Alta Via 1 Backpacking Gear List

I hiked Alta Via 1 during the last week of August into the first week of September, and this gear list was perfect for the conditions. We experienced everything from warm, sunny afternoons in the 70s°F (low 20s°C) to chilly mornings around freezing at higher elevations, along with afternoon thunderstorms and one day of severe weather that caused us to end the trek early.

One of the biggest lessons I learned: you do not need to carry a sleeping bag. Every rifugio provides blankets and pillows, so a lightweight silk sleeping bag liner is all that's required. Leaving a bulky sleeping bag at home saves several pounds and frees up valuable pack space.

🎒 Backpack

• 35–45L backpack

• Rain cover

• Waterproof pack liner or dry bags

👕 Clothing

• 2 moisture-wicking hiking shirts

• 1 lightweight long-sleeve sun shirt

• 1 insulated puffy jacket

• 1 waterproof rain jacket

• 2 hiking shorts

• 1 lightweight hiking pants (optional but nice for cooler days)

• 3 pairs hiking socks

• 3 pairs underwear

• Sleep clothes

• Hat

• Sunglasses

• Lightweight gloves (optional but recommended for colder mornings)

👟 Footwear

• Broken-in hiking boots or trail runners

• Camp shoes or sandals for the rifugios

🛏️ Sleep System

• ✅ Silk sleeping bag liner

• Earplugs (highly recommended for shared dorms)

• Eye mask (optional)

Skip the sleeping bag. Rifugios provide blankets and pillows, and carrying a sleeping bag only adds unnecessary weight.

💧 Water & Food

• 1–2L water capacity (bottles or hydration bladder)

• Electrolyte packets

• Trail snacks (bars, nuts, jerky, gummies)

• Reusable utensils (optional)

Most rifugios offer meals, drinks, and the option to purchase lunch items or packed sandwiches for the next day's hike.

🧼 Toiletries

• Toothbrush & toothpaste

• Deodorant

• Sunscreen

• Lip balm with SPF

• Travel towel

• Toilet paper/tissues

• Hand sanitizer

• Personal medications

🩹 First Aid

• Blister treatment (Leukotape, moleskin, or Compeed)

• Ibuprofen

• Bandages

• Small first aid kit

🔋 Electronics

• Phone

• Charging cable

• Portable battery bank (10,000–20,000 mAh)

• European plug adapter (Type C/L)

• Headlamp

🥾 Hiking Essentials

• Trekking poles

• Offline maps (Maps.me, AllTrails+, or Gaia GPS)

• Passport

• Credit card + cash (€)

• Lightweight packable day bag (optional)

⭐ My Biggest Packing Tips

• Leave the sleeping bag at home. A silk liner is all you need.

• Pack light. Every unnecessary pound feels heavier after thousands of feet of climbing each day.

• Always carry rain gear. Weather in the Dolomites changes quickly, even if the forecast looks perfect.

• Bring cash. Many rifugios accept cards, but internet service can be unreliable.

• Don't overpack clothes. Since you're staying in huts each night, you can comfortably re-wear hiking clothes.

Backpack Note: I personally used a 50L backpack, but that's because I was carrying a significant amount of camera gear, including multiple cameras, lenses, batteries, a drone, and accessories for content creation. For most hikers, a 35–45L backpack is more than enough for Alta Via 1, especially since you'll be staying in rifugios each night and only need to pack a silk sleeping bag liner rather than a full sleeping bag. If you're not hauling camera equipment, packing light will make the long climbs much more enjoyable.

For late August and early September, my pack weighed around 20–25 lbs (9–11 kg) including water, which felt like the ideal balance between comfort and carrying everything needed for a week on Alta Via 1.