Hiking Gear I Never Leave Home Without

These items may not be the first thing you think of when you go hiking, but I never leave without these. These are my essential luxury items that I always have in my kit. They have got me through some pretty harsh inconveniences and have made my hikes so much nicer. 

Buff

A buff is such a versatile piece of gear. It can be a scarf, bandana, rag, and face mask. It can keep you warm in the winter and dry in the summer. It weighs next to nothing and packs small. A buff is just to versatile and unintrusive not to have on any long distance walk.

Whats better than a buff? A merino wool buff. Merino wool is soft and doesnt get smelly like polyester. A merino buff can be worn for days or weeks and never smell any different. Of course this comes with a larger price tag. A poly buff can cost a few dollars but a merino buff will hit the double digits. I personally think a merino buff is worth the price.

Water filter

There is always a doubt in my mind if a water source, that looks clean and people say its safe to drink, may not be as sterile as it seems. Sometimes I may be low on water, passing these questionable sources of water, and struggling to not take a sip of my scarce water until I get close to the next town. A good quality water filter can have you sipping from those fountains or streams without any need for worry. The best part is these high quality filter are relatively cheap, costing anywhere from $20 to $50.

A sawyer squeeze will last you a lifetime and can remove all harmful bacteria from the water as well as any debris. Go a step further and you can match it with a purifier and drink from any source without fear of any contamination. There is no reason one shouldn't have a sawyer mini or squeeze in ones pack.  

Sport mouth for water bottle

An ultralight hiker knows the value of a Smart water bottle, but I have come to find that those disposable sport mouth pieces for water bottles can be such a versatile little item. They can fit almost any disposable plastic bottle. 

You can use it to pressurize the water coming out of the bottle, maybe to clean off a spork or hands. It can also be used to back wash a sawyer squeeze or mini. You can also share your bottle with out someone without them having to out their mouth on the bottle. This little attachment can do so much, comes for free on some bottles, and is it essentially indestructible.

Cap/hat

Yes, a cap will protect your face and eyes from the sun, but for me a cap has a bigger function. I wear glasses and when it rains my glasses get wet and foggy. My vision greatly deterates when the rain comes. You can see how dangerous this can be when scaling mountain side, especially since it will be wet and muddy.

The cap becomes a rain shield for my glasses. Not a drop reaches my glasses and my vision stays clear throughout the hike. If I forget my hat, the frustration the amounts will have me drop everything and get a hat. 

Butt pad

I discovered the glorious butt pad not long ago. As described in my endurance maximization article, I state how its important to take frequent breaks when trekking long distances. You end up taking these breaks sitting on the cold hard dirt or on a sharp rock. You go from one pain to another.

A butt pad makes those breaks so much more enjoyable. This soft foam pad doesnt take that much room inside or mounted on the outside of your pack, and provides a comfortable place to lay your buttocks. Your butt might not be picky, but that butt pad is a 5 star hotel memory foam mattress compared to the rocks and dirts you would otherwise be sodomizing.