What to take on a hike

Do you like outdoor activities? Then you probably had the idea to go camping with friends or family. Those who are going to make such a mini-trip need to carefully prepare for the process. And how exactly to do this and what to stock up on the road - we will tell you in this article.

What to take on a hike: list

Hiking is a loose concept, because you can go for a day, or you can go for a week or longer. The list of what you need to take with you directly depends on this, and what it is better to refuse to make it easier to move around. The classic travel kit looks like this:

• Backpack. It must be comfortable, otherwise in half an hour the shoulders and back will start to ache and the rest will turn into hard labor. The optimal hiking backpack should have a volume of about 60 liters, and for men, the figure can be increased to 100.
• If the hike is planned for more than a day, then you will need a tent, a cushion, and a sleeping bag. With such a set, the rest promises to be as comfortable as possible.
• Lighters, matches, knives, ax.
• Flashlight, very good if it is a headlamp.
• If the hike falls in the summer, and there are lakes or rivers on the way, it will not hurt to stock up on a swimsuit in case you want to swim. Just in case, take a set of clean clothes with you, which may come in handy if you suddenly get caught in the rain and need to change into dry clothes.
• Be sure to take your documents and money with you. Be sure to wrap all this in a plastic bag so that nothing gets wet.
• Mosquito repellent and other insects, for the summer you need to stock up on sunscreen.
• Do not forget about hygiene items such as: comb, mirror, soap, toothpaste, toilet paper, etc.

This is a list of the essentials, but some try to take with them absolutely everything. But, for example, why carry with you folding furniture, which will take up a lot of space, if you can sit on the rug? If there are a lot of people, then you can make a list of things and distribute a little to everyone.

In addition to the above, you can recommend the following for a hike:

• Process water. It is necessary if there are no reservoirs on the route.
• Disposable tablecloths.
• Coal and firewood. They will come in handy in cases when it will be difficult to find dry branches at the resting place, or it was raining on the eve of the hike.
• Folding brazier. You can take a regular one, but a folding one will take up much less space. Yes, in some cases you can do without it by building a place for frying with your own hands, but a brazier is both convenient and safe.
• Tongs, nets, skewers and shovels. Useful if you plan to grill on the grill.
• Corkscrew and bottle opener. If you plan to drink wine and other drinks, where such tools may come in handy.
• Cutting board. It is best to take a plastic one, as it is lighter.
• Disposable tableware. Spoons, knives, forks, plates, cups.
• If you cook soups, then don't forget about the pot.
• Teapot. The most common one, which can be put on coals, and then enjoy hot tea.
• Things to keep you entertained, especially if children are also going on a hike. This list can include anything you like and children's toys, and games in the air, and fishing rods, and a battery-powered tape recorder, and balls. This item is purely individual.
• Be sure to take warm clothes with you, even if it's summer outside. In the evenings, especially outside the city, the thermometer can drop quite strongly, and there is no risk here.
• As decent adults, you should definitely take care of the purity of nature, so take with you garbage bags, in which you will later collect the result of your vacation.
• Needle threads can also be useful if something breaks or comes off along the way.

And, of course, an important point is always first aid kit on the road... Do not rely on chance in this matter, you never know when and what may be useful. Therefore, when going on a hike, be sure to take with you:

• Pain relievers.
• Drugs that will help with heartburn, poisoning and other gastrointestinal disorders.
• Plasters and bandages.
• A cream, lotion, or ointment to relieve itching and inflammation after an insect bite.
• Panthenol is a universal remedy for all occasions.
• Remedies for colds: nasal drops, anti-inflammatory, etc. It is necessary if the trip is planned for more than one day.

Take into account the peculiarities of the state of health of each of the participants in the hike and do not forget to take those medications that are taken on a regular basis. If anyone has an allergy, take antihistamines with you.

What to take on a hike from food

Food is the eternal question in everything that touches the road... And if the hike is for one day, then there should be no problems, but what if the road is long? Experienced people give a lot of useful advice on this matter. One of these tips says: in order not to take food teachings with you, make an approximate menu for the entire time that you will be absent. And you need to do everything exactly: calculate the amount of portion, its weight and multiply by the number of people. Then you can find out how much by weight the provisions will be and, if necessary, correct it.

A few nuances with regards to food on a hike:

• Look at the weight of the food - this is the main criterion in choosing food for a hike. Find an alternative easier, for example: not bread, but loaves; not fruits, but dried fruits; not simple cheese, but dried. These foods are much lighter and nutritious at the same time.
• Instead of grabbing a pile of vegetables to cook with you, you can purchase a dry vegetable mixture, which is sold in almost every supermarket. You can cook many dishes with them.
• As practice shows, pasta and semolina are the most useless products in the hike.
• It is convenient to take instant porridge with you, which you just need to fill with boiling water or hot milk.
• Loose products are best placed in plastic containers or bottles.
• If the hike is planned in a crowd, discuss the list of products in advance so that you do not collect the same thing.

However, if the hike is short, for a day or two, or even for a couple of hours, then there is no point in arranging a special hassle about food. The only rule that should be followed is not to take something that spoils very quickly. For example, salad with mayonnaise, pates, cakes and everything in the same spirit. For the rest, take what you like best and what you want to eat outdoors.

What to pack for a day hike

Making a list of what to take with you on a hike for the day, you can focus on everything that we talked about above, excluding all unnecessary things. For example, it doesn't make sense to take sleeping bags, lanterns, a mountain of food, etc. A tent can come in handy, for example, if it rains, you can hide in it, but you can also refuse it, it all depends on your preferences.

In general, to go on a hike without "bumps", you need to gain experience, and then everything will become easier. Experience, experience and experience again, do not be afraid to make mistakes and then very soon everything will come to automatism. And finally, one small but very important piece of advice. Before the hike, be sure to notify your friends and relatives that you are going on a hike and show on the map exactly where you plan to head and when you will return. Of course, you should not think about the bad, but if something goes wrong and you do not return by the target date, they will start looking for you.