The Ten Essentials: exactly what to pack for a hike, and which one to buy

This page is for you if you've picked a first hike and keep hearing "carry the ten essentials" without anyone saying what to buy. And this list doesn't change later. You carry the same ten all the way up to big mountain climbs.

Keep in mind that prices change, and sales change them a lot. Check the linked page before you buy.

What is the five minute shopping list?

So here is the best-value pick for each essential. The sections below give a cheaper pick and a no-limit pick too, plus what you probably own already.

Keep in mind the jackets in row 10 are most of the cost of this list. If you already own a warm layer that isn't cotton, a rain jacket, a knit hat and gloves, use those for now and spend the money on the other nine.

Do you really need all ten on a short hike?

Yes, you carry all ten, but each one can be small and light on a short hike. The National Park Service calls the ten essentials the minimum, and says to bring more depending on when, where and how long you hike (NPS Hike Smart). So treat the ten as a starting point, not a full packing list.

Something to note is that the lists differ a little. The National Park Service swaps "knife" for "repair kit and tools." It also uses the words "nutrition" and "hydration" for food and water. I use the classic ten, with the repair kit folded in with the knife.

The Mountaineers, a Seattle climbing club, put the list in print in 1974. That was in their book Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills, and the park service credits them.

1. What do you need for navigation?

Basically, a map and compass still work when your phone dies or has no signal. The National Park Service says to learn how to use a topographic map (a map that shows hills and valleys), a compass or a GPS unit before you go. It also says to carry a printed map as a backup, download a map onto your phone and pack an extra phone battery (NPS Ten Essentials).

What you probably already own: a smartphone. Use it for a map app, and keep in mind that a phone alone is not a full navigation setup. Put the phone in airplane mode on the trail so the battery lasts longer.

Which paper map should you carry?

• On a budget: A free USGS US Topo map, printed. The US Geological Survey lets you download it as a GeoPDF (a map file) from topoView or the US Topo page.
• Best value: A waterproof printed map of the exact area you hike. The right title depends on the area, so pick the one that covers your trail.
• If money's no object: The same waterproof map. A more expensive map does not give you more safety.

Which phone app should you use?

• On a budget: The free NPS app with a map downloaded before you go (the park service names it on its Ten Essentials page). Or AllTrails Plus at $35.99 a year. AllTrails is strongest for finding trails and reading other hikers' reviews.
• Best value: Gaia GPS Premium, $41.93 for the first year on a yearly plan, then $4.99 a month. The free Gaia app records and tracks your hike, and offline maps need Premium. Keep in mind users complained about price increases in 2024. Andrew Skurka, a long-distance hiker, rates Gaia the stronger choice for serious backcountry navigation.
• If money's no object: I would stay with Gaia GPS Premium and spend the extra money on the compass and battery bank below. CalTopo is another option. The CalTopo app is free to download, but offline maps need a paid subscription.

Which compass should you buy?

A compass is only useful if you can use it with a map. Declination is the gap between where the needle points and true north, and it changes by place. A compass with adjustable declination saves you some math.

What to look for: adjustable declination, a rotating bezel (the turning ring) marked 0 to 360, and a clear baseplate with a ruler. A global needle only matters if you travel between hemispheres.

Which phone battery bank should you buy?

A battery bank (a small portable charger) keeps your map alive. In the 2025 Halfway Anywhere survey of 790 Pacific Crest Trail thru-hikers (people who walk the whole trail in one season), 94.1% carried one. Their banks averaged 14,464 mAh (a measure of battery size). The survey didn't ask which models.

Batteries also lose power in the cold, so CleverHiker tested these banks in a fridge to see how much.

What to look for: Choose the Miady if your trips will be cold. CleverHiker also tested the NESTOUT 15000 at $64.99, which lost only about 1% in the cold but weighs 12.9 oz.

2. What headlamp should you carry?

The Nitecore NU25, the headlamp thru-hikers carried most in the 2025 PCT survey. Photo: Nitecore.

A headlamp lights your way and keeps both hands free, which is why it beats a handheld flashlight. Pack extra batteries too (NPS Ten Essentials).

What you probably already own: a phone with a flashlight, and that is not enough. Petzl, a headlamp maker, puts most phone flashlights at only 30 to 60 lumens (a measure of brightness), while its entry-level headlamps start at 300 (Petzl). Avalanche.org says not to rely on a phone light because phone batteries are likely to die after a long day in the cold (Avalanche.org). And you want to save the phone's battery for calls and navigation in an emergency.

