Hiking is an enjoyable outdoor trip which gives a lot of health benefits; the main goal of a hike is to connect with the natural environment. Your body needs sufficient nutrition and calories for hiking so you need to pack such foods in your backpack for longer survival. Staying hydrated is also an important part of any physical activity, taking a small frequent zip can help to distribute the water throughout your body. Fire is very important when you go for camping, hiking or trekking because it can keep you warm, protect from bugs, and helps to boil water and food for staying healthy and fresh for a long time.
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The Ten Essentials for Camping & Hiking
Hydration:
It is absolutely essential to stay hydrated when you go for hiking because your body needs water to keep you normal, it helps to keep your body cool when it is hot, and warm you up when it is too cool. So you must carry enough water and tools for purifying water, to prevent you from the dehydration drink adequate amount of water slowly and frequently. When you move out for hiking ensure where water sources will be available an also have a lightweight water purifier to drink healthy and fresh water. It is also the best idea to take purification tablets with you, it doesn’t weigh too much so you can just fill up your bottle and drop pills inside it. Use the best backpack for hiking which can help you to keep all the essential things needed for you.
Nutrition:
When you are ready for hiking you must have enough calories to stay enthusiastic and energetic for the long day activity, maintaining a healthy diet is very important while you plan for an outdoor trip. It is simple to have dried fruits, nuts, and soft drinks, honey because it provides a quick burst of energy, these food items will balance the sugar level and makes you hungry. Carbohydrates are the most remarkable source of healthy fuel which builds the muscles even stronger; you must eat an adequate amount of carbohydrates during hike which gives an extraordinary power to keep you active. The important nutrients needed for your body is a protein which helps to build the bones, skin, blood, and muscles. The high amount of protein is filled in fish, meat, dairy products which is easy for a hiker to consume.
Sun Protection:
It is very essential when you plan for a hiking trip because you may spend too much time in the sun which will cause skin cancer, so you must protect yourself from the overexposure of sun. When the sun is too hot, try to limit your trip at that time, use hikes to provide shade for you, it is also a good idea to wear a hat because it can protect your eyes, face, and ears as well as the back of the neck. Use sunglasses which can offer 99% UV protection so it has the ability to control the heat and prevents you from eye damage. Apply sunscreen one hour before going outdoors to protect from UV radiation, it is best to ensure whether the sunscreen has SPF15 or higher than that. Take enough time to scrub the cream so that you may cover the entire area.
The most important thing to put in your backpack is the map along with it you can carry a compass and altimeter to read the map. Compass is very easy to use and it is lightweight equipment so you can carry or hang it in your backpack, this helps the hiker to show the reachable spot. It is the simple navigation tool which you can keep on your arm straight to work like a pointer when you start to walk it shows the correct direction. This device does not need the support of battery and it can work effectively even in bad weather or rain. Modern GPS navigation technology is also an amazing tool for finding your path, if you need to use GPS or Google Maps system then it is essential to carry a USB power bank if your device doesn’t work properly.
First Aid Kit:
The first aid kit is one of the most important tools to carry always when you go for a hike; first, you have to keep the prescription needed for you when moving out for hiking. The kit must have treatment for bandages, blisters, adhesive tapes, gauze pads, ointment, and painkiller because hiking can lead to many types of injuries. It is necessary to know the purpose of the medicine and how to use every item in the kit. During hiking, you may need to face rugged terrains or rocky roads which may cause injuries if you slip down so you must be able to deal with injured joints or broken bones. If you suffer from diarrhea, fever, cold or low blood sugar use the medicine properly to prevent you from serious damages. Have an adequate wound care medications which may help to stop bleeding, control infections and promotes healing.
Insulation:
Weather is also an important consideration to keep in mind while you go hiking because it can change the trip so it is necessary to keep extra insulation clothes to keep you warm. Synthetic insulation can help you to breathe more comfortably, it allows to regulate your body in a good condition so you may not get too hot or too cold. Synthetic jackets are best for climbing, hiking, biking and others it is highly durable; a dry clothing jacket can keep you warm when the weather goes bad. It is better to pack rain protection and a down hooded jacket whenever you go hiking and avoid cotton clothes because it takes a long time to dry. Wear quick dry, synthetic clothes for instant protection.
Fire:
Always carry fire starters with you while you go for an outdoor trip, even the regular batteries and automobile batteries can start a fire, and a little spark can produce the heat. Matches are good to carry but it is not useful in moist conditions, the waterproof matches are available or you can fix it into the wax to make them dry. Fire is the best friend when you move for hiking or any other activity because it can provide a freshwater and safe food to consume, so you need to have a quality fire starter or a spark rod to back up a lighter or matches. It can keep you warm, protect from wild animals and allows boiling water for safe consumption.
Illumination:
You should pack a flashlight or a headlamp to find your path when it goes dark because hike can take longer time than estimated, so it is better to have these gadgets. Most of the headlamps come with two modes, one is low and the other is high; when you use red light mode the eyes will not be affected and you will not make your friends blind with the headlamp. You can also make use of small, LED flashlights to choose the right path while you are walking on the road, most of them use phones which have built-in flashlights it is also a good source of lighting.
Repair kit and tools:
It is essential to keep a lightweight multi-tool and a basic repair requirement which can help you while you go hiking. Have a simple and handy knife which may be useful in a variety of situations, duct tape and tenacious tape are also an amazing tool for repairing the gear in a field so it is better to keep always in your backpack. The tenacious tapes offer great uses for fixing sleeping pad, sleeping bag rips, tent fabric tears etc; duct tape is great for things like remodeling the broken tent pole or repairing sunglasses, if you feel very hot on your foot it can prevent you from blisters.
Shelter:
Bivy sack is the best shelter which is specifically designed for backpackers who need emergency shelter; it is made of lightweight materials and keeps your sleeping bag dry it works effectively during winter months. Staying warm is very essential to maintain your physical health and help you to survive. If you don’t have tents https://www.globosurfer.com/best-budget-tents/ then carry a protective shelter to prevent you from summer and winter. These shelters can protect from bugs or insects because their bite can cause a lot of diseases; privacy shelters can help you to stay fresh and comfortable by keeping out of the rain, cold and other extreme weather conditions.
Disclosure:
Keep yourself protected so that you will be able to enjoy the outdoors longer, have all the essential hiking gear even if it is only for short hikes! Enjoy your hiking trip with your friends and family members.
