Wander With S&S: The Beginner’s Guide to Travel Essentials – Hiking Edition
When we first started planning our 3-week trip to Alaska and Washington, we found ourselves wondering what was actually worth buying and packing. We’ve taken plenty of road trips where we realized too late what we should’ve brought along. But flying is a different game. You’re more limited on space, airline rules matter, and sticking to a budget gets trickier. This time, though, we came prepared with everything we needed, all without breaking the bank. That’s why we put together this Beginner’s Guide to Travel Essentials, the Hiking Edition, to help you pack with confidence, avoid the guesswork, and make sure you don’t forget the important (and even not-so-important) stuff.
Every trip’s a little different, but we’ll guide you through what you really need, what’s nice to have, and a few things we’d skip. Plus, we’ve linked our full Amazon list down below so you can see exactly what we packed and purchase it yourself!
Our can’t-travel-without-them essentials
Hydration Pack
One thing we always bring on our trips, especially the adventurous ones, is a hydration pack. It saves you from constantly buying water and helps you stay energized throughout the day. If you’re traveling with friends or family, even better, since everyone having their own means more water to go around. And if you’re planning any long hikes, this goes from a nice-to-have to a total must.
First Aid Kit
You might think this isn’t a must-have and that nothing will happen, but honestly, it’s better not to find out the hard way. If you’re worried about a big, bulky kit taking up space in your luggage, don’t be—we were too, so we made sure to pack a compact, travel-sized version that easily fits in a carry-on. Just keep in mind what’s inside the kit, especially with TSA regulations. If you’re not planning to check a bag, you may need to remove any non-TSA-friendly items or consider buying a kit once you arrive.
Pants Over Shorts? For Hiking, Yep.
Even if you’re hiking or traveling somewhere warm, it’s still a smart move to pack a pair of hiking pants. Why pants? We’ve had plenty of hikes where we had to walk through tall grass, spiky bushes, or even cold and snowy areas. Wearing pants helped protect us from bug bites, scrapes, and those surprise encounters with thorny plants.
Even in hotter states, hiking pants saved our legs more times than we can count. Most are lightweight, breathable, water-resistant, and super easy to move in. We’ve linked a few beginner-friendly options at the bottom of the page that worked great for us. And if hiking or long walks become a regular part of your travels, we definitely recommend investing in a high-quality, well-reviewed pair later on.
Hiking Shoes
These were a must! You definitely don’t want to be doing long hikes or walks in uncomfortable shoes. We knew that wouldn’t be us the moment we saw someone trying to scale a mountain in flip-flops—struggling. 😬 Throughout our trip, we saw plenty of people turn back early because their shoes couldn’t handle muddy, snowy, or rocky trails.
There are a ton of great beginner-friendly hiking shoe options out there that’ll help you go further than the unprepared folks—we tested some out ourselves! Hiking shoes can get pricey, so we made sure to find a pair that was both high quality and budget-friendly. If hiking becomes more of a regular thing for you, it’s definitely worth investing in a more advanced pair down the line.
But the ones we’ve linked worked great for us—and more importantly, they kept us on our feet instead of slipping and landing on our butts. Which brings us to our next must-have…
Trekking Poles
We used to see people on trails using these all the time and honestly… we just didn’t get the hype. We did most hikes without them and figured we were fine. And yes, you can get through trails without them—but after investing in a pair and putting them to the test, these quickly became something we never leave behind.
They’re useful on all types of trails, even the flatter ones, but they were a total game changer when it came to mountain hikes and steep hills. Think of them as a railing you take with you—they help support your weight and give you that extra push when you need it most.
They made every hike feel easier and saved us from falling more times than we can count. Honestly, they were a lifesaver. We must’ve said “Omg, we’re so glad we brought these” at least a dozen times while hiking through Alaska.
Not essential, but honestly? We’re so glad we packed these
Thermals = Game Changer for Cold Hikes
These are a must-have, but not for every kind of weather. If you’re headed somewhere hot, we don’t recommend them… unless you’re looking to sweat like crazy (kidding—but seriously, don’t risk heat stroke 😅).
