I asked 15,000 hikers for their best tips
I asked 15,000 hikers for their best tips
✅ Join thousands of hikers now – Master the outdoors with tips, tricks, and stories
➔ https://www.mowser.com.au/subscribe?video=Zat9srq1v2I
Most hikers make simple mistakes that can ruin their hike—or even get them lost—but these game-changing trail tips will help you hike smarter. After 34 years of hiking and guiding, I’ve seen what really works, and today, I’m sharing the best hiking advice from real hikers like you.
*⏱️ TIMESTAMPS*
00:00 The One Simple Habit That Could Save Your Life
01:04 The Mistake That Gets Hikers Lost
01:57 The Waterproof Boot Myth Exposed
02:59 The Secret to Climbing Without Burning Out
04:24 No Camp Shoes? No Problem!
06:04 The Bumbag Hack That Saves Time and Effort
07:08 Three Small Fixes That Make a Huge Difference
08:42 The End-of-Day Trick That Saves Your Legs
10:20 Hike Your Own Hike – Why It Matters
10:59 The Most Liked Tip That Every Hiker Should Remember
KNEE HIGH snake bite proof boots are the best 4 posture & safety… and they are all seasonal
Wow, a real bigfoot!
✅ Join thousands of hikers now – Master the outdoors with tips, tricks, and stories
➔ https://www.mowser.com.au/subscribe?video=Zat9srq1v2I
Throwing away an old pc/laptop which is completely knackered? Or should I say having it recycled, well open up the hard-drive first and remove the rare earth neodymium magnet (all mechanical drives have one), it can be used to repair your compass if the polarity has been reversed on it by leaving next to a battery etc. Also worth knowing, if you do reverse the polarity on your Silva compass they’ll fix it for free forever, you just need to pay for the postage to send it to them in Sweden, but they pay for return postage.
I was told about using double socks to avoid blisters by my Mum. It never works; it makes blisters much more prevalent. A far better tip is to *bring* two pairs of socks, but only wear one pair. Change your socks after about 8 miles. Now I hardly get any blisters, let alone the inch-long ones that I’d get when double socking.
I have a few sachets of sunscreen in my first aid/emergency kit which always gets packed, I put them there after forgetting sunscreen once before a long and sunny day in the mountains, it was a painful mistake so now I know I’ll always have sunscreen! Also in that kit are earbuds for windy mountain camps where the wind can make it almost too noisy to sleep.
An addition to ‘look back routine’: before overcoming even a slightly dangerous obstacle always think how dangerous would it be to overcome it in the opposite direction. Even if you don’t intend to go back the same way you may get pushed to move forward in more dangerous setup than you’re comfortable with (because going back is even more dangerous).
Awesome advice.
I have one for you, if your out on a short hike anywhere from 5 to 25 miles in a new location Then every mile look back as you said However, take a quick photo. Then you can check it on the way back.
Extra coffee equals extra happiness = Fkn oath 💯
Like the Alfie Esthetics impressions hahaah
Why bother with waterproof socks ?? I use waterproof skin.
I have some waterproof boots, they are too heavy for more than a short walk, but by god they are waterproof and warm, they’ve been in the sea up to the ankle for many a tide , grip wonderfully in the snow. Best tip ,two pairs of socks and a change in a ziplock bag. I have a pair of waterproof hiking shoes , lovely, light and pointless, urban wear really, grass and puddles will get you every time !
Ex Aus Army, wear decent socks!
Double socks is a must for beginners. The inner ones should be relatively tight; some people like synthetic. The outer ones should be larger, thick, and wool.
Micropore tape is also effective to apply to blister-prone areas before starting the walk. This is the paper tape; for this purpose it’s much better than the synthetic versions.
Some people wrap toes. I have used it on the bottom of my feet where there are creases in the skin, and on the back of my heels and Achilles tendon.
My best tip is to get some reflectix (Mylar covered bubble insulation) about a metre long, split it down the middle, and tape it back together. This will allow it to fold in half, and you can then roll it up and fit it in your pack, but it will go under your sleeping pad to the torso and keep your body heat in and the cold of the ground out, while also adding a thin bit of padding.
When hiking with a club always check your pack for rocks.
Putting a 5kg rock in the new guys pack, at a rest stop, is a classic "gag"….
Seen a grown man burst into tears when he found it at the end of a long, hard day…
If you pull this gag then at least give them a hint to "check your pack", after 30 minutes.
