10 Hiking Tips I Wish I Learned Sooner
10 Hiking Tips I Wish I Learned Sooner
In this video, I share 10 important hiking tips that I’ve learned over time. When I started out, I used to make a lot of mistakes as a beginner hiker. But several hikes (and thru-hikes) later, I’m now more experienced. I want to share these backpacking hacks so that you don’t make the same hiking mistakes that I did.
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Osprey Backpack ➜ (Amazon: https://amzn.to/3KJpOO3)
Sawyer Micro Squeeze water filter ➜ (Amazon: https://amzn.to/3riXlDf)
Decathlon Forclaz Sleeping Mat ➜ (Decathlon: https://www.decathlon.com/collections/backpacking-sleep-gear/products/backpacking-foam-folding-mattress-trek-100-174619)
R.E.I. Flash Air 1 ultralight tent ➜ (Rei.com: https://www.rei.com/product/168564/rei-co-op-flash-air-1-tent)
Decathlon Forclaz MT 100 Trekking Poles ➜ (Decathlon: https://www.decathlon.com/collections/hiking-poles/products/hiking-pole-arpenaz-200)
Columbia Bugaboot Snow Boots ➜ (Amazon: https://amzn.to/3OxPT3K)
▼ TABLE OF CONTENTS
00:00 – Intro
00:05 – Load Lifters
01:03 – Hydration Pouches
01:41 – Shortcuts
02:14 – Sponsored
03:30 – Weather
04:34 – Group Hiking
04:56 – Sleeping
05:44 – Attaching to Backpack
06:19 – Trekking Poles
07:00 – Snow Boots
07:28 – Navigating Offline
08:54 – Final Words
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Tip Nr. 1 should be ALWAYS let someone know that you are out on a hike, in which area you are going and if possible send them your planned route. Its a easy thing to just get the .gpx file and mail it to your mom, friend, dad or whoever likes you. So if you don’t contact them after some time they call in pawpatrol to get you
8 : Bad advice. Stop telling people to buy cheap stuff "to try" before buying better, when you can so easily borrow them or maybe even rent them. Buy once.
Do you recommend fitting your backpack fully loaded or empty?
I really would like to know what was your once bad experience? 🙂
Great!!👍👍
Neoprene booties could help with warmth in the winter.
+1 for cheap trekking poles. I have hiked for years with the same pair of cheap decathlon trekking poles and even did an FKT with them.
Feel like I’m hearing a clicking or ticking sound in the audio?
Regarding trekking poles, after spending much money and finding the TSA either destroying them looking for concealed drugs or forgetting the poles someplace I finally saw the light…..I bought a broomstick and screwed off the broom attachment. Works just as well as trekking poles. Of course they do not collapse but when I need that then I will just discard them. No big loss as they only cost maybe $5 in the first place.
More good tips.
I agree with everything you mentioned, except for the idea of a plastic water bottle. This is unhealthy, and even unhealthy
The tip about not taking a bladder is just wrong. If you need just 1l of water and can refill, maybe a bladder would be overkill, but you showed two 1.5l bottles, and it would make total sense to go with the bladder.
1. It makes you hydrate regularly in smaller portions rather than just sometimes.
2. Good luck taking out and especially putting back in those 1.5l bottles with your backpack on. Probably doable but a struggle.
3. The bladder sits in the central part of the backpack next to your back, which is the best place to place heavy objects such as 2/3kg of water. It self-balances, with 2 bottles on the sides you have to drink from both so as not to shift the weight too much. Big bottles in mesh pockets move and you can lose your balance. They also tend to fall out in tricky sections of the trail.
4. It’s not exposed to the elements, stays cooler in summer, and does not freeze in winter.
5. It will last way longer than those bottles if you buy a quality one. Source ftw
The bladder is my go-to always when I need to carry 2l+ of water.
