As adventurous and spontaneous as it may seem to just pick a direction and start walking or your next hiking trip, that’s usually not a good idea.
You could get lost, become very hungry, run out of water or encounter aggressive animals. Here are a few ways to make your next hiking trip a good one due to the kind of supplies you take with you.
A Way to Track Your Location
You never want to set out on a hike in an unfamiliar place without some means of getting your bearings. You should bring a map or compass or have a phone that can help you find your way. Even walking on hiking trails can be dangerous, if you lose your way.
Not everyone has a good sense of direction, and you could be wandering around for hours before you find your way back, if you don’t have the right equipment. Check your route ahead of time and have some way to ensure you can get back to where you came from.
Food & Water
It can be hard to tell how long a hike will take you if you have never taken it before. If you look online at hiking trials, there are sometimes indicators to how long the hike takes, but that is just an average rate, you may take longer to hike it. If there is bad weather or you want to spend time walking on other trials or seeing sights, then you may be out there for much longer than you anticipated.
It’s a good idea to have some food and something to drink to keep you going for the duration of the hike. Bring food that won’t go bad even if it becomes hot and plenty of water to stay hydrated during the hike. It’s a good idea to bring more water than you think you will need just to be on the safe side.
Layered Clothing
With layered clothing, you can take off a layer and still be comfortable and covered for instances where you get too hot. Keep in mind that you will likely become hotter the longer you walk, so even if it is a cold day, you will want to wear layers that are removable.
Hiking Shoes
Not every kind of shoe is made for hiking. It’s usually not a good idea to take shoes that you haven’t worn before, but even worse is to wear shoes that are not made for rough terrain.
Sneakers tend to work well, as does almost any kind of athletic shoe. Work boots and other rugged shoes are a good choice as well. Ideally look into investing in some proper hiking boots, they don’t need to be the most expensive pair, but they will provide the best foot support for your trip.
The more hiking you do, the more you will learn about what shoes work for you and when to wear specific kinds of shoes on certain types of terrain.