By: christinezelezny
Hikes & Travel

A General Camping List Guide & Lighterpack

TO SLEEP – aim for lightweight it’s worth the investment 
  • TENT – All-season – best bang for your buck if you’re not sure which seasons you’ll be adventuring in
    • Brands: Denali, MSR, The North Face, Sea to Summit, Marmot
  • SLEEPING BAG – semi-warm – versatility is best. A middle-of-the-range bag is easy to upgrade to cooler temperatures with a sleeping liner. The liner can increase the warmth by 15 degrees Celsius (there various increments), and it’s easy to wash & clean.
    • Bag Brands: Sea to Summit, Marmot, Kathmandu (AUS)
    • Liner brands: Sea to Summit
  • SLEEPING MAT (self-inflatable or not) – make sure the length is relative to your height. Roll them out, and test out the various thickness options
    • Brands: Black Wolf, Black Diamond, Sea to Summit, Therm-a-rest
  • PILLOW – inflatable & lightweight
    • Brands: MEC (Canada)
BACKPACK – the size will depend on the duration of most of your single day or multi-day treks.
  • For a 5 day trek a 55L will just barely make it – especially depending on the season. For example, in the winter you’ll be carrying more gear/clothing layers. Also, dietary configurations will alter the pack size needed. For example, if you’re keto, you perhaps won’t need 3 meals a day. The size will also depend on your height & frame size.
    • Brands: Osprey, Deuter, Arc’teryx, Patagonia, Ortovox
THE LOO – pack out what you pack in
  • Trowel to dig a waste hole
  • Toilet paper (biodegradable)
  • Baby wipes: bamboo & compostable/biodegradable type
  • Ziplock bags or save your ziplock pouches from your dehydrated food for waste
  • Hand sanitizer
PERSONAL CARE –
  • Facial wipes – morning & evening routine
  • Travel size Toothbrush
  • Travel size Toothpaste
  • Floss? Is that even a thing for camping? I pack it but rarely use it
  • Sunscreen
  • Bug repellent
  • Nail clippers or file
  • SPF Face cream
SAFETY –
  • PLB – Personal Locator Beacon – they cost $300 but they save your life in an emergency – esp. important as a solo trekker 
  • First Aid Kit – usually outfitted quite well from outdoor camping sports stores – always add region specific items (ex: snake bandages for Aus, tick remover for Europe, etc.)
    • I always pack Tea Tree Oil (for topical use on cuts etc.) and Oil of Oregano (for internal use for immunity) + Vitamin C for an immunity boost
    • Shoe / gear specific glue to fix up rips, tears, etc. 
    • Knife & multi-tool 
    • Compass
      • Brand: Suunto (their GPS watches are also incredible) 
WATER –
  • Camelbak hydration bladders are great (1L / 3L options)
  • H20 Purification: chlorine tablets
    • Brands: Aquatabs, SteriPEN (an LED light that treats 1L of water in less than a minute)
  • An insulated bottle is always a nice option for hot or cold drinks!
    • Brands: YETI, Swell, Klean Kanteen, Stanley
  • Electrolytes & vitamin supplements
    • Brand: Nuun & Prüvit keto kreme and ketones
COOKING EQUIPMENT –
  • Screw on stove top
    • Brands: Snow Peak, MSR
  • Cooking pot(s)
    • Brands: Optimus Terra Cookset
  • Mug
    • Brands: GSI Outdoors
  • Spork
    • Brands: MSR
  • Lighter – travel friendly
    • Brands: Optimus – ‘sparky’
  • Gas canister
    • Brands: MSR, Jetboil
  • Cleaning sponge 
MEALS – very individual

Learning and knowing your routine is important before you set off on your adventure. Find the foods that make you feel optimal, full of energy, and happy. Then, work on implementing that into your camping set up. Keep it as close to your daily routine as possible.

During my treks, I usually just eat dinners. I do this on a daily basis as well, regardless of the activity or physical output for the day. This works for me, but its certainly not for everyone.

The Typical Hiker – 3 meals a day

Breakfast – loaded overnight oats, dehydrated coconut milk powder, cacao, cacao nibs, turmeric + pepper, freeze dried blueberries, hemp seeds, chia seeds, cinnamon

Lunch – Clif Bars / nuts & seeds / dried fruit / meat jerky

Dinner – Dehydrated meat & vegetables 

Snacks – Chocolate, liquorice 

CLOTHING –
  • Merino wool top / bottom layers
    • Brands: Icebreaker, Darn Tough, Arc’teryx, Injinji
  • Waterproof pants & rain jacket
  • Leggings
    • Ice Breaker, lululemon, Salomon 
  • Spare shoes or moccasins
    • Brands: Montane
  • Socks
    • Brands: Darn Tough / Ice Breaker / Injinji toe socks – no blisters!
  • Underwear
    • Brands: I like the seamless synthetic underwear from lululemon 
    • I find merino wool underwear a tad itchy
    • Have a recommendation? Drop me a line!
  • Gaiters
    • Brands: Outdoor Research
  • Ear Band / Hat / Gloves
    • Brands: Ice Breaker, Arc’teryx, Fractel
  • Down Jacket
    • Brands: Arc’teryx, The North Face, Helly Hansen, Patagonia 
HIKING BOOTS –
  • This always comes down to personal preference and foot structure. Generally, if you’re walking with a heavy pack & more than 10km/day, ankle supporting boots will be a good idea 
  • Break your boots in, practice walking with them on a treadmill with your pack and wear the right socks – not too thick! Merino wool is best
  • Choose boots that have excellent traction, are waterproof and have solid ankle support. If your feet are narrow or wide, you’ll need to look into specific brands that will support the structure of your foot.
    • If you have wide feet and you require a wide toe box, look into: Vivobarefoot, Keen, Merrell, Danner Trail, some Vasque styles.
    • If you have narrow feet, check out: Salomon, Asolo, Scarpa, Vasque, Danner Light, and Lowa. 

Working Around Blisters –

I recently learned a tip from a Canadian ex-Olympian, Clara Hughes. She recommends applying paper tape on high friction areas everyday for 4-6 weeks prior to a trek, to build better skin resilience with the extra layer. Apparently you can buy it at the dollar store (Canada specific?) or a particular brand she mentions is the 3M Micropore Paper Tape. I will definitely give this a go during my next pack-training prep!

ACCESSORIES & ELECTRONICS –
  • Polarized Sunglasses
    • Brands: Oakley (personal preference) 
  • Fly net (season and region dependent)
  • GPS watch
    • Brands: Suunto (best battery life), Garmin
  • Powerbank + USB charging cord
  • Spare Batterie(s)
  • Head torch with high lumins
    • Brands: Petzl (leading brand), Black Diamond
    • Charging cord for rechargeable torches
  • Camera, dry bag, extra memory cards + spare battery
  • Adapter (optional)
  • Waterproof map case / phone case
  • Wallet & Cash – remove all the cards you don’t need. Use a Ziplock bag to keep your cash and wallet dry. 
  • I recommend getting a Rite in the Rain waterproof journal & pen to document your trail notes.

–OVERLAND TRACK LIGHTERPACK LIST-

Click here to see my weighted camping gear list for the Overland Track

-LARAPINTA TRAIL LIGHTERPACK LIST-

Click here to see my weighted camping gear list for the Larapinta Trail