Best Bushwalking Gear in Australia: Day Hikes & Overnight Walks

Frequently asked questions

What size backpack do I need for bushwalking?

Match volume to trip length and, crucially, match the harness to your body. A day loop needs roughly 20-35 litres; an overnight walk needs 40-60 litres once you add sleep gear. Beyond litres, the back length and hip size must fit you, because a pack transfers load through the hips only when sized correctly. Read the maker's torso and hip ranges and measure yourself rather than guessing small or medium. Fit decides comfort far more than brand or the number of pockets does.

Are trekking poles worth it for hiking?

For hilly, loaded or rough ground, usually yes. Poles shift impact off your knees on descents, add stability on river crossings and loose stone, reduce fatigue by sharing the work with your arms, and can even pitch a shelter. For flat, easy day walks they can be clutter that you keep stowing and unstowing. If your knees complain downhill or you carry weight on uneven tracks, they earn their extra grams; if you mostly stroll smooth flat trails, you may be happier without them.

How much water should I carry on an Australian walk?

More than distance alone suggests, because heat and exposure raise drinking fast and reliable water can be scarce. A practical rule is to plan around the longest dry section between trustworthy sources, not the total distance, then add a generous reserve for delays and hot afternoons. In many parts of Australia the gap between dependable water, not the town map, sets the safe length of a walk. Treat every shown tank or creek as uncertain until seen, and pair capacity with a way to treat water when you may have to.

Do I really need a compass if I have a phone GPS?

Yes, carry a battery-free compass and a paper map, and know how to use them. A phone or GPS is a superb aid but dies, fogs, loses signal and fails in cold or water, and getting lost when the screen goes dark is exactly the scenario you must survive. A baseplate compass works in any weather with no charge, but it is only safety if you can set a bearing and walk it, so learn the skill on an easy track before you depend on it. The electronic device is the bonus; the map and compass are the backup that cannot fail on you.

What makes a good rain shell for hiking?

Fully taped seams, a genuinely adjustable hood that clears your face, ventilation zips for climbing, and a waterproof-breathable membrane rated for real rain rather than a light drizzle. Weight and packability matter because it must live in the lid until the moment you need it, but honest waterproofing costs a little more than a thin windbreaker. For coastal and southern weather, buy the waterproofing your worst storm demands; for hot dry country a lighter wind-resistant layer may be enough. Match the spec to your weather, and pack it small enough that you always carry it.

How do I keep a hydration bladder clean?

Dry it fully after every use and clean it regularly, because a bladder left damp grows biofilm that is genuinely unpleasant to drink through. Choose a reservoir with a wide opening you can reach inside, a hose and bite valve that come apart for washing, and a design safe to freeze or dry. Run a cleaning solution and bottle brush through it on a schedule, store it open and completely dry between trips, and carry a spare cleaning tab on long walks. A system you will actually clean beats a clever one you will not, because a dirty bladder is worse than a simple bottle.

What is the difference between day-hiking and overnight gear?

Volume and the sleep system. An overnight walk adds a shelter, sleep bag and pad and more food, which pushes pack size from the 20-35-litre day range up to 40-60 litres, and changes how much water and fuel you carry between sources. The core walking system — pack fit, poles, shell, hydration, navigation — is the same; you are scaling capacity and adding the sleep kit that our dedicated sleeping-bag and pad guides cover. Buy the pack for the trips you do most, and resist carrying a huge overnight bag on day walks.

Should I buy ultralight or durable gear?

It depends on how far and how often you go. Ultralight kit saves grams that you pay for on every hill, which matters on long distances, but the thinnest shell snags, the lightest pack wears and the minimalist boot offers less support. For short and moderate walks, a mid-weight, repairable, forgiving item often gives more years and fewer problems for a modest weight penalty. Choose the lightest gear that still keeps you warm, dry and fed, and never drop below that safety floor just to shave a few hundred grams.

How do I choose the right backpack harness?

Fit it to your body, not the other way around. A good harness transfers most of the load through a padded hipbelt to your hips, with shoulder straps mainly for stability, and it comes in back-length and hip-size ranges you must match to your measurements. Look for an adjustable torso, load-lifter straps over the shoulders and a ventilated back for hot weather. If a pack sits on your shoulders and leaves red marks, it is the wrong size however nice the fabric is. Whenever possible, load the pack and try it before buying.

Can trekking poles help with anything besides walking?

Yes, which is part of why many walkers rate them. Poles pitch a trekking-pocket or tarp shelter at each end of the day, double as a probing stick for water depth at crossings, clear loose vegetation and spider webs ahead of you, and steady a tired or injured walker on rough ground. Some pole pairs convert to a single longer pole for river crossing. They are one of the few walking items with genuine multi-use value beyond the stride, especially on overnight trips where they replace dedicated tent poles.

What navigation should beginners carry on Australian tracks?

A paper topographic map of the area, a basic baseplate compass, and the intent to learn enough to use them. On signed, well-tracked day walks a phone and a downloaded map are a helpful extra, but do not make the battery your only plan. Carry the map even if you trust the screen, keep the compass handy rather than buried, and practice taking and following a bearing on an easy, familiar track. Beginners most often get into trouble by over-trusting a phone, so the map-and-compass habit is the real safety step.

How do I protect against sun while bushwalking?

Combine shade, fabric and timing rather than relying on sunscreen alone. A wide-brim hat, sun sleeves or a long-light layer, and sunglasses protect skin and eyes over hours of exposure, and a shaded shell helps when you stop. Plan the hardest exposed sections for cooler, softer-light hours where you can, cover the pack's water access so you drink steadily, and reapply sunscreen to whatever fabric leaves bare. Under a hard Australian sun, cumulative exposure over a full day is what actually burns you, so cover more skin than feels necessary at the start.

Is a soft flask better than a hydration bladder?

They suit different habits, and many walkers use both. A soft flask is easy to drink from, quick to top up, simple to rinse and store, and adds flexible volume that collapses as it empties. A bladder lets you sip continuously from a tube without breaking stride, which improves how much you actually drink on hot days. The bladder rewards hands-free sipping but demands more cleaning; the flask is simpler but you must lift it to drink. For short walks a flask is often enough; for long hot ones the reservoir's steady access tends to win.

What footwear should go with this walking system?

Boots or shoes matched to your load, terrain and ankles, worn in before the trip. Light trail shoes suit dry, well-maintained day tracks and warm feet; sturdier boots suit heavy loads, rough ground and ankle support. Fit them with the socks you will walk in, and prioritise comfort and grip over waterproofing in hot weather, since a wet boot that cannot dry is its own problem. Footwear is a whole topic of its own; the point here is that the best pack and poles cannot rescue boots that cause blisters, so invest in fit and break-in regardless of the rest of your kit.