This is a list of the things that I really have to have on a hiking trip if I want to be comfortable. This is not a supply list of everything that you need on a hiking trip. These are just the things that make my trips more enjoyable.
- Hat and sunglasses. If I am ever caught outside without these essentials, I regret it. I get hot and irritable, which makes everyone else irritalbe.
- Trekking poles. They make going uphill a lot easier and balancing on rocky terrain a lot more manageable.
- Tissues. They are napkins when you forget them, TP when you need it and a lifesaver if you have allergies.
- Lip balm. Since I breathe with my mouth open while hiking my lips get really dry and nasty if I don’t use lip balm. I always use the kind with sunscreen.
- Pants, not shorts. You never know when you’ll be walking through grass or bushwacking through the shrubs. Pants protect you legs from scratches and help when you’re walking through a field of poison ivy.
- High top hiking boots. I’m a pretty clumsy hiker and don’t trust myself hiking unless I’m wearing high top boots to help protect my ankes.
- Any kind of t-shirt, as long as it’s not cotton. Cotton will get wet and sweaty and stay that way. Get a wicking material and you’ll be much more comfortable.
- My iPod. I know, when you’re hiking you’re supposed to be one with nature, not listening to cheesy music. Well, when you’re hiking 10 miles in a day, it’s more like an athletic event than a meditational experience. My iPod helps me keep my hiking rhythm and lets those miles go by faster. Besides, I listen to Joh Denver and Bluegrass, not top 40 cheese.