hiking Gear
Starting with the right gear is essential to the enjoyment and success of your hike. So here’s my list of basic hiking gear to get you started before heading out. I’ve included links to Amazon and REI to make shopping for your gear a breeze. REI has the added benefit of earning dividends on purchases if you’re a member ($20 buys you lifetime membership). Other great options for good quality, inexpensive gear include local retailers such as Fred Meyer and Costco, outlets like Columbia Factory Store, and Sierra where you can find discounted brand name gear.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases - however, except where noted these are all products and brands that I own, have experience with and feel confident recommending.
My advice is not to spend a fortune on high end gear when you’re first starting out. Invest in quality basic gear that will keep you safe on the trail then upgrade later when you have a better idea of what you really want. This is going to be fun! I’ll see you out there!
The essentials
Hiking shoes
Tennis shoes are great. But when you’re hiking over rocks, roots and mud, you’re going to need a good pair of waterproof hiking shoes. Not only will they help protect your feet over challenging terrain, they will keep you dry. Plan to break your new pair of hiking shoes in before your big hike to avoid painful blisters.
We bought these Columbia Sportswear hiking shoes for our boys this year. We’ve done several challenging and muddy hikes and so far they have held up great!
Columbia Men’s Redmond V2 Waterproof Hiking Boots are available at Amazon for about $80.
Backpack
A good backpack is essential to comfortably carrying your gear throughout your hike. I especially recommend the hip strap for helping to stabilize and distribute the weight of the pack. A good pack is a worthwhile investment - my REI Trail 40 has seen me over countless Oregon trails, the Big Island of Hawaii and all the way to Rwanda and back. But if you’re new to hiking and not quite ready to splurge on a pack, Amazon offers plenty of affordable options.
REI Trail 40 Pack is available in both men’s and women’s at REI for about $129.
Water bottle
There are lots of options to keep you hydrated on the trail. But the 32oz (1 liter) Nalgene water bottle is my favorite. It is light, strong, easy to fill and dishwasher safe. Hydration bladders are another option, but in our experience they are more prone to leaks, harder to fill and clean, and that darn mouth piece is so fun for kids to constantly chew on (we went through a few mouth pieces). I recommend buying at least two of these Nalgene bottles to carry on your hike.
The 16oz Nalgene water bottle is a great option for kids.
Both the Nalgene 32oz (1 liter) water bottle and 16oz water bottle are available at Amazon for about $12 and REI for about $15.
Waterproof rain jacket
A waterproof rain jacket is a lightweight layer that protects against rain and wind. In fact, this is my favorite layer to wear on the breezy Oregon Coast. Extremely packable and potentially life-saving, there is no reason not to bring this layer with you on every Oregon hike.
Columbia Men's Watertight Ii Jacket is available at Columbia Sportswear and Amazon for about $60.
Columbia Women’s Switchback III Jacket is available at Columbia Sportswear and Amazon for about $40.
Fleece layer
Fleece is warm, lightweight, easy to use with layers and very durable. I’ve worn my Columbia fleece for at least 10 years and it still looks new. This is great for summertime hiking at the beach or with layers when hiking at elevation. It’s also perfect for those cool summer nights when camping. Generally speaking, fleece paired with a rain jacket will cover late spring, summer and early fall in Oregon’s temperate climate (though important to check local weather reports for your hike).
Columbia Women’s Benton Springs Full Zip Fleece Jacket is available at Columbia Sportswear, REI and Amazon for about $35.
Columbia Men's Steens Mountain 2.0 Full Zip Fleece Jacket is available at Columbia Sportswear and Amazon for about $35.
Four function whistle
I love this little 4 function whistle - in fact, each of us has one hanging off our pack. Why a whistle, you might ask? Yelling takes a lot of work. And even with your very best yelling, a whistle is louder. This whistle includes a compass, a magnifier (which I’m guessing is a Hail Mary for starting a fire) and a thermometer.
Coghlan’s Four Function Whistle is available from Amazon for about $5.
Bear Bell
Oregon is black bear and cougar country. The great thing is, bears and cougars don’t really want to meet you. In fact, if you give them plenty of warning that you’re coming, they will usually do their best to get out of your way. These bear bells are inexpensive, easy to attach to the outside of your pack and easy to silence when the bell isn’t needed. I recommend this simple accessory for all hikers in Oregon, especially kids. Plus the sound is nice, kind of like Christmas.
