What To Bring On A Hike Date? Must Have Items!

Do you have a special someone in your life who loves to go on long hikes? If so, then this blog post is for you! Hiking can be one of the most rewarding activities that you do with someone else. However, it doesn’t matter how great the view is if you’re not prepared for what’s ahead.

1. Bring a Map of the Hiking Trail
2. Bring a good pair of hiking shoes and have spare ones
3. Wear Proper Insoles & Bring backup ones
4. Bring a Large Water Bottle Or Hydrating Drink of your Choice
5. Bring Some Snacks and Lunch
6. Apply Sunscreen Before And Pack Some It, a Hat, and Sunglasses In Your Bag
7. Bring an insect repellent or a bug spray
8. Bring your phone for safety reasons
9. Bring a First Aid Kit
10. Bring a Headlamp/Tactical flashlight in case it gets dark
11. Wear proper clothing according to the weather
12. Bring a sleeping pad to cuddle with your date

This blog post will help give some ideas about what to bring on a hike date – from snacks and drinks to proper attire and protection against the elements.

What To Bring On A Hike Date

Below I will go into more detail for each of the things I mentioned above!

1. Bring a Map of the Hiking Trail

If you are going on a hike with someone else, it is important that both of you have some sort of map or directions to where the hiking trail is.

It might be easier for one person to carry the map if there aren’t any trees around, but this isn’t necessary as long as everyone has access to it throughout the hike. You don’t want to get lost and end up having to call someone for help!

It’s also important that you pay attention when the hike starts so you know where it is.

You don’t want to waste your time trying to find out where the trail actually begins if it has already started, which can happen if one person doesn’t know what they’re doing.

You could also check with the person that’s going on the hike date to see if they have a map of it beforehand, which can be helpful if you’re unfamiliar with hiking trails in your area.

Just remember not to let yourself get lost as this might make for an awful experience!

2. Bring a good pair of hiking shoes and have spare ones

It’s very important that you bring a good pair of hiking shoes to make your hike date experience go smoothly.

Make sure they are comfortable and if it is the first time your bringing them, take some practice hikes with them before going on an actual one!

You don’t want to ruin the whole day because something went wrong with the shoes you were wearing.

The best thing to do is bring an extra pair of shoes with you in case anything goes wrong with the ones you brought or if your feet get tired and need a break from walking around all day!

I personally alternate between this and this because they are quite comfortable and you don’t have to worry about your feet hurting.

3. Wear Proper Insoles & Bring backup ones

It is very important that you wear proper insoles for your hiking shoes.

Insoles help absorb some shock and protect the bottom of your feet from pressure as well as provide more cushioning between yourself and the ground below.

You don’t want to be walking on rocks all day because it will hurt a lot!

I highly recommend you get SoulInsole it is by far the best insoles you get out there, and they are perfect for protecting your feet.

Check out this guide I made on how to protect your toes while hiking downhill.

4. Bring a Large Water Bottle Or Hydrating Drink of your Choice

It’s important to bring a large water bottle with you on your hike so that you can stay hydrated throughout the entire experience!

You don’t want to get dehydrated and become tired because it will be harder for you. You’ll also feel better once you drink some fluids, which is definitely something you want during an intense activity like hiking.

There are also drinks you can buy that will help hydrate yourself and replenish the electrolytes your body loses after sweating a lot. These liquids work well if you don’t want to bring water, but usually taste better as well!

I use this thermos bottle for bringing beverages while hiking.

5. Bring Some Snacks and Lunch

Bring some snacks and lunch with you on your hike date because it’s always good to have something in between meals.

You don’t want to be starving while hiking, otherwise you’ll become tired quickly which is the last thing either of you wants!

You could bring things like trail mix (which can give both of you energy) or bananas (which are easy to eat and don’t require any preparation).

I usually bring warm meals because I store them in a cooler insulated backpack.

Although you don’t have to, you can choose to opt for dry foods.

6. Apply Sunscreen Before And Pack Some It, a Hat, and Sunglasses In Your Bag

It’s important that you wear sunscreen before going on a hike because it will protect your skin from the sun.

You don’t want to get burned or have any bad reactions, which might happen if you’re not careful!

I highly recommend applying sunscreen at least 30 minutes beforehand so that everything can absorb into your body well, but of course, you can always apply it earlier to be even safer.

It is also recommended that you wear a hat and sunglasses while hiking because they protect your face from getting burned by the sun, which most people forget about!

I personally use this sunscreen for outdoor activities like hiking or biking. You can go with any other brand which has decent SPF and works well with your skin.

Remember even though you wear a hat and sunglasses that doesn’t mean you can skip the sunscreen!

7. Bring an insect repellent or a bug spray

Last but not least, bring an insect repellent or bug spray with you on your hike.

Something that most people forget about!

You don’t want to be swatting away bugs all day because it will distract both of you from the experience and adventure at hand. This is also something else that might make either of you uncomfortable.

So make sure you either bring an insect repellent or bug spray with you!

I usually use this deep woods bug spray and it works well.

You can also opt to skip bringing anything like this if the hike is in a location where there aren’t any bugs around. However, keep in mind that some places might have mosquitos that could bite you and annoy both of you.

Although it’s not necessary, I recommend that this is one thing you bring to the hike date if possible!

If you plan to bring a dog to your hiking date, I made a guide on how to keep ticks off your dog while hiking.

8. Bring your phone for safety reasons

Depending on how far your hike will be, it’s a good idea to bring your phone should anything happen.

You don’t want to lose your phone or have it malfunction when you’re in the middle of a hike.

It’s always good to bring your cell phone for safety reasons because something might happen and you’ll be glad that both of you brought one!

9. Bring a First Aid Kit and Know Basic First Aid

Make sure you bring a first aid kit with some bandages and ointments. You don’t want to be unprepared if something happens, which is another reason why I recommend bringing one!

If either of you gets hurt then this will definitely come in handy because it could save your day (or night).

I always bring one with me whenever I go hiking because it’s always good to be cautious!

It will also help if you know basic first aid so that both of you can stay safe during the journey. This way, someone doesn’t have to panic and neither do you need to look up how to stop bleeding or treat a cut on Google (which could take a while).

10. Bring a Headlamp/Tactical flashlight in case it gets dark

If you plan to hike during the day, then this won’t be necessary.

However, if you’re planning a nighttime date and it gets dark while hiking, I recommend bringing a headlamp or a flashlight.

It’s also helpful that both of you bring one just in case! That way neither of you has to worry about being in the dark.

I don’t use a headlamp I personally bring a tactical flashlight but, make sure you have either one.

11. Wear proper clothing according to the weather

Last but not least, make sure you wear the proper clothing!

This means that both of you should dress appropriately for what kind of activity or hike you’re planning to do. You don’t want either one of you getting too hot or cold while hiking which could lead to discomfort and distraction from your date.

Now, I get it, you want to look cute and not look like a bulky hiker.

This is why I recommend you check out this moisture wick clothing section on Amazon and get something that is practical, lightweight and looks great!

12. Bring a sleeping pad and blanket to cuddle with your date

You can bring a sleeping pad that is super soft and you two could sit on it and cuddle with a blanket together.

It’s the little things that we do that really make a good impression on our date!

Even if you don’t make a big deal about this, I’m sure your date will appreciate it and be thankful that you brought something like this.

You can try out this thermal sleeping pad made for 2 people if you don’t already have a sleeping pad.

Conclusion

I hope this blog post has provided you with some insight on what to bring on a hike date and why.

I wish you all the best and hope your date goes as planned!