Planning your first hiking trip isn’t easy, especially if you are not going with anyone experienced. Therefore, you must find out what items you need to bring. You have got to prepare for everything to go wrong because hiking can sometimes be dangerous. However, we advise you to go on a few easy hiking trips before considering dangerous routes.
When packing for your hiking trip, there are a few essentials that you bring with you on short and long-distance hikes. If it is only a short hiking trip you have planned, all you need to bring is a water bottle and maybe a snack along the way. However, if you are planning a long hiking trip for the first time, you will need all items we mention below.
Choose your Backpack
We can guarantee that you will need a backpack for your hiking trip. If you don’t have a large backpack then buy one. It is arguably the most important item of your trip, simply because you won’t be able to carry other essential items if you don’t have a solid backpack that is waterproof. If you are unsure where to get a good backpack, Patagonia, North Face, Go Outdoors or Amazon all sell fantastic waterproof backpacks, perfect for your first hiking trip.
Essential Items For Your First Hiking Trip
Before we get started, we must say you will need a lot of items and therefore, will need a decent-sized budget. Nonetheless, you can guarantee safety for your trip with these items so don’t question anything.
Water Bottle
A water bottle is an absolute must for your hiking trip. However, if you think that the water will slow you down and tire you out. Buy a small water bottle that you can fill up along the way from streams, lakes or waterfalls. Remember to bring water purification tablets to clean this water as well.
Navigation
As you gradually climb the hill/mountain, you will notice that your signal becomes weak. It may even completely go where you cannot use your mobile data. To be prepared for that happening, we advise you to bring a map with you. This is a great way to be safe and ensure you don’t get lost.
Snacks For The Journey
Food is needed for your hiking trip. You can almost guarantee that the amount of calories you burn will make you hungry. That is why you must bring healthy snacks along the way. The more advanced hikers would often consume around 200+ calories per hour of their trip.
When bringing snacks with you, you need foods that are easy to carry. Nuts and dried fruit in packets are a good option. Premade sandwiches are also a good and healthy choice. Avoid bringing foods in packets that require other foods or liquids to be added.
Summary
Hiking is a great activity to do with your friends and family. It is a fantastic way to exercise. Not to mention that when you reach the top, you feel like you have accomplished something and there is no feeling quite like it. However, if you don’t bring all the correct items such as waterproof clothes like a raincoat or an RAF watch strap that can handle the weather, you won’t have much fun. Make sure you stick to this list and then you will enjoy it.