My 8 Favorite Travel Gadgets for Your Fall Adventures

There’s no better time than fall to embark on a new hiking adventure, especially at home where the high desert meets the Cascades. The August heat has subsided, the air smells fresh, and the trails aren’t as crowded—the perfect combination for a new hike or planning a big campsite.

It’s also a great time to upgrade your hiking kit with a bit of extra tech and a few essentials that I’ve found come in handy whether you’re hiking for multiple days or just for an afternoon. Below, I’ve outlined my favorite hiking upgrades that I’ve made over the years. These additions are worth considering for any hiker, even if you’ve never tried them before.

1. GPS locator and communicator

For serious hikers, a GPS device is a must, especially when exploring less traveled trails and documenting your route as you go. It also acts as a safety net if something goes seriously wrong or you lose your stuff (climbers may even want a dedicated tracker to store extra supplies). I like basic GPS trackers like this $30 LandAirSea modelbut it is easy to expand it with a GPS watch.

There’s a new GPS darling on the scene that combines GPS with a satellite communicator or walkie-talkie, like this $400 Garmin model. It’s pricey, but the communication features can be invaluable, especially for more serious off-trail adventures or volunteering on the trails. You can also upgrade to a version with a GPS map, like this this cheaper version of Garmin for $200.

2. Folding trekking poles

Hiking and trekking poles are usually associated with steep, icy, and slippery trails, but I found them to be much more useful than I expected. Black Diamond brand foldable poles or Trekology will easily fit in or on your pack and only come out when you need them. They’re a lifesaver if you or a buddy suddenly run out of breath, hit a tricky spot on the trail, or get hurt and need a little help getting back to the side of the road. You’ll often be glad you brought them.

3. Filter Straw or Pump

While the LifeStraw popularized the easy-to-pack filter, you can have these filters in a variety of 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 inexpensive as the LifeStraw, you can add one to almost any pack. But filters are especially important if you’re going to be out for more than a day or two.

4. Folding canteen

Even though people love their Stanley Cups and Nalgenes (where I live we are Hydroflask people), these bottles are a bit too big and heavy to comfortably take on any hike, especially if you plan on carrying your pack for a long time. And on longer hikes when space is tight, they become even more annoying.

My favorite alternative is a collapsible canteen or soft water bottle, like this $30 model from Hydaway. These are lightweight water bottles designed to save space when not full. If you rinse them and keep them clean, you can keep them in your hiking pack so you can always quickly refill your water supply and drink without weighing yourself down.

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5. Daypack with battery

Even casual hikers should invest in a basic backpack to carry all the gadgets I’m talking about. A backpack is the smallest, cheapest version of a hiking pack, popularized by brands like the bike-friendly Camelbak (complete with a drinking straw). They have enough room to carry essentials and a few snacks, and they’re built to help reduce sweat when walking in the heat.

There are plenty of options for bulking up your packs for longer hikes, but you should check out this Gregory pack for a more affordable upgrade. Whatever you choose, I highly recommend adding a small battery pack so you can charge your phone and devices when they run out of juice. Some of my friends I love portable solar panels for charging, but it’s not as convenient as sliding the battery into an additional pocket.

6. Rechargeable headlamp

If you’re planning on setting up camp at night, watching the sunset on the trail, or planning a moonlit hike, you’ll need a reliable headlamp that can light up the darkness while keeping your hands free. Today’s headlamps are easy to put on and charge quickly, making them ideal for these shorter trips. Black Diamond has a few of my favorites for around $50, but you can find many other options, including more affordable ones.

7. Universal Urination Cloth

Pee mats are traditionally reserved for those who need to find a quiet spot to hunker down, walk around, and clean up on the trail, but these cleaning mats are worth the price, regardless of your bathroom plans. With decorative art, reflective stripes, antibacterial surfaces, and reliable hand protection, they can serve as coffee pot covers, de facto “gloves” for dealing with messes, or coasters for hot soups, among other things. Coasters can be surprisingly versatile, even if you never get called to the bathroom—just, uh, remember to clean them before use.

8. Trusted Hiking App

Finally, adding a hiking app to your phone can be incredibly helpful (although a waterproof map is always a good idea). Hiking apps, both national and local, are excellent at providing useful information and current trail conditions, as well as easily zoomable maps for navigation. They are a huge improvement to any hiking endeavor, and most of them can work offline if you want to download a map.

If there aren’t any standout hiking apps for your specific state, region, or mountain range, popular generic apps include AllTrails and Gaia GPS, both of which have free download options. I personally prefer Gaia GPS if you’re willing to sign up for a plan, but many of AllTrails’ filters are available for free, which is always a great deal.

If you’re willing to spend a little more, the latest Apple Watch and watchOS 11 updates include some excellent and intuitive GPS improvements that are useful for hiking and finding landmarks — without overly limiting what you can do with your device.

Now that you’ve started your journey, you can check out our recommendations for the best outdoor tech , the best outdoor security cameras , how to implement important safety measures while living in a van , and our editors’ picks for the best AI and future tech solutions .