Your Backpacking Checklist

Today’s backpacking gear keeps getting better and better, with loads of top-quality, high-tech, lightweight choices. For the best options, we asked the outdoor experts at Dirty Gourmet to share their essential gear, clothing, and food for staying comfortable and well fed in the backcountry.

Feel free to customize and cherry-pick the list for your own adventures. Ideally, you should keep your base weight under 20 lbs. (That’s the weight of your pack without variables like food, water, and fuel.)

Basic gear

• Multi-day backpack
• Tent
• Footprint for tent
• Sleeping bag
• Sleeping pad
• Pillow
• Bear canister
• Water reservoir
• Water bottles
• Water filter
• Headlamp, plus extra batteries
• Folding knife
• Map and compass

Optional gear

• String lights
• Solar lantern
• LED tea lights
• Multi-purpose fabric (for ground cloth or tablecloth)
• Folding chair

Clothing

• Bandanas
• Sun hat
• Light- or medium-cushion wool socks
• Ultra-light wool or synthetic socks
• Gloves
• Beanie
• Multi-purpose scarf
• Hiking shoes or boots (tip: get them fitted)
• Close-fitting base layer
• Long underwear
• Warm, puffy jacket
• Waterproof jacket
• Hiking pants
• Underwear

Toiletries & miscellaneous items

• Sunscreen
• Lip balm with sunscreen
• First-aid kit
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Comb/mirror set
• Insect repellent
• Micro-fiber towel
• Sunglasses
• Feminine products
• Plastic and paper bags
• Wipes or moist towelettes
• Toilet paper

Around-camp activities

• Cards
• Small games such as Pass the Pigs and Cosmic Wimpout
• Phone and/or camera
• Mobile trail app

Cooking gear

• Stove for 1 or 2 people
• Stove for larger group
• Fuel (and/or fuel bottle, if required) for stove
• Butane lighter 
• Cookset
• Utensil set
• Cutting board
• Plates
• Bowls
• Sporks
• Insulated mugs
• Bear canister
• Silicone cooking bag
• Plastic mesh scrubby
• Pot scraper
• Nut milk bag for straining coffee
• Battery-powered milk frother
• Biodegradable soap
• Index card with menu and recipe notes

Food basics

• In addition to ingredients for recipes, you might want to keep these supplies on hand.
• Coffee
• Snacks such as nuts, apples, parmesan cheese, bars, and goos
• Emergency foods such as ramen and miso soup
• Olive oil or coconut oil
• Whiskey