You don't need a separate flashlight. Even guide companies like Alpine Ascents ask climbers for a headlamp with fresh batteries plus spares, and no flashlight.

For a sense of what people carry, 96.6% of the 790 thru-hikers in the 2025 Halfway Anywhere survey carried a headlamp. The most common one, at 37.7%, was the Nitecore NU25 at $36.95. Treeline Review found the NU25's many modes confusing, and one forum poster said to skip it unless you want the red light. So I'd pick the NU20 below instead.

A cheaper headlamp with swappable batteries is the Petzl Tikkina at $19.95. It has 300 lumens, 92 g, 3 AAA batteries, IPX4 and white light only. Treeline Review named it Best Affordable but found it has a floodlight beam only and the shortest throw.

What to look for:

• Lumens: 300 or more for walking at night. Alpine Ascents asks guided climbers for 200 to 300. More lumens drain the battery faster.
• Run time: Check burn time on the setting you will really use, not the dimmest one.
• Battery type: AAA models let you swap in spares. Built-in rechargeables need a power bank. Rechargeable batteries slowly lose charge sitting in a drawer, so top them up before a trip. Petzl advises recharging its CORE pack at least every six months.
• Cold: Lithium-ion batteries lose capacity and give less light in the cold, then recover when they warm up (Petzl FAQ).
• Lockout and red light: A lockout stops the headlamp turning on inside your pack. Red light keeps your night vision.
• Water rating: IPX4 means splash-proof only, and IPX8 or IP67 means the headlamp can go underwater.

3. What sun protection do you need?

Sun protection means sunglasses, sunscreen and a hat, and guide companies add lip balm. Sun damages skin and eyes, and UV gets stronger the higher you go (Better Health Victoria). The Food and Drug Administration says up to 80% of UV rays (the sun's burning light) pass through clouds. The CDC says UV reflects off snow, water and sand (FDA, CDC).

What you probably already own: sunglasses labeled "UV400" or "100% UV protection" are fine for ordinary hikes, because they block more than 99% of UVA and UVB light. A dark tint alone does not mean UV protection. RMI Expeditions lists a baseball cap for UV, and the FDA recommends a wide brim. Drugstore sunscreen works if it is broad-spectrum (it blocks both kinds of UV) and not expired.

How should you use sunscreen?

• The FDA says to use broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) of at least 15. It says to reapply at least every two hours, more often if you swim or sweat (FDA sunscreen page).
• No sunscreen is fully waterproof. A "water resistant" label must say 40 or 80 minutes.
• Throw sunscreen out after the printed expiration date. With no date, the FDA says to treat it as expired three years after you bought it.
• Where the experts differ: the FDA and CDC say SPF 15 or higher. Alpine Ascents asks guided climbers for SPF 30 or higher, and RMI Expeditions asks for SPF 50 or higher. I would pick SPF 30 or higher. That is my opinion, and 15 is the minimum on the label.
• Consumer Reports tested 130 sunscreens in 2026, and most measured lower than their label. It also found people use less than half the amount they should, which halves the protection. It suggests about a teaspoon each for the face and neck, each arm, each leg, the chest and belly, and the back (Consumer Reports). A stick works best for touch-ups on the nose, cheeks, ears and hairline.

Which sunglasses should you buy?

Which glasses do you need on snow and ice?

You only need glacier glasses once you go onto snow or glaciers. Snow reflects up to 90% of UV light, and snow blindness (a sunburn of the eyes) is very painful, though usually temporary (Better Health Victoria, Australia). Alpine Ascents wants glasses with full coverage around both eyes and across the nose. RMI wants dark glasses with side shields, about 6% light transmission, and a spare pair. RMI's quick test is that if you can see someone's eyes through the lenses, the lenses aren't dark enough. On day hikes below snow, ordinary UV400 sunglasses are enough.

Which sun hat should you buy?

The whole price range is about $15 to $65, so wearing a hat matters more than which one. UPF 50 is a rating for how much UV the fabric blocks. CleverHiker scored these out of 5.

What to look for in a hat: a brim at least 3 inches wide and tightly woven UPF 50 or higher fabric. Neck coverage that stays down in wind and a chin strap help too. Measure your head before you order.

Which sunscreen should you buy?

