Complete Women’s Hiking and Backpacking Gear List

Lightweight and comfortable — a lighter pack will help you enjoy your backpacking trips even more and your body will thank you. This backpacking gear list doesn’t skimp on comfort items but scales back on clothing and non-essentials. Stick around to learn how you can lower your pack weight and not miss a thing.

Aside from a few personal items that you choose, this list should give you everything you need to go backpacking for anywhere from a few days to a few months. This list is also practical, meaning most products are the best overall value, rather than the best price or the best weight.

This gear list is best used for temperatures ranging from 45 to 75 degrees. If you plan on hiking in cooler or warmer temps, please adjust your clothing and sleeping bag/pad accordingly.

Interested in reading about my before and after Appalachian Trail thru-hike gear list? Click here.

Backpacking Gear List

Tent, Backpack, Sleeping Bag, and Accessories
Item	Recommended	Weight	Notes
Tent	Big Agnes – Copper Spur UL 1 Person Tent	2lbs 3oz	Weight includes tent body, rain cover, stakes, poles, stuff sack. This is my all-time favorite tent. It’s watertight and doesn’t require trekking poles to set up. For an even lighter option, check out the Big Agnes Fly Creek Ul 1
Tent Footprint	Big Agnes Footprint Copper Spur UL 1 Footprint	4.5oz	A tent footprint is the ground cover and gives you extra water and rip protection. They are typically sold separately.
Sleeping Bag	REI Magma	2lbs 4oz	Women’s specific temperature rating of 15 degrees making it a great 3-season sleeping bag. Alternative: REI Women’s Flash
Compression Sack	Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Compression Dry Sack	3.2oz	A waterproof compression sack is the best choice for storing your sleeping bag. It allows you to pack your sleeping bag very small and waterproof material keeps it safe from rain and accidental tears.
Sleeping Pad	Therm-a-rest NeoAir XLite Women’s Regular	12oz	The women’s version has more warmth than the unisex version of this sleeping pad. The women’s version only goes up to 5’6″, so if you’re taller than that (like me) go for the Therm-a-rest NeoAir XLite Regular, unisex instead.
Pillow	Cocoon Ultralite AirCore Pillow	6.7oz	Some Folks use a stuff sack with extra clothing in it as a pillow — I like the inflatable pillow.
Backpack	REI Women’s Flash 45	2lbs 12oz	45 liters might sound small at first, but trust me it is plenty of space.
Pack Cover	Sea To Summit Ultra-Sil Pack Cover	4oz	Some backpacks come with one. Also, some folks prefer to simply line their pack with a garbage compactor bag.
Trekking Poles	Black Diamond Trail Pro Shock Trekking Pole	1lb 1oz – (carried)	I haven’t used these personally, but I’m looking for a new pair! The Black Diamond Trail Pro made the top 5 on womenstrekkingpoles.com
Pack Weight: 9lbs 6.1oz

Clothing
Item Type	Item Name	Weight	Comments
Rain Jacket	Marmot Women’s Precip Eco Jacket	9.2oz	The Marmot Precip has become a bit of a standard as far as price vs weight vs waterproofness.
Insulation	Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer Down Jacket	6oz	This jacket is so light that you might not believe it at first. It’s also very comfortable.
Hiking Top	REI Women’s Sahara T-Shirt	5oz (Worn)	Quick-dry and breathable are the most important factors when picking a hiking shirt. In the heat, sweat can cause chaffing and discomfort. In the cold, it can be deadly.
Hiking Bottom	Nike Women’s Dry Tempo Short	5oz (Worn)	Pretty much any pair of quick-dry running shorts will do. I prefer the built-in liner (although it took some getting used to).
Sports Bra	Champion Women’s Freedom Seamless Racerback Sports Bra	8oz (Worn)	I like a loose and comfortable fit. Whichever hiking bra you pick, just make sure it dries fast!
Base Layer Top	Smartwool Women’s NTS Mid 250 Crew	6.6oz	Smartwool base layers are great for a lot of reasons. They are quick-drying and breathable, warm, and comfy, but also wool is odor resistant!
Base Layer Bottom	Smartwool Women’s NTS Mid 250 Bottom	6.4oz	In warm temperatures where it gets cooler at night, these are my pajamas.
Hat	Smartwool Merino 150 Pattern Beanie	0.5oz	Keep yer noggin warm on cold nights and brisk mornings.
Underwear (x2)	Patagonia Women’s Active Brief	1.3oz each	Quick-dry and breathable.
Hiking Socks (x2)	Darn Tough Vermont Women’s Merino Wool Micro Crew Cushion Socks	2.25oz each (1 worn)	Darn Tough has a fantastic return policy and the socks are crazy comfortable. The right socks are essential for any backpacking gear list.
Sleeping Socks	Smartwool Women’s Hiking Medium Crew	2.8oz	These are a bit thicker than the Darn Tough socks, and help keep toes warm at night.
Shoes	Salomon Women’s X-Mission 3 CS Trail Running Shoes	1lb (worn)	I prefer hiking in sneakers and tend to stay away from waterproof ones for better breathability.
Pack Weight: 2lbs 2.35oz

