A good gear checklist does two things: it makes sure you don't forget anything, and it forces you to question everything you almost packed. The best version is one you've personalized over years of trips. This is a starting point.
Use this list before every trip. Check off what you're bringing. Question what you're adding. Leave anything you can't justify.
How to Use This Checklist
This list is organized by category, not by priority. Every item marked (required) is non-negotiable for overnight trips in the backcountry. Everything else is condition-dependent.
Work through it once to build your initial list, then use it as a packing reference. After a few trips, you'll have your own stripped-down version that matches your kit exactly.
The Big Three
These three categories make up 60-70% of your base weight. Get them right before worrying about anything else.
Shelter
- Tent, tarp, or bivy (required)
- Footprint or ground cloth (optional — check if necessary for your shelter)
- Stakes (often underestimated — bring enough)
- Guy lines (pre-rigged if possible)
- Repair tape (DCF tape or Tenacious Tape)
Sleep System
- Sleeping bag or quilt (required)
- Sleeping pad (required) — check R-value matches your conditions
- Pillow (stuff sack works fine)
- Silk or fleece liner (cold weather or bug country)
Pack
- Backpack sized to your load (required)
- Pack rain cover or pack liner (trash compactor bag works perfectly)
- Hip belt adjusted to fit
- Load lifters set correctly
Clothing
Pack for the coldest and wettest conditions you might realistically encounter — not the best-case scenario.
On Your Body
- Hiking shirt (moisture-wicking, not cotton) (required)
- Hiking pants or shorts (required)
- Wool or synthetic underwear (required)
- Wool or synthetic hiking socks — at least 2 pairs (required)
- Hiking footwear (broken in before trip) (required)
- Gaiters (ankle for dust, knee-high for snow/rain)
Layers
- Base layer top (if expected cold)
- Base layer bottoms (if expected cold)
- Insulating layer — fleece, puffy, or both (required for overnight)
- Rain jacket (required)
- Rain pants (for wet conditions)
- Wind shirt (replaces fleece in mild conditions)
Head and Hands
- Sun hat or ball cap (required)
- Warm hat (beanie) — always, even summer
- Buff or neck gaiter
- Gloves (even summer — morning ridge lines get cold)
Camp Clothes
- Dry base layer set for sleeping (prevents damp hiking clothes in bag)
- Camp socks
Navigation
Do not rely on any single navigation tool. Phone dies. Batteries fail.
- Downloaded offline maps on Gaia GPS or Caltopo (required)
- Paper topo map of your route (required)
- Baseplate compass (required)
- Extra battery pack (10,000 mAh minimum)
- GPS device (optional — phone is sufficient for most trips)
- Written itinerary (leave with someone at home)
Hydration
- Water bottles or reservoir — minimum 2L capacity (required)
- Primary water filter — Sawyer Squeeze or similar (required)
- Backup water treatment — Aquamira tablets or SteriPen
- Collapsible water container (for camp cooking and low-water sections)
- Note all water sources on route before leaving
Food and Kitchen
- Calculated daily food (1.5-2 lbs/day) (required)
- Extra emergency day of food
- Stove (or go stoveless)
- Fuel (canister or alcohol)
- Lighter — two sources of fire (required)
- Pot (1L minimum if cooking)
- Spork or spoon (required)
- Bowl or mug (if needed)
- Bear canister or Ursack (required in many areas)
- Hang kit: 50 ft cord + carabiner (where canister not required)
- Bear spray (if in grizzly country)
- Biodegradable camp soap (small bottle)
- Small sponge or scraper
Safety and First Aid
- First aid kit (required) — see our First Aid Kit post for full contents
- Emergency whistle (required)
- Headlamp (required)
- Extra batteries or charging cable
- Emergency bivvy (2 oz, could save your life)
- Signal mirror
- Satellite communicator (Garmin inReach or SPOT) — strongly recommended for remote routes
- Knife or multitool (required)
- Repair kit: duct tape, needle and thread, tent pole sleeve
Sun and Bug Protection
- Sunscreen SPF 30+ (required for exposed terrain)
- Lip balm with SPF
- Insect repellent (DEET or Picaridin for serious bug country)
- Bug head net (Sierra Nevada, Pacific Northwest — essential in early season)
- Sunglasses
Hygiene and Leave No Trace
- Toothbrush and toothpaste (required)
- Hand sanitizer (required)
- Trowel for catholes (required)
- Toilet paper (pack out in arid environments)
- Small ziplock bags for waste packing
- Feminine hygiene supplies as needed
- Dry bags or ziplocks for organization
Permits and Documents
- Wilderness permit (printed or digital) — check requirements before you go
- Campfire permit (required in many areas)
- Vehicle registration / parking permit
- Trail pass if required
- Emergency contact info and trip plan left with someone
The Weight Gut-Check
Before you close your pack, ask these questions:
Does it serve a purpose, or am I bringing it for comfort I haven't actually needed before? Comfort items multiply across trips. They all make sense individually. Collectively, they add 3-5 lbs.
Is this the lightest version of this item I own? Not "should I buy a lighter version" — that's a separate question. Just checking what you already have.
Can this item serve two purposes? Your rain jacket is your wind shell. Your sleeping base layer is your camp layer. Your pot lid is your bowl.
Have I actually used this on the last three trips? If not, leave it.
Adapting This List
Weekend trip (2 nights, mild conditions):
Cut: extra camp clothes, repair kit depth, group gear. Target base weight under 15 lbs.
Week-long trip (5-7 nights):
Add: extra socks, slightly more first aid depth, satellite communicator, extra batteries. Food weight goes up significantly.
Winter/cold conditions:
Add: insulated boots with gaiters, higher R-value pad, warmer bag or extra quilt, extra hand warmers, more insulating layers, pee bottle. Remove: no-cook food.
Desert conditions:
Add: sun protection (long sleeves, full hat), extra water capacity (3-4L minimum), electrolytes. Remove: rain gear depth.
Build Your Own Checklist in MyPacks
The limitation of any static checklist is that it isn't your checklist. Every hiker's kit is different — different gear, different conditions, different risk tolerance.
MyPacks lets you build a packing list tied to your actual gear, with real weights. Instead of checking "sleeping bag" off a list, you're checking your specific 20°F Zpacks quilt at 18.6 oz. That's the difference between a checklist and a gear system.
Start with this list, build it into your MyPacks account, and you'll never stand at the trailhead wondering if you forgot something again.