Gear
Mountain Hiking Gear
Modern hiking gear is a fantastic mix of old and new — compasses & GPS devices, knives & smartphones, wool socks & space blankets. A backpack full of cool hiking gear is one of my favorite things about mountain hiking.

Backpack Basics
Your backpack is a fundamental and very personal choice. There are lots of excellent brands to choose from. Here’s the skinny.

Basic Mountain Hiking Gear
While hiking gear can change from trail to trail, and from season to season, the following items will serve you well on every hike. They are a fleshing out of The Ten Essentials (the absolute bare minimum you should pack for every hike). This hiking gear list focuses on day-hiking.