Consumer Reports recommends a broad-spectrum sunscreen of at least SPF 30. It found that most of its top-rated sunscreens use chemical filters, and mineral ones scored 18 to 55 out of 100. Alpine Ascents says zinc oxide (a mineral filter) is more protective. Those two disagree, so I don't take a side. The best sunscreen is one you'll actually put on in full.

Alpine Ascents also says sunscreen loses its SPF over time and recommends a brand-new tube for big climbs.

Which lip balm should you buy?

The FDA says to put sunscreen on your lips too. Alpine Ascents asks for several tubes of SPF 30 or higher lip balm. Any SPF 30 balm does the job, so these are simply cheap ones with the right number.

• On a budget: Sun Bum Original SPF 30 Sunscreen Lip Balm, $3.99.
• Best value: Sun Bum Original SPF 30 3-pack, $9.99, so there is one for each pocket and pack.
• If money's no object: There is no reason to spend more. If you want zinc, the Sun Bum Signature SPF 30 Mineral Lip Balm is $6.99. Check the number, because Blue Lizard's Mineral Lip Balm is only SPF 15 at $9.99.

4. What first aid kit should you carry?

A first aid kit lets you treat small injuries like blisters and cuts until you are back at the car. The National Park Service says to start with a pre-made kit and change it to fit your trip and your medical needs. The Red Cross says to tailor a kit to the climate, group size, terrain, how remote you are and trip length.

Here is where the experts differ. The Mazamas, a climbing club, say it is best to build your own kit. NOLS Wilderness Medicine says buying a pre-made kit and adding to it is usually cheaper. For a beginner, I would follow the park service and NOLS and buy a small kit, then add the items below.

What you probably already own: adhesive bandages, tweezers, an over-the-counter pain reliever and your own prescription medicines. Check expiration dates before each trip, which the Red Cross, NOLS and the Mazamas all say to do.

Which size first aid kit do you need?

• A day hike for one or two people: a small, light kit. RMI Expeditions tells its climbers to keep their personal kit small and light.
• One easy overnight: the Mountain Series Hiker (listed below). Adventure Medical Kits calls it a weekend kit for two, though OutdoorGearLab tested it for day hikes and says its quantities are intentionally minimal.
• More than one night, up to about four days, for one or two people: the next size up, the Mountain Series Backpacker (also listed below).
• Groups and week-long trips: the larger kits. They weigh more, and they are not for a beginner's first trips.

Two more kits are worth knowing. The NOLS Med Kit 3.0 is $43.99 and 11.2 oz. NOLS Wilderness Medicine, a wilderness medicine school, built it for a short weekend for one or two people. OutdoorGearLab's overall winner was the Surviveware Small, sold as the Travel size, at $33.99. It measured 16 oz and has 98 pieces but no medicines, so you'd add your own. Avoid a big home kit for hiking. OutdoorGearLab tested one that weighed 22 oz with a flimsy case.

What to look for: blister care, tape, gauze, gloves, a pain reliever, an antihistamine, a case that keeps everything dry, and knowing where each item is. NOLS says never pack anything you do not know how to use.

What should you add to any first aid kit?

Every item here is on the Red Cross, NOLS or guide company lists.

1. Blister care that sticks. The Red Cross, NOLS, the Mazamas and RMI Expeditions all list moleskin or a similar blister dressing, and NOLS says clear film dressings can act as a blister roof. Adventure Medical Kits sells Moleskin Pre-Cut ($10.49) and the Blister Medic Kit ($15.99), and its own page shows both sold out. My guide to stopping heel blisters covers prevention.
2. A pain reliever and an antihistamine (an allergy medicine). Follow the dosing printed on the package, and ask a pharmacist if you take other medicine.
3. More tape and an elastic wrap. The Red Cross and NOLS both list them.
4. Extra gloves. The Mazamas suggest two or three pairs. The Hiker kit has one.
5. Tweezers or a tick remover. The Red Cross and NOLS list tweezers, and the Hiker kit has them.
6. Your own prescription medicines, and an EpiPen (an emergency allergy injector) if you have one. The Red Cross lists both.
7. A first aid manual or card. The Red Cross and NOLS both list one.

NOLS also lists an irrigation syringe (for rinsing wounds), a SAM splint (a bendable splint) and a triangular bandage, and the Mazamas list similar items. Add those after you take a course.

This page gives no treatment advice. The Mazamas say training matters more than gear, and the Red Cross, NOLS and the Mazamas all recommend a first aid course. Read the full lists from the Red Cross, NOLS and the Mazamas. For cold injuries, go to the Red Cross and National Park Service hypothermia pages in section 7.

