Hiking is any outdoor walking activity - usually along trails and across unmarked wild country.
35
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9answers
1k views
What is the most efficient food to take a for a 12-15 day hiking trip?
Last summer I spent 15 days hiking with my boyfriend, in Sarek National Park, where there are no places to restock with more food.
The food issue was a major part of the pre-planning, as weight was ...
26
votes
5answers
3k views
Is it better to wear one pair or two pairs of socks while hiking?
From personal experience I tend to wear two pairs of socks, normally some running socks and then my hiking socks on top of that. It helps me avoid blisters. Quite a few of my friends thinks this is ...
25
votes
5answers
362 views
Backpacking or hiking in areas open to hunting
A lot of areas that are good for hiking or backpacking are also popular hunting grounds. I am an avid backpacker and hiker, but I do not know much about hunting. How do I find out what is the ...
21
votes
6answers
442 views
If I'm caught in lightning above tree-line, what should I do?
We all know the general lightning guidelines, but what if I am above tree-line and caught in a freak lightning storm. Is it better to:
Run like mad to toward the trees
Lie flat, and find religion
...
20
votes
9answers
447 views
The outdoors, solitude and dealing with loneliness
I have been out camping a few times, once with a group, the other times with my girlfriend. Although I enjoyed those times very much, I often wondered what would it feel like to enjoy the complete ...
20
votes
3answers
849 views
Does hiking with a dog in bear country increase or decrease your risk of a bear encounter?
I've heard various rumors that dogs might help keep bears away, or might be a bear attractant. Is there anything more concrete than anecdotal evidence to go on?
From the companionship end, they are a ...
19
votes
7answers
792 views
What are the downsides to sleeping in a hammock on a multi-day hike?
I've read that hammocks are a very light way to travel through the wilderness. You just need the hammock, a cover, and a light sleeping bag, but there must be disadvantages compared to taking a tent ...
19
votes
6answers
4k views
What is the fastest method to 'break in' full leather boots?
After purchasing full leather boots (similar to these boots) I had many blisters for the first few hikes until I broke in my boots.
What are the fastest ways to age the boot so that when my foot ...
19
votes
4answers
1k views
FiveFingers or hiking boots?
I have been wearing vibram fivefingers exclusively for three years now. I day hike in them, I exercise in them, I go to to work with them, I hit the beach and swim in them. I have tried wearing ...
19
votes
2answers
623 views
Handling feminine hygiene on multiple-month treks?
How can I handle multiple months of menstrual cycles on a long trek like the Appalachian Trail? I am asking about how to handle the mess. Here are my personal considerations:
Using hormonal birth ...
18
votes
1answer
297 views
Why do shin splints happen?
I've gotten shin splints on long hikes - once 2 weeks into a hike, and another time 2 months. I wasn't able to determine how I got them though, which has really annoyed me! I get that I could ...
17
votes
5answers
345 views
Barefoot Backpacking: Liquid Boots?
Yes, you read it right:
Is there something that works like epoxy or natural tar that I can apply to the most delicate impact points of my feet (balls and heel) that will form a very durable bond, and ...
17
votes
7answers
570 views
What clothing would be appropriate for hiking in -18°C with up to 30 km/hr wind?
I recently moved to Germany and am planning to do a hike in the Harz mountains. The weather is expected to be around -18°C. Most of the trail will be sheltered by forest, but the mountaintop is ...
16
votes
6answers
2k views
How to keep water cold in hot weather?
When doing outdoor sports like hiking or biking I'll always take a lot of cold water with me. I love to drink cold water and I feel more refreshed compared to drinking warm or not-so-cold water. But ...
16
votes
5answers
2k views
How much water should be carried while hiking in the desert?
I live in the Arizona desert, and during the summer, despite my best intentions, I always seem to end up doing some hiking in the summer heat.
What is a good formula to figure out how much water I ...
16
votes
3answers
318 views
What do you do if you see a cougar?
Hiking on the west coast of British Columbia, there are likely to be cougars around the trails. What do you do if you see one?
16
votes
3answers
346 views
What do I need to look for in good, quality hiking boots?
My wife and I are going to buy some hiking boots as we've been using regular tennis shoes anytime we go on a hike.
What are the things I need to keep in mind when looking for a good set of quality ...
14
votes
4answers
10k views
How do you determine how long a hike will take?
Is there a general rule of thumb for converting miles to hours when looking at a potential hike? For example, how long does it take an average person walking at an average speed to walk a mile on the ...
14
votes
3answers
283 views
Synthetic vs Down sleeping bags?
What are the best conditions to use a synthetic sleeping bag vs a down one? Can you always use a down sleeping bag as long as you keep it in a dry waterproof bag?
14
votes
2answers
196 views
Where are good places to look for water sources when I have run out on a multi-day hike?
