MY FAVOURITE HIKING GEAR

(Last Updated on Jan 2024, Prices in CAN.)

In this section I will be providing helpful links and information on some of my favourite hiking/camping gear to date I use. Wether you are in the back country or going on a day hike locally you should always carry the 10 Essentials. Nagivation, Headlamp, Sunprotection, First Aid Kit, Knife or Repair Kit, Fire Starter, Shelter, Extra Food, Water & Clothes.

BACKPACKS:

So without further ado lets start with my favourite Backpacks. When I first started hiking I bought my first ever day hiking pack from McKINLEY. The Lynx 28L Day Pack has been well loved and been on some pretty epic adventures. It's small enough for small hikes but big enough for longer day hikes, Cody even took this pack overnight (Which I totally don't recommend lol.) This pack was relativley inexpensive, I believe I spent $60 or less.

My favourite brand and pack for overnight packs has to be Osprey. For so many reasons I love these packs. They have lifetime warranty and will fix or replace anything that rips or tears from it. I have the Kyte 43 L which is pretty small compared to the one I borrowed which is an Ariel Plus 60 L. I recently have purchased a 65L and it's amazing for multi-day hiking. My 34 L is perfect for a single night, you'll want to invest in a 60-65 L if you plan to do multi-day hikes. These are also great as they have a removable day hiking pack. These are more of an investment but well worth it. They start at $389, I also have 2 Osprey Child Carriers, that I love and will do a separate section explaining those, because I love them that much.

BLADDERS:

Bladders are such an essential part for hiking, not only are they convenient but it helps keep you hydrated so you don't forget! My favourite has to be the Osprey Hydraulics 3L one $56. Some other brands spill where as this one seals nicely without having to screw a lid on. I also have this the HydraPack Shape-Shift 3L from Cabelas that acts just like a dupe for the Osprey and is a little cheaper at $53.

HIKING POLES:

I didn't have Hiking Poles for a very long time, now I can't hike without them. My mom got a pair for me that I purchased at Atmosphere. I lost them on a hike unfortunately, so I now have the Komperdell Carbon C3 Pro, I got them on sale for $69 or something. Regularly they were priced over $180. They are super lightweight which is what you want and super easy to extend.

HIKING BOOTS:

I have a couple pairs of Hiking Boots that I currently have and one brand that I love. The North Face Litewave Fastpack Waterproof Boot. I've ordered these twice, they are great. The only thing is they aren't the greatest for winter. They are more of a summer boot. You can't feel them on your feet and I've never gotten a blister. These range from $90-120. The other ones I really like is the Ascend Women's Lisco Mid Hikers, these are waterproof and have great ankle support. They are a bit heavier than my other ones so I usually switch to these in winter. These ones range from $129. Another great brand I've heard from friends is Merell these range anywhere from $180-$200. I have purchased ones in 2023 and I love my Merells. My husband wears his Blundstones everywhere, I prefer to casually wear mine as they are quite expensive but they last forever. They range from $250-$300+ and if you want to get real fancy I've heard from a few friends and influencers that say Danner is an amazing brand but they are quite expensive starting at $529.

TENTS:

This past summer I recently purchased a good quality Tent. I picked up the Nemo Dagger 3P Season one. I was dead set on getting the Mutha Hubba 3P by MSR. However a friend suggested this one as she had it. This tent and the MSR was fairly close in price both at around $650-$750. I've heard both are great brands but the Nemo held up in the rain a little more. The Nemo Dagger is perfect for my husband, my son and I. My husband is 6'1 and he fits perfectly in here. It weighs about 3.75LB and has aluminium poles. My sister in law took this to the rockies on a multi-day hike and she had all sorts of weather and had no problems with the tent. This tent look epic in photos with its bright green colour. Does not include a footprint so you will have to purchase separately $69. Cody and I took a non lightweight tent on our first overnight and that was awful. I highly recommend the Nemo or MSR, it's 100% worth it.

