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.
![Two backpacks](https://mountain-hiking.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/s-b-vonlanthen-D75_5tWZDQ4-unsplash-460x300.jpg)
Backpack Basics
Your backpack is a fundamental and very personal choice. There are lots of excellent brands to choose from. Here’s the skinny.
![Hiking Kit List](https://mountain-hiking.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/hiking-checklist-460x300.jpg)
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.