The little luxuries to pack for a thru-hike

Packing for a thru-hike can be a daunting prospect. You’re planning for every eventuality over months of walking and camping in an everchanging wilderness where the weather is unpredictable and the terrain evolves rapidly from one week to another. Depending on your hike, you could be looking at packing for snow, desert, mud, cities, or a combination of all.

When you pack for a thru-hike, knowing your priorities is essential and everyone’s kit will be a little different. If you get cold easily, you may have more layers and a thicker sleeping bag. Hate to be uncomfortable? You might want to splash out on the best sleeping pad and a bigger tent. If speed and efficiency is your priority, you might be cutting down on kit for the lightest bag.

Personally, whilst I understand every gram counts when you’re halfway up that never-ending incline, I like to have my creature comforts. After a wet season on trail, I value being warm and dry. So these are the little luxuries I’d pack for a thru-hike every time. 

Spacious tent

An essential but I have some non-negotiables when it comes to tents. It needs to stay dry, I need space to sit up, and I need an area where I keep my shoes without them getting soaked in the rain… My answer to that was a 2-person tent. To me, the space is worth the extra few grams of carrying it. My recommendation is MSR’s Hubba Hubba NX-2. This tent has survived the Tour Du Mont Blanc, nights on Scottish hilltops, and the whole Te Araroa trail. When it finally gives up, I’ll probably replace it with the same one again.

Comfy pillow

A game-changer for me has been my pillow. I used the Hikenture pillow and really liked how I could wrap the elastic under my sleeping pad to keep it in place. The cover also comes off to wash which I appreciated whilst using it almost every night for four months.

Silky sleep mask

A good sleep mask. Sometimes you’ll be in huts or hostels or going to bed before the sun goes down and there’s nothing worse than desperately trying to count sheep whilst the glare of a thousand suns shines in your eyes. Partner your mask with a pair of good ear plugs to drown out the noise of other campers, hostel roommates, and active nocturnal wildlife and you’ll have a restful night on trail. 

Cozy socks

Bring a pair that you know are comfy and make you feel at home. Some days you’ll be crossing rivers and squelching through mud. A pair of warm, dry socks (preferably fluffy) will give your feet a much needed respite. 

Fairy lights

Other hikers might think you’ve lost the plot here but having a small string of fairy lights turn a cold dark night far from home into a cozy adventure. I’ve also found them incredibly useful for identifying my little home when making the treacherous journey across a crowded campsite in the middle of the night. 

Motivational mascot

Some days on trail are long and tiring. I was warned that traversing MT Rintoul would be one of the hardest days on the Te Araroa Trail and the mountain did not disappoint. After a beautiful ridge walk, the trail took on another long, steep ascent to the summit of Little Rintoul. What followed was an equally arduous descent down the steep scree, another climb to the summit of Mt Rintoul, and the hours of scree all the way to the hut. On days like this on trail, every little piece of motivation helps. Mine was a little token, gifted by my flatmate and chosen for its resemblance to a beloved cat and it travelled the whole 3,000km with me. 

Pack for what you value

People often say “you pack for what you fear”. The little luxuries you choose to bring should be based on what you value, whether that’s a good night’s sleep, warm feet, or high-quality pictures. Keeping the pack light is important but enjoying the experience is even more so. Remember this when you choose the little luxuries to pack for a thru-hike.