A single-day outing doesn't require much equipment: it's enough to have a rucksack of no more than 20-22 litres in volume (sometimes even smaller rucksacks will do).
Improvised rucksacks should be strictly avoided, because after the first few kilometres you would start to feel pain from the poor posture of your shoulders and back. The rucksack must absolutely be put on and tried out at the time of purchase and, just as when choosing your footwear, you shouldn't save money when buying a rucksack, because the health of your back depends on it.
Comfort must be the watchword, although the real test of the quality of your purchase will only come when you walk.
All the items useful for the hike go in the rucksack: see here how to pack your rucksack.
Practically indispensable accessories:
- First aid kit
- Compass and altimeter
- Map
- Drinks and food
- Multi-purpose penknife
- Mobile phone
- Height-adjustable trekking poles
- Rain cape
- Sunglasses with UV filter
Optional accessories:
- Camera
- GPS
- Extra clothing if necessary
- Paper tissues
- Pen and notepad
- Compact binoculars
- Guidebooks
Let's look at some of these items in detail.
The first aid kit must never be missing. On this subject we recommend reading the chapter on preparing a personalised kit, and avoiding buying ready-made kits of little use. Rather, we advise you to spend a little time putting together a personalised kit suited to the hikes you intend to do.
The compass together with the map (or alternatively a good GPS) are the core and the key to navigation. Without them, in fog or in dense woodland, it is easy to get lost and turn an ordinary hike into a dramatic tragedy.
The altimeter can give useful information on the height gain covered (it is not essential, but useful). Bear in mind that a trained hiker usually climbs on average 300 metres of height gain an hour, naturally on waymarked paths that are not too complex. This is how the altimeter can give us information not only on the size of a mountain but also on the time needed to cover a certain height gain.
Trekking poles should be collapsible, so that you can fix them to the rucksack and be as little hindered as possible on any rock passages that require the use of your hands. Very useful on long routes, they let you shift part of the weight onto your arms rather than onto your hips and spine. They are also a useful aid to balance, preventing sudden losses of balance caused by the features of the path (stones or boulders to get over). They are awkward when climbing very steep slopes; in these cases they should be collapsed and tied to the rucksack, preferably with the tips pointing so that they are not dangerous to yourself or to other hikers.
Grippy rubber handles are recommended, giving a soft and at the same time sufficiently "sticky" grip. Poles with a mechanical snap lock are not recommended; poles with a screw lock are awkward because in certain temperature conditions the screw tends to seize and it becomes difficult to collapse them.
Unfortunately, mobile phones are not 100% reliable, because mountains, valleys, towers and routes hemmed in by steep gullies can block even the microwaves of mobile phones, making all communication impossible. Don't rely on your mobile... ever.
It's useful to draw up a checklist of all the items to take and to refine the list each time, adding or removing the items you do or don't need.
Each season requires certain equipment, each weather condition calls for specific, particular precautions. Only experience can give us the (bare minimum) confidence to carry nothing more than what we were likely to need.