquatabs or iodine)
- Water bottles or reservoir — minimum 2L capacity
- Electrolyte tablets
Food & Cook Kit
- All meals + 1 day emergency food — see our trail food guide for calorie targets, or browse Mysnapfuel for ready-to-go backcountry snacks
- Stove + fuel canister
- Pot and lid
- Spork
- Lighter ×2 (one backup)
- Bear canister or hang kit (check area requirements)
- Stuff sack for food/scented items
- Biodegradable soap + small sponge
Pre-repackage everything
Remove all store packaging before the trip. Repackage meals in Ziploc bags, consolidate spices into tiny containers, and label everything with name and cook instructions. Saves weight, reduces trash, and makes camp cooking much faster.
First Aid & Safety
- First aid kit (wilderness-specific)
- Blister kit (Leukotape, moleskin, needle)
- Personal medications + allergy treatment
- Sunscreen SPF 50+
- Insect repellent (DEET or permethrin)
- Emergency whistle
- Emergency bivy or space blanket
- Headlamp ×2 (one backup) + extra batteries
- Fire starter (waterproof matches or lighter)
- Knife or multi-tool
Hygiene & Sanitation
- Trowel (cat-hole digging — 200 ft from water/trail)
- Toilet paper in sealed bag (pack it out)
- Hand sanitiser
- Toothbrush + toothpaste (small tube)
- Wet wipes
- Menstrual products if needed (pack out everything)
Electronics & Extras
- Phone + charging cable
- Portable battery bank
- Camera (phone is fine)
- Earplugs (underrated on shared campsites)
- Repair kit (tent pole sleeve, duct tape, seam sealer)
- Trekking pole tips and baskets
The cut-in-half test
After packing everything, lay it out and ask: if I had to cut this pack in half, what stays? Everything that doesn't survive that question is worth reconsidering. On most trips, the things left at home are never missed. The things forgotten always are.
For more on how to actually load all of this, see our guide on how to pack a backpack. For weight targets and what to prioritise cutting, the full gear guide breaks down every category in detail.