Hiking can be lots of fun. There are a lot of things to see out there that you cannot drive to. By walking you can see all kinds of wildlife that would be scared away if you were in a car. There are a lot of places that you can hike. You can go on short hikes in your local parks, where you have water around and don't need anything more than a good pair of shoes, or you can go to a national forest where there is no water and you have to carry your own water. A hike here can last hours to weeks. I am going to focus on Hikes that last longer than 2 hrs and in places that have no water. There is also a possibility that you might not see anyone other than the person or people who went with you. The photo above is from the Green Swamp just outside Tampa, Florida. To start with if you are going to go a on a long hike you need to start with a good pair of shoes or boots. Boots are better because they give your ankles the support they need. You might want to make sure they are waterproof. If you have to hike across wet grass your feet will stay dry. Make sure your shoes or boots are broke in. I have found that a good quality boot will take little or no time at all to break in. Make some short hikes with new boots to make sure that they are not going to hurt your feet. Another important thing you need is a good pair of hiking socks. Hiking socks are thicker and help move perspiration away from you. Get a couple pairs of socks so you can put the extra pair in your backpack. You can change them if you need to.
The next thing is a backpack. You need a backpack that can carry what you are going to need or want on your hike. Backpacks range from small pouches to a large internal frame backpack that can carry camping gear for a week or more. For hikes of around 2 hrs you can use a waist pack. This is a pack that goes around your waist. Some have straps to go over your shoulders. What I use is a day backpack which is 549 cubic inch and has a hydration system that holds 100 ounces in it. That is plenty of water for most of my hikes. If I need more water I can put bottled water in the backpack. A backpack like this takes care of both water and packing needs.
What are you going to carry in your backpack? The first thing is a first aide kit. In the first aide kit you need to have band aides, some gauze, tape, and some antibacterial ointment. I carry some stuff called New Skin, it is like a liquid band aide. Another thing you need is some sunscreen. I put a piece of paper with my name, DOB, a contact persons name and phone No.(just incase anything happens). I carry a compass (I have 2 just in case my GPS dies), a map, a mirror (you can signal with it), a whistle, a fire starter (with a small bag of dryer lint), a leatherman multi tool or knife. These are things I think are a must have in my backpack at all times. Things I think are optional are an extra tee shirt, a pair of socks, a small pair of binoculars, my camera, extra batteries (for camera and GPS), a water filter, and some snacks. I hate to say it, but I do carry my cell phone (you can turn it off) just in case something happens and I need to call for help (IF IT WORKS), you might not have a signal. Just remember you are carrying it so keep it as light as you can. This is just a list of things you should have in your backpack at all times. You can add to the list if you want to.
Next will be an Expedition backpack for a hiking trip of a week or more. If you have any questions you can E-Mail me at markteague@highmountaindiscountcampingsupply.com
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