Hiking Essentials for a Summer Day Tripper

Beautiful Northeastern Pennsylvania is home to hundreds of miles of blazed hiking trails distributed throughout all sorts of open public land, from state parks to community parks and other preserves.

Right in our backyard, or a few miles away, depending on how you see it, we have Lackawanna State Park, Ricketts Glen, and Vosburg Neck State Park, among many others. A little bit further south, you can pick up the AT, too.

NEPA caters to the needs of everyone from serious through-hikers to day trippers and all the others in between - which brings up the question, what do you need to pack for a day trip?

Here’s a good place to start.

What Clothing to Wear?

Let’s start with clothing. You’ll want to wear lightweight, breathable clothing. Performance synthetics, cotton, viscose and linen are good for hot, humid weather.

As for pants, camo cargo shorts might seem like a good bet because it’s hot, but there are hikers that wear long pants even in the summer because they afford better protection against ticks as well as against noxious plants like stinging nettles and poison ivy.

You can go long or short, but our bet goes for cargo pants either way since they offer more room for storage. Shop our collection of camo cargo shorts while you’re here to get some ideas for what to bring.

A Note on Proper Footwear

Next, you want to consider what footwear to wear. Conventional wisdom says lightweight, quick drying footwear like jungle boots are the best bet for summer hiking since they are breathable, and there is good logic behind this.

However, they’re also made with canvas panels that can stay wet in humid conditions. While you don’t want heavy boots in the summer, you might still want a waterproof pair. Waterproof boots will keep you more comfortable on some muddy, wet trails, even if your feet get a little hot.

(Also, pack some moleskin patches so you can treat hot spots before they become blisters.)

What to Bring in Your Day Pack

Now that we’ve covered what to wear, let’s take a closer look at what to pack in your day pack. Gear up your camo backpack or MOLLE backpack with the following.

Sun Protection

                               

There are three elements of sun protection. These are sun screen, sunglasses, and headwear. All three are essential.

Make sure you bring along some sunscreen and wear it on any areas that are exposed, like your forearms and face. Only you know how sensitive you are to the sun so use your best judgment.

Next come sunglasses. Trust us, you can get snow blind in the summer. You don’t necessarily need to wear sunglasses but you should definitely have them with you. Sport glasses offer the best coverage. We also recommend polarized glasses because they cut glare.

Lastly, think about headwear. You might not like hats but they will keep the sun out of your eyes and protect your face. Ball caps are a good bet, as are western style hats, bucket hats, and boonies.

Bug Protection

You might like hot weather, but so do the bugs, and trust us, the Appalachians are a hotbed of pests in the summer. Hot humid weather and plentiful wetlands make the place a soup of ticks, chiggers, and mosquitoes in the summer. Take our word for it, you don’t want to try any of the trails around here without good bug spray in the summer. Learn from our experience or gain your own experience, at your own risk.

Food and Water

Now let’s talk about food and hydration. Since you’ll only be out for a day, you don’t need to pack a lot of food. Just bring along some dry goods for emergencies. Some trail mix or a snack bar should be all you need.

Water is another story. You have to pack smart though, as water adds weight. Unless you have a hydration system, bring along either a quart or two quarts of water. That should get you through most day hikes. If you expect to be out longer, then consider a more adequate hydration system like a Camelbak with a bladder.

A Waterproof Case Big Enough for Your Phone

This is just there to serve as a backup. Serious thunderstorms can crop up in the Appalachians that, though they might be short lived, could be quite intense enough to drench you in a matter of minutes. Bring along a waterproof, locking case in your pack that’s just big enough for your phone so you can stash it in the event of a storm.

A Packable Poncho

For a dollar or so, you can get a lightweight, packable poncho that you can fit in your pocket. It can save you from being soaked in a storm, because guess what: in the summer, if you get rained on and the sun comes out, your clothes aren’t going to dry as long as you wear them. You’ll be hot, wet, and get chafed. Take our word for this one, a packable poncho is worth its weight in gold, probably quite literally since they weigh only a few grams. Anyway, make room for it - and if space in your day pack is tight, stuff it into one of the pockets of your camo cargo shorts.

A Power Bank

Bring a charged power bank, just in case of emergencies. You never know when you might need a charge and a dead phone on the trail could leave you stranded. A power bank can save you from the unfortunate reality that could be presented by a dead battery.

A Compass and a Map

                       

Look, if you’re hiking blazed trails, you should never have to pull out a compass, a map, or a GPS, but the former two you should never, ever go without because they are your backup if you ever get lost, and you don’t need power to work them. Never go without.

A Good Knife

Like a compass, you might never need to draw a knife on a day hike. But if you need to stop for a snack, make an improvised tripod for cooking over a fire, or just cut up some old cordage, you’ll need a knife - and you’ll be glad you had one. Never go into the woods without one.

A Flashlight with Spare Batteries

Bring at least one flashlight with spare batteries (if it has a rechargeable battery, make sure you have a charging cable so you can use the power bank as a backup). Again, you shouldn’t need a flashlight if you’re only out for the day, but it’s always better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

Basic First Aid Essentials

Never go into the woods without some basic first aid essentials. Bandages, medical tape, disinfectant, moleskins, and vaseline or chapstick should suffice for a day trip. You might also want to bring along some over the counter analgesics like aspirin or ibuprofen as a hedge against trail-spawned aches and pains.

Bear Spray

                                  

Last but not least, there are a lot of black bears in our area of the country. Wear a bear bell, and have some bear spray in your pack. Like some of the other things on this list, you should never need to reach for this one, but again, it’s always better to have it and not need it. Be prepared, be bear aware.

Hiking Essentials, Jungle Boots, Camo Cargo Shorts and More: Everything You Need for a Day Trip

Gearing up for a day trip in NEPA? We have what you need. Shop our online collection or visit us in Hawley to gear up before you get out there!