An out-and-back is a hike that follows the same trail to a destination and then returns by the identical route, retracing your steps. It's the simplest hike type — easy to navigate and to turn around on — though you see the same scenery twice, unlike a loop.
Slackpacking is hiking a long trail while someone else transports your overnight gear, so you carry only a light day pack between points. Often arranged through hostels or shuttle services, it lets hikers cover trail miles with far less weight, trading some self-sufficiency for comfort and speed.
Peak bagging is the pursuit of climbing many summits, often working through a defined list — like the Colorado 14ers, the New England 4,000-footers, or a country's highest peaks. It turns hiking into a goal-driven challenge, with hikers 'bagging' peaks one by one to complete the list.
A section hike is completing a long-distance trail in separate trips over time, rather than in one continuous thru-hike. Section hikers tackle the trail piece by piece — over weekends, holidays, or years — making long trails accessible to people who can't take months off at once.
Ultralight backpacking is a style of backpacking focused on minimizing pack weight, typically aiming for a base weight under 10 lb (4.5 kg) by carrying lighter, simpler, multi-use gear. Lower weight means less fatigue and faster travel, at the cost of comfort, durability, and margin — so it rewards skill and planning.
Base weight is the weight of a backpacker's gear excluding consumables — food, water, and fuel — that change over a trip. It's the standard way to compare pack loads because it stays constant. Lowering base weight is the central goal of ultralight backpacking, with benchmarks around 20 lb for lightweight and under 10 lb for ultralight.
Elevation gain is the total amount a hike climbs uphill, measured in feet or metres, summed across every ascent on the route. It's a key measure of a hike's difficulty — often more telling than distance — since a short trail with big elevation gain can be far harder than a long, flat one.
The Ten Essentials are a checklist of categories of gear hikers should carry to stay safe and self-sufficient in the backcountry: navigation, sun protection, insulation, illumination, first aid, fire, repair kit and tools, nutrition, hydration, and emergency shelter. They guard against the unexpected on any hike.
A thru-hike is hiking a long-distance trail from end to end in a single continuous journey, typically over weeks or months. Famous thru-hikes include the Appalachian Trail and Pacific Crest Trail. It demands resupply planning, lightweight gear, and the endurance to walk and camp for the whole route.
A day hike is a hike completed in a single day, without camping overnight. Day hikes range from short nature walks to long, strenuous summit pushes, and let hikers access trails and views with a light pack and minimal gear. They are the most popular and accessible form of hiking.