This site stays free thanks to small commissions from links like the ones below — it never costs you anything extra, and it never changes what we recommend. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more.
A well-packed backpack is the difference between a good trip and a cold, hungry, blistered one. This is a practical backpacking packing list — the food, tools, and supplies that earn their weight for an overnight or a multi-day trip — organized by category, with what to skip and how to load the pack.
Quick answer
Build around the ten essentials (navigation, headlamp, sun protection, first aid, knife/repair, fire, shelter, extra food, extra water and treatment, extra clothing), then add sleep system, cook kit, and hygiene. Keep the base weight (everything but food, water, and fuel) as low as you reasonably can — under about 20 lb for most three-season trips.
The ten essentials
- Navigation: paper map, compass, and a charged phone with offline maps.
- Light: a headlamp plus spare batteries.
- Sun protection: sunscreen, SPF lip balm, sunglasses, a brimmed hat.
- First aid: a compact kit plus blister tape and personal meds. See how to build a first aid kit.
- Knife & repair: a knife or multitool, a few feet of duct tape, cord, and a repair kit for your sleeping pad and stove.
- Fire: a lighter, ferro rod, and waterproof tinder. See how to start a fire without matches.
- Emergency shelter: an emergency bivvy even if you carry a tent.
- Extra food: one day’s worth beyond your plan.
- Extra water + treatment: a filter or tablets and capacity for at least 2–3 liters. See how to purify water in the wild.
- Extra clothing: a warm layer and rain shell beyond what you’re wearing — wool or synthetic, never cotton. See which material keeps you warm when wet.
Sleep system
- Shelter: tent, tarp, or bivy sized to your trip and conditions.
- Sleeping bag or quilt rated about 10°F below the coldest night you expect.
- Insulated sleeping pad — ground insulation matters as much as the bag. Bring a small patch kit.
- Optional: an inflatable pillow or a stuff sack filled with clothes.
Cook kit and food
- Stove and fuel (estimate ~1 canister per 3–4 days for two people), lighter.
- One pot, a spoon, a mug, a small cutting surface for real food.
- Food: roughly 1.5–2.5 lb (2,500–4,000 calories) per person per day, more in cold or on hard miles. Favor calorie-dense, no-fuss items: nut butters, trail mix, tortillas, cheese, cured meat, oats, instant meals, olive oil.
- Repackage everything into zip bags to cut bulk and trash. Carry an odor-proof or bear canister where required.
Water, hygiene, and small stuff
- Bottles and/or a bladder, plus your filter or tablets.
- Trowel, toilet paper in a bag, hand sanitizer, a few wet wipes, a small trash bag (pack it all out).
- Toothbrush and a dab of toothpaste, sunscreen, bug spray, blister kit.
- Phone, power bank and cable, a paper permit/ID, some cash.
- Trekking poles if the terrain is steep or your knees appreciate them.
What to leave home
- Cotton anything — base layers, jeans, hoodies.
- Full-size toiletries, glass, and “just in case” gadgets you’ve never used on a trip.
- A second knife, a third light, redundant tools. One good version of each.
- Fresh heavy food for anything past night one.
- More clothes than a warm layer + rain shell + one spare of socks and underwear.
How to load the pack
- Bottom: sleeping bag and sleep clothes — things you won’t need until camp.
- Middle, close to your spine: the heaviest items (food bag, stove/fuel, water) so the load sits over your hips.
- Middle, outer: tent body, cook kit, bulkier soft goods.
- Top lid and hip-belt pockets: rain jacket, first aid, snacks, map, headlamp, sunscreen, phone — anything you want without stopping.
- Fill gaps so nothing shifts, keep the pack balanced side to side, and cinch the compression straps.
Frequently asked questions
What should you pack for a backpacking trip?
Start with the ten essentials — navigation, light, sun protection, first aid, a knife and repair kit, fire, emergency shelter, extra food, extra water and a way to treat it, and extra clothing — then add a sleep system, a cook kit and food, and hygiene items.
How much should a backpacking pack weigh?
Aim for a base weight (everything except food, water, and fuel) under about 20 pounds for a typical three-season trip. Add roughly 1.5 to 2.5 pounds of food per person per day plus water.
How much food do you need per day backpacking?
About 2,500 to 4,000 calories, or 1.5 to 2.5 pounds, per person per day, more in cold weather or on high-mileage days. Choose calorie-dense, low-prep foods and repackage them to cut bulk.
Where should heavy items go in a backpack?
In the middle of the pack, close to your spine and roughly between your shoulder blades and waist, so the weight sits over your hips rather than pulling you backward. Light, bulky gear goes low; frequently used items go in the lid and hip-belt pockets.
What should you not bring backpacking?
Cotton clothing, full-size toiletries, glass containers, redundant tools and lights, heavy fresh food for later days, and any “just in case” gadget you have never actually used on a trip.
Do you need a water filter for backpacking?
Yes, unless you have a reliable treated source. Backcountry water can carry Giardia and other pathogens, so carry a filter or purification tablets and the capacity to hold two to three liters between sources.
Bottom line
Pack the ten essentials, a sleep system, and a simple cook kit; keep clothing to a warm layer, a shell, and one spare of the basics; repackage your food; and load the heavy stuff against your spine. Weigh the whole pack before you leave — then look for what you can take out.
Related guides
🩹 How to Build a Survival First Aid Kit
💧 How to Purify Water in the Wild
🥩 15 Wilderness Survival Skills
This article is for general informational purposes only. Sources: REI Co-op expert advice on the ten essentials and pack loading; U.S. National Park Service backcountry guidance; Leave No Trace.