What's in Our Hiking Backpack?

"Wah why you bring a bag that big for hiking?"

"Don't you feel that it's heavy?"

"Daypack only, no need to bring so many things la~"

Well, most of us has heard these words from our friends who do not hike, or from some newbie beginners.

While we still consider ourselves as beginner hikers, we would like to share what's in our hiking backpack, that requires us to bring such a size of bag for just a daypack hiking.

So this, is the backpack which we brought to almost every hike.

Hiking bag can be bought from Sports Direct or Decathlon (if you're at KL or Selangor).

 *Karrimor Super Light - 35L*

Now, let's share what we brought with this 35L bag.

1. Hydration Bladder

For those who doesn't know what this is, it is a bag for you to fill drinking water and drink using the bladder connected to the bag.

We are using hydration bladder in replacement for normal water bottle.

For us, it is easier to drink from this rather than drinking from bottle.

Also, it's easier to carry in the bag.

Hydration bladder comes in 3 sizes - 1 / 2 / 3 litres.

Also, can be purchased from Sport Directs or Decathlon.

2. Hiking Poles

Hiking poles or trekking poles are optional.

It is to assist hiker during ascend or descend.

For those who have bad knees or weaker legs, you might opt for usage of hiking poles.

Ascending and descending will be much easier with these.

For purchase of hiking poles, we would recommend to get them from Sports Direct.

3. First Aid Kit

This is another important thing in a hiking backpack.

Yes! A FIRST AID KIT.

Most hikers ignore or doesn't even consider to bring one during their hike.

To which I think, is reckless.

You never know whether you will be injured or in distress in the woods.

Or you never know, maybe hikers from other groups need some first aid assistance!

It is always wise to get ready a first aid kit in the hiking backpack.

For emergency.

4. Emergency tools during rainy days

Yup. Another must-have items in the hiking backpack, especially during rainy seasons.

Climate change is VERY VERY UNPREDICTABLE.

From our very own experience, we went to Chiling Waterfall in the morning, with bright sun and hot weather.

We were back to car safely and in hot weather as well.

Then, there was sudden change of weather and it rained heavily for the rest of that day.

There were people stuck in the waterfall, unable to come out and had to wait for rescue.

We are unable to predict what would happen during a hike.

It's best to prepare the umbrella before it rains, literally.

Some of the items we carried in our backpack are:-

a) Poncho (disposable raincoat)

b) Emergency blanket

c) Lighter

d) Waterproof matches

5. Waterproof pouch / Zipped Bag

Ok. This item is super optional.

For us, we like to keep our things, especially our gadgets (phones, camera, wallet, etc.), DRY.

The waterproof pouch/zipped bag is very useful whenever you're hiking or visiting to a place with water (eg. waterfall).

Also, if rain decided to visit during a hike, these are very useful as well.

6. Torchlight / Headlamp

These items are mandatory, especially if you're going for a night hike or starting a hike in the dark.

Our advise to all hikers, please use a proper torchlight / headlamp instead of lightening up the trail using the built-in torch in smartphones.

We've seen hikers using the smartphones along the way, trying to lighten up the trail, balance themselves, trekking in dark, AND taking care of their phones (we all know how precious our smartphones are, and we do know how heartbroken we are if our smartphones fell and cracked).

Please, get one proper torchlight (you can get a decent torchlight at Mr Diy from RM4+ onwards) and use the torchlight if you're going for a hike in the dark.

You'll be grateful you don't have to take care of it as much as you have to take care of your smartphone.

Plus, what if smartphones went out of battery and you need to call someone for emergency?

7. Plastic Bags / Portable Ashtray

Everyone says, be a responsible hiker!

One way of becoming one, is to take care of the nature.

DO NOT POLLUTE THE NATURE!!

No doubt, most of us enjoy the view at the peak.

We would picnic and rest at the peak. Take all nice photos and have all the fun we can at the peak.

And then, some of us forgot to bring something back.

Something which is called - RUBBISH.

We've seen photos of rubbish everywhere in the woods.

Is it really hard to bring back your own rubbish?

Just bring a plastic bag, throw all the rubbish in, and bring it down and throw at proper place.

If you can bring all the foods and beverages onto the hill, why is it so hard to bring the leftovers down?

It doesn't take up much space in the bag, and it doesn't weight as heavy as the foods and beverages which you bring onto the peak.

Another small part to be done is to bring a portable ashtray.
It would be unrealistic to ask a smoker-hiker not to smoke a cigarette during the entire hike.

While it would be good if one can stop smoking during the entire hike; but if they can't, ask them to be a responsible smoker-hiker then.

Bring a portable ashtray and fill them with the ashes and cigarette butts.
Don't throw the cigarette butts anywhere in the woods.

Imagine if the cigarette butt is not properly extinguished, and it was throw onto the ground with dry leaves, you might be the culprit who started a fire in the woods.

So please, be a responsible hiker, to yourself, to the nature, and to the other hikers.

These portable ashtray can be bought from any Daiso.

8. Walkie-Talkie

While some might find that these might not be important, we always carry one each no matter which mount or hill we go, in case we need it to communicate.

The radio transceiver, a.k.a. walkie-talkie, might be a life-saving tool.

Sometimes, one of us might go further front for scouting.

Sometimes, one of us might want to go first instead of waiting for other slower hikers in the group.

Sometimes, one of us might even got out from the group and lost sight of others, and got lost.

This is where we need the walkie-talkie.

If there's at least a pair, we can communicate with each other even if we can't see each other, provided if we are still within the permitted range.

The above basically wrap up what's inside our hiking backpack which we brought to almost all of our hikes - the basic tools which we think are important.

All these, plus some foods and beverages, and some other optional stuffs such as cap, windbreaker, face towel, sunglasses, etc., sums up why we need such a big backpack for a daypack hike.

So, what are the things that you would bring for a daypack hike? 

Till the next blog post, ciao!!