The Best Hiking Gear for Australia

Now that restrictions across Australia are starting to ease, our travellers will be gearing up for adventure. And with any good adventure, comes good adventure gear. We've rounded up the best pieces of gear you'll need to get out and explore all the rugged outdoor regions of Australia.

When out in the wilderness, the hiking gear you take is all you have to rely on until you get back to the comfort and safety of civilisation. It is up to you to determine the essential equipment that you carry and wear to make your hike both safe and enjoyable. Failing to bring along the right gear may result in a miserable experience or worse.

What you carry in your day pack obviously depends on the weather, terrain, time of year and a number of other factors. Whether you're going for a two-hour walk or a day-long hike, the checklist for day hikes always starts with the required ten essentials. Make your gear selection based on weather and the remoteness of destination, as well as the experience and preferences of your group.

Below we've rounded up the 10 essential items you need to discover the beautiful outdoor areas of Australia.

If you're trying to find the best daypack for shlepping around your food, water, and extra layers, look no further than the Osprey Talon 22. Osprey has become synonymous with top quality products since its inception in 1974.

With a sleek and versatile design, the Osprey Talon 22 combines features and a suspension often only found on larger packs. It stays comfortable and functional for a wide range of activities. During more active use, its flexible frame provides freedom of movement. For hiking, it handles a typical day kit well.

Here in Australia, we all know just how important it is to protect yourself from the sun. But what is appropriate for the beach, might not be appropriate for your adventure into the Royal National Park.

Staying ‘sun safe’ while enjoying time outside is hugely important and that means making sunscreen a regular part of your everyday routine. Your life literally depends on it!

You don't necessarily need something that is 100% waterproof, unless you're planning on jumping into a waterfall or hiking to a secret beach. But you certainly want a sunscreen that is water resistant, as we all know how sweaty one can get on a beautiful day hike.

Our pick for the best sunscreen to wear when exploring the outdoors in Australia is Cancer Council Repel SPF 50. This lotion is a dual-use sunscreen lotion that will help protect you from sun burn, and also contains active ingredients that help to repel annoying insects such as flies and mosquitoes. Bonus!

While most of us will be spending the day out in the sunshine, there may be a few occasions where some additional illumination is required. Maybe you've spent a bit too long lounging at Watamolla Falls, and find yourself marching back to the carpark in the dark.

Our pick for illumination is the ever popular Petzl Elite+ ultralight head torch, which weighs in at just 27 grams compared to an Australian 20 cent piece. This is the ‘go to’ light when for many travellers who need a portable, comfortable, and reliable headlight.

Ultra-lightweight and highly compact, this emergency headlamp is the one to always have with you. Thanks to its carry case, it is always ready to use and can be stored with its batteries for ten years in a backpack, a vest, or an emergency kit, or used as a back-up headlamp.

Whether you’re hitting the trails on your mountain bike or hiking up a storm out in the woods, staying hydrated hands-free is pretty key, so we’ve rounded up a list of the best hydration packs to help make it happen. 

If you’re going far afield, a pack with a decent capacity for snacks and other outdoorsy accoutrements is a must, as is a large bladder (the pack, that is, not you). If you’re sticking to your home patch, you can afford to go for a smaller model. 

Our pick for the top hydration pack for our intrepid explorers is the Osprey Raptor 14 - made by the same guys who make our top-pick backpack. This does-all hydration pack is accessible and comfortable for long days on the trail.

With its semi-rigid water reservoir, zip-around compartment, over-shoulder guide and magnetised sternum strap, reviewers found this the easiest reservoir system to remove, fill and use of any they’d tested.

Many travellers love the freedom of a hiking shoe instead of a clunky boot. While hiking boots can offer plenty of ankle support for carrying a heavy pack for days or weeks on end, a lightweight hiking shoe can make moving fast and efficiently over long-distance terrain a breeze.

There are so many hiking shoes on the market, however, and it can be difficult to decide which pair is right for your needs. To make things simpler, we've given you our pick for best all round hiking shoe - the Salomon X Ultra 3 GTX.

​The X Ultra 3 GTX is one of Salomon’s most reliable hiking shoes. Tipping the scales at a miniscule 380g, it’s easy to forget that these shoes are even on your feet. They come complete with a high-traction Contagrip outsole and protective heel and toe caps.

