Packing for a long-distance hiking trail is probably the most challenging aspect of the entire adventure. What do I need? How will the weather be? How much underwear should I actually pack? So many questions, so many decisions to make. It can be quite challenging (and incredibly time-consuming!) to put together your packing list for hiking the Alpe Adria Trail - or any other long-distance hiking trail, really.

So, in order to save you some time and headaches, I put my own packing list for hiking the Alpe Adria Trail in spring into writing.
Because it will likely require some personalization for you, I also captured my thoughts, learnings, tips, and tricks after having completed the trail in 2022. I did a lot of research on the best high-quality gear and learned a lot about the trade-offs between packing lightly and being prepared for all kinds of challenges along the way.

Just in case you haven’t heard of the Alpe Adria trail, yet, check out my post with some impressions from this beautiful long-distance trail in Europe. I also put together a gorgeous 2-week itinerary for the most beautiful stages in Austria and Slovenia.

What to Consider When Planning your Packing

The first and most important learning: Don’t stress out too much beforehand. Once you‘re on the road you‘ll be fine. Everything will sort itself out somehow, even if you should have packed that additional scarf or you‘re missing some cream for your sore legs. It definitely did for me, and I‘m sure it will for you.

A few more notes on the packing list:

  • This packing list is made for late springtime (May/June). If you‘re hiking during colder months you‘ll definitely need to adjust your packing. In summer you might be able to leave out the thicker fleece or gloves.
  • I based this list on my experience on the Alpe Adria Trail, but it can definitely be used as a base for any other long-distance hiking trail as well.
  • As a general rule, you‘ll want your backpack to be as light as possible but as heavy as necessary. As a rule of thumb, it should never be more than 15-20% of your body weight. However, I met no one on the trail whose backpack was heavier than 12kg (if they weren’t camping). Mine came to about 9kg (without water).
  • Rather pack fewer high-quality items than more lower quality ones. I can‘t emphasize this often enough, but the quality of your equipment will make or break the experience on the trail.
  • While this is obviously a women‘s packing list for a long-distance hiking trail, it can definitely be used by male hikers, too. Most of the products I recommend have a men‘s version as well and I‘m confident that the quality will be just as good. However, if any fellow male hiker has any other recommendations, feel free to share them with me and I‘ll get them in here as well.

Alright, let‘s get packing!

Here’s my ultimate packing list for the Alpa Adria Trial in spring

Below you’ll find a list of all items that I packed when hiking the Alpe Adria Trail in spring 2022. It’s divided into categories, which should help you get all your stuff together. Click on each category for a more detailed post including my reasoning and learnings for each specific item as well as the specific brands and models I chose.

Main Gear

  • Backpack
  • Hiking boots
  • Sleeping bag
  • Hiking polls
  • Microfibre towel
  • Rain jacket and/or rain poncho
  • (Daypack)

Clothing

  • 2 t-shirts
  • 2 long-sleeve shirts
  • 1 pair of hiking pants
  • 1 pair of leisure pants
  • 1 (warm) fleece
  • 1 pair of long underwear
  • 3 panties & 2 sports bras
  • 2 pairs of hiking socks
  • 1 tube scarf
  • (additional shoes)
  • (swimwear)
  • (1 pair of shorts)

Toiletries & Sun Protection

  • Sunscreen (+ sunscreen lip balm)
  • Sunglasses
  • Hat/cap
  • Toiletry pouch
  • Mosquito spray
  • Tampons & hygiene bag
  • Liquid soap (multi-purpose)
  • Toothbrush
  • Toothpaste concentrate
  • Comb
  • Nail clipper
  • Face cream
  • Lip balm
  • Paper tissues
  • Hand sanitizer
  • (Body oil)
  • (Ear plugs & eye mask)
  • (Contact lenses)

First Aid & Health

  • Face masks
  • Travel first aid kit (self-assembled)
  • Mint oil
  • Hikers wool
  • Black roll (peanut)

Food & Drink Equipment

  • Water bottle (1- 1.5L)
  • Insulating sleeve for water bottle
  • Large, foldable water bottle (2L)
  • Water purifying tablets
  • 3-4 zipper bags (to pack lunch)
  • 2-3 small trash bags
  • Tupper box
  • Spoon
  • (some provisions like granola bars, nuts, etc.)

Tech Stack & Important Documents

  • Smartphone
  • Powerbank
  • Charging cable (compatible with all your technical gear)
  • Headphones
  • Waterproof bag for tech stack
  • Cash
  • ID card (or passport)
  • Vaccination certificate (digital)
  • Debit & credit cards
  • (Health) insurance card & organ donor card
  • Emergency contact information
  • (Pen & small notebook)

Emergency (and just extremely useful) Stuff

  • EDC (everyday carry)
  • (Additional) pocket knife
  • (Additional) flashlight
  • Pepper spray
  • Microcord
  • Cable ties
  • Duck tape

That’s my simple overview of all items on my packing list for the Alpe Adria Trail. It’s very likely that you need to tailor this list to your specific needs and situation. To learn more about why each item is in there, why some others are not, and which (unexpected!) use cases there are for each item, check out the detailed posts for each category:

Or just get on planning your trip with my stunning 2-week itinerary for the Alpe Adria trail, including detailed stages & accommodation reviews.

By the way, this packing list obviously isn’t just for the Alpe Adria Trail. You could also use it as a base for hiking the Rheinsteig in Germany.