The essentials of hiking: all the accessories needed for a mountain hike

Going on an adventure in the mountains and enjoying new landscapes is the mantra of many hiking enthusiasts. To ensure you have a great time and make the most of nature's beauty, it is essential to be well-equipped, and for that, you absolutely need good hiking shoes (which you can find from brands like Lowa or Millet, or in our selection of hiking shoes) but not only! Whether you are going on an adventure in France, in the Pyrenees, the Alps, or abroad, there are many essential accessories for hiking, such as everything for hiking offered on our site. To help you prepare well before going hiking, we have ranked the 10 accessories to have for hiking.

#1 The backpack: your ally for comfort while hiking

#2 Water bottles: hydration is crucial during your mountain excursions

Having water during your hike is essential! Therefore, logically, the water bottle is part of the top 3 in terms of importance of your hiking gear. There are different types of water bottles to suit all your desires and practices, made of glass, stainless steel, plastic, in soft flask versions or even with a filter to fill it from a stream without worrying about what might be in it. You will also find different styles and colors depending on the brands to please all tastes. You will definitely find your happiness among the many brands available on Alpinstore: Camelbak, Klean Kanteen, Picture, Sigg, Water to Go, Lifestraw… and many more.

#3 The first aid kit: prevention is better than cure in case of need while hiking

To prevent small injuries or more serious ones, we can only advise you to go hiking with a first aid kit or also called a "survival kit"; inside you will find everything you need in case of a problem: band-aids, sterile compresses, emergency blanket, distress signal guides, whistle among others… There are ready-made kits from Care Plus, Ortovox, Arva, but you can also assemble one yourself where you can add, for example, a Swiss army knife, a compass, a tick remover, special blister band-aids from Compeed, or an insect repellent gel.

#4 Sunglasses: essential to protect your eyes

Sunglasses are a must-have in your hiking gear. Protecting yourself from the sun's UV rays provides significant ocular comfort; we recommend opting for hiking sunglasses of at least category 3, with category 4 being preferred for high mountains, especially on glaciers. There are different options to enhance your vision and enjoy the landscapes even more; sunglasses with photochromic lenses lighten or darken depending on the brightness and thus adapt to the changing weather in the mountains. Polarized lenses minimize glare to avoid dazzling.

#5 The hiking cap or hat: a protective barrier against sunstroke

As with sunglasses, protecting your head is also very important in the mountains; the sun and its UV rays are stronger, so if you want to avoid sunstrokes and sunburns, which are never pleasant, we can only advise you to put a cap or hat in your hiking backpack to take it out as soon as the sun shows its face! There is again a wide variety of styles of caps or hats with different materials that are more or less breathable, lighter or heavier, more or less versatile. It’s up to you to make your choice from our selection to opt for the hat or cap that suits you best. The team’s favorite is the Patagonia P-6 Logo cap.

#6 Hiking poles help you in your mountain ascents

If you are looking for more stability and performance during your hikes, you need hiking poles! There are lightweight and compact carbon models so you can take them everywhere and more robust aluminum poles. Using a hiking pole will help relieve the pressure on your joints caused by the weight of your body and gear during your outings. The longer your outing is, the more essential the use of hiking poles will be for your joints (knees, hips, ankles,...) to limit the risk of injury. Also, remember to equip your backpack with the essential camping and trekking gear.

#7 The headlamp or flashlight: facing the unexpected and lighting your beginnings or ends of the day

A headlamp or flashlight truly belongs in your hiking backpack, whether you leave at the crack of dawn for some or finish the hike at night, set up your bivouac spot, or explore a cave on your way. In short, you understand that the headlamp is an essential accessory in the outdoor environment. You will find very good value for money from iconic brands like Petzl, Black Diamond, or Ledlenser. You can again choose them based on your use; there are lighter ones, with hybrid and/or rechargeable batteries, more or less waterproof, with varying light intensities. Also, check out our page to buy a headlamp for hiking easily.

#8 Freeze-dried food: a good space-saving / flavor ratio

In order to eat hot while avoiding cluttering your backpack, many hikers opt for freeze-dried food. Freeze-drying allows you to minimize the space taken up by your meals by extracting the water so that it fits into a bag. This allows you to nourish yourself while varying the pleasures while minimizing the space taken in your backpack. You will find options for all tastes, sweet or savory, to enjoy a good hot meal, always appreciated, as they say: after effort comes comfort!

#9 The care kit for impeccable hygiene for mountain adventurers

If you are going for several days, hygiene can become an issue. For adventurers, there are wipes or biodegradable soap that are easy to use and biodegradable for a quick wash during your adventures, ultra-light towels that dry quickly. Every gram counts, so prioritize ultra-light small formats. For a complete selection, be sure to check out our range of hiking gear at the best price.

#10 Binoculars for all nature lovers

How beautiful nature is! For those who love to see it up close, which remains a good moment once you reach the summit of the hike, to try to spot the wildlife of the region: marmots, chamois, ibex, among others. What you absolutely need at the bottom of your backpack are binoculars! You will find robust, waterproof binoculars, more or less powerful, more or less lightweight depending on your practice. Discover our practical guide to buy binoculars for hiking of quality.

How to choose your pair of hiking shoes?

How to choose your hiking poles?

How to choose your hiking clothes?