I will frequently get asked by friends and family (and occasionally inquiring minds on IG) about recommendations on hiking gear / equipment. Today I’m sharing the five things I use on every hike.

Of course all of these items you certainly do not ‘need’ in order to hike. However, after spending the last seven years hiking around Utah and Oregon (as well as Chile, Croatia, Norway, and other travel adventures), these are things I find tremendously helpful to have in my closet for when we’re headed out for a day hike.

1. Hiking Shoes

One of the most asked questions I get around hiking gear is which hiking shoe to buy. My first response is always to not buy a hiking boot. Rather, opt for a trail running shoe — even if you are not a trial runner. Unless you plan on hiking the PCT or are headed out on a multiday backpacking trip, there is no need for a massive, hot, and heavy hiking boot. Trail running shoes offer great support, are lightweight, and not clunky. They’re also much easier to pack if you plan on traveling somewhere that requires hiking shoes. I hiked in La Sportiva trail runners for years and recently switched over to Hokas. The Hoka Challenger work better for me (shown above), but I recommend going and trying shoes on to find out which brand works best for you and your feet.

2. Day Pack

Another thing I’ll see on trails are people doing a hike that’s only a few miles, but they have a massive backpack. I’m always so curious what they plan on doing in four miles where they need to schlep so many things! I prefer hiking with this camelbak and stuffing some snack in the small pockets. C will usually wear the actual camelbak backpack where he’ll hold any layers we shed. There is really no need for anything bigger.

3. Rain Jacket

Living in the PNW we find ourselves hiking in the rain quite often. I spent about $100 on my jacket (similar), and it’s great! It’s lightweight and holds off the rain for while. It’s certainly not 100% waterproof, but it does the job for easy day hikes where we might get caught in the rain. This rain jacket, as seen above, also fits while I’m 8 months pregnant – hah!

4. Hiking Pants

You can almost always find me hiking in black workout leggings. I personally believe that Fabletics makes the best leggings. They’re tight, comfortable, and thick but not too thick. They also last way longer than other brands I’ve tried. I find myself always reaching for them over the other leggings I have whenever I’m headed out on a hike or camping trip. In the summer I’ll wear running shorts.

5. Hat

Whether it’s a baseball hat, sun hat, or beanie I always try to wear at least something on my head. I have this irrational fear that a tick or some other bug is going to fall on my head. I also always try to protect my face from the sun when out hiking. I typically hike in my Ciele hat (the best hiking hats, in my opinion) or a simple Carhartt beanie. I also love my Desert Palm hat from Noble, but I typically save that for the coast or vacation and do not use on hikes. I might give it a try this summer on some camping tips we have planned.

Bonus: Microspikes

Microspikes were something I had to be coaxed into getting. I did not feel they were necessary and they aren’t exactly cheap. It took sliding down an entire trail in the snow/ice one year to convince me that maybe they might be helpful during the winter months. If you hike in snow or ice, these things are amazing. In the photo below I was able to easily hoist myself up on the rocks that were covered in snow and ice while we were in Arches National Park. I truly can’t recommend these enough for hiking in the winter. C and I both have these.

Note: Be sure to get the microspikes (with actual spikes) as opposed to yaktrax.