Then its funny rather than cruel.
Totally agree with the "Waterproof" boots. No matter what anybody says, waterproof does not breathe. I get so annoyed trying to find boots that arent waterproof (Danner is the worst with this).
Tip: For bags with a few pockets, wrap some masking tape around the zipper and label them.
Stops you from going through multiple pockets to find what you want and if you get into an emergency, someone else can find your first aid kit quickly.
If you’re worried about carrying heavy gear, pack a cast iron frypan. Not only will you be able to cook an amazing steak at the end of the day, but none of your other gear will seem heavy at all.
Wear a rashtop for your base layer, it wicks if its hot and it makes the pack straps feel more comfortable hot or cold. Very light and easy to wash and dry.
How about carrying a simple compass and check it frequently… amazing how that will keep you from getting lost on the way back.
The problem with the waterproof boot myth advice which I agree with, is that it’s damn near impossible to get non GTX boots. Leaves you with a very small set of choices.
One of my best investments has been a lightweight inflatable mattress. Folds up the size of my fist, weighs nothing, and makes sleeping soooo much more comfortable.
As usual half of these "advice" is the best for THE dude in THE situation… Sure you can skimp on everything 😂 but what for? Have waterproof shoes, because you are lot less likely to get soaked and do take those skinny sandals not only you got footwear for the camp but to cross bogs, rivers and to swim/wash.
water proof foot wear…. yeah NOPE! nice breathable footwear… and if you MUST get your feet wet and are worried about getting wet… a pair of old bread bags and some KT tape …keep your tootsies nice and dry for the crossing course your foot wear is soaked anyway but that will dry out SOOO MUCH FASTER then waterproof ever will
Ziploc bags on your feet? Sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.
I’ve found for double socks getting toe socks for your base layer can really help, just having that extra toe separation has really been helping me with avoiding blisters
Also if your using instant latte/cappuccino sachets bring some regular instant and add an extra spoon of coffee in there. I’ve always found them to be mostly powdered milk so definitely helps give you that extra boost if you’ve not got a travel coffee press or something similar
Best tip I’ve got is more a tip for tips, take everything with a pinch of salt and be open to trying new things even with the possibility it might not be for you. 1 of the things I love about this hobby is the variety of different ways you can enjoy it, everyone is different and you might find a tip you’ve gotten works perfectly for you where as others just don’t work for you even when you hear everyone recommending it
NICE!
No mention of rubber boots? WHY?
Camp Shoes came to my rescue big time….boots failed and they provided footwear to hike out of a 60 miles route. My camp shoes are not ultralight, but seriously lightweight. Wouldn’t hike without them!!
…and then the clouds of midge descended.
I actually did this! Without having seen this video yet. After a 20km hike in the evening. I walked about 2km after without my gear. Everything felt so good the morning after.
A chamois is great for leaks or condensation
Lotsa nonsense. Go hiking with the intention of getting stronger ,and all these ‘stop the fatigue" tips are un-needed. No poles: you WANT a stronger core and better balance. No ultra-lite: you WANT load-bearing exercise. No food tips: you WANT "fasting". Resistance, and efficiency and strength all come from "struggle". cheers.
Glancing back will help you only in the most simplest cases. It will not help you during hikes longer than 3 maximum 5 km. It will not help you in difficult, foggy weather conditions. It will not help you if you need to cross difficult technical sections or obstacles. It will not help you if you need to hike through high bushes. The only safe way to hike in an area you are not familiar with is to use a watch with navigation capabilities or a dedicated handheld navigation device. I hope that some less experienced hikers will not get lost while glancing back based on your advice.
Nice video. These anecdotal bits of advice are more important than any others—at least I feel that way.
In former Army Human and Signals Intelligence, spent a lot of time in inhospitable parts of the world. My hobbies now are long distance backpacking and hunting, often paired together. Here’s some advice I will lend, and I’ll leave it to you as to whether it’s helpful.
1) we aren’t drying out wet boots overnight. Better to have breathable boots, change of socks, and alternate those socks in the morning. Keeping your boots on will almost always keep them warmer at camp and dry them out faster. Same for wet socks.
2) To reduce condensation in the tent/bivvy etc. wrap your face with a microfiber cloth. Seriously. Cover your nose and mouth with it. It will keep you warmer too (condensation is more of an issue in wet climates). In the morning, tie it to your bag. It will dry out by noon. If it’s nasty have a goat pee on it. No, just wash it in a stream.
