Last updated on January 25th, 2024 at 05:15 pm
I’ll be the first to admit that I often pack a few luxury items for backpacking trips on top of the essentials. I appreciate the extra comfort and the treats for both the hike and at camp. Some of these luxury items I take with me on every backpacking trip, while others I switch in and out of my pack depending on the trip.
For longer trips or hikes with lots of elevation gain I try to keep my pack weight to a minimum but for shorter trips and trips where I set up camp in one spot for a few nights, I’ll take a few extra luxury items. Regardless of the trip, your backpack should never weigh more than around 20 percent of your body weight.
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10 Luxury Items For Backpacking
1. Pillow
Coming in at the top of the list is a luxury item for backpacking that I take on every trip, a pillow! Sleep is so important in the backcountry and good night’s sleep can really make the next day a winner! I love my Sea To Summit Aeros pillow because it packs really small and is lightweight, so it’s easy to bring on every trip. For a more comfortable but bulkier option, the Nemo Fillo pillow is very popular and many reviews say it’s the closest thing to your pillow at home you can find for backpacking. I haven’t tried it out yet, but I may have to with reviews like that!
2. Camp Shoes
After a long day of hiking in your boots, nothing feels better than taking them off when you reach camp. Of course you still have to set your tent up, cook food and go to the washroom at a minimum. This is where bringing along a pair of camp shoes as one or your luxury items for backpacking comes in to their own.
Depending on the weather forecast for the trip I’ll either pack a pair of flip flops, typically my preference is my Chaco Cloud 2 sandals, however these are pretty heavy, but of so comfortable. For longer trips I’ll bring something like the Teva Universal sandal along. I like to take saddles which strap onto my feet securely as a backup for if something happens with my boots. Worst case I still have something I could….uncomfortably hike in if I absolutely had to. I don’t joke, I’ve seen a woman hiking out from a trail, limping with a pair of Teva sandals on.
If the weather is looking on the cooler side, my go to is the North Face Thermoball booties. These are neither the lightest, nor do they pack the smallest of the camp slippers on the market but they are so hard wearing and ready for whatever the weather throws at you. There are however lots of options out there for camp slippers, so pick a pair that suits your needs.
3. Tiny Pump
A tiny pump as one of my top luxury items for backpacking might sound a little ridiculous but when you are on a multi-day hike, the last thing I want to do every evening is blow up my air mattress…and I know I’m not the only one! There is nothing wrong with the air pag situation my Thermarest pad comes with but it’s time consuming and can be like a jenga puzzle when trying to blow up two in a small two man tent.
We used to each try and avoid doing this dull task, then we decided it was only fair to take it in turns. Now with the tiny pump, it isn’t a chore. We have the Flextail tiny pump with the light, we don’t use the light really and it’ll easily fill up both our pads, including mikes extra long and wide pad for five or six nights before needing a charge! Well worth the weight!
4. Seat
A small foam seat pad doesn’t in all honesty weigh that much but it is still one of my luxury items for backpacking, regardless of the weight. When you get to camp and it’s wet or cold…nobody wants to sit on a picnic bench, a foam seat pad takes all the hassle out of it though, keeping you toasty and your bum slightly less numb. We have the Thermarest Z Seat. They fold up and I just clip mine to the lower straps on my backpack. This also makes it easy to grab during the hike when we stop for a break.
For a more luxury option, we also have small backcountry camping chairs. These are, in my opinion, too heavy to warrant bringing on most trips. But short backpacking trips or canoe trips, these are a perfect option!
5. Kindle
Quite often when we find ourselves getting to camp early or it’s raining or cold out, it is so nice to snuggle up in the tent and read a book…but who is carrying a book into the backcountry? Don’t get me wrong, I have done it a few times but getting a kindle was a game changer. The fact it is back-lit also allows me to read in the dark without using a headlamp, plus I can load it up with different titles and read what I’m in the mood for.
6. Coffee Maker
I know there are plenty of coffee lovers out on the trail and so the ability to make good coffee in the backcountry is one of the many luxury items for backpacking people won’t leave home without. We use the super lightweight and fairly small GSI Coffee Rocket. It’s not fancy but it does the job and is a great price! I know lots of others take the aeropress into the backcountry for real gourmet coffee.
7. Sleeping Bag Liner
For many, a sleeping bag liner doesn’t make the cut but for me, it’s one of the luxury items for backpacking I always find space for! I have two Liners one for warm weather and one for cold weather. I absolutely love how they feel and they allow me to move around easily in my sleeping bag. Both my sleeping bag Liners are from Sea To Summit, they are on the pricey side but in my opinion so worthwhile. The added bonus is they help keep my sleeping bag clean and we all know how painful it is to wash a sleeping bag well!
8. Wine Carafe
On shorter backpacking trips I love a little camp treat, so one of the luxury items for backpacking I take on a few trips is a backcountry wine Carafe. It’s made by GSI for the exact purpose of holding a bottle of wine and carrying it safely into the backcountry with no glass to break!
9. Food/Snacks
Something we never skimp on is good snacks, which for many are luxury items for backpacking. We like to pack all the normal backpacking treats but also include extra candies, robust snacks like a bag of crisper, we also like to pack out smokies to make backpacking meals more interesting and ready cooked bacon to heat up to make breakfasts more exciting! Ham and cheese to put in wraps and warm on the stove make excellent grilled cheeses.
10. A Good Camera
Last on my list of luxury items for backpacking we think are worth the extra weight is a good camera. These are typically quite heavy, especially if you bring more than one lens. That being said, many trips you take, you may just do once and having beautiful, high quality images will help the memories last forever. I find it easier to carry using a camera clip which puts the weight directly on my shoulder strap and allows me to get quick access to my camera for pictures.