That said, if you’re traveling somewhere cold, these are highly recommended. They saved us from having to over-layer and let us pack light without sacrificing warmth. While we still suggest bringing a rain-resistant coat or jacket for cold hikes, these made it possible to stay warm and hike comfortably without freezing our butts off.
Taste Salud Hydration
In our opinion, this is a must-have. Sure, you can stay hydrated your own way, but when we say we’re so glad we packed this, we mean it—like, a million times over. There are tons of hydration brands out there, but Taste Salud is our absolute favorite. Their flavors actually taste amazing (none of that salty nonsense), and we love the warm, inviting vibe their Hispanic-inspired packaging brings. They kept us hydrated and feeling great throughout the entire trip, not just during the hikes. We’ve linked some of their products in the Amazon list below, but we highly recommend checking out their full range of flavors on their website right here 👉🏼 Taste Salud
Tripod/Selfie Stick
We know, we know it might sound a little silly, but honestly, we are so glad we invested in one of these. During our trip, we stumbled upon some amazing hidden gems where there was not a soul around. Sure, selfies are fine, but when you want that epic shot together in front of a massive waterfall, a selfie just does not cut it. We highly recommend grabbing one because it let us capture photos and videos we would not have gotten otherwise. Fun fact: at Olympic National Park, we pulled ours out and a stranger said, “Wow! You’re prepared!” and yes, we totally were. We made sure to get one that is more than just a selfie stick, with a remote so you can set it up, walk away, and snap the perfect shot from a distance. (wouldn’t have this picture without one 👇🏼)
Travel Pillow
A total plane lifesaver. We honestly never owned one before, but for our honeymoon trip, we thought, why not splurge? After using it, we felt like we really spoiled ourselves. We couldn’t believe we didn’t buy it sooner! And it was only $10.00 🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻 We ended up using it not just on the plane, but also on our train ride on the Alaska Railroad and even just for lounging in our Airbnb. We actually slept well on the plane. I know… shocker. So if you’re traveling or road tripping a lot, this is super comfy, especially for those passenger princesses1 out there.
Stuff that’s just meh for hiking
Skip the Regular Socks
We came into our hiking trip feeling pretty prepared, but there was one thing we totally missed, and we don’t want you to make the same mistake. Don’t use your everyday regular socks. Sure, they might be fine for the gym, but for long hikes in all kinds of weather and temps, they just don’t cut it. We faced everything from rain to snow, and trust us, soggy socks and cold feet are definitely not the move. That’s why we did the research for you and found a budget-friendly pair of hiking socks trusted by experienced hikers everywhere.
Don’t Overpack Water Bottles
We take our personal water bottles everywhere—we even call them our “emotional support water bottles.” So of course, we packed them for our trip. But surprise… we didn’t end up using them at all. They just took up space in our suitcase. Our hydration backpacks came through every single day, and honestly, we didn’t need anything more than that. If you’re planning some seriously strenuous hikes, it might make sense to bring an extra bottle, but try not to overpack with things you won’t actually use. Trust us, your back will thank you.
Makeup, Hair Tools & Cologne/Perfume
Let’s be real, most of these things just end up taking up space. If you really want to sneak in your mascara, go for it (it’s tiny), but there’s no need to do a full glam session before hitting the trail. You’ll probably sweat it all off anyway—and your hair? The wind and humidity have their own plans.
The same goes for perfume and cologne. You might smell amazing for the first five minutes, but if you’re outside all day, nature’s “signature scent” is going to win. Plus, some fragrances can actually attract bugs and wildlife, so unless you’re trying to make friends with a mosquito, it’s best to skip it. And honestly? No one on the trail cares what you smell like. Promise.
- The co-pilot who loves the best seat, controls the music, holds the snacks, and skips the driving—basically, the VIP of the passenger seat. ↩︎
If only someone had handed us this list before our trip… good news, Wander With S&S did!
Comment below if you’d love more in-depth tips like this! We’re happy to put together a full list of our go-to travel essentials—and the things we’ve learned not to pack.
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