I still find my backpack is always too heavy. I think it’s more of a me problem than a backpack weight problem.
Stay safe. I really enjoy your videos.
Anyone hiking 28-32 miles a day, averaged daily, is racing. Thats 50 kms.
Whats a boring person.??
The idiot whos conversation day end is about hiking rather than a myriad of topics.
As an experienced backpacker, wilderness guide, canoe tripper, outdoor educator, and nature photographer, I STILL learned plenty from this video, so I subscribed of course.
For the first time on a hiking oriented youtube channel, I heard someone advise using liner socks. Absolutely right IMHO. The combination of relatively thin snug liner socks with more bulky socks, will keep your feet from moving inside your boot. Rubbing of your foot inside your shoe is how blisters develop. I wear liner socks virtually every day, no matter if I am just doing errands, or cleaning blackberries and other weeds and brush and working on my firewood supply. My last blister that I can recall was probably on a backpack trip in the early 1990s, if not earlier. I attribute that to mostly to wearing liner socks.
I don’t buy expensive hiking shoes. I just get a good pair of sneakers high tops. They last a long time and they’re comfortable bring plenty of water. That’s all I can tell you and some snacks and know where you are at all times. Don’t go somewhere if you don’t know where it is or where you’re goingmeaning always know how to get back
In the UK, I hike mostly with leather boots and two pairs of wool socks – my feet have never got wet, and if I swapped for non-waterproof trainers, I’d spend at least half my time hiking with wet (and freezing cold) feet – I think it depends where you are. I can see the advantage of good consider trainers for prepared trails in dry weather.
Ladies, use a stand-to-pee device when hiking in moskitoe country. It will stop the buggers taking your butt for a a free buffet.
Going uphill use the ramasse piolet (French step) technique. Basically it implies moving sideways up the steep bank. Use a stick or trekking pole to improve balance.
When turning around to memorize the trail take a photo. Similar to the rest step for less steep terrain I like trekking poles even if I don’t need them for my legs it keeps me in a cardio rhythm that’s easier to maintain and using your arms prompts better circulation. Rest step is was a huge help for me but had to practice it a bit.
I’m now 81 yrs old, have been hiking/scrambling/climbing for 60 yrs. I’ve always hiked in boots made specifically for the job. I’m from the UK where it’s always wet,cold and rains frequently. If you buy the proper items from recognised companies, wet feet in your boots would never be a problem. Mine are made in Italy or elsewhere in Europe. I wear or carry full length gaiters. The socks that now suit me most are from the USA, DT, and with a lifetime guarantee !
Stop every 20 minutes and re tighten your laces, straps, etc. much better.👍🏾🇬🇧
DO NOT use vaseline on your boots, it contains chemicals that will harm the leather!
A good watch. Easy to read display. Solar. Though. Barometer. Compass. Light. Durable. Casio Pro-Trek PRG-330-1. One of the best watches out there. Beats G-Shock in my opinion.
Bamboo are far superior to cotton, isnt hygroscopic, keeps your feet and body dry and warm. Odor free.
I have continuously hiked all over the Swiss Alps since 2001 (I’m half Swiss). I NEVER get blisters, let me tell you about why you are doing it wrong. I have a Czech friend who does the double sock thing and he often takes his boots and socks off during hikes to let everything dry, but he always gets crazy blisters. I only wear one pair of socks and I never take my boots off. The problem is the foot movement inside the boot, your feet are bending and twisting, and rubbing against the inside. For example when your feet are on the ground and you push your leg forward your foot bends forward but your toes are still on the ground, this strains the muscle and the edges of your foot on the front and the heel lift and rub against the boot. I have developed a form of walking where the aim is to keep the foot as still as possible. Think about it as little gentle stomps, you lift the foot up while completely still and parallel to the ground, lean forward and bring it straight down. Stomping obviously is bad for your knees but these stomps are so smooth you dont get any knee pressure (another way to visualise it is like pushing pedals on a bicycle). I have hiked like this over the most extreme terrain with heavy backpacks for decades and it works flawlessly. This isnt bro science, this is a fact. Maybe I should make a video about it.
My camp "shoes" are just my bare feet. I’ll even walk around camp in snow with just my bare feet if I need to pee in the middle of the night say.
Use a baggage transfer service where available… I just walked the West Highland Way in Scotland, I’m 59 and carried snacks, water, waterproofs and a phone. I walked past loads of people half my age who were carrying all their gear.