The Coghlan’s Bear Bell is available on Amazon for about $7.
Navigation
It is important to know where you are going. So how do you make that happen? First and foremost, always print a map to carry in your pack. Electronic devices are great, until they stop working. A printed map and trail descriptions along with a compass are an absolute must.
But if you are directionally challenged like me or with kids who really want to know how much longer they have to hike, a navigation app like AllTrails can be a game changer. The AllTrails app allows you to download maps of the trail to your phone for offline navigation, print paper copies of the map and check out recent reviews of the trail. Out on the trail it can track your hike - which my kids love - as well as gently inform you that you are headed off course. So far the app has worked pretty well for us, even with limited cell service.
I also have a Garmin GPS unit that I really have no idea how to use. I often carry it with me on hikes as an emergency back up - which I’m just going to say is not a great plan. I keep planning to get past its clunky user interface but it hasn’t happened yet.
I do love the mini satellite communicator and emergency beacon from Garmin called the inReach Mini (see below). While not navigation per se, it does have the ability to send my GPS coordinates to loved ones or search and rescue if I activate the SOS feature.
AllTrails is available online and for smart phones with both a free version and the pro version which costs about $30 per year.
emergency pack for your backpack
I recommend placing the following items in a gallon Ziploc bag then tucking the bag safely in the back of your pack where hopefully you’ll never need it. Make sure each hiker in your party has these supplies in their packs and that they know how to use them - including kids. Also be sure to include some shelf-stable snacks in your emergency supplies.
Emergency water filtration
While a water filter like the Katadyn Hiker Pro is ideal for replenishing your water supply on the trail, it is a little expensive and a little bulky if you only need emergency filtration. Iodine tablets are an option but they require 30 minutes of wait time and don’t kill cryptosporidium.
That’s why I like keeping a Lifestraw in the emergency bag of my pack. It is small, lightweight and is similarly effective as the Katadyn Hiker Pro (although you’re not going to be able to fill a water bottle with it).
Lifestraw is available at REI and Amazon for about $18. Amazon has sales on Lifestraws around Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day - I bought ours on sale for about $10 each.
Emergency blanket
This SOL emergency bivvy is not your old school mylar emergency blanket - although one of those would be okay too. The cool thing about this bivvy is that it is lightweight, nicely portable and shaped like a sleeping bag - which would be much nicer to deal with than a mylar blanket flying around in awful weather conditions. Important to note that unlike a sleeping bag, this bivvy will not keep you nice and warm. It was designed to save you from dying of hypothermia - so you’ll be around to tell everyone how miserably cold you were.
The SOL Emergency Bivvy is available at REI and Amazon for about $29.
Headlamp
There are no streetlights on the trail. When the sun goes down it gets dark - which is really great for stargazing but really bad for trying to follow the trail. Headlamps are lightweight, easy to pack and leave your hands free to negotiate a potentially sketchy situation. Be sure to also pack a couple of spare batteries.
Gearlight LED Headlamp (2 pack) are available on Amazon for about $14.
Emergency mirror
In the unlikely event that things go awry on your hike and you end up lost, injured or in need of help, on a sunny day this little mirror just might save your life. Reflected sunlight can be seen by others miles away, including aircraft. Check out this YouTube clip for a brief explanation on how to use a signal mirror.
Coghlan’s Stainless Steel Mirror is available on Amazon for about $8.
Emergency poncho
An emergency poncho is a great, lightweight item to tuck away in your emergency Ziploc bag. In the event that you forget your rain jacket - which of course you are never going to do - this trash bag with armholes will keep you dry. In an emergency situation, the plastic poncho could also be used to collect condensation for drinking water or provide a waterproof layer for your emergency shelter.
Coghlan’s emergency poncho is available in a 4 pack on Amazon for about $10.
Waterproof Matches
Although nearly every hiking gear list includes matches, I hesitated to include them here. In cold, wet or snowy weather, matches are obviously a lifesaver. However, wildfire season sometimes starts as early as late spring in Oregon and lasts until the fall rains in October or November. Starting a fire in the wilderness is illegal for much of the summer and early fall - and I’m not sure you’d be forgiven for starting a forest fire because you got lost overnight with temperatures dipping down into the 50’s. Important to exercise good judgement and extreme caution with children.
