People often ask me for advice or opinions on outdoor gear, so I thought it would be fun to make a list of my favorite items. While gear is a very personal choice and there are many, many options out there, I hope that this page can help give you good leads on what might be useful for your dayhiking and backpacking adventures. You can help support my site by making purchases through the REI and Amazon affiliate links below; thank you! Note that I am not sponsored by any gear company to push merchandise; I use the products below for my hiking and photography adventures.
There are many, many backpack brands and models out there, but I have always been a big fan of Osprey's sleek and efficient designs. The Osprey Stratos 24 is my favorite light backpack of all time, perfect for dayhikes when you want to go small and light. Aside from the main storage compartment, it has a flat back pocket, two top pouches for small valuables, a bottom pouch with rain cover, waist-strap pouches on both sides, and it is water bladder compatible. The side straps can even be used to carry a small to medium-sized tripod. This backpack is a perfect balance of size and weight for moderate hikes without being overly complex or having long straps dangling all over the place. This is my go-to pack! The Osprey Sirrus 24 Pack (Women's) is the similiarly designed women's model.
I'm a big fan of hydration reservoirs (water bladders) over water bottles when hiking due to the sheer convenience of being able to take sips regularly without having to stop and unscrew a bottle. Back in the day, Camelbak was the king of water bladders before they over-engineered their products and made several models that leaked at the cap.
While there are now many brands of reservoirs on the market, I love the Gregory 3D Hydro because it is simple, well-built, and reliable. The bite valve works very well and has a close switch to prevent it from accidentally dripping. The bladder also has a vertical baffle that helps it keep its shape as well as a hook that allows you to hang it to dry after use. And my favorite feature: the round top opening is the same size as Nalgene bottles so it attaches easily to many water filters like the Katadyns mentioned below.
Hiking footwear is a very personal preference, but I want to share the idea that you do not need big and heavy high-top hiking boots to go hiking or even backpacking. If you walk, hike, or jog regularly, your legs and ankles are strong enough to not need "ankle support" from heavy old-school boots. Hiking in light hiking shoes or trailrunners can make the outdoor experience so much more liberating and enjoyable.
La Sportiva has been a favorite brand of mine for decades now for their climbing shoes, approach shoes, as well as their hiking shoes that all feature wonderful grip on natural rock like sandstone and granite. The Bushido III Trail-Running Shoe is my favorite model for hiking, backpacking, and even canyoneering. These shoes do not have GORE-TEX so they can breathe and drain water quickly, making them a good shoe for the Zion Narrows and other canyoneering/stream hikes, and they do dry quickly in arid environments. They are light, comfortable, and I have never gotten a blister from wearing these after hundreds of miles of hiking and backpacking. (Note: La Sportiva sizes are always a bit small when converted from EU to USA. So even though I am a men's USA 9.5, the EUR 43.5 fits me best even though that supposedly converts to a USA 10.5.)
I will be the first to admit that I typically don't really like using hiking poles on casual day hikes as they are an added nuisance, getting in the way as you constantly have to set them aside to grab your camera or other supplies. But on long strenuous hikes and backpacking trips where you want your leg muscles to last as long as possible, the extra balance and support can really help keep you going. Hiking poles are also useful for traversing steep or unstable terrain or river hikes like the Zion Narrows or the Subway. The Black Diamond Trail Back Trekking Poles are a light, sturdy, and affordable set of poles and my pair have lasted for years now. You can also buy rubber pole tip protectors for situations where your poles shouldn't scratch the ground.
It's a good idea to bring a headlamp on day hikes as well as backpacking trips, just in case you get caught out after dark. I have been on several adventures over the past few years where having one with me meant the difference between making it back to the car and spending an extra night out in the wilderness. And while you can use your smartphone's flashlight in a pinch, you do not want to drain your phone's battery to zero during an emergency. Two current lightweight headlamp models that I like are the Petzl Actik Core (dual LEDs with settings up to 300 lumens) and the Black Diamond Cosmo 350 (dual buttons to turn on/off without having to cycle through different modes and IPX8 waterproof rating).
For hiking in the rain or adventuring through wet canyons where your backpack may get wet or even submerged, a drybag inside your pack can keep all of your valuables dry, from electronics and camera gear to paper maps and spare clothes. The Sea to Summit eVac Dry Bag is a wonderful lightweight solution that can even be used in canyons that require several long swims. The eVac drybag comes in several sizes, from 3L to 35L. The 20L model is big enough to stow a medium-sized camera in a toploader camera bag in addition to several other small items. The 35L model is even more versatile if you have a lot of bulky gear to protect. On big hikes, I typically keep two drybags inside my pack to separate my camera gear from my food and other electronics. These drybags are very light and really give you peace of mind.
