How To Decide What Goes in Your Hiking Backpack

Hiking is one of the popular outdoor activities enjoyed by many individuals worldwide. Naturally it is good for your health because it consists of walking on hiking trails, which provides benefits including but not limited to overall cardiovascular fitness, reduced cholesterol levels, lower risks of cancer and heart disease, control of blood pressure, and reduced risks of arthritis and osteoporosis. Apart from its advantages to health, hiking promotes emotional and mental well being as you are given the opportunity to breathe fresh air, enjoy beautiful scenery, connect with nature, and build stronger friendships with your companions.

There are many types of hiking including a day hike, backpacking, ultralight backpacking, dog hiking, hillwalking, scrambling, free-hiking, thru-hiking, llama hiking, and waterfalling. Hiking that can be completed in a single day is known as day hike, which is usually a visit to a mountain, lake or creek where you don't need to camp overnight. Backpacking is when you do a combination of hiking and camping, packed with supplies and equipment as you spend one or more nights in the location.

Whether you are going for a day hike or backpacking on a trip that will take a couple of days or more, the following are just a few of the very important items that must be present in your hiking backpack.

1. Water. Needless to say, you cannot survive without water. If you need at least eight glasses of water when you are merely at home and sedentary, you will definitely need more when you are physically active. It is actually the most important thing that you should never forget to put in your backpack. Water transports nutrients and oxygen to all cells of the body and will keep your body functioning properly during hiking. Figure out how much water you will need for the duration of your hike and ensure that you have enough.
2. Food. For short trips, you can simply bring some snacks or a meal, but if your hiking lasts for a couple of days or more, careful food planning must be done. You will have to put some thought into your breakfast, lunch and dinner meals. Go for food with a longer shelf life and that is easy to carry. You can bring tinned food like tuna, fresh fruits and dried fruits, cheese and crackers, pita sandwiches, energy bars, etc. If you and your companions have cooking utensils you can go for pre-prepared packet meals, porridge, cereals, noodles, and other food that are easy to heat or cook.
3. First Aid Kit. It is always best to be prepared for the unexpected, although for every trip you should always be observant of your surroundings and take extra care to prevent accidents. However, some mishaps are inevitable, thus a first aid kit is mandatory for any hike, especially for ones that last more than a day. Bring with you a Swiss knife, tweezers, adhesive bandages, gauze and elastic bandages, aspirin, anti-itch cream, disinfectant, hydrocortisone cream, sunscreen, burn cream, treatment for blisters, vitamins, and any medication you are maintaining.

There are other things you might need to bring depending on the activities you and your companions are intending to do, but of course do not forget to bring your camera to document your trip and have a souvenir of your escapade. Remember to gear yourself with proper hiking garments and hiking shoes or boots.