Wait until you have a family of Sasquatches coming into your campsite and screwing with you, it’s a terrifying experience and it’s best to get out of there ASAP leave everything and save your life. Nothing is worth staying in your tent and waiting for them to tear you apart
Love the wealth of great advice you bring without adding filler to the videos. Very appealing in a society that focuses on getting people to watch longer videos all the way thru without much true content in it.
Really enjoy your Videos, binge watched them to prepare for my First big Trip through sweden.
Greetings from germany ✌🏻
The water bladder comment is hilarious sobyour a real back packer and im not? Water bladders are awesome little sips the whole way and my wife got hip pain from un even weight of water bottles. Bladders arevthe way to go for real hikers sorry, get with the program.
I’ve hiked alot with my tent around the lower part of my pack and always had sore hips, when i put the tent on top of my pack i never had sore hips again, even my shoulders had no issues..
When i was younger i worked as a topographic surveyor. In winter we had bigger shoes, so we could wear more layers of socks, without compression. After 6 hours we switched the socks, because they are wet from your sweat and with wet socks you get cold.
I always use a head bug net to put my shoes in whenever I take them off. It lets them dry out and keeps animals out of your shoes.
The amount of weird faulty information in this is odd.
It’s not that you are saying things that are wrong per set but instead more like you are saying things that are based on other information.
For instance,
Water bladders aren’t used by experienced hikers. Well that’s just wrong as there are many advantages. But water bottles are the easiest when time and weight distribution is not a huge concern or if you need to be filtering constantly.
Also no you will not be stopping and taking your pack off every 30-60 minutes if you’re fit enough. I regularly do 2-4 hours before a break on mountainous regions BECAUSE I have a water bladder I can drink from and walk and hip beds with snacks.
Shortcuts are a viable option if you know what you’re doing. You need to know how to use topographical maps and orientate and know your capabilities. But yes, if you are a novice and only have Google maps, DO NOT take a shortcut. Instead go get some training.
You got rain in your pocket because you bought a karimoor product, they are glorified countryside walking jackets. Get proper hiking jackets from reputable retailers with weather sealed pockets and you’ll be fine.
If you are losing navigation because you lost your phone then you are not hiking safely.
When it comes to life saving resources, one is none and two is one.
The sleeping tip is a weird one because it’s really personal and maybe not useful for others.
Hiking poles aren’t for the hike, they are for prevention of knee wear. Also don’t create waste by buying shitty things first. Borrow friends or buy second hand.
So you’re saying buy winter boots for winter… OK.
Great tips for the load lifters and group hikes.
4:32 Don’t rely on electronics for navigation.
I like the form factor of that battery pack
Mapp and compass!?
A stop every 30-60 min? Are you climbing the Everest? Bladders allows you to actually avoid keep putting up and down the backpack, u can drink and walk, thing that will also help you in avoiding taking a huge sip every time u stop because u will arrive super thirsty at the break, best if bottle and bladder are used together for easy refill.
II’m the person who says: "Trekking poles are a waste of money." 😀
Learn to use a map and compass. And take them with you. ‘Cause you never know when you might need them. The #1 skill.
Bring extra socks and air dry them on your bag while you’re wearing another pair. Invest in topographic maps in case something happens to your phone.
Yeah.. I hiked 10 miles with 3L of water in a water bladder…. NEVER AGAIN! Unless it’s ONLY the water bladder I’m caring, and NOTHING else, then maybe. Otherwise eff that! Wasted so much money -_- (Not saying it wasn’t useful, it definitely was, but it was too damn heavy with everything else).
I discovered issues at the height of my hips, something to do with the muscles that raise my legs, on the 1st night of a 3 day hike in winter with friends. On night 1, when lying down on the shelters wooden bed, i wanted to lift my leg… but it was way too painful. The next day, my pace slowed a 6hr hike down to 10hrs because of my injuries. It would have been much longer without trekking poles!!!! I have analysed the issue and concluded it was likely from the waist straps of my backpack. – The backpack was handed to me, i did not buy it, it was for the opposite gender…
Nice tips! I am a regular hiker and I do love my water bladder, though!
