15 trail-ready gadgets and bits of gear you actually need this summer
The sun is out, the trails are calling, and nobody wants to be the person who forgot dry socks. Here’s the full kit list.
Summer hiking has a brilliant way of separating the prepared from the optimistic. The trail looks perfectly manageable on a sunny Thursday morning, but somewhere around hour three you want dry feet, a proper coffee, and a quiet confidence that you could call for help if things went sideways. This roundup covers boots, poles, safety gadgets and a few bits you didn’t know were missing from your kit, including five picks we added ourselves because no honest summer hiking list is complete without them.
Merrell Moab 3 Hiking Shoe
Twenty-five million people have worn a Moab. Not a marketing claim we’re letting slide unexamined, but after taking the Moab 3 out on mixed terrain from sodden moorland to packed dirt paths, we understand the loyalty. The Vibram TC5+ outsole grips where lesser shoes give up, the Super Rebound Compound midsole handles the heel-striking that happens when you’re tired, and the Air Cushion in the heel deals quietly with hours of accumulated impact. This version is non-waterproof, which is actually the correct call for summer. More breathable, less clammy, still protected by a rubberised toe cap and reinforced upper. Out-of-the-box comfort that doesn’t require a three-day break-in period of misery.
NORTIV 8 Pro Waterproof Hiking Boots
A waterproof boot with high-top cut, slip-resistant outsole and reinforced toe and heel protection at a price that makes you check the listing twice. We know how this looks. NORTIV 8 has built a serious community following on exactly this value-to-performance ratio, and the 4-in-1 rebound tech in the midsole genuinely punches above its weight class on trail feel. For anyone who hikes regularly but can’t justify a three-figure spend on footwear, this is the honest answer.
Regatta Carbon Walking Pole Pair
Carbon fibre poles at this price don’t come along often. The three-section telescopic design locks fast, the tungsten tip handles rocky ground the way it should, and the ergonomic foam grip with wrist strap cuts real fatigue from your shoulders and knees on longer descents. Packs down compact, weighs considerably less than aluminium alternatives, and doesn’t creak. For anyone who’s been putting off buying poles because they seemed extravagant: they aren’t.
Coleman Ultimate Terrain Wagon
This one earns its keep on the car-to-campsite leg, not the trail itself. A 132-litre interior and a 180kg load limit means the Ultimate Terrain Wagon single-handedly ends the six-trips-from-the-car problem that quietly ruins the start of every camping weekend. Wide all-terrain wheels handle grass, gravel and sandy paths without drama, bungee cords keep everything secured, and the side pockets take camping chairs so you don’t have to choose between chairs and the cool box. When it’s time to pack up, the wheels detach with one button, and the whole thing accordion-folds into its carry case. Genuinely useful rather than just impressive looking.
Osprey Daylite 13L Backpack
Lightweight day packs are a commodity until they’re not. The Osprey Daylite has become the benchmark partly because it does nothing wrong and partly because it does several things quietly brilliantly. The 13-litre main compartment takes waterproofs, snacks, a 2-litre hydration reservoir, and a first aid kit without bunching. The semi-rigid foam back panel keeps its shape and ventilates well enough to actually help. It’s hydration-compatible out of the box, and Osprey backs it with their All Mighty Guarantee, which covers repair or replacement for life without questions or receipts. An indispensable piece of kit.
Stay fuelled and hydrated
AeroPress Coffee Maker Clear Colours
The coffee situation at campsites is, famously, grim. The AeroPress fixes this so thoroughly it’s almost annoying for everyone who spent years tolerating instant granules at altitude. The Clear Colours edition is the same award-winning press, now in shatterproof Tritan colourways that are good-looking enough to leave on the counter and tough enough to survive a kit bag. The 3-in-1 brewing combines immersion, pressure and aeration for a grit-free cup that genuinely has no right tasting as good as it does at 6am with cold hands. Pull an espresso-style shot, a cold brew, or a smooth American in under two minutes from a device that fits in a water bottle pocket. Trail coffee changed forever.
aeropress.co.uk
Osmosis Holistic Hydration Water Bottle with Purification Filter
Water filtration used to mean a bulky pump contraption or iodine tablets that made everything taste of public swimming pool. The Osmosis bottle filters as you drink, with an activated carbon filter stripping out 99.9% of chlorine and common impurities on the way through. The BPA-free Tritan construction holds up to pack life without protest, the leak-proof design means it survives sideways in a side pocket, and each filter covers around 40 gallons before needing replacement. Particularly useful for European summer hiking where water quality can vary and you don’t want the stomach debate mid-route.
Adidas Anemos Light Sport Sunglasses
The Anemos Light takes the popular half-rim wraparound shape and strips it back: thinner temples, ventilation holes on the brow bar and arms to keep things clear on steep climbs, and a large cylindrical lens that handles peripheral protection on open ridges properly. Rubber-tipped nose pads and temple tips are adjustable and actually grip over a full day’s movement without leaving you readjusting every twenty minutes. Photochromic versions handle the constant shade-to-open-hillside transitions better than fixed tint. Optical quality sits comfortably in premium territory without the premium price tag that comes with the obvious alternatives.
Sekonda Motion Pro Smartwatch
The Motion Pro is the sort of smartwatch that makes you feel briefly guilty about how much other people are spending on watches. A 1.7-inch AMOLED always-on display that’s actually crisp, built-in GPS that tracks routes with enough accuracy to be genuinely useful, heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, water lock for river crossings and rain, Bluetooth calling, and a battery that averages five days between charges. The interchangeable 22mm silicone strap handles trail grime without complaint. It doesn’t do contactless payment, which is the one honest caveat, and for most people on a trail that’s not a problem worth worrying about.
