Hiking can be a pricey activity, especially when you factor in the cost of hiking essentials like appropriate protection from the elements, a proper first aid kit and comfortable footwear. Plus, extras like one of the best GPS-equipped smartwatches and fancy hydration packs can add hundreds of dollars to your total bill.
However, breaking the bank and hitting the trails doesn’t have to go hand-in-hand. I recently enjoyed a six-mile trek with 2,000 feet of elevation gain in Washington’s Cascade Mountains and brought along a surprising number of useful and affordable items that made the day extra enjoyable.
Ranging in price from around $10 to $75, every item below is now a part of my core day-hiking kit. These are my five favorite affordable hiking items.
1. A $10 compass from Amazon
You could easily spend $65 on a high-quality hiking compass, like the Suunto M-3 NH, that is sure to last you the long haul, assuming you don’t drop or lose it.
However, I prefer this inexpensive $10 compass from Amazon that shares the same design and features as a higher-end Suunto model, but at a price where I don’t feel obliged to baby it.
It features a nifty turning bezel to line up true North, a see-through acrylic base so that you can use it to navigate a map and a small ruler. More importantly, it weighs little, slips into a pocket and is accurate enough for most needs.
And while carrying a magnetic compass isn't necessary — we all have digital ones on our phones — it’s still a handy tool for emergency navigational purposes, especially if you were to get lost. It’s also a lot of fun to pull out mid-trek to check in on your route and intended direction.
2. This stretchy, moisture-wicking sun gaiter
A neck gaiter for summer hikes? You bet. Patagonia's lightweight, moisture-wicking gaiter provides 40+ UPF sun protection for hikes with limited shade. As someone who easily gets sunburnt on my neck, I like to wear one with a full-brim sun hat for extra protection.
For hikes with lots of canopy cover, like my most recent trek, the neck gaiter instead served as a pocket-friendly means for wiping sweat and dust from my face and neck. It also works as a napkin in a pinch.
3. A cheap cycling water bottle
I love rocking one of the best water bottles when traveling via car or plane and prefer one of the best hydration packs for really long hikes. However, for the majority of my single-day outdoor adventures, I carry nothing more than a humble bike water bottle.
Why? With a little bit of ice, it doesn't take much effort to keep things cool for several hours. More importantly, they weigh next to nothing, cost next to nothing, deploy water with a simple squeeze of the hand and easily slide into even the narrowest backpack pockets.
4. A sharp everyday carry knife
Everyday carry knives range quite a bit in price. My personal favorite for hikes, the Civivi Baby Banter, is around $60. If that's out of your price range, consider the equally capable and pocket-friendly Gerber Paraframe, which tends to sell for around $10.
A sharp knife is a sensible piece of kit for any outdoor adventure, even if it largely remains in your pocket or backpack. On my most recent excursion, though, I put mine to good use stripping the bark and branches off of a near-perfect walking stick, to assist my partner's downhill trek. I also used it to slice open a stubborn bag of beef jerky.
5. A rugged, pocket-friendly telescope
Priced at $75, the Nocs Field Tubs — a rugged-built, weather-resistant telescope — is the priciest of the items I carried.
And while carrying a telescope while hiking may seem superfluous, checking out the views from the top of a mountain peak on a clear day through the Field Tube is a real treat. It's also a great piece of tech for anyone passionate about birding or wildlife, in general.
At 8.5 ounces and no larger than a Red Bull can, it easily fits in a water bottle pocket and adds minimal weight. It's worth noting that Nocs recently launched an updated version of this popular monocular, the new Nocs Field Tube, with better optics and waterproofing, for $125. But, for most folks, the older and more affordable version should suit you just fine.
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