5. What knife and repair kit should you carry?

Basically, a knife and a little tape let you cut cord and tape, trim moleskin and fix a torn jacket or strap. The National Park Service lists duct tape, a knife, a multi-tool (a folding tool with pliers and blades) and scissors. Guide companies like RMI Expeditions and North Carolina Mountain Guides just want something small, simple and light.

What you probably already own: a kitchen-drawer pocket knife or Swiss Army knife, a roll of duct tape, some string and safety pins.

Which knife or multi-tool should you buy?

If you want a locking knife under 2 oz, the Leatherman Skeletool KB is $39.95 and 1.3 oz, knife only. OutdoorGearLab tested the Skeletool CX, not the KB.

What to look for: scissors for tape and moleskin, and a lock if you will cut anything tough. Pick a size small enough that you will not leave it at home.

Which repair supplies should you buy?

What to look for: small rolls instead of a full roll, and tape you can peel without a knife.

6. What do you need for fire?

A fire can warm you and signal for help. The National Park Service says to carry matches (preferably waterproof) or a lighter, plus fire starters. The reliable move is two separate ways to make a flame.

What you probably already own: a lighter, a candle stub and dryer lint.

Keep in mind that the best head-to-head fire test, from GearJunkie, is from 2016. GearJunkie graded a Bic lighter C+, serviceable but not best for an emergency. It graded cheap paper matches D minus and strike-anywhere wood matches D, and named the UCO stormproof match its emergency pick. Products and prices have changed since, so treat that ranking as a judgment.

A fuel-free plasma lighter, the SOL Fire Lite, is $35.49. It charges by USB, so it only works while its battery has charge. Keep matches with it.

What to look for: two ways to make a flame, matches in a waterproof container, and fire-starter material that burns when wet.

7. What emergency shelter should you carry?

An emergency shelter keeps wind and rain off you while you wait for help or for weather to pass. A tent, a space blanket, a tarp or a bivy (a thin waterproof bag you crawl into) all work, and all are light (NPS Ten Essentials).

What you probably already own: a large trash bag, a rain poncho or a rain jacket. A tarp works too.

What to look for: a bag-shaped bivy and not a sheet if you hike alone, bright orange, and practice opening it so it takes seconds in the dark. Pack real extra clothing too, which is section 10.

8. How much extra food should you carry?

Pack an extra day's worth of food, just in case a hike runs long. Make it no-cook food such as trail mix, nuts and granola bars (NPS Hike Smart). RMI Expeditions asks climbers for about 1 lb of food per day in snack-size pieces, but that is for a climbing day.

Grand Canyon National Park says to eat salty snacks and drink water or a sports drink on any hike longer than 30 minutes (NPS Grand Canyon). That advice is for hot desert canyons.

What you probably already own: sealed snacks in your cupboard. My suggestion is to keep the extra food in its own bag that you don't open on a normal hike. Then replace it whenever you do eat it.

For ideas, the 2025 Halfway Anywhere survey of 790 thru-hikers found these favorite snacks: cheese (30.8%), peanut butter (30.7%), dried fruit (29.8%) and trail mix (27.6%). Keep in mind thru-hikers walk for months, so this shows what tastes good after miles, not what a beginner needs. Halfway Anywhere's food guide says many thru-hikers treat 100 calories per ounce as the target, which is an opinion.

• On a budget: Grocery-store trail mix, peanut butter packets and a chocolate bar. They need no cooking and match the park service's examples.
• Best value: Clif Bar Chocolate Chip, $17.50 for a 12-pack, plus dried fruit and cheese. A bar opens with one hand. The nutrition panel on Clif's page is an image, so check the calories on the wrapper.
• If money's no object: There is no premium tier that matters here. Freeze-dried meals suit overnight trips, not a day-hike emergency bag. Buy what you will eat.

What to look for: no cooking, at least 100 calories per ounce, and some salty items. Choose food that survives heat and squashing, in packaging you can open one-handed with gloves on.

9. How much extra water, and how do you treat it?

You need enough water for the hike plus a backup way to make more. The park service says to find water sources ahead of time and bring treatment (NPS Ten Essentials). The CDC says drinking straight from a clear mountain stream is generally not safe (CDC).

