Your body isn’t the only thing you need to prepare for an overnight hike. Having the right gear can make or break a trip, such as good food giving you energy and a good tent to keep you dry overnight.
If you’re planning an overnight hike anywhere in the world, this is for you. I’ve added friendly tips for how to accommodate with weather changes, and the same products and brands I use and trust.
For this overnight hike packing list I’m combining my experience from multiple trips and through different environments. In Canada I snowshoed in metres high of snow, while carrying camping gear. Whereas in Australia, I’ve hike through humid conditions with leeches and chilly mornings.
What’s different about a regular hike and spending the night camping on the trip is the heavier pack and gear.
This article is built with all the components of gear to bring on an overnight hike. Based on local weather and conditions, you may have to adjust some things slightly, but check the other sections to learn more about that. Read on for all the overnight hiking gear.
Please note: I’m only recommending gear I use and have purchased myself.
Table of Contents
Overnight Hiking Gear
This is my ultimate overnight hike gear list. Included here is everything to bring for an overnight hike, including the brands and products that I trust and use.
The list is targeted towards what one person would need for a hike, however, some things need to be adjusted. I travel with my partner so we split up the weight of joint items such as as tent. This section is greatly about the actual gear for the hike, so those items you’ll be taking for every hike. It’s worth it to invest in good brands and products here to last more hikes.
- Backpack: Osprey Women’s Ariel AG 65 Backpack
- Dry Sack: Outdoor Research 10 L
- Sleeping Bag: Mountain Warehouse Extreme Micro-down
- Sleeping Bag Liner: Mountain Warehouse polycotton sleeping bag liner
- Tent: Kathmandu Boreas 3 person tent lightweight
- Sleeping Mat: Klymit Insulated Static V Lite Sleeping Pad
- Hydration Pack: CamelBak Reservoir 3 L
- Insulated Waterbottle (optional): Cheeki Insulated water bottle
- Cooking Stove set: Camping cook set
- Fuel for camping stove
- Lighter
- Shovel
- Toilet Paper
Clothing
The best clothing for an overnight hike is so subjective. Ultimately though, comfort is what’s most important. This list changes depending on where I’m hiking, what the weather is like, the time of year and how I feel on the hike. I usually wear shorts for humid or shaded hikes, however if there’s leeches in the bush or it’s chilly, I’ll switch to leggings.
Same goes for socks, in the winter I might wear merino socks, and for the summer I always wear cotton or bamboo. Just remember, any time of year, the weather on at high elevation on a mountain will have different temperatures than below. Always pack some warm clothes, just in case.
If it’s just a two day hike I might wear the same shorts on the way up as back down. Because my clothes are so compact and light might also bring extras if I’m not sure about the weather.
- Sunhat
- Hiking Boots: Keen Men’s Targhee Hiking Boots
- Socks
- Underwear
- Tank top: Lululemon tank
- Shorts: Lululemon shorts
- Sweater: Kathmandu running sweater or fleece
- Waterproof warm jacket (for cold hikes): Kathmandu Down jacket
- Rain Jacket or Wind Breaker (for wind, high elevation and rain): The North Face Resolve Plus
- Leggings or pants: Patagonia leggings
- Boot covers* (optional)
- Headband (optional)
*Boot covers are similar to a skirt above your boot that prevent dirt and other materials from going inside of your boot.
Toiletries and more
This list has all of the most important toiletries you’ll need for an overnight hike. Don’t overpack, but don’t skip out on important things such as a first aid kit, or sunscreen on a hot day.
Bug repellant is most important during the summer months, with mosquitos or humid hikes with leeches. I always bring ibuprofen, because there’s nothing worse than dealing with a headache amid a long hike. Not on this list is other personal medication.
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Lip Balm with SPF: Banana Boat Ultra Sport SPF 50
- First Aid Kit (for amount of people)
- Sunscreen: Sun Bum SPF 50 Reef-friendly
- Bug Repellant: OFF! Botanicals Bug Repellent Lotion
- Ibuprofen
- Location specific items: Snake Bite bandage, Bear Spray
Food and Drinks
You’re not going to get anywhere on a hike without the right energy, and that mainly comes from good food and drinks. These are some of my go-to items I take on an overnight hike. What’s different about the overnight hike, is that there’s no options to wait until you’re done the hike to eat a restaurant.
Everything you bring on the hike has to sustain your body for the duration of the journey. For an overnight hike, I typically eat three meals plus trail mix, snack bars and protein bars in between meals. Electrolytes and other drinks are good additions to meals or snacks, or also in-between. These brands are my go-to for sustainable energy along the trail.
- Electrolytes: Hydralyte or Ener C powder packs
- Trail mix: Prada Machu Pichu
- Snack Bars: Larabar and CLIF
- Protein Bars: Vega Sport and RXBAR
- Tea, coffee and/or hot chocolate
- Sufficient Meals for days/nights of hike
For more information on hiking in Australia, check out my Travel Australia category for hikes around Australia!