Great video. Concise. Mucho info
How much weight is saved by not taking electronics? There’s no point going off hiking if you have to work, you’re just being owned – exploited. Part of hiking is leaving the world behind. Jock
"bad experience ONECE" dude wtf, you creeping me out !
I really want to know what your bad experience is??? I am so scared of baddies 😳
There are water bladders which have a hose going from the backpack to your shoulder – you can sip from it without taking anything off.
Some backpacks have stretching pockets for small water bottles (about 0.5 litre each) on the belt.
Trekking poles are useful on any terrain. They increase the stability of your movement: the heavier is your backpack the more sensible is fatigue from your total weight moving in all directions. Every step consumes more energy when you’re keeping your balance only on your feet, compared to feet+poles.
4 is more stable than 2. More stable -> less effort.
4:38 we always have the slowest person in front (usually but not always me). I hate it when the slow person is in the rear, people impatiently wait for you to catch up, and then they take off again without letting them rest a bit. Makes the slow person feel like a burden no one wants there and they wind up leaving the group in embarrassment.
why are you connected to the power bank through a wall charger?
100w usb-c output is probably way more than your phone wall charger puts out
If you have to take your backpack off to reach your water, I would get a new backpack. That’s just horrible design
I use Wikiloc to get ideas, but I use OsmAnd as my main app for planning my routes and navigating. It’s offline maps are great and the basic subscription with a single payment allows you to update maps with altitude lines forever. Iplan my routes on the app and then send them to my Garmin 7. I only check the phone if I feel like exploring or learning the area better. But navigating with map and compass should be a must for any serious hiker. Trekking poles have so many uses and benefits that I always, always bring them and I’ve used them to prevent dogs from attacking me.
I hike quite often, 1500km last year, also backpack when I can, 18 days last year, and I’ve used a bladder for 95% of my hikes. I get 5-10 kms per liter, so up to 30 kms on a 3 liter bladder. Makes more sense than carrying several bottles.
It is also important to remember regarding the slowest member of your group. To allow them extra time to rest. While you have been there for a while longer they have been moving. And If you get up to start again when they arrive then they get no rest.
A hiker with a heavy powerstation and a laptop .. hahaha #idiot
do you have experience with osmand for navigating? if so, what are the advantages of gaia and locus compared to it?
Arlaways fiblrtienr gb aan ge!xtra TAlways bring an ext
As a wilderness guide I must say that there should be at least 1 person in the group who knows how to use a map and compass. And that should be the primary way of navigation. Your phone should be reserved for emergencies. Maps and compasses are cheap and easy to use with little training. You dont want to be in a situation where you run out of battery and need to call for help. In winter it is good to keep your phone inside your jacket next to your body. That way the phone stays little warmer and the battery lasts longer.
When sleeping in a tent I find it best to go to bed a lot earlier than you usually would. This gives my body (and mind) time to calm down, and I don’t have to turn around so much anymore when trying to fall asleep.
Regarding trekking poles: Yes, I do need them because of knee problems. It helps me shift my weight, and also acts as a sort of stopping device when I have to go down steep hills. Before I had the poles I could only go down those steep slopes at a snail’s pace, because I would hurt me knees too much if I walked any faster.
thanks!
Plastic bottles are bad for health and the environnment so I dont’ use them. I feel the only downside to water bladder is that it’s tough to keep the tube clean.
#8 worst advice to give any hiker is to buy something cheap to test it out. You’re likely to buy junk that makes your experience worse. And then either quit or spend more money to buy something that works. If you really want to test something, rent it or borrow from a hiking friend. Then buy once, cry once.
In addition to good boots what helps me is extra socks. If your socks are soaking wet just change them on the next break. It helps not only to keep your feet warm when it’s cold, but also helps (not necessarily prevents) with many other things like blisters, athlete feet and other hygiene related illnesses after all warm wet and dark places are good breeding grounds for bacteria.