Coghlan’s Waterproof Matches are available on Amazon for about $8.
First Aid Kit
You are your own doctor in the wilderness. And if you have kids, you’re a pediatrician too. Be prepared with a well stocked first aid kit. Surviveware is my go to for first aid kits - I have this one for hiking and another larger kit for the car. It is well stocked and extremely organized - which my type A self loves! As an added bonus, this kit includes a whistle and emergency blanket.
It is important to familiarize yourself with the kit so you can know what you have available to you and add items to the kit as you see fit.
I have included in my own kit some Benadryl for allergic reactions (bring your Epi-pen if you have a history of severe allergic reactions), ibuprofen, aspirin 81mg (baby aspirin), Imodium, oral rehydration salts and extra prescription medication.
Surviveware Small First Aid Kit is available at Amazon for about $37.
great to have but not essential
These are items that you may want to consider depending on the type of hiking you plan to do.
Emergency beacon/mini satellite communicator
At about $350 plus a monthly subscription fee, this little communicator isn’t cheap. But let me tell you as a mom of two who often travels in and through remote areas of Oregon, this little device buys me a whole lot of peace of mind. It allows me to text with loved ones with or without cell service. I’m able to share my route and progress with loved ones to follow. And if ever there is an emergency, we can simply activate the SOS feature to alert local search and rescue operations that we need help. There is even insurance available to help cover the cost of a search and rescue operation.
Water filter
Ever dream of drinking cold, pure water from a mountain stream? Let me tell you, there is nothing like it when you have poured yourself out onto the trail. Having a high quality water filter like the Katadyn Hiker along with a reliable water source means having to carry less water on the trail - plus the absolute joy of drinking that cold, pure water from a mountain stream.
The Katadyn Hiker/Pro is available at REI and Amazon for about $80.
Bear deterrent
I have lived and hiked in Oregon pretty much my whole life and never seen a bear or cougar. But bright yellow signs are posted at nearly every forested state park trail reporting the last bear and cougar sighting in the area. Fortunately for us, bear bells have worked great. For those times when we are a little more remote, I keep Counter Assault on the hip strap of my pack just in case.
Counter Assault Bear Deterrent is available at REI and Amazon for about $60.
Child carrier
Want to get the littlest members of your family out on the trail? A child carrier is just the thing! The great thing about a child carrier like this is it can be used for everyday life too. The Osprey Poco was highly recommended by my sister who gave it high marks for comfort and durability.
Osprey Poco LT Child Carrier is available at REI and Amazon for about $260.
Solar Charger Power Bank
Keeping your devices charged is essential to emergency communication, navigating and - perhaps most importantly - picture taking! Carrying a solar charger power bank helps ensure that your devices won’t run dry while you’re out on the trail. Important to know that it is almost impossible to fill the battery bank with solar power alone, so solar charging should be considered as an emergency back-up.
This particular solar bank includes a flashlight and compass. This power bank weighs just over a pound and although a little bulky is worth the peace of mind.
Blavor Solar Charger Power Bank is available on Amazon for about $50.
Multi-tool
Multi-tools are another thing on most hiking gear lists that I haven’t personally found too useful. I see the appeal of getting out of any situation all MacGyver style with your 46 in one multi-tool. I did try the Multi-Function Camper’s Tool from Coghlan which made me fear for the wellbeing and unity of my fingers.
If you’re looking for an inexpensive multi-tool, the one pictured here from Amazon had good reviews (I recently purchased this and look forward to testing it out). When shopping for multi-tools, be sure to look for one that has a locking mechanism which prevents the blade from accidentally snapping back into its housing. Your fingers will thank you.
This multi-tool is available at Amazon for about $16.
Trekking poles
I used to think that hikers who used trekking poles were taking themselves a little too seriously. And then I hiked Kings Mountain in the Tillamook Forest. I now have a whole new appreciation for the utility of trekking poles.
Trekking poles can be especially helpful when picking your way down an insanely steep trail while at the same time reducing the load on your poor knees. They can be useful on uneven terrain, especially for hikers looking for a little more stability on the trail.
I recently purchased these highly rated poles from Amazon for about $40 and can’t wait to try them out!
This gear list is meant to be a guide. The exact items needed will depend on where you go, how long you’ll be there, weather and other factors specific for your trip. It is your responsibility to be informed and prepared.