For those that are avid hikers, having a towel meant for backpacking can be a lifesaver. Regular towels are bulky, heavy, and the cotton material takes a long time to dry, causing them to need to be packed away in your backpack wet or moist. This could cause bacteria to grow and thrive, possibly spreading to the other items within the backpack.

While it will save you some cash not purchasing a separate camping towel, your normal bath towel is not a practical option for traveling. These towels not only take up a large amount of real estate in your backpack, they also take a longer time to dry causing you to either need a dryer or a large, very sunny rock to lay your towel on.

Our pick for the best hiking towel is the Sea to Summit Microfibre Pocket Towel. This towel has all it takes to be the best travel towel. It’s made from quick-drying and moisture-wicking microfibre and comes packed in a small storage pouch that fits in the palm of your hand.

The ultrafine woven fibre feels extra-gentle on the skin, but the most amazing feature is the absorption power. Measuring 10 cm in length when packed and weighing only 112 grams, this is a smart addition to your travel gear.

Worrying about accidents or safety is not something we really want to do every time we go hiking but it is crucial to think about it and as the saying goes ‘Plan for the worst and hope for the best’.

Even if you are going for a short hike, there is always a small possibility you could break a limb, cut yourself or get bitten by insects or snakes, so you need to be prepared for the worst. Most first aid kits are compact and contain all the essential items you’ll need.

Our pick for the best first aid kit to keep with you on your adventure is the AMK 0.3 ULTRALIGHT & WATERTIGHT MEDICAL KIT.

It offers basic wound and blister management supplies in a waterproof and ultra lightweight bag. Perfect kit for the minimalist or as an incidental kit in your day pack or briefcase. 

AMK's Medical Kits products are field tested and approved by the top adventure racers, mountaineers, guides and outdoor athletes in the world and are.

While all of us hope for perfect weather on our outdoor adventures, there is no denying that the Australian climate can change quite quickly. Especially if you are up in the tropics. That's why its so important to be able to take along a lightweight jacket, that is ideally waterproof.

With the right rainwear, a bit of rain can add to your outdoor experience. But choosing the best rainwear is a competitive sport all on its own.

What material is the best? What other factors do I need to look out for? How do I ensure I don’t create my own personal sauna inside my jacket? Well, we've made it easy for you by given you our top pick - the Zeolite ShakeDry Jacket.

It’s the lightest, most breathable GORE-TEX ever made. The exposed membrane means extremely breathable, with no wetting out. It also means it’s delicate and needs to be worn on its own with nothing on top. That’s because the Zeolite ShakeDry Jacket is made specifically for runners and is the perfect training garment.

Now of course a sleeping bag is not going to be necessary for every outdoor adventure you go on, and perhaps you will not need one at all. But if you are considering a camping trip somewhere, or are into overnight hiking, then you're going to need something to keep you warm at night. There are hundreds of possible sleeping bags out there, and if you are an enthusiast camper, you will likely find something perfect for your specific needs.

But if you are looking for a simple solution, and something that is going to suit most beginner hikers, then look no further than the The Rivergum XL from industry leaders OzTent. It is an Australian favourite and our number one pick. Large, durable, warm, and super comfortable, it’s everything we want from a sleeping bag.

Today’s modern backpacker tends to pack more computing power than they used to land a man on the moon. Phones, cameras, and even handheld GPS devices are all very helpful, but they all have one problem. They run on batteries that will need recharging.

And in the woods or on the mountain you would have noticed there is an absence of wall chargers. If you’re heading outdoors with your electronic gadgets then you’re either going to need a really long extension cord or a portable way to charge those batteries. Our pick for the best portable phone charger for your outdoor expeditions is the Dark Energy Poseidon IP68 Portable Charger.

If you tend to be tough on your gear then you’ll like this portable charger.

Dark Energy claim it’s virtually indestructible, with it exceeding the Military 810-G drop test. It has a capacity of 10,000mAh which is enough to provide 3-6 charges for your smart phone.

So there you have it, a round up of the essential gear you'll need in your backpack as you head out into the wilderness of Australia. For more ideas on what to get up to when lockdown ends, checkout the below articles.