If you carry any electronics with you on your adventures and rely on them for survival in the wilderness, from a smartphone or GPS for navigation or a satallite communications device, you do not want to worry about any of them running out of power. Having a portable power bank with you can be a wonderful safety net for a long hike or backpacking adventure. The Anker 20000mAh battery pack can charge a phone 5 times while the 10000mAh model is a bit lighter for shorter day hikes. Powerbanks can weigh from roughly 8oz to 14oz, but it's well worth it.
Nalgene bottles have been the tried and true water-carrying container for decades. Coming in many different colors and designs and weighing 6.25 ounces (without water), these bottles are BPA-free and are practically indestructible. If you are looking to save on weight, consider getting the Ultralight HDPE (32 oz.) model; sure it might be a boring frosty white color, but it weighs only 3.5 ounces! And backpackers may appreciate the larger Ultralight HDPE (48 oz.) model weighing in at 5.5 ounces. Near the top of this list I wrote that I prefer water bladders; and while that's true, sometimes you need to carry more water than a bladder can hold. On long desert hikes, I may take a 3L bladder and one or two Nalgenes with me for backup. Nalgene bottles are also great for caching water.
On many questionable weather days when there is a fair chance of rain, it's a good idea to bring some rain protection with you to ride out any storm with a little bit of comfort. While there are many thicker and heavier rain jackets out there, I love the REI Co-op Rainier Rain Jacket as a just-in-case item. Weighing in at just 11.3 ounces, you can stuff it in the bottom of your pack and you will barely notice it. You might want to buy a rain jacket one size larger if you want to fit any gear inside (like a camera bag) to protect that from the rain as well. And on rainy days where weight and wind aren't an issue, I'll even bring along a cheap little portable umbrella to hold up during the worst parts of a downpour. Yeah, it sounds silly, but it works.
Like so much other gear, finding the right larger overnight pack for you is a very personal choice and it's overwhelming how many brands, models, and sizes there are to choose from. So I'll just throw it out there that I have always liked Deuter's larger overnight packs. They have a good balance of features, simplicity, and light weight, and these packs feel very comfortable on the back. My current overnight pack of choice is the simple and very lightweight ACT Zero 50 + 15 (sadly discontinued). Since I still use a Deuter pack that I bought over 15 years ago, I guess that says something about their build quality.
There are many backpacking tents out there, but if you want to go ultra-lightweight like I always want to, Big Agnes tents are hard to beat. Despite the company's name, they make several excellent models with slightly different styles, but all focusing on being as light and as compressible as possible. My favorite line is the Fly Creek series. The 2-person model is great for a solo backpacker or very "cozy" for two people, but the weight (under 2 pounds!) and size make it a winner. The cost may give you some sticker shock, but some of the slightly heavier models have more reasonable prices.
If backpacking as light as possible is your goal, consider ditching your tent and going with a bivy bag! The thought of sleeping in the wilderness out in the open used to terrify me, but I now absolutely love it, especially on overnight desert canyoneering adventures where every pound counts. The OR Helium Bivy is a cacoon-like sack that has just enough room for your sleeping bag and a pad. You can zip it up all the way or use the mesh lining at your head to keep the critters out and allow you to sleep while looking up at the stars. I know this isn't for everybody, but it is a magical experience.
There are many good sleeping bags to choose from, but I did learn the hard way many years ago how miserable it is to use a cheap summer bag when temperatures dip below freezing. While winter down bags like the Marmot Helium are on expensive side, they are great investments if you backpack often and want the versitility of being able to sleep out in all seasons. I've spent several nights out in 0-degree F weather, staying snug as a bug in my Marmot bag. If you are looking to save some money, sleeping bags filled with synthetic material are much cheaper and weigh roughly a pound or two more. Note: Down bags are also extremely light and can be stuffed into very small compression bags like the Sea to Summit eVac Compression Dry Bag. (13L is good for a lightweight sleeping bag.)
An insulated sleeping pad not only makes the ground more comfortable to sleep on, but it also helps keep the cold from coming up and getting to you in the middle of the night. The Sea to Summit UltraLight Insulated Sleeping Pad is one of the lightest and most compact pads available and it is adequately comfortable without making the loud squeeking noises that some of the other brands (like the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite) do.
