Backpacking Essentials : What to Prepare, Take and Leave for Your Next Trip (2024)

Are you considering a backpacking trip? It’s a great time. You connect with nature and see places that a simple tour bus drive cannot allow you to appreciate, and you get the opportunity to socialise with locals and other travellers while you go. But when everything is on your back, what do you take? What do you leave behind? We’ve got a guide to the essentials.

Water bottle

More than a water bottle, you will need a water reservoir. You can slip it into your bag and sip from it whenever you need it. Refill it from a reliable source whenever you can and invest in a water filter/purifier or chemical treatment to be sure it’s clean.

Emergency supplies

You might want to also have a little bag in your backpack with all the emergency supplies. Any medications you need, a first aid kit, lighters, etc. should be kept somewhere waterproof and ready for the worst to happen.

While you’re at it, you might want to look into travel insurance with medical cover to make sure that you don’t have to worry too much about any injuries. Obviously, you’d rather you didn’t hurt yourself but at least with travel insurance with medical cover, you won’t have to pay out the nose to get a booboo to heal.

Clothing for all terrains

What you wear is even more important on a backpacking trip than any other. You are going to live in these clothes. You’re going to walk in them, a lot, and sleep in them. And you want as little as possible so you can carry everything else you need on your back. So, do some research into where exactly you’re going. Your trip might cross different climates, so you’ll want to prepare for everything. Get some long underwear to keep yourself warm, some waterproofs, some sunglasses, and a hat for the warmer weather, etc. Most importantly, you’ll want some hiking boots or shoes that suits the terrain you expect to see.

Backpacking isn’t the environment for a ball and you have to pack as light as possible so leave the stilettos and black-tie suit at home. Instead, when you’re buying clothes for backpacking look for terms like “moisture-wicking” and “lightweight”.

Backpacking gear

You’re going to need to sleep, eat, and survive with what you have on your back, which means packing carefully. So, a sleeping bag is a given, but so is a sleeping pad. You’ll need a tent light enough to carry about on your back, but also a stove, with fuel, and a few pots, bowls, utensils, etc. to put together a decent meal. And it goes without saying that you should have plenty of food with you. Tinned items are good for heating up to eat on the go, but you should also load up on energy bars, trail mix, etc. for when you need a boost.

Shower gear

Between the rain, the chances for dips in lakes, and the need for a makeshift shower in the wilderness, you’ll also need a small towel. So, it’s better to get a quick-drying towel so you don’t have a smelly bag. And if you’re going to take soap, you can get biodegradable soap so that you leave nothing but footprints, not even suds behind.

You can even get yourself a travel shower. A lot of them are lightweight and collapsible and range from handheld to solar powered. 

Security

If you’re going abroad, the most important thing to take with you, and keep safe, is your passport. If you’re in and out of hostels, especially if they’re full of people who don’t speak your language, you’re going to need to keep your items close to you. Invest in a travel safe that you can put your passport, smartphone, permits and more into to keep them safe while you travel.