Even the most beautiful hike can be ruined if you are uncomfortable or don’t have the things you need. Matt and I live 10 minutes from the mountains at our home in beautiful Utah and spend lots of time on the trails every year. We don’t like to own a lot of stuff, but here are the must-haves if you are going to do any sort of hiking.
Camelbak M.U.L.E Hydration Pack– We’ve owned 3 Camelbaks and have been pleased with all of them. The M.U.LE. is our most recent purchase, and we chose this one because of the 3-liter water bladder and storage available for our other items. Although it was built for mountain biking, we find it perfect for hiking. The front of the pack has an area to store a helmet but we find it’s the perfect spot to store a jacket. It contains 3 zipper storage areas as well. We like to store our sunscreen, bug spray, and snacks in the very roomy first pocket. Trekking poles would easily fit in here as well. In our second pocket, we store our cell phones and keys because it is shallow. The water bladder goes in the 3rd storage area. We love the magnetized clip that keeps the water hose attached to the padded shoulder strap. The Camelbak Mule has exceeded our expectations. Cool, comfortable, and with great weight distribution because of the hip belt and chest strap, our pack never feels heavy, no matter how full it is. Plus, it’s a great price. We highly recommend it!
Camelbak Mini M.U.L.E Hydration Pack– This pack is the mini version of the pack the we love. Quite a bit smaller than the original M.U.L.E. holding 50 oz of water (vs 150 oz), it is the perfect size for a child all the way up to a woman (Cheryl uses this for long runs). Our kids love that it’s not alot of work to get a drink when they hike and it comes in several cool designs and has a nice pocket for snacks! Plus there is an emergency whistle on the chest strap for safety.
Trekking poles make hiking easier! They are especially valuable when hiking on rocks, in water, or through the snow. Many people use them on paved or dirt trails as well, just because of the added stability they offer. Matt loves that he can shorten them for climbing up hills and lengthen them for going down. He rarely hikes without his trekking poles.
These poles found on Amazon are a great pick if you want to give them a try.
This is an inexpensive and very handy way to protect your phone while hiking and sightseeing. So often, you get your phone out to take a picture, and it’s either packed away in a backpack or purse or in a pocket, just waiting to fall out and get damaged. When your phone is in a running belt, it is easy to access but nice and safe as well. The one I use I got when I completed a half marathon in my swag bag but this one from Amazon looks like a good bet. Plus it has a couple of extra pockets for keys, chapstick, etc.
This is the secret sauce right here. Pick up this MiO Energy Black Cherry Liquid Water Enhancer Drink Mix from Amazon or your local grocery store to throw in your pack. It’s yummy but what I love about it most are the B vitamins and the caffeine. It’s not so much that it makes you jittery but enough to give you that extra boost of energy to finish that long drive on your road trip or that last mile of your hike. Plus it’s only a few bucks!
There is a very real possibility of getting stuck in an afternoon rainstorm in the mountains. We have personally experienced this in Banff, Rocky Mountain, and Yellowstone. A good rain jacket or poncho is best for this. But, if you are packing light, these emergency ponchos are small, inexpensive, and will offer some protection. These ponchos are nice because they have a drawstring hood.
Jason Aldeen Georgia Boy Hat—This straw cowboy hat keeps the sun away, keeps you cool, and looks good. I bought it for Matt for Father’s Day, and it’s the perfect hat for exploring the West! A wide-brimmed hat is a must for exploring sunny parks like Zion and the Grand Canyon.
Even though it’s great to have one of these on hand for sunrise or sunset hikes, I love how often I get to use my headlamp in my daily life. Evening walks with the dog, going down to the crawl space… it’s so handy.
This LED headlamp is my favorite! No batteries are required—all you have to do is plug it in. And… it holds a charge for a really long time. I can go months without using mine, and it’s still good to go.
Lastly, it has a light in the front and back. I use this often on early morning runs and it helps cars be better able to see me.
A good pair of microspikes is a must if you live where it snows or plan to walk on icy trails! We live in Utah (greatest snow on earth!) and never shovel our driveway without wearing these. Plus, they allow me to run year-round and were a lifesaver when we visited Yellowstone in the winter a few years ago. If you’ll be doing more intense hiking, these heavy-duty microspikes are a good bet. If you just want some stability while shoveling snow or walking, try these
There are so many times these come in handy… hiking the Narrows of Zion, rafting the Snake River of Grand Teton, or riding a mule at the Grand Canyon. These will cost $20-$30 if you have to buy them at the park, save yourself some money and buy yours before you travel! Give this one a try.
We don’t own one of these…yet. But, I think it would be a very good idea if you are hiking in the heat of the desert (Grand Canyon, Zion, Arches & Canyonlands). I will often just get my hat wet if I need to cool down, but these would work much better! Plus, they are small and inexpensive. These towels look pretty good.
If you have a newborn up to a four-year-old, you need this! We owned a couple of cheap baby carriers before I cracked and spent the money on my Ergo. I can not recommend this product enough. It enabled us to keep exploring even though we had 4 kids under the age of 7!
Here are some of my favorite things about the Ergo.
Our children all loved being in the Ergo. They often fell asleep, and we loved not having to get them in and out of a stroller.
Our 2 Ergos survived four children, and my sister is now using them to pack around Europe with her children. This is a purchase you won’t regret.
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