One thing that puts many people off from enjoying a hiking trip is buying the equipment. Many people think you need to spend hundreds and hundreds of pounds to enjoy a hiking trip but that isn’t the case. Hiking can be done with very little equipment. All you need is a few items to ensure you are prepared for the worst.
Packing for a hiking trip is easy once you know how. Furthermore, there are a few essential items that you will always need to take with you on your hiking trip, no matter how long the trip is.
You have always got to be prepared for the worst when hiking. We don’t mean you experiencing a bear attack or a giant boulder falling off a cliff nearby. We mean when the weather takes a slight change or you slip and injure yourself along the way.
Hiking is one of the best forms of exercise. The reason why is that you are enjoying the natural beauty around you. Furthermore, you are breathing in some of the cleanest oxygen you will inhale. Not to mention the vitamin D you are absorbing during your hike. There is nothing quite like reaching the top of your hike. It is something you cannot describe and you will feel like you are on top of the world.
No matter how long your walk is. Whether it is in the Pennine peaks or hiking up Snowdonia, there are essential items you will always need.
Choosing Your Hiking Backpack
Choosing the right backpack is rather simple and has nothing that you should be worrying about it too much. You also don’t need to spend too much money on it either. If you own a backpack already then that will do the job. Just make sure it has plenty of room for all the items that will be listed below. If you don’t have a backpack already, we suggest you buy one from Go Outdoors or shop around on Amazon to find an affordable backpack, perfect for your hiking trip.
What Are The Essential Items For Your Hiking Trip
Although a hiking trip is not the safest form of exercise, it also isn’t the most dangerous either. This list may seem like a lot of items but it is just little bits and pieces that will keep you safe on the journey.
Water Bottle
A water bottle is something you should bring with you on this trip. Just like many forms of exercise, you will break into a sweat. If you are sweating, you will gradually become dehydrated, especially when near the end of your trip. Additionally, if your hiking trip is up a steep mountain, it can get quite warm at the top due to how close you are to the sun. We advise you to buy a water bottle that can store around two litres of water for the journey, you can also take two one-litre bottles if you would like to have one whilst you are going up and one whilst you are going down.
It is advised you pack light for your hiking trip so if this is something you would like to do. We advise you to take some purification tablets with you. If you know that two litres of water won’t be enough for your trip, we strongly advise you to take some of these with you.
Some form Of Navigation
It can be difficult to know where you are on your trip. Furthermore, because you can be quite far from civilisation and won’t have any signal on your phone. We advise you to take a map to ensure you don’t get lost on your hiking trip.
Snacks For During Your Hiking Trip
Food is another important item you need to bring with you. Hiking can be tiring and therefore will need to keep your energy levels topped up. We advise that you consume around two hundred calories per hour of your trip, just to keep you replenished.
We advise you to take a flask with you that has nutritional soup inside it. We also suggest you pack foods that you can eat on the way. Don’t be that person that brings packet food which requires heat or something to add to it for it to be edible. Nuts, sandwiches, breakfast bars, dried fruit and anything else like this are great snacks for your hiking trip.
Layer Up
Time to layer up for your hiking trip, especially if there is snow near the top. Yes, you will get warm as you burn through those calories and get closer to the sun, however, it is better to pack for the coldest of temperatures rather than not pack enough clothing. Make sure you bring a sweater with you, a waterproof jacket and then another layer of clothing underneath this. We don’t advise you to wear jeans or another type of denim clothing. Simply because you could get wet and these types of clothes take a while to dry out. Wear thick and waterproof clothing to ensure you are dry and warm enough throughout your hiking trip.
First Aid Kit
Up next is your first aid kit. Don’t worry, nothing too dramatic will occur on your hiking trip. Nonetheless, you need to be prepared for any accidents along the way. Make sure you have plenty of plasters, bandages and antiseptic cream in case you or your hiking buddies injure themselves along the way. You will also need pins and antihistamines are also needed for the trip.
Multitool/ Swiss Army Knife
Up next, a multitool is another must-have item for your trip. For the bandages, you will require a knife or scissors. Furthermore, many other cool gadgets can prove to be useful as you are on your way to the top. Plus, they are only small pieces of equipment so you don’t need to worry about them weighing you down.
Hiking Boots
Finally, hiking boots are next on the list. Hiking trainers are also a good choice of footwear. All you need with your footwear is a pair of shoes which has good grip and good ankle support as you can guarantee that the journey won’t be flat.
To Conclude
There are many important items that you will need for your first hiking trip but you don’t need to worry about spending a lot of money. Furthermore, there are other items that you can bring with you. Make sure you have a secure watch band such as a NATO watch strap to ensure your watch doesn’t fall off during your hiking journey if you have one.
