Hiking in the Mountains: What to Bring
When hiking, there are numerous times where first-time hikers tend to fail on the things that they bring when they go up the mountains. But don’t worry if you had a mistake back when you had your first climb or if you keep on feeling that you left something at home when you went hiking. Bringing inadequate or wrong things during your hike is a normal thing because we’re not that familiar when it comes to the environment.
But it’s always a good thing to do research, and it’s better that you came to the right page. We have prepared some following essentials to bring whenever you go hiking at the mountains. We will also talk about correct items to bring because not all food and clothes are right to bring in the mountain after all. Remember: hiking is not just a normal walk in the park or beach.
To get you started so then you can be more confident as you pack up your bag before you take a hike, here are the essential items that you should bring based on category:
Clothing
The proper clothing should be worn during the mountains. You should never go wear sleeveless clothes throughout the trip. It’s better to wear sleeveless clothes once you’re going down or when you’re done hiking already. Be sure to wear a rash guard instead in order to avoid insect bites and to avoid skin darkening on your lower and upper arm when the sun is out. There are also some hiking shirts that have long sleeves in it. These are the best and most comfortable shirts to wear during a hike.
You should also wear pants designed for trekking as it’s more comfortable and avoids any wounds when you pass through rocky areas or thorny plants. It also avoids insect bites as well, and are designed to be waterproof too. If you don’t have this, wear some jogging pants instead. Only wear hiking shoes or thick sandals during the hike as other footwear can be dangerous to wear especially on steep downhill trails. Lastly, don’t forget to wear any car suitable for hiking or at least a scarf to cover your head from the harsh sun.
Food
You should only bring the necessary amount of food when going up the mountains. It’s very important to pack lightly when going up for you to have more energy as you climb. Bring at least 1 – 4 liters of water only for your drinks and you should never bring any juice or soft-drinks (face it: these sweetened drinks will just thirst you!).
Trail food is also a common food during the trip. Don’t bring something that’s too salty such as chips as it can cause you to crave more water (which is unnecessary during the climb as you need to save water). Bring some nuts and biscuits instead. You can also buy some sweets such as candy bars and chocolate as it can give you a slight boost in energy.
You can go ahead and bring some food ingredients if you want. But only do this if you’re planning to camp. A mess kit which contain utensils and food containers is important if you wish to go camping. Canned food and other foods that are easy to heat are the best foods to bring especially during hikes that take days to complete.
Cleanliness and Safety
There’s always a good chance that people may get injured during the hike. But this doesn’t happen all the time. But it’s always better to be prepared by bringing some alcohol and a first aid kit. You should also bring some medicines if you’re prescribed to take some or when needed only. Wet wipes and toilet papers are great for keeping you clean when needed as well. A tooth paste and tooth brush should never be forgotten if you plan on camping.
Extra Items For Hiking
Here are some optional items that you may find necessary to bring:
- Phone with GPS
- Outdoor camera
- Power bank and gadget charger
- Machete
- Towel (toilet paper and wet wipes are better than towels as these can get really dirty after the hike)
- Plastic bags for keeping your valuables and for throwing trash (never leave trash at the mountains!)
- Tent when camping (unless your friend has a big one for sharing).
These essentials will surely make your hike much better as these will fully lessen your worries away. But be sure to pack lightly as you bring all of these items. You don’t want to feel heavy, especially when going uphill. After all, you’re not on a vacation or field trip to bring so many items or food. But rest assured that these items are just enough to make your hiking more enjoyable and worry-free!