Heading out for a weekend hike is a great way to explore nature, and it’s important to bring the right gear. You want to make sure you have the basics: the sleep system, the insulation/clothing, food & calories, illumination, and navigation.

When packing your backpack, you want to have everything heavy at the bottom of your back. Keep all your heaviest items close to your back, lighter items further away from your back. Your body will be affected differently depending on how your backpack is packed. Make sure you packed it efficiently and that you’re comfortable on the trail.

Tent:

The Pop Up Single Skin 2 Man Tent is the ideal tent for summer festivals and short camping trips.

I got this 2 man pop up single skin tent from Mountain Warehouse and am very happy with it!

With a total weight of 1.5kg, it’s very compact and lightweight. It’s also a water-resistant tent that pitches in seconds and includes 1 bedroom area for 2 people, a sewn-in groundsheet and mesh door and vents for better airflow. The only thing it’s not great for is the 4 season territory. It can handle the rain and cold, but it can’t handle the strong winds. For standard short hiking trips, it’s an awesome tent – it can’t get any lighter than that.

Food and water:

Pack snacks like energy bars, jerky, and nuts that you can eat easily on the trail. Some people like to bring a sandwich for lunch, too. For water, you can usually start with about two litres per person for the day, but adjust the amount depending on length and intensity of the hike, weather conditions, your age, sweat rate, and body type.

When packing, you should put snacks you might need easy access to on top of your backpack.

Clothing and Footwear:

Check the forecast and make sure to dress for the conditions. To be prepared for changing weather or an unplanned night out, pack extra clothes beyond those required for the trip. For footwear, determine what to wear based on the terrain. On gentle hikes on smooth trails, hiking shoes or trail runners are sufficient. For treks on rocky, rugged trails, boots will provide more support. Gloves, hats, thermals – don’t forget to check the weather beforehand and bring proper clothing.

A simple hiking packing list for a weekend away

CAMPING

• Tent / sharing tent

• Sleeping bag (3 seasons recommended)

• Lightweight but practical backpack

• Sleeping mat

• Camping pillow

• Warm layers and a complete spare set of camp clothing. A spare camp waterproof recommended.

• Travel towels

MANDATORY ACTIVITY KIT: (To be carried on trail runs and hike)

• Waterproof jacket and trousers with seams

• Trail shoes with grip

• Spare warm layer

• Hat / Buff and gloves

• Minimum 500ml water / Running Vest

• Trail food/snacks

• Basic first aid kit

RECOMMENDED KIT:

• Power bank/charger

• Hot flask

• Spare Camp shoes/Wellies

• Sunscreen (in case)

• Additional snacks

• Headtorch

• Navigation tools such as a map and compass

• Spare batteries

NAVIGATION:

•  Map

•  Compass

PERSONAL ITEMS:

• Credit card and/or cash

• ID

• Mobile Phone

OTHER TIPS & RECOMMENDATIONS:

• Bring some sort of dry sack – for little items that are easy to lose, for example – batteries, keys, cellphone

Check out my ‘Hiking & Camping Inspiration’ Pinterest Board for more.