Are you planning a trek in the great outdoors? Not sure what to bring with you? No matter how experienced you are, it can be difficult to decide what to bring on your next backpacking adventure.

We’ve got you covered! These are the backpacking essentials you’ll need for a successful trip to the wild.

1.The Best Backpack

The first thing you’ll need is a backpack. Make sure you get one that won’t overload you, but that will fit all the other essentials you’ll need for your adventure. Depending on the length of your planned backpacking adventure, you’ll want at least a 40 to 60-liter backpack for your needs.

2. The Right Clothing

Next, you’ll need to make sure that you have the right clothing to survive in the wild. Make sure you have shoes that don’t pinch or rub your feet wrong. Danner hiking shoes are a good example of a pair to check out.

You’ll also need to make sure that you have proper sun protection. Plenty of sunscreen should be a given, but you should find lightweight ways to cover up your skin as well, as a backup. Plus, clothing (along with bug spray) can help keep insects away and prevent dangerous and uncomfortable bug bites.

3. Water

It’s crucial to make sure that you’re hydrated when you’re out in the field. So, make sure that you have plenty of water or the means to get more water if you run out.

Water cleansing tablets are available so that you can make use of naturally occurring water. You can also try out another filtration system if that seems more helpful for your purposes.

4. Somewhere to Sleep

If you’re going to be out in the wild, you need to make sure you have somewhere safe to sleep. A sleeping bag and tent are always good basic options to have on hand. You can also try out some more complicated setups with hammocks and tarps if you’re feeling particularly adventurous.

5. Cook Safely

Hey, everyone needs to eat, right? That’s why you’ll need to have an adequate supply of food, a way to successfully cook your food, and a way to dispose of and store your food safely (to keep the bears away!). There are a lot of different options to achieve these goals, so you’ll have to do your research on this front.

6. Stay in Touch

No matter how experienced you are, you’ll need a way to navigate and a way to communicate with the outside world (at the very least, if there’s an emergency!). A satellite phone can help you achieve the latter if you’re in an area with limited or no cell phone service.

You also should make sure that you have some sort of GPS or map, just in case you do happen to get lost. If you’re out on some trails, make sure that you have a detailed map of that particular area.

Backpacking Essentials Will Get You Going

The above backpacking essentials will help you get you started in your way out into the world. But, there are certainly more you can try out!

Are you interested in more information about exploring nature and related topics? Scroll over to our other articles to read on!