Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Hiking Equipment

Every trail leads hikers to new adventure, so every hiker should be prepared for anything. Outdoor adventurers need good hiking equipment to enjoy a safe and successful trek. Here is an outline of the gear you'll need and the gizmos you can probably do without.

Go Without the Gimmicks
Outfitting stores stock all sorts of unnecessary gadgets, tempting the hiker who isn't quite ready to rough it. Backcountry espresso machines, portable Dutch ovens, nesting pots, traveler-design towels, portable saws are all on display and ready to cash in on unknowing hikers. Gizmos that are touted as ways to ease the inconvenience of traveling in some god awful place are really little more than opportunities for you to load your pack with things you don't really need. Sure, these types of hiking equipment seem to be specially designed for travel. But wait 'til your pack is loaded and you try to heft it! The idea is for hikers to travel light. Picture yourself laboring under a heavy pack filled with all sorts of trinkets, like that first-aid kit that can outshine a third world hospital. Suddenly a skinny drifter breezes by with a slim pack that weighs half of your burden. You're pulling up the rear, and the companies that manufactured this stuff are laughing all the way to the bank. Save room for the essentials, and save your cash at the same time.

Re-Evaluate
Choosing the right equipment is all about keeping it light and carrying as little as possible. Even if you've been traveling light on most of your hiking excursions, you should re-evaluate your choice of hiking equipment before every trek. Is there something you always take, but never use? Are there items you've wished you had, but never pack? What about those things you use, but could really do without. And those extra "just in case" items you really don't need to bring along? If you're a backwoods gourmet, by all means, pack the nesting pots. If you survive on corn nuts and raisins on the trail, you can safely leave the nifty spice set and pancake flipper at home. These items can be great at a cottage, but will only weigh you down on the trail. If you do prepare meals on your hike, remember that one-pot meals can be delicious. Pack one pot and one wooden spoon, and ditch the rest.

Share the Burden
Traveling with a partner is always a good idea, plus it gives you the chance to travel lighter than usual. Chances are, both of you don't really need to carry Swiss army knives with 14 screwdrivers and portable chainsaws on them. You'll be able to share the load, and share your hiking gear so that both of you can pack simpler and lighter. You and your partner can share a first-aid kit, water filter, matches, stove, pots, guidebook and tent.

Make sure that your first lesson in packing hiking equipment isn't a lesson learned the hard way. Pay heed to the first rule of hiking, and keep it light. Beware the gimmicks and gizmos trying to worm their way into your pack. While the advertisements tease you about bringing at-home comforts to the trail, realize that they are no more than empty promises. The real beauty and excitement about life on the trail is in its simplicity. Hiking gear that smells of luxury should be left at home in the garage. You'll soon be back to relax in your camp chair and bust out your multi-pack of bandages.

By: James Anderson

Mountain Hiking And How To Get There

Many hikers who are bored of the normal marked trails, and discovered wilderness areas have come to a new adrenaline rush: mountain hiking. Hiking several hundred feet above sea level gives those with a taste for the extreme the rush they are looking for. If you are that kind of hiker, then mountain hiking is for you.

But wait, before you start day dreaming about the top of the summit, you first need to know how to get there. Mountain hiking isn't much different than simple hiking. The only major difference is the endurance needed and the terrain you are hiking on. Over all the same gear is needed and the idea is much the same.

The three layer system that is often used in hiking also applies in mountain hiking. Let's do this real quick: the layering system offers three different layers of clothing that a hiker should follow.

First is the base layer, which is responsible for keeping a dry and comfortable microclimate next to your skin. For mountain hiking, you can wear two pairs of long johns, top and bottom. The clothes should be made from synthetic fiber but not from cotton.

The second layer you need in mountain hiking is the insulation layer. This layer provides more warmth if the base layer and the shell layer do not provide enough insulation on their own. And last is the shell layer, providing you protection from wind, rain, sleet, snow, etc.

Shirts for mountain hiking during good weather
Wool or fleece sweater or synthetic insulated jacket
Wool shirt or sweater, second fleece/pile jacket, vest, etc.
Fleece pants - side zips are nice as they come in handy if you are getting too hot

While in a typical hiking trip, no more than three layers of clothing is needed, this is not so in mountain hiking, where the conditions can be harsher and more extreme. That is why a fourth layer of clothing is usually added, the 'super' insulation layer.

You might need to wear eye protection, depending on where you are hiking. In snowy conditions, blindness is common due to the glare, even on overcast days blindness can be a concern. Also in sunny conditions it is important to wear eye protection to protect your eyes.

By: Chelsea Ciszewskic

All About Hiking In The Appalachians

The Appalachian trail is a 2000+ mile trail that starts in Katahdin, Maine and ends at Springer Mountain in Northern Georgia. The trail will take its travelers through Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Georgia. The trail first opened as a continuous 2174 mile trail in 1937. One of the amazing parts about this trail is that every year thousands of people flock to the Appalachian trail to attempt to thru-hike, which means to hike the entire trail from end to end. Of these people only some 30% will actually be successful in their task. The rest will either give up, get injured, or have to leave the trail for some other reason.

People can either hike the trail as Northbounders hiking from Georgia to Maine or Southbounders hiking from Maine to Georgia. In either direction you are bound to pass other hikers coming in the opposite direction. Local trail clubs have setup shelters all along the trail and generally about a day's hiking distance in between each shelter. To hike the entire trail you should plan on spending anywhere from three to eight months on the trail. Planning the logistics for the trip and getting your body conditioned for the daily rigors will take several months to several years depending on your budget and physical conditioning.

Packing and planning are going to be two of the most important parts of your trip. When it comes to gear your primary concern should be weight. You have to carry everything your take with you so plan on taking only what you need. There are no fees for hiking the trail but it will end up costing somewhere between $2000-$4000 in miscellaneous expenses along the way. Hiking the entire trail can be an amazing experience but requires a lot of preparation and careful planning.

By: Brian Johansson