My 8 Favorite Hiking Gadgets for Your Fall Adventures

There’s no time quite like fall for a new hiking adventure, especially in my home, where the high desert meets the Cascade mountains. The heat of August has faded, there’s a crisp smell to the air, and the trails aren’t as crowded — it’s a perfect combination for a new trek or planning a big camping trip.

It’s also an excellent time to upgrade your hiking kit with a bit of extra tech and few essentials I’ve found come in handy whether you’re hiking for days or just the afternoon. Below, I’m covering my favorite hiking upgrades I’ve made over the years. These add-ons are worth it for every hiker, even if you’ve never tried them before. 

1. A GPS tracker and communicator

For serious hikers, a GPS device is a must-have, especially when exploring less-trod trails and documenting your route afterward. It also functions as a safety net if something goes seriously wrong or you lose your stuff (climbers may even want a dedicated tracker for their additional supplies). I like the basic GPS trackers like this $30 LandAirSea model, but it’s easy to upgrade to a GPS watch.

Nowadays, there’s a new GPS darling on the scene that combines GPS with a satellite communicator or walkie-talkie, like this $400 Garmin model. That’s pricey, but communication features can be invaluable, especially for more serious forays beyond the trails or for volunteer trail work. You could also upgrade to a GPS map version, like this more affordable $200 Garmin version.

2. Collapsible trekking poles

Trekking or hiking poles are generally associated with uphill trails and icy or slippery conditions, but I’ve found they’re a lot more useful than expected. Collapsible poles from Black Diamond or Trekology can easily fit in or on your pack and only come out when needed. They’re a lifesaver if you or a buddy gets unexpectedly winded, finds a rough patch trail or becomes injured and needs a bit of help getting back to the roadside. You’ll frequently be glad you brought them along.

3. Filtration straw or pump

While LifeStraw has popularized the easily packaged filtration device, you can these filters in all shapes and sizes for your hike. Some even include pumps to easily filter water and add it to a bottle or bucket from a nearby river, lake, pond or pool. With something as lightweight and affordable as a LifeStraw, you can add it to nearly any pack. But filtration devices are especially important if you’re going to be out for more than a day or two.

4. Collapsible canteen

While people love their Stanley Cups and Nalgenes (where I live we’re Hydroflask people), those bottles are a little too large and heavy to comfortably take on every hike, especially if you’re going to be carrying around a pack for a long time. And on longer hikes when space is at a premium, they grow even more annoying.

My favorite alternative is a collapsible canteen or soft water bottle, like this $30 model from Hydaway. They’re lightweight water bottles designed to save space when they aren’t full. As long as you rinse them out and keep them clean, you can keep them with your hiking pack so you always have a way to quickly stock up on water and take a drink without weighing you down.

Read more: Best Dog Toys, According to the Experts: Our Dogs

5. Daypack with battery pack

Even casual hikers should invest in a simple daypack to carry along all these gadgets I’m talking about. A daypack is the smallest and most affordable version of a hiking backpack, popularized by brands like bike-friendly Camelbak (drinking straw included). They’ve got just enough room to store the essentials and a couple of snacks, plus a design that helps reduce sweat when walking in the heat.

There are many options to upsize to larger packs for longer hikes, but you should take a look at this Gregory pack for a more affordable upgrade. Whatever you choose, I highly recommend adding a small battery pack so you have a way to charge your phone and devices when they run low. Some of my friends love portable solar panels for charging, but they aren’t quite as convenient as slipping a battery pack into a spare pouch.

6. Rechargeable headlamp

If you’re planning on camping for the evening, watching the sunset out on the trail or plotting a moonlight hike, you’ll want a reliable headlamp to light up the dark while keeping your hands free. Today’s headlamp bands are easy to pull on and quickly rechargeable, making them perfect for these types of shorter excursions. Black Diamond has some of my favorite options for around $50, but you can find many different options including more affordable picks.

7. An all-purpose pee cloth

Pee cloths are traditionally for those who need to find a quiet place to crouch, go and then clean up while out on the trails, but these cleaning pads are worth it no matter your bathroom plans. With decorative art, reflective strips, anti-microbial surfaces and reliable hand protection, they can serve as coffee cozies, de facto “gloves” to handle messes or potholders for hot soups, along with anything else you need. The pads can become surprisingly all-purpose, even if they never get called for bathroom duty — just, uhh, remember to clean them before use.

8. A trusty hiking app

Finally, adding a hiking app to your phone can be tremendously helpful (although a waterproof map is always a good idea, too). Hiking apps, both national and local, excel at providing helpful information and up-to-date trail conditions as well as easily-zoomable maps for navigation. They’re a big upgrade for any hiking endeavor and most can work offline if you want to download a map.

If there’s no standout hiking apps for your specific state, region or mountain range, then popular generic apps include AllTrails and Gaia GPS, both with free download options. I personally like Gaia GPS more if you’re willing to sign up for a plan, but the many filters of AllTrails are available at no cost, which is always a great deal.

If you want to spend a bit more, the latest Apple Watch and WatchOS 11 updates include some excellent and inuitive GPS improvements for hiking and finding waypoints — without taking yourself too much out of the experience.

Now that you’ve started your journey, why not continue with our recommendations for the best outdoor tech, the top outdoor security cameras, how to add important security when living the van life, and our Editors’ Choice picks for the top AI and future tech.