WATER FILTRATION:

You've probably heard the dissolving tablets, for Water Filtration I've never used those, I heard they make the water taste strange. When I was backpacking Della, my two friends had one from Amazon that was $30-$50, all you had to do was filter through a water bottle. The filter attaches to the lid of a water bottle and you squeeze into another water bottle. This was a little time consuming. I have no idea the brand but there is a few you can choose from on Amazon. The one I am currently using and loving is SteriPen $86. This one is battery operated but you can get ones that are USB charged. You simply fill your Nalgene approx. 1L full swirl the UV probe and it'll tell you when it's complete. I've also heard that the Platypus one works really well which is $149.

CAMPING STOVES:

My favourite Camping Stove would have to be the JetBoil $107-$149. I also have the MSR Pocket Rocket $44, however the JetBoil is so much faster! I'm glad I have the MSR Pocket Rocket as well because this one is good if you don't always bring dehydrated meals and want to cook in a bigger pan. The JetBoil is great for coffee as it heats up the right amount in a short time. Both do not weight much but the Jetboil does take up more space in your pack. The pocket rocket is very small and compact. The MSR does require to be lit when starting it where as the JetBoil does not, you simply press the button and whala. Both are great to have.

DEHYDRATED MEALS:

Dehydrated Meals are the main food I cook while on an overnight hike. As they are so easy and all you have to do is fill them with boiling water. There are so many kinds you can choose from now. Here are some my favourite ones. I'll do a separate guide on food as well, because that list is long!

UTENSILS & DISHES:

I have tried a few Utensils and these ones are my favourite, Light My Fire Spork $4.99 at Atmosphere. I have a couple of these, you can never have to many. I have a stainless steel set (knife, fork, spoon.) from Amazon that I got in a Cookware Mess Kit Portable Outside Camping Cook-set $40-$50. It came with a kettle, pan, pot and several utensils. I have a Sea to Sky Summit X-Cup $12.99 which folds down, great for dogs too. I have a GSI Outdoor HaluLite Boiler $50 US as well which is really deep, but I hardly use this anymore as I usually just stick to dehydrated meals.

SLEEPING PADS:

A Sleeping Pad is very necessary for overnight hikes and worth getting a lightweight one. Cody usually brings a foamie version and always complains about it. I have a Big Agnes Ultra Sleeping Pad. My dad bought it for me which I think it was $79-199 US. It's super lightweight and you just blow it up. It's totally worth the money. Also for a pillow, I have a Sea to Summit Aeros one which was $59, I got it as a birthday gift. The only thing I truly can't stand about this, is that it didn't come with a little belt to strap over your sleeping pad. It moves around like crazy against the sleep pad. What I do now is put a pillowcase over it and it doesn't slide. SO make sure to grab one that has a belt that straps around.

SLEEPING BAGS:

I gotta laugh because I have come a long way with getting a proper Sleeping Bag. A lightweight one has changed my life. I kid you not there is nothing fun about bringing a regular sleeping bag on an overnight hike, trust me. My mom bought me a Marmot Never Winter Mummy Sleeping Bag $200-$279. This one is ideal for summer camping trips and does protect for weather only exceeding -1 out. Which for me is perfect, I've never been cold in this sleeping bag yet. I don't really have the desire to camp in the winter months. Therefore a winter one is not needed for me. I've heard of the Nemo ones being good for that however.

HEADLAMPS & LANTERN:

Headlamps are an essential item to have. Wether you are doing an overnight hike, sunset or sunrise. It's never a bad idea to have one in your backpack. I don't have anything fancy I just have a DEWALT one that works, however it isn't very bright. I guess that's what you get for $30-$40 dollars. I've heard that the BioLite 330 are a nice one and probably way brighter than the one I have. They start at $53. Another item that is totally not necessary that I recently purchased is an Ozark Trail 1000 Lumen Rechargeable Lantern with Bluetooth Speaker. A mouthful I know, this thing is definitely extra weight but it's one of those things that I will always bring now. It lights up the tent perfectly as shown above and plays my music when I want to sit on top of a summit and vibe. This is $59.

WATER BOTTLES AND MUGS:

I love my Nalgene Water Bottle, I recently purchased one of these and it helps with my filtration system as it has measuring on the side. This is about a 1L water bottle, is super lightweight and easily can be hung off you pack. This is super extra and has no real purpose of keeping my coffee hot, it just looks pretty. I got mine from Mountain Warehouse a simple enamel mug that has cute outdoorsy writing on it $10. It weighs nothing and also makes for a epic photo! What I really should have is a HydroFlask $29 or Yeti Mug. $34 those keep your drink hot or cold for awhile.

HAMMOCKS:

Completely not necessary but a Hammock is always a nice touch while camping. I have the Ultralight Starter Hammock $39. It's great because they also have lifetime warranty on their products. It has a convenient stuff sack and two carabiners for easy set up. It's the perfect addition to any camp setting as long as there is two trees to tie around.

DRY BAGS:

Everyone needs a Dry Bag if not a few. I can't believe I didn't have one until now. I have an Ascend Lightweight Dry Bag with Window 20L $24. This helps keep your food dry and contained in your pack. I also bought some dry bags for clothes off Amazon, that is mesh, personally I would just get any type of dry bag ones from there. They all look pretty decent. $20-70.

ACCESSORIES:

An Accessory that really stands out for me is having a Portable Charging Stick. I usually have two with me when I go overnight hiking as I do only take photos on my iPhone, I never want my phone to die. You can find these on Amazon $20-70, I believe I got mine free from somewhere. I also have Battery Operated String Lights, I like the aesthetic and for photos it's pretty in or on your tent. Again amazon $20.

FIRST AID KIT:

As being part of the 10 Essentials a First Aid Kit is something everyone should have while hiking. I forget where my mom got mine but you can get Adventure Medical Kits off Amazon for $20+. They are extremely lightweight that have everything you need from bandaids, moleskin, afterbite, to EMT shears and more. You can certainly add more as well.

NAVIGATION & GPS:

Somehow I always go with someone that has a GPS, but I have now purchased a Garmin inReach Mini Satellite Communicator $449. These are so portable and easy to use, and a very smart device to have in the backcountry or while hiking with a child. My favourite Navigation would be the Backroad Mapbooks $29. I believe I have six now, they are my go to for finding new places. I love the apps Gia & AllTrails.

TOWELS:

I've always packed my Sandcloud Towel $48 that I use when I swim, or for sitting on and acts like a cushion. It's also great as 10% of the profit goes towards marine conservation. This one is super lightweight and compact and also looks good for photos with the tie dye. You can also find tons of little camping towels at Atmosphere $20-80 as well as cooking dish ones to wipe your stove dishes down. I have a GSI Camp Dish Cloth $9.

SANDALS:

I never used to pack Sandals and I still need to purchase some good ones for overnight hiking. There is nothing worse than forgetting this item and having to wear your hikers once you reach your destination. It's more comfier lounging in something else. I would recommend the Native brand shoe, they are waterproof and lightweight. Once I buy an actual sandal I'll update it here. There is a ton of selections at Cabelas and Atmosphere however in the mean time.

CAMERA GEAR + ACCESSORIES:

My favourite gear to bring with me for photography is simply my iPhone, however over the years I have used helpful products to make my photos a tad better with a tripod which I always just buy a cheaper one from Amazon, UBeesize 60" $41 this one extends 16.8" to 60" its tall enough to get that perfect landscape and photo of you or friends into it. It also comes with a handy little remote. My next favourite Camera Gear would be a GoPro. I have the HERO5 Session, $500 its very small and compact. I love how I can capture videos underwater and the 4K HD picture is not bad quality for being an older model. I also purchased my first drone in 2023. The DJI mini PRO 3 and I've been having a lot of fun with that.

I think this pretty much sums up my favourite gear, these are all just personal favourites or items I've done my own homework on or heard of by friends. I am affiliated on some links, so thank you for supporting me. These are mostly my own personal reviews for you to check out. There is no rush or hurry to have all of these items right away. It does take time to invest and collect these items. As long as you carry the ten essentials that is all you need for starting out. I hope this helps you decide on some future purchases and see you on the trails!