Summer is over, and while the beach chairs might be packed away until next year, the changing of the seasons means new ways to escape to the outdoors. One of our favorite ways to recharge as the leaves begin to turn is a weekend hike. But just like lounging on your favorite stretch of sand, a fall hike can be made much better with a few simple additions. Whether you’re taking on a challenging summit or simply stretching your legs, here are six essentials that will make your fall hike a little more enjoyable.

Mystery Ranch Scree 32

Mystery Ranch is built on a heritage of function, comfort, quality, and durability. Since 2000, Mystery Ranch has been manufacturing packs and load carriage systems for military, hunting, wildland fire, and mountaineering customers, with a focus on use-specific designs and hand-built quality.
This mid-size, technical daypack offers ready access to your hiking kit via Mystery Ranch’s signature, 3-zip design. The Scree 32 is a versatile 32-liter pack with an ideal capacity for most of your outdoor adventures. Longer hikes require ample hydration, so the Scree 32 is both hydration compatible as well as offering easy-to-reach water bottle pockets. For smaller essentials you want to keep organized, there’s a spacious zippered pocket the waist belt that’s well suited for your phone, chapstick and other small essentials

The James Brand Ellis

The Ellis is The James Brand’s competitor to the traditional Swiss Army Knife but with the added bonus of a lock-back feature which secures the blade and bottle opener/screwdriver while in use. The partially-serrated drop point blade is perfect for everything from prepping snacks or cutting cordage, and a machines bail loop adds a lash point for attaching to your keys, a carabiner or backpack.

The blade is fashioned of Sandvik steel and pivots on sturdy phosphor bronze washers ensuring easy, reliable use for years to come.

Matador Pocket Blanket

The Matador Pocket Blanket is a dry, clean place to sit – anywhere, anytime. It weighs in at only 3.8 ounces, making it ideal for hiking. It’s also water repellent and puncture resistant. It folds up in seconds with the Easy-Pack Pattern.

The pocket blanket is 63 x 44 inches, offering ample sitting room for up to four adults and comes with integrated corner stakes and weighted corners with sand pockets to help anchor it on windy days.

Miir Vacuum Insulated Bottle

The Mirr Vacuum Insulated bottle is a must for any outdoor adventure. Its slender design helps make it slip into any pack pocket and the spacious loop top is ideal for securing with a carabiner or piece of cordage.

The vacuum-sealed, double-wall design keeps liquids cold or hot for hours, and the 23-ounce capacity is ample for hydration on short hikes. It’s also constructed from stainless steel, making it robust enough for heavy-duty use.

Sunski Treeline Sunglasses

Part of Sunski’s premier Sidekick Collection, the Treeline is a modern take on mountain sunglasses. The Treeline is a lightweight companion for your outdoor adventures featuring removable plastic perforated side shades, giving you 360-degree sun protection when you need it most.

The Treeline’s frames are made from 100% recycled Superlite polycarbonate resin and the ocean/grey polarized lenses block 100% of UVA/UVB/UV400 rays. Each Treeline comes with a hard-sided carrying case and Sunski’s Forever warranty.

Wildsam Field Guides

Founded in 2012, Wildsam’s aim is to point travelers towards unforgettable experiences. They shed light on the lesser known, the complex, the real things, through their series of American field guides. Through the guides, Wildsam documents a place through its stories. Both the city series and road trip series explore via prose and personalities, mixing together historical anecdotes, local interviews, literary memoir and hand-drawn maps, all in service of a deep understanding of place. The guides also offer a highly curated list of recommendations, the kind of smart list a close friend might offer.

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