Having the right hiking equipment is crucial when going on your first hike. Whether it’s a casual hike to a waterfall or a serious climb to a difficult summit, equipping yourself with the right gears and equipment can help you big time along the way to your chosen destination.
Hence, if you’re eager to go on a hiking journey, it will do you good to know what hiking essentials to bring with you. For a little help, here’s a list of the hiking equipment for your very first hiking journey.
First Aid and Survival Kit
First aid and survival kit are must-haves in your hiking backpack. Whether you’re going on a solo hike or with your hiking buddies, your first aid and survival kit will be a big help if there are any medical emergencies throughout your hiking trip.
So, what things should contain your first aid and survival kit? Well, for a newbie hiker like yourself, it’s essential that you have various sizes of bandages, alcohol wipes and drying wipes, antibiotic, medical gloves, duct tape, anti-allergens, and anti-blister cream. A whistle and a lamp are also essential to bring with you on your hike.
Having all these items in your first aid and survival kit, you’ll now be ready and prepared whenever medical emergencies transpire.
Map and Compass
A map and a reliable compass are two essential navigation items that you should bring on your hiking trip. In the old days, hikers used conventional map and compass to accompany them on their trip, but nowadays there are already smartphones with navigation apps to help you on your journey.
You should make sure that when using a smartphone for navigation purposes, it’s crucial that you have a power bank in case your phone runs out of power. With these navigation essentials, you can guarantee that you’ll not stray away from your trail.
Waterproof Hiking Jacket
Sometimes, you cannot avoid that you will encounter rains along your hiking trail. That’s why it will do you good if you have a waterproof hiking jacket for your first hiking trip. Even when you’re hiking during summer months, it’s advisable that you bring a reliable waterproof jacket.
You can find excellent and high-quality designs of waterproof hiking jackets on the market today. They are typically lightweight, so you’ll not worry to have it even when the sun is high. Waterproof hiking jackets are also made of breathable materials to provide comfort to the hiker wearing it.
Hiking Boots
Your hiking boots should suit the type of terrain that you’re going to tread. If your hiking trail would pass through rocky and mountainous terrain, you should go for a pair of sturdy, supportive hiking boots for it. A light, low-top hiking shoes, on the other hand, is perfect if you’re hiking a smooth and flat surface.
Your pair of hiking boots should also come with a waterproof design and crafted with breathable materials. If you’re looking for an excellent pair of hiking boots, you can check out online sites like Aussie Disposals for it.
Socks Designed for Hiking
Your feet are going to take the physical stress of all those hours of walking through a terrain that is unfamiliar to you. Thus, if you’re serious about your first-ever hiking experience, you should consider buying a good pair of hiking socks for yourself.
Hiking socks come with designs intended for those type of physical activity, and It will provide your feet the comfort and support that it needs to push you through to your hiking destination.
Hiking Trousers
The trousers that you should use for hiking should be lightweight, durable, and weatherproof. It’s also advisable that your hiking trousers have a venting zips design to make you comfortable as you go through a challenging trail.
You can find a lot of nifty designs of hiking trousers nowadays, so it’s important that you choose the best for yourself.
Hiking Backpack
The size of you hiking backpack should depend on how many things you should bring with you on your hike. If you’re going for a short hike, you can make do with a backpack with a capacity between 1300 and 2000 cubic inches. Your clothing items, as well as food, can well fit into this size.
For a long hike, on the other hand, it’s essential that you choose a larger backpack for that purpose. For sure, you need to bring extra gear for that long hike, and a spacious hiking backpack is a must to put your hiking essentials.
Takeaway
When you’re going for a hike, you should equip yourself with the proper hiking gears and essentials to help you on your journey. There are a lot of things to consider bringing with you for that purpose, but for a little help, you can take some cues above to get you some idea about what you should bring for your hiking trip.