No CDC or EPA page gives a number of liters. Even the park service pages word it differently. The Ten Essentials page says to drink before you feel thirsty, and Hike Smart says to drink as you are thirsty. Grand Canyon says not to force fluids. So plan for hot weather, and carry more than you think when the route has no water.

How do you make water safe?

• Boil it. The CDC says a rolling boil for 1 minute, or 3 minutes above 6,500 feet. The EPA says 1 minute, or 3 minutes above 5,000 feet. They use different altitude cutoffs, so I'd boil for 3 minutes whenever you are above 5,000 feet.
• Filter it. The CDC says most portable filters remove parasites but not viruses or bacteria. A filter rated 0.3 micron or smaller also removes bacteria, but still not viruses.
• Tablets. The CDC says chlorine dioxide tablets kill Giardia and are somewhat effective against Cryptosporidium. Follow the product instructions.
• Chemicals. Boiling and disinfecting won't fix water polluted with chemicals, so use another source (EPA). If the water is cloudy, let it settle and filter it through a cloth or coffee filter first.

OutdoorGearLab says in most of North America a filter is all you need, and a purifier (one that also removes viruses) matters mostly for travel or poor sanitation. In the 2025 survey, 97.6% of the 790 thru-hikers used a filter and only 2.4% used chemicals or UV.

What you probably already own: any uncracked 1 liter bottle. Alpine Ascents and RMI Expeditions ask Mount Rainier climbers for hard-sided 1 liter bottles, and Alpine Ascents bans soft and metal bottles. Those are glacier lists, and a day hike is looser. Hard bottles rarely break in your pack, and a drinking-tube reservoir lets you sip while walking.

What to look for: a wide mouth so a filter or tablets fit, a hard-sided bottle you can rely on, and threads that match your filter.

10. What extra clothes should you carry?

Pack a warm layer, a rain jacket, a warm hat and gloves even if it is warm at the trailhead. Plan the extra layer for the worst weather you could meet, and pick bright colors so search and rescue can spot you (NPS Ten Essentials). Skip cotton and jeans, and carry dry socks (NPS Rocky Mountain). My layering guide explains each layer and has more picks.

What you probably already own: a fleece or synthetic jacket that is not cotton, a rain jacket or windbreaker, a knit hat and any thin gloves. Down (feather) insulation only keeps you warm while it stays dry, so keep a down puffy under your shell or inside a dry bag.

For a sense of what people carry, 93.1% of the 790 thru-hikers carried an insulated jacket, 74% a fleece and 68.6% both. Thru-hikers count every ounce, though, so a beginner's jacket can weigh more.

Which puffy jacket should you buy?

A puffy is a thick, warm jacket you put on when you stop.

Which rain jacket should you buy?

Which warm hat and gloves should you buy?

Hats and gloves get far less testing than jackets, and any warm hat that covers your ears does the job. So spend little here.

What to look for: a rain jacket with a hood that fits over your layers, pit zips (vents under the arms) and three layers of fabric for real storms. A puffy needs a hood and room over your base layer. A hat should cover your ears. Gloves that work on a phone screen help if you use the phone for navigation.

What does the whole kit cost?

These totals are my own sum of the prices listed above, before tax and shipping. Free items count as zero, and the paper map, the Gaia GPS membership and the cord are left out. The cheapest color or size counts where the price varies, and the MT100 counts at its regular price, not the sale price.

So the extra clothes are the biggest cost in every column, about half of each total. And most people already own clothes that work for a first hike, like a fleece that isn't cotton, a rain jacket, a knit hat and thin gloves. Without the clothes, the kit comes to $238.36 on a budget, $533.11 for best value and $1,056.80 if money's no object.

Videos worth watching about first aid and emergency bivies

If you want to see these items, here are two videos. You can play each one on this page, and YouTube's usual controls work. Under each video is a short summary so you can decide if it's worth your time.

What's next after you pack the ten essentials?

1. Read my guide to starting mountaineering from zero to see where this page fits on the whole path.
2. Read my guide to layering for a mountain for the clothes in section 10.
3. Read my guide to hiking boots vs hiking shoes vs trail runners for what to wear on your feet.
4. See my Oregon roadmap for hikes to try first.

More gear guides

Hiking boots vs hiking shoes vs trail runners: what to wear on a first hike, and when to upgrade

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How do you layer for a mountain? Base layer, mid layer, shell and puffy, from a first hike to a cold summit

What each layer does, what to wear first, and when an upgrade is worth the money.

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