Cobra TrailBlazer 500 GMRS Radio (2-Pack)
Two-way radios for hiking have always made theoretical sense and practical disappointment in roughly equal measure, usually because the advertised range turns out to be aspirational or the battery gives up halfway through day two. The TrailBlazer 500 is genuinely different. Designed and engineered in the US specifically for serious trail use, the 2.5W output with removable antenna provides real-world range that holds up through dense forest and across valley terrain. Battery life is 16 hours on a single charge, NOAA weather channel access runs 24/7, and the IP54 rating handles dust and water properly. The controls are chunky enough to work with cold or gloved hands. When you’re two miles from your group with no phone signal, this is the thing that matters.
Draper 12V Lithium Jump Starter and Tyre Inflator, 1200A
Lives in the car, not the pack, which is the correct place for it. A flat battery at a remote trailhead on a Sunday evening is its own special kind of terrible, and the Draper GT1200C is the thing that prevents it. The 1,200A starting capability handles up to a 6-litre petrol or 4-litre diesel, the built-in tyre inflator runs to 150psi, and three LED modes cover high beam, SOS and strobe for the roadside situation you didn’t plan for. USB-C and two USB-A ports charge phones and tablets when needed. At 1.04kg and 232mm long, it fits under the passenger seat without drama and ships in a canvas storage case. One of those purchases that sits quietly forgotten until the day it saves your entire weekend.
Black Diamond Spot 400 Headlamp
Summer evenings on the trail always end later than planned. The Spot 400 puts 400 lumens out to 100 metres, the IP67 waterproofing handles serious rain without complaint, and the Dual-Fuel design runs on either AAA batteries or the BD 1500 Li-ion rechargeable so you’re never properly stuck. Digital lock stops it draining in your pack on the way in. PowerTap switches between full beam and a dimmer proximity mode without cycling through a menu. The red night-vision bulb lets you read a map without your eyes staging a revolt. At 86 grams it adds essentially nothing to a pack. Every hiking kit list needs one and most of them are missing it.
Rab Downpour Plus 2.0 Waterproof Jacket
The jacket you shove in the bottom of your pack and forget about until the sky turns. Rab’s Downpour Plus 2.0 has earned benchmark status for a reason: 20,000mm hydrostatic head, 20,000g/m² breathability, pit zips for ventilation on hard climbs, and an adjustable hood that actually fits rather than sitting somewhere near your face. It packs to roughly the size of a large mug. The PFC-free DWR finish survives multiple washes without turning into a wet flannel, the YKK zips are properly robust, and the Pertex Shield fabric is quiet and soft rather than rustling with every arm movement. Buy it once. Use it for years.
Garmin inReach Mini 2 Satellite Communicator
A device you buy hoping never to use properly. At 100g and 10cm long, the inReach Mini 2 connects to the global Iridium satellite network entirely regardless of phone signal. Two-way text messaging from anywhere on earth, an interactive SOS that reaches the Garmin 24/7 emergency response team, TracBack routing to navigate you back to your starting point if things go genuinely wrong. Up to 14 days of battery life in tracking mode, IPX7 waterproofing, and MIL-STD-810 impact resistance. A satellite subscription is required separately. For solo hiking, remote routes, or anywhere that phone signal becomes an optimistic memory, this earns its place.
Osprey Hydraulics 2L Reservoir
A hydration bladder sounds like the least exciting purchase in outdoor kit until you’ve completed six miles with a water bottle bouncing around a pack and decided there has to be a better way. There is. The Osprey Hydraulics reservoir slides into the dedicated sleeve of the Daylite or any compatible pack, holds 2 litres, and delivers water through a bite-valve tube that routes over your shoulder and sits at mouth level without any stopping or fumbling required. The wide-mouth opening makes refilling quick, the slide-seal closure doesn’t leak, and the whole thing is made from taste-free polyethylene so your water doesn’t arrive flavoured like a sports bag. Staying properly hydrated on a warm trail is not a trivial upgrade.
Lifesystems Mountain First Aid Kit
Nobody packs this until the day they need it and can’t find it. Lifesystems’ Mountain kit is put together specifically for trail use: blister treatment (statistically the thing most likely to actually ruin your day), wound closure strips, triangular bandage, emergency foil blanket, safety pins, painkillers and antihistamine, all in a waterproof zipped case weighing 202g. It fits easily in the front pocket of a day pack and handles the vast majority of what actually goes wrong on a summer trail. Blisters, cuts, a twisted ankle that needs strapping. It won’t fix anything dramatic but it covers everything realistic, which is the correct brief for a piece of kit you carry everywhere.
How to pack for a summer day hike without overdoing it
START WITH THE NON-NEGOTIABLES Footwear, a waterproof jacket and a first aid kit are not optional. Everything else gets added around them. Start your pack with these three and the rest organises itself.
LAYER YOUR WATER STRATEGY A 2-litre reservoir handles a moderate day hike comfortably. Add the Osmosis filtration bottle as backup, particularly on routes with stream crossings. Running out of water on a sunny hillside is considerably more serious than people expect until it happens.
CHECK YOUR BATTERIES THE NIGHT BEFORE Before any hike over four hours, confirm the charge on your watch, radio and headlamp. Three minutes of checking the evening before prevents the specific misery of things failing at the exact moment you actually need them.
For trail running kit, see our guide to the best GPS running watches. For multi-day backpacking, start with our lightweight sleeping bag roundup.
