You don’t actually need specific mountain hiking equipment. The gear you use for outdoor activities at home is usually fine for mountain hiking. For all hikes, you need good footwear and to keep yourself warm, dry and fed.  If you’re going to hike between mountain huts, you need to make sure your backpack isn’t unnecessarily heavy.

Simple equipment for day hikes

Dress in clothes that feel comfortable when you’re hiking on your home terrain! In a small backpack you carry a packed lunch, a seat pad, rainwear and something to keep you warm during breaks. Good hiking footwear, which can be boots or shoes with sturdy soles, is recommended. Even if you trust your shoes, bring blister plasters. There are summer days when you may need gloves and a hat, but there are also days for shorts and T-shirts. Keep an eye on the weather forecast and choose what to bring with you! Even if hiking trails are well-marked, you will be glad you brought a map and perhaps some energy bars! Bring your mobile phone, but don’t rely on it to work everywhere!

Day hike equipment list here

Simple equipment for multi-day hikes

Take a look in your store room and wardrobe. You probably already have everything you need. Dress in clothes that feel comfortable when you’re hiking on your home terrain. Your feet need boots with sturdy soles. It’s common for people to bring more than they need, so be wary of ‘useful things’. You’ll find your hike in the mountains so much easier if your backpack isn’t unnecessarily heavy. You can choose to bring an open-air kitchen and cook lunches along the way, but a lighter option is to fill your thermos and make a packed lunch in the mountain hut, where you also prepare breakfast and dinner. You can buy food in many of the huts. You can see which ones in our list of recommended hikes.

Multi-day hike equipment list here: