{"id":294,"date":"2022-07-06T15:39:31","date_gmt":"2022-07-06T20:39:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/manlife.com\/articles\/?p=294"},"modified":"2022-07-12T11:24:59","modified_gmt":"2022-07-12T16:24:59","slug":"hot-weather-hiking-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/manlife.com\/articles\/index.php\/2022\/07\/06\/hot-weather-hiking-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Hot Weather Hiking Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This summer, I’ve had the opportunity to hike in both Florida and Washington. The two presented fairly different challenges: Florida is a swamp with no elevation but lots of dangerous critters, and Washington presented a mountain trail in conditions that can carry widely. Throw that in with the fact that I did both of those hikes without a stop at my own home to restock my bag, and I had to come up with kit that would do well in a wide range of climates. Today, I want to go through some of the major lessons that I learned in both of those hikes, and the long journey in between.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Bring More water<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As a human being, you’re a fairly complex machine that needs air in the next two minutes, water in the next two days, and, depending on your body composition, calories in the next two weeks. Without any of those and you will expire. I’d advise against hiking if you think air will be the issue, but food and water are common to most hiking situations.

In terms of water, the bare, bare minimum is one gallon per person per day. I recommend doubling that for a variety of reasons. First, you might well get lost and need to stay overnight. Dehydration affects cognitive performance badly, and so staying hydrated will keep your brain running better. Second, other people seem to think hiking is a joke: I saw several people wearing flip-flops on mountain trails with several hundred-foot drops less than a meter from us. Such a fool might well end up injured and in need of water to compensate for the blood loss brought upon themselves from an injury.

I recommend that at least one of your water bottles is metal: they’re both more durable than plastics, but can also serve as a noisemaker when full of rocks, or, in a pinch, are reasonably good self-defense tools when full.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Food<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Second, bring food. Here, there are some general rules that always apply on the trail, but I think you should also have some fun with it. First, the general rules.

Do not litter. Seriously, people who would litter on the side of an unspoiled mountain are the worst. Bring two sealable bags, one for food, and one for waste. If you pick up a piece of litter and put it in your bag, let me know if you see me in a bar and the next beer is on me. Pack in what you pack out, and leave it better than you found it.

Bring calorie-dense foods. Foods like protein bars and even candy have a lot of calories for very little weight. The same goes for jerky. Like water, calories keep your body and brain running as intended, and thus matter a great deal.

But, bring something you really enjoy for meals. It might not be practical, but a sandwich from my favorite Seattle grocery store was truly excellent in the foothills of Mt. Ranier. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Clothing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I’ll take this one top to bottom. Your boots should at the very least cover your ankle joint to prevent a lot of strains and breaks, and they should be tied tightly. Yes, it’s hot in the summer to do. You will sweat a lot more if you break an ankle in gator territory. To help with this, many brands make awesome merino wool socks that wick moisture.

I always hike in pants: I like climbing pants with an elastic waist and a drawstring for their lightness and so there’s no belt chafing at my waistline. One thing I should have considered and would recommend is packing a bathing suit that can double as shorts if you want to take a swim or need to change out of sweaty or wet pants.

I like to hike in long-sleeve fishing tops just to prevent sunburn and bug bites, both of which are unpleasant as they are avoidable with some careful planning. A bandana and a hat are also good calls for this. The hat, bandana, and shirt can be soaked in a cold, fast-moving stream for some seriously helpful cooling on long hikes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Medical and Physical Needs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are a few final things that I recommend having with you. First are some spare socks in case yours get totally soaked. If they do get too wet, you’ll end up with blisters, which is why water-resistant bandaids are also a must. A basic first aid kit put into a waterproof bag is also a necessity, and it should have any life-saving medications you need, as well as spare glasses or contacts.

Bug spray and sunscreen should go in every hiking bag, every time. If there’s any threat of it being cold, a packable jacket is also useful. No matter what, have a space blanket: it reflects heat and light, in case you either need to spend the night in the woods by accident or signal someone looking for you. Some means of self-defense, from two or four-legged threats, is also smart. What you choose to carry is up to you, but having a plan for defending against things you might encounter is smart. I would not want to reason with a bear. Bear spray is better and lets both me and the bear go home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here, I’ve gone through several categories of items you might want on the trail, and they’re all important. But, the more important point for me is that hiking is an opportunity to be self-sufficient for a while, get away from your ordinary life for a moment, and take some time to appreciate yourself and the people you bring with you in nature. Having the right kit makes that easier, but the most important piece of hiking gear that you have is that drive that takes so many of us into the outdoors in the first place. So, lace up your boots, load a map onto your phone, and walk until you can’t hear cars and forgot all about work emails. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This summer, I’ve had the opportunity to hike in both Florida and Washington. The two presented fairly different challenges: Florida is a swamp with no elevation but lots of dangerous critters, and Washington presented a mountain trail in conditions that can carry widely. Throw that in with the fact that I did both of those … <\/p>\n

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