It's important to take the right gear on a long-distance walk, and it's essential not to take too much of it. You've got to carry everything on your back, and you'll soon regret taking that extra pair of smart trousers when the pack's digging into your shoulders.
This page lists everything I tend to take on long walks. It's a personal choice and everyone takes something different, but it might prove a useful starting point if you're planning your own walk. Needless to say it's worth spending a lot of time buying the right backpack, walking boots and wet weather clothes, as these will be the most painful things to get wrong.
Please note that this list is not aimed at extreme walks. I walked the Annapurna Circuit with this amount of stuff, but it was bloody freezing up on the pass, and if you're heading out into the mountains you might need to consider more specialist equipment. Similarly, if you're walking through a desert where it hasn't rained for 50 years, you can probably dispense with the waterproof clothes (but don't blame me if it pours down).
Miscellaneous
- Backpack
- Daypack
- Waterproof backpack cover
- Sewing kit
- Safety pins
- Compass
- Small Swiss army knife
- Lighter
- Watch/clock (preferably with an alarm for those early starts)
- Whistle
- Emergency thermal bag
- Water bottle
- Water bottle belt attachment
- 4 x plastic 500ml bottles (old Coke bottles are good)
Electrical
- Batteries (for torch and Palm)
- Small torch
- Digital camera, charger, SD cards
- Weatherproof camera case
- Mini camera tripod
- Palm computer, fold-out keyboard, SDs, Bluetooth card
- Mobile phone, charger
Documents
- Waterproof zip-lock wallets
- Plastic bags
- Durable wallet
- Credit/debit cards
- Chequebook
- Cash
- YHA membership card
- Photographs of loved ones
- Elastic bands
- Pen
- Paper
- Guidebooks
- Maps
- Map case
- Highlighter pen (if you want to draw your route on your maps)
Clothing
- 1 Gore-Tex jacket
- 1 pair waterproof over-trousers
- 1 pair Gore-Tex gaiters
- 1 pair tracksuit bottoms
- 1 fleece
- 1 woolly hat
- 1 pair gloves
- 1 pair normal socks
- 1 T-shirt
- 1 pair shorts
- 2 pairs hiking socks
- 2 pairs under-socks
- 1 pair normal trousers (non-iron)
- 1 lightweight shirt (non-iron)
- 2 handkerchiefs
- 2 pairs underpants
- Spare shoelaces
- Hiking boots
- 1 pair sunglasses
- Strap for hanging your sunglasses round your neck to help prevent loss
- 1 Australian bush hat (wide brimmed to keep the sun at bay)
- 1 small towel (travel towels are awful – get a real towel, as they're cheaper and far more pleasant)
Medical and Toiletries
- Sponge bag
- Toothpaste
- Toothbrush
- Earplugs
- Comb
- Small scissors
- Paracetamol
- Plasters (Band-Aids)
- Compeed blister plasters
- Micropore tape
- Elastoplast stretchable fabric tape
- Antiseptic cream
- Knee supports
- Shampoo
- Soap
- Soap dish
- Plastic mirror
- Lip balm
- Chlorine tablets (for purifying dodgy water)
- Taste removal tablets (to make it drinkable)
- Any special medicines you might need
Food
Not all treks need you to carry food, but the following is roughly what I would take for an eight-day trek, and it includes enough food for ten days (it's a good idea to carry extra food in case of emergencies). Make sure you take too much food rather than too little; you can always lighten your pack by having a feast or two.
With this amount of food breakfast consists of 100g of muesli with powdered milk; lunch is four Ryvita with meat paste and cheese; and the evening meal is either instant rice bolstered with extra plain rice, or pasta with tuna/sardines, tomato paste and herbs and spices. Meanwhile you have two muesli bars and a block or two of chocolate to nibble throughout the day, and coffee for whenever you need perking up.
- 1kg of muesli
- Powdered milk
- 40 Ryvita
- Cheese
- Meat paste
- Five packets of instant rice
- An extra 500g of plain rice
- Five packets of pasta
- Five tins of tuna/sardines
- Tomato paste
- Herbs and spices
- Coffee
- Sugar
- 20 muesli bars
- Big block of chocolate
Camping and Cooking Gear
Obviously not all treks require camping and cooking gear, but here's the minimum you'll require if you're going to be living out under the sky.
- Sleeping bag
- Stuff pillow
- Eye shades
- Sleeping mat
- Sleeping mat repair kit
- Tent
- Knife, fork, spoon
- Clothes line (just a bit of plastic line)
- Stove and fuel
- Cooking pots
- Toilet paper
Other Things to Consider
- A second set of clothes (handy if you're planning to walk somewhere particularly wet)
- 1 pair sandals
- First aid book
- Deodorant (I generally survive without, but I don't smell much)
- Thermometer
- Anti-fungal cream (those hostel showers are a haven for athlete's foot)
- Muscle sprain cream
- Sunscreen (instead of burning, I make sure I cover up)
- Insect repellent
- Small pair of binoculars
And last, but not least, don't forget to pack your smile. It makes walking so much easier...