What to Pack for a Hike in the Mountains
- Mar 30
- 3 min read
With hiking season on the horizon, you might be considering what to pack for a hike in the mountains this year, and you’re not alone.
It’s usually where people get stuck.
Not because it’s overly complicated, but because there’s a big difference between bringing what you need and bringing way too much, especially for overnight hiking tours.
You can have all the right items and still feel uncomfortable… or you can have a simple, dialled system and feel confident from the first step on the trail.
That’s the difference.
Hiking Packing Lists vs Gear Systems
A lot of advice for packing for an overnight hike or even day hikes focuses on long gear lists.
That’s helpful, but it misses the bigger picture.
A gear list tells you what to pack.A gear system makes sure everything actually works.
When your setup is dialed, you stay warm, dry, and comfortable without carrying extra weight. And once that’s handled, something shifts…
You stop thinking about your gear and start immersing yourself into your remarkable surroundings.
What Your Gear Really Needs to Do
If you’re building your own backpacking packing list, keep it simple.
At its core, your setup only needs to:
Keep you warm
Keep you dry
Help you move well
Let you rest properly
If those are dialed, everything else is just extra.
Common Backpacking Packing Mistakes
Most people don’t struggle because they forgot something.
They struggle because they brought too much.
Packing for “what if” instead of what’s likely
This is the big one, especially when learning how to pack for an overnight hike.
A lot of overpacking comes from packing for your fears.
Extra layers, backup items, “just in case” gear… it adds up quickly. It feels like preparation, but it usually just creates a heavier pack.
And a heavier pack changes everything — your pace, your energy, even how much you enjoy the hike.
Confidence in your gear system is what replaces that. When you trust what you’ve packed, you stop adding unnecessary weight.
Treating gear as individual items
Without a system, pieces overlap or leave gaps. That’s when you end up too hot, too cold, or constantly adjusting.
Ignoring transitions
The shift from hiking → camp → sleep is where your backpacking gear list matters most. If your system doesn’t support that, comfort drops fast.
A Simpler Way to Think About Packing
Instead of asking:
“What else should I bring hiking?”
Ask:
“Does my hiking gear system cover movement, weather, and rest?”
If yes, you’re in a good place.
That’s really what learning how to pack for a hike comes down to. Not more gear, just better decisions.
Get the Free 1-Page Hiking Gear Checklist
If you want a simple way to build your system without overthinking it, we put together a free 1-page checklist.
It’s designed to help you pack for your adventure with confidence, avoid common mistakes, and focus on what actually matters out there.
Click below to get it sent to your inbox.
One Last Thing
A lot of people don’t realize this…
You don’t have to buy everything right away.
When you book a guided backpacking trip with Playwest, you can try before you buy. We offer a full complement of rental equipment — and yes, it’s free.
Tents, packs, sleep systems… it’s all there.
Depending on what you were planning to purchase, you could save yourself up to $1,400 and figure out what actually works for you before making the investment.
You can try our equipment for free this hiking season during any of the following guided hikes in British Columbia:
Women’s Backpacking For Beginners (Summer 2026 departures available, inquire with us)
Purcell Mountain Traverse (July 18th or August 17th departures available)
First Steps: Backpacking For Beginners (June 27th or July 4th departures available)
Or if you’re more experienced, inquire about our Baffin Island Hike in August 2026.
