There’s nothing worse than getting ready to set up camp and realising that you’ve forgotten the tent pole bag or the fuel canister or your sleeping pad. Keep life simple with a checklist and you’ll never have to spend a night huddled under a tarp, eating GORP for supper, or lying awake all night as the rocks dig deep into your body. Having a list and checking it twice makes backpacking a cinch. Here’s what you need to turn your backpacking trip into a success:

To pack & sleep:
o Backpack (with pack cover)
o Tent/poles/pegs/ground sheet
o Sleeping pad
o Sleeping bag

To find your way:
o Map
o Compass
o Headlamp

To eat & drink:
o Nylon stuff sack (1 or 2 depending on length of trip) for hanging food
o 6 m of thin rope (for hanging food)
o Pocket knife
o Food
o Stove/fuel
o Cook pots
o Cup/spoon/ bowl
o Cooking utensils
o Lighter (or matches in waterproof container)
o Water bottle
o Water filter or purification tablets

To stay warm & dry:
o Waterproof jacket
o Hiking boots
o Socks (min. 2 pair)
o Underwear
o One quick-dry long sleeve shirt
o One quick-dry short sleeve shirt
o Pants (zip-off, two pair, quick-dry)
o Fleece Jacket
o Sun hat
o Toque
o Gloves
o Long underwear

To be legit & safe:
o Permits/license
o Emergency contact plan (who, what, where, when, how)

To be healthy & clean:
o First aid kit
o Toothbrush/paste
o Toilet paper
o Insect repellent
o Sunscreen
o Sunglasses
o Personal Medication

Optional:
o Waterproof pants
o Gaiters
o Umbrella
o Camp shoes/sandals
o Biodegradable soap
o Dishwashing Cloth
o Face Cloth
o Books
o Binoculars
o Cards/Dice
o Pen/paper
o Camera/batteries
o Trowel
o Hiking poles
o Spare fly (for cooking area shelter)

Tips: Keep the weight down by bringing only what you need (a partial roll of TP; a travel-size container of toothpaste; a sample size bottle of soap). If you regularly hike with a dog, add their food, leash, packs... Put a personalized, one-page checklist like this in your computer’s word program; it allows for quick updating and printing. Don’t let your trip become an epic simply because you left a key piece of gear behind.