Hiking gear essentials: accessories you need for hiking

Here, we focus on the essential accessories you need for hiking, plus a few useful non-essentials.

Hiking gear essential accessories

by Chris Williams |

Outdoor hardware and accessories have proliferated beyond head torches and compasses. Sometimes that's for the better, sometimes for the worse. For the better because the useful items help keep us safe and our outings more enjoyable. For the worse because there are a lot of gimmicks and garbage out there.

The fundamental essentials for hiking haven't changed. They might have evolved and been refined over the years, but a compass, for example, is still a compass. No fancy smartwatch has replaced it yet. Some items, such as trekking poles, have become very popular in the last 20 to 30 years. Others, like high-SPF sunscreen, have become a must for hikers.

Hiker using walking poles
©Live For The Outdoors

Our shortlist:

Black Diamond 500-R Headlamp - Best head torch

Lifesystems Explorer First Aid Kit - Best first aid kit for hiking

Silva Starter 1-2-3 - Best basic compass

Lifesystems Mountain Sun Cream SPF50+ - Best sunscreen for hiking

Suunto 9 Peak Pro - Best multisport smartwatch

Given the absurdly broad category of hiking accessories, in this article, we're looking at the key items you need beyond footwear, clothing, backpack, and sustenance, plus some useful but non-essential additions.

Best hiking accessories

1. Black Diamond 500-R Headlamp

Best head torch

Description

This is a fantastic [head

Pros

  • Light modes for map reading
  • Very bright
  • Great weatherproofing

Cons

  • Ergonomics takes getting used to
  • Hybrids can be more versatile
Black Diamond 500-R Headlamp

2. Alpkit Qark

Best value head torch

Description

Addressing the question of expense is Alpkit's Qark head torch. It's simple, comfortable, and

Pros

  • Good value
  • Lightweight
  • Comfortable
  • Hybrid

Cons

  • Not as tough as some
  • No battery level indicator
Alpkit Qark

3. Lifesystems Explorer First Aid Kit

Best first aid kit for hiking

Description

First aid kit contents vary depending on the activity and how many people they're for.

The

Pros

  • Comprehensive list of contents
  • High-quality first aid kit
  • Nicely organised

Cons

  • More compact kits available
Lifesystems Explorer

4. Lifesystems Emergency Blanket

Best emergency blanket

Description

Some of the most essential hiking accessories are also the smallest and least expensive, such as

Pros

  • Generous size
  • Can be used for signalling
  • Great value

Cons

  • None - ideal emergency blanket
Lifesystems Emergency Blanket

Best basic compass

Silva Starter 1-2-3
Price: £10.4
AmazonAmazon Prime

Description

Basic knowledge of map reading and navigation is an absolute essential for hiking and trekking in

Pros

  • Rotatable housing
  • Waterproof
  • Detachable lanyard

Cons

  • No magnifier
Silva Starter 1-2-3

6. Camelbak Chute Mag Bottle

Best water bottle

Description

A plastic water bottle is a good way to shave the grams and keep weight down. Camelbak's Chute Mag

Pros

  • Several volumes available
  • Made from partially recycled material
  • Strong

Cons

  • You might prefer a simple screw-top bottle
Camelbak Chute Mag

Best flask

YETI Rambler Bottle
Price: £39.95
AmazonAmazon Prime

Description

It's a heavy thing, but the YETI Rambler bottle is a magnificent

Pros

  • Several volumes available
  • Suitable for hot and cold liquids
  • Durable

Cons

  • Heavy
YETI Rambler Bottle

8. Lifesystems Mountain Sun Cream SPF50+

Best sunscreen for hiking

Description

There are a few things you want from your sunscreen. One of them is Broad Spectrum, which helps

Pros

  • UVA and UVB protection
  • Sweat and water resistant
  • No parabens

Cons

  • Small(ish) volume
Lifesystems Mountain Sun Cream

9. Black Diamond Trail Ergo Cork Trekking Poles

Best walking poles

Description

What made the Black Diamond Trail Ergo Cork stand out to us above all the rest was their

Pros

  • Fantastic build quality
  • Spares for almost all parts easily available

Cons

  • There are even lighter poles out there
Black Diamond Trail Ergo Cork poles

10. Suunto 9 Peak Pro

Best multisport smartwatch

Description

We liked the predecessor of this watch very much, but it had a couple of niggles regarding the

Pros

  • Excellent layout
  • Looks awesome
  • Great app

Cons

  • App is a little slow to sync
Suunto 9 Peak Pro Forest Green

Best power bank for outdoors

RUGD. Power Brick

Rrp: £49.99

Price: £40
AmazonAmazon Prime

Description

Thanks to its small size, decent capacity and, crucially, a tough outer, the Power Brick is the

Pros

  • Very tough
  • Looks cool
  • Useful built-in light

Cons

  • Some offer better capacity for the money
RUGD. Power Brick

Best tough phone case

Mous Limitless 5.0, iPhone 14
Price: £54.99
AmazonAmazon Prime

Description

The [tough phone

Pros

  • Really impressive impact protection
  • MagSafe compatible
  • Still slim and minimalist

Cons

  • Only available for the latest 'big 3' smartphones
Mous Limitless 5.0, iPhone 14

Winter hiking accessories

Irrespective of whether you hike in winter for the scenery, solitude, or the sheer challenge, there are some accessories that are important additions to your inventory.

13. Mountain Equipment Guide Glove

Best winter gloves

Description

The Mountain Equipment Guide

Pros

  • Warm
  • Plenty of features
  • Protective
  • Good value

Cons

  • Some pricier options are tougher
Mountain Equipment Guide

14. Grivel G10 Crampon

Best crampons

Description

The C1-rated Grivel G10 is a robust and reliable go-to crampon for hillwalkers. It can be attached

Pros

  • Full strap and step-in versions
  • Ideal for most mountain trips
  • Very easy to use

Cons

  • There are better options for very technical terrain
Grivel G10 Crampon

15. Petzl Glacier

Best ice axe

Description

The ice axe graduates the

Pros

  • Comfortable in the hand
  • Versatile
  • Lightweight

Cons

  • Too light in axe head for some users
Petzl Glacier

Hiking accessory buying advice

Hiker at night using a compass
©Live For The Outdoors

There are only a few hiking accessories we class as absolutely essential. These are a head torch, compass and map, sunscreen and a first aid kit (including an emergency blanket). If you're hiking in winter, an emergency shelter, ice axe, and crampons also need to go into your rucksack.

Beyond that, everything else is optional. Important, perhaps (like trekking poles), but optional nevertheless.

How you like to hike and your budget influence what hiking accessories you take with you. There are multiple options for different types of hiking that achieve the same thing. For example, people going on fastpacking trips won't want to take a heavy stainless steel flask but a lightweight water bottle or hydration bladder instead.

Multitools are a handy accessory to carry – a lot of hiking gear lists include them. If you're doing overnight or multiday trips, they're certainly useful to take. But a multitool doesn't just mean a knife. For example, you can get sporks with bottle openers, which makes this humble piece of cutlery a multitool.

Trekking poles are incredibly popular because they aid balance and reduce strain on the body. To find out all about trekking poles, read our guide we created in partnership with LEKI.

Get half-price digital OS Maps. Trail and Country Walking magazine members get 50% off an annual subscription to OS Maps for 12 months. Find out more here.

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