Cooking and Hydration
Item Type	Item Name	Weight	Comments
Cooking Pot	Snow Peak Trek 900 Titanium Cookset	6.2oz	The lid doubles as a small fry pan. The set is super durable. Save space in your pack by storing small cooking essentials inside.
Heating element	MSR PocketRocket Stove	3oz	While a homemade alcohol stove might be lighter, a cooking stove like the pocket rocket is easier to control and more convenient to use.
Fuel	MSR IsoPro Fuel	8oz	Isobutane canisters are mostly interchangeable.
Utensil	Snow Peak Titanium Spork	.1oz	The best argument I ever heard for a titanium spork is that it’s easier to eat ice cream with. Sold.
Lighter x2	Bic Mini	0.4oz each	Bring two small lighters instead of one big one. Then you’ll have a backup without the added weight.
Pack Towel	REI Mini MicroTowel Lite	.8oz	A super absorbent towel has a lot of great uses. I like to use mine for cleaning out my cook pot.
Water Filtration	Sawyer Mini Water Filter	2oz	The price and weight make the Sawyer Mini a no brainer. I prefer a filter over iodine or chlorine pills because it cleans the water and filters out gross little floaties.
Water Bottle x2	Smartwater, 1 Liter	.5oz each (empty)	Lightweight, cheap to replace, the perfect size (tall and thin) for fitting in a pack, durable plastic, and the screw top fits perfectly with the Sawyer Mini water filter. What more is there to say?
Total Weight: 21.9oz

Toiletries and First Aid
Item Type	Item Name	Weight	Comments
Sunscreen	Sawyer SPF 30 Stay-Put System 1 Sunblock Lotion	2oz	Consider the amount of tree cover there will be to determine how much sunscreen to bring. With a lot of tree cover, you might not need any at all.
Bug Repellant	Repel 100-Percent Deet Insect Repellent, Pen Size Pump Spray	.45oz	You can spray this on your clothes to help ward off pests. I detest using bug spray because of how sticky it makes my skin feel. You can get creative when choosing the type of bug repellant you use. I once hiked with a bug repellant incense stick burning and sticking out of my pack.
Toothbrush	Liberty Mountain Compact Toothbrush	0.5oz	I like the small size, plus the cover to keep the germs away.
Toothpaste	Any brand	1oz	Hiking is no excuse for poor dental hygiene … feel free to stop showering though … 🙂
Soap/Cleanser	Dr. Bronner’s Travel Size	2oz	Purell works, too, and is easier to use — but Dr. Bronner’s can also be used as a shampoo in a pinch.
Chapstick	Any brand	0.5oz	Chapstick should be on the 10 essentials for every backpacking gear list. Never leave home without it.
Advil, Benadryl	Any brand	0.5oz	Get a small ziplock bag or another container for pills.
Gold Bond or Vaseline	Any Brand	2oz	For hot temps, use Gold Bond powder or stick to help with chaffing. Use vaseline to pre-empt blisters by applying it to hot spots.
Tampons	Any Brand	2oz	Yep. I said it. Don’t forget em. I always carry some, even if I’m not scheduled to get a visit from aunt flow, just in case I run into a fellow female hiker in need. An essential for every woman’s backpacking gear list.
Toilet Paper	Any brand	1oz	Grab some off a roll and throw it in a ziplock bag.
Tweezers	Any brand	0.5oz	For ticks! Also for grooming…if you’re into that…
Nail Clippers	Any brand	0.5oz	Don’t be the girl on the trail asking strangers to borrow nail clippers!
Total Weight: 12.95oz

If you stop here, your base weight will be 15 lbs 4.3 oz. With few days of food and a liter of water, your total pack weight should be well under 25 pounds.

Optional Add-ons
Item Type	Item Name	Weight	Comments
Personal Locator Beacon	SPOT 3 Satellite GPS Messenger	4oz	I prefer to simply let people know my travel plans and when I expect to return. I also typically travel with a hiking partner. If you travel alone and will be outside of cell phone signal, a personal locator beacon might make sense for you.
Rain Pants	Marmot Women’s Precip Pant	11.5oz	In warmer climates, I prefer to get rained on than wear sweaty sticky rain pants. A good pair is worth considering if you’ll be hiking in colder temps.
Sunglasses	Suncloud Zephyr Polarized Sunglasses	1oz	Like sunscreen, the necessity of sunglasses depends on how much tree cover/sun exposure you will get.
Sun Hat	ExOfficio Bugsaway Sol Cool Adventure Hat	3.2oz	For trips where you’ll have a decent amount of sun exposure, a wide brim hat with SPF protection is a great idea.
Bandana	Any Brand	.2oz	Can be used in lieu of a pack towel, great for sweat and snot. Can also be used as a pee rag.
Bathroom ‘aid’	Tinklebell	0.6oz	Peeing in the woods as a female could be easier. Check out the Tinklebell for a lightweight solution.
Gloves	Northface Women’s TKA 100 Fleece Glove	1.5oz	Don’t be like me getting caught in a cold snap and wearing socks on my hands. I looked silly.
Total Weight: 1lb 6oz