What to take on a hike

Do you like active recreation? Then the idea of ​​going on a hike with friends or family has probably occurred to you. Those who are planning to make such a mini-trip need to carefully prepare for the process. We’ll tell you in this article exactly how to do this and what to stock up on for the trip. 

What to take on a hike: list

Hiking is a flexible 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 and what it’s better to discard to make it easier to move directly depends on this.  A classic camping kit looks like this:

• Backpack. It must be comfortable, otherwise after half an hour your shoulders and back will begin to ache and rest will turn into hard labor. The optimal hiking backpack should have a volume of about 60 liters, and for men this figure can be increased to 100.
• If the trip is planned for more than a day, then you will need a tent, sleeping mat, and sleeping bag. With such a set, your vacation promises to be as comfortable as possible.
• Lighters, matches, knives, axe.
• A flashlight is very good if it is a headlamp. 
• If the hike takes place in the summer, and there are lakes or rivers along the route, it won’t 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 documents and money with you. Be sure to wrap all this in a plastic bag so that nothing gets wet.
• Mosquito repellents and other insects, you need to stock up on sunscreen for summer.
• Don't forget about hygiene items, such as: comb, mirror, soap, toothpaste, toilet paper, etc.

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

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

• Process water. It is necessary if there are no bodies of water along the route.
• Disposable tablecloths.
• Coal and firewood. They will come in handy in cases where it is difficult to find dry branches at the vacation spot or when it rained on the eve of the hike.
• Folding grill. 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 grilling area with your own hands, but a grill is both convenient and safe.
• Tongs, nets, skewers and spatulas. They will come in handy 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.
• Kettle. The most common one, which you can put on the coals and then enjoy hot tea.
• Things for fun, especially if children are also going on a hike. This list can include anything from children’s toys, outdoor games, fishing rods, a battery-powered tape recorder, and balls. This point 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 significantly, and there is no need for risk here.
• As decent adults, you should definitely take care of the purity of nature, so take garbage bags with you, in which you will later collect the results of your vacation.
• Thread and a needle can also be useful in case something breaks or comes off along the way.

And, of course, an important point is always first aid kit for 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:

• Painkillers.
• Medicines that will help with heartburn, poisoning and other gastrointestinal disorders.
• Plasters and bandages.
• Cream, lotion or ointment that will relieve itching and inflammation after an insect bite.
• Panthenol is a universal remedy for all occasions.
• Cold remedies: nasal drops, anti-inflammatory, etc. Necessary if the trip is planned for more than one day.

Take into account the health conditions of each participant in the hike and do not forget to take those medications that are taken on a regular basis. If someone has allergies, take antihistamines with you.

What to take on a hike from food

Food is an eternal question in everything that touches the road. And if the trip 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 too much food with you, create a sample menu for the entire time you will be away. Moreover, you need to do everything exactly: calculate the number of servings, its weight and multiply by the number of people. Then you can find out how much weight the provisions will be and, if necessary, adjust it.

A few nuances regarding food on a hike:

• Look at the weight of the food - this is the main criterion in choosing provisions for a hike. Find an easier alternative, for example: not bread, but crispbread; not fruits, but dried fruits; not just plain cheese, but dried cheese. Such products are much lighter and at the same time nutritious.
• Instead of taking a mountain of vegetables with you for cooking, you can buy 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 foods on a hike.
• It’s convenient to take instant porridge with you, which you just need to pour boiling water or hot milk over.
• Bulk products are best placed in plastic containers or bottles.
• If you are planning a trip with a crowd, discuss the grocery list in advance so that you don’t end up with the same thing.

However, if the trip is short, for a day or two, or even a couple of hours, then there is no point in making a special fuss about food. The only rule that should be followed is not to take anything 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 in nature.

What to pack for a day hike

When 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 everything unnecessary. For example, it makes no sense to take sleeping bags, flashlights, a mountain of food, etc. with you. A tent can be useful, for example, if it rains, you can hide in it, but you can also refuse it, it all depends on your preferences.

In general, in order to go hiking without bumps, you need to gain experience, and then everything will become easier. Experience, experience and more experience, don’t be afraid to make mistakes and then very soon everything will become automatic. And finally, one small but very important piece of advice. Before going on a 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 go and when you will return. Of course, you shouldn’t think about the bad, but if something goes wrong and you don’t return by the scheduled date, they will start looking for you.