A good backpacking pillow is a luxury item that it took me years of waking up with a sore neck to realize that I actually needed. The Sea to Summit Aeros Pillow Premium is a wonderful inflatable pillow that packs down so small and light, it's a no-brainer to always bring this on an overnight hike.
There are many water filter systems out there, from the traditional larger pump systems to the newer Sawyer and LifeStraw mini-sized personal filters. I am still a fan of the larger pump systems due to their reliability and ability do filter larger amounts of water much quicker for a group of backpackers. I have had the Katadyn Vario Water Filter for many years and it's never let me down. It has strong pump action and aside from the standard output tube at the bottom, it is also compatible to screw directly onto Nalgene bottles for spill-free convenience. You can also purchase replacement filters for the unit. A slightly smaller and newer model is the Katadyn Hiker Pro Clear Microfilter.
The MSR WhisperLite Stove is a great little backpacking stove with a simple and reliable design. It runs on white gas and can quickly heat water to boiling, so it's a good choice if you are backpacking with a group of people and need to cook several meals in relatively short order. I have had my model for over two decades now and I'm surprised that this model is still on the market with few design changes over the years. I suppose this is a testament to its fantastic build quality. Sold separately are the MSR fuel bottles that come in the 20oz and 30oz sizes.
If you are looking to go as light as possible yet still be able to boil water for your dehydrated meals, leave the gas canister stove behind and use the Esbit Solid Fuel Stove and Cookset instead! Weighing in at just 7oz, I absolutely love this cheap little stove when I'm on minimalist solo hikes; simply put one or two little Esbit Solid Fuel Tablets in the bottom compartment, light them up, and wait for your water to boil in the pot above. This set does admittedly require some patience compared to gas stoves, but when you're all done, the stove stores inside of the pot for extreme compactness.
When backpacking in bear country like Yosemite, you are required to stow all of your food, food leftovers, and fragrant items in a bearproof canister so black bears never associate humans with easy food. BearVault Bear Canisters are excellent containers that allow you to see the contents inside. The only downside to these bear canisters is that they are relatively heavy (2 or so pounds) and large, so you need to verify that this will fit in or strap onto your pack. As of 2025, VearVault offers several sizes: the BV425 Sprint Bear Canister, the BV450 Jaunt Bear Canister, the BV475 Trek Bear Canister, and the BV500 Journey Bear Canister. For my 2-3 day hikes, the BV450 is the best size for me personally.
Discussing human waste (poo) isn't very pleasant, but you have to deal with it when you go backpacking. Many wilderness areas allow you to dig holes to bury your solid waste, but in very pristine areas like the Zion Narrows and other wilderness canyons, you need to pack out everything. EVERYTHING. Solid waste bags like the Restop 2 and the Cleanwaste GO Anywhere Toilet Kit Wag Bags contain waste bags and odor neutralizers to help you pack everything out as pleasantly as possible. And if you want to go even cheaper, ziplock bags, used Mountain House pouches, and handywipes also get the job done. As more and more people discover and have to go to the bathroom in the outdoors, these leave-no-trace ethics are becoming more popular. If you want the privilege to enjoy wilderness, you must be able to keep it that way.
If you like winter hiking, Kahtoola MICROspikes are invaluable when encountering icy sections of trail or traversing slick ice formations along large frozen lakes or under ice caves. I always bring these with me when exploring ice formations along the Great Lakes in winter and they have saved the day more times than I can remember. I have also warn them on Angels Landing in Zion National Park during a big snowstorm. They slip right over your winter hiking boots and the thick elastic strap keeps them in place. The metal spikes act as claws, grabbing even wet and slippery sloping ice and snow, giving you very secure footing. They are worlds better than the cheaper options offered by Yaktrax.
This product might not be for everybody, but if you like walking on frozen lakes in winter, there is always a chance that the ice will crack and you will fall through into the water, especially when exploring the unpredictable ice on larger bodies of the water like the Great Lakes. This cheap and light set of ice picks can be warn around your neck and in the event of an emergency, you can use it to stab the ice and claw and climb your way back out of the water. This isn't something you want to have to use, but it might just save your life.
Note: The links on this page are REI affiliate and Amazon links. You can support this site by buying through these links; it will have no effect on the cost to you. I only recommend gear that I have actually used and think is worthwhile. REI is one of my favorite stores for outdoor gear and accessories.
Please note: This web site and all images on this site are the property of CitrusMilo Adventures ©2025. Unauthorized public or commercial use of any of the images or text on this website without explicit permission is strictly forbidden.
