Regardless of your age, social status, or your job, you have to do whatever it takes to stay healthy. This is especially true these days when every single person is exposed to a dangerous virus. One of the best ways to stay active and healthy is to go on hikes. This is a low-intensity workout that allows you to enjoy the beautiful scenery and breathe some fresh air.
However, even though hiking isn’t too physically demanding, you still have to be properly equipped in order to have a pleasant, safe, and successful hike.
Here are some of the things you should bring with you on a hike.
Navigation Gear
It doesn’t matter if you know the trail or not, you should never go on a hike without proper navigation gear. Hiking without navigation can be rather dangerous and potentially fatal, especially if you don’t know the terrain. Therefore, make sure to have your gadgets with you. Bring your GPS, smartphone, and a hiking watch. Having a proper watch when you are in the woods can help you keep track of time, your calories, and your mileage. This is very important information for every hiker, therefore, make sure to have one of these watches when you go on your hikes. Navigation gear will help you feel comfortable during your hike and it may, in some cases, save your life.
First Aid Supplies
Since we are talking about comfort and safety, you should know that you must never go on a hike without bringing a proper first aid kit with you. In the wilderness, a first aid kit usually means the difference between life and death. Therefore, even if you are going on a short hike in the nearby woods, make sure to bring a first aid kit with you.
Rain Gear
Weather can be very unpredictable and you simply have to be prepared for every scenario, especially if you plan on hiking for days. The biggest enemy of every hiker is, of course, rain. There’s nothing fun and pleasant in walking through tough terrain while being wet from head to toe. Not to mention you can get sick and ruin your health. Therefore, if you want to have a wonderful hike, regardless of the weather, you should definitely bring your rain gear with you. This gear will keep you dry and warm on your hikes.
Comfortable Shoes
Men and women who love to hike usually go into the woods and walk on tough terrain. They love walking on those trails because it represents a certain challenge. If you are the same way, you should put on a pair of comfortable shoes before you go for a hike. This way you will avoid nasty cramps and blisters. Trust us, your feet will be grateful.
Food And Water
You can’t have a safe and good hiking experience without proper supplies of food and water. Hiking can be rather physically demanding, especially if you plan on hiking for a few days. Therefore, in order to stay fresh and healthy, you must bring food and water with you. Food can take a lot of space in your backpack and this means you have to be rather practical when packing. Bring plenty of energy bars. They are small, but they will provide you with enough energy throughout your hike.
Shelter
If you plan on spending the night in the wilderness, you simply must bring a shelter with you. In case you are going alone, a regular one-person tent will do the job. This kind of shelter is easy to carry and it will keep you safe and warm during the night. As you probably know, the wilderness can be pretty unforgiving, therefore, you have to stay safe.
Illumination
One of the first things you have to pack is a flashlight. It doesn’t matter if the trail is familiar to you or not, you simply can’t go through the woods without illuminating your way properly. Hiking in the dark is rather dangerous and you definitely don’t want to injure yourself while you are alone in the woods.
If you want to stay active and healthy during this COVID-19 pandemic, hiking is probably your best option. It allows you to exercise, enjoy the scenery, breathe some fresh air, and it keeps you away from people. However, if you want to do it right, you have to be properly prepared. If you are going on your first hike, packing can be a bit complicated. Just make sure to bring the things we talked about today and you will be fine.