Luckily this has never happened to me, but even the most prepared hiker can often get themselves into difficulties if they run out of water. My question here is in your experience in remote arid ...
14
votes
1answer
109 views
Tree Identification
I'd like to start identifying trees in my area as a project with my kids while we are hiking.
What is best for tree identification, a good color book such as the Audobon Field Guide to North ...
14
votes
2answers
305 views
How to stay clean on a multi-day hike?
I love hiking but there is a serious problem - I find it disgusting to be sweaty or dirty. I am literally unable to function properly if I do not get a thorough and warm shower every morning.
This ...
14
votes
1answer
421 views
Raw meat on hikes
When backpacking we often carry raw beef which we have salted and frozen, usually cut into strips that can be easily cooked through. I'm confident that this is good for 24 hours, and I know that meat ...
14
votes
3answers
129 views
Do I need any technical skills to climb Kilimanjaro?
Ive heard that climbing Kilimanjaro doesn't require any mountaineering skills and is really just a (very difficult) hike?
Is that true? Is there any gear I would need besides traditional hiking ...
14
votes
2answers
171 views
Is there a definitive list of the tallest mountains in the world that require little or no mountaineering experience?
I was wondering if there is a list of the tallest mountains in the world where you can walk or scramble up to the summit? As opposed to using even basic rope skills?
13
votes
3answers
178 views
What are the key features to look for in mobile device apps for hiking/camping?
I've used EveryTrail and was satisfied but am looking for something better... What are the features I should focus on for selecting an app? What bells and whistles are really useful on the trail?
13
votes
2answers
466 views
Washing clothes on long hikes
I'm looking for a good solution for clothing (or clothes washing) on long hikes with the following considerations
Southeastern United States, Appalachians
We hike light
10+ day trips
I don't want ...
13
votes
2answers
94 views
A little bit of acclimatisation or no acclimatisation at all?
This summer I'm planning to mount my first 4000 m mountain in Switzerland. So far I only got around 3300 meters while hiking and had no problems. However 4000 meter an above is definitively a ...
13
votes
3answers
120 views
Good resources for information about hiking trails near Boston
I'm a Hiker who recently moved to Boston, MA. I'm interested in hiking within a 2 hour drive of the city, and I really would love alpine hiking (above the tree line), on trails that are 4 to 8 miles.
...
12
votes
3answers
623 views
First time camping, need advice
Me and my wife have never done camping before and always wanted to do it. This time we are planning to go for a small camping trip but have no idea how to prepare for it. We like to hike and are ...
12
votes
2answers
512 views
Why don't we apply the principles of layering when it comes to pants?
Whenever I see clothing articles geared toward hiking and backpacking that discuss layering (base layer for wicking, mid layer for insulation, etc.), they always seem to discuss these things in terms ...
12
votes
2answers
1k views
How do I avoid leeches?
The last time I was attacked by leeches I thought I'd taken enough precautions such as pulling my socks over my trousers and avoiding walking through particularly wet areas or long grass but I still ...
12
votes
1answer
125 views
What are some good games to play with children on hikes?
Sometimes children find long hikes boring and tiring, but if you can turn it around to play some games along the way they can find things a lot more interesting.
What are some good games to play in ...
12
votes
1answer
369 views
Kilimanjaro expedition - trousers - softshell vs. gore-tex
I am going on an expedition to Kilimanjaro and I'm going to buy new trousers specifically for this purpose. Some agencies recommend to take soft shell trousers and I'm not sure if it would be the best ...
11
votes
5answers
466 views
What exercises are recommended to build strength for hiking?
I've not had much opportunity to go hiking for any decent distance recently and I feel the next time I do my body will probably complain a lot. However, I've access to a gym with a lot of equipment so ...
11
votes
2answers
169 views
Formula for rough amount of water to carry on hike?
Is there a formula which can be used (I'm thinking one that gives amount of water needed factoring in time or distance covered and temperature) to roughly work out the amount of water that needs to be ...
11
votes
2answers
302 views
What is a buff?
What is a "buff", how is it used, and why should I have one?
I've seen them advocated in numerous places, but I'm not sure why a tube of cloth is better around my neck than a scarf, etc.
11
votes
1answer
85 views
How do you best treat a turned ankle in the back country?
Possibly the most common injury I see when hiking with groups is when someone turns or rolls their ankle. Assuming that access to a vehicle is not feasible, what is the best way to deal with the ...
10
votes
4answers
163 views
What practical issues do I need to be aware of when hiking or camping on my own?
Related to this question, if I'm camping and hiking on my own, I'm obviously at more of a risk than if I were with someone, and some key tasks will definitely be harder with no-one to assist (such as ...
10
votes
2answers
195 views
Long or short sleeves on a hike in the Desert?
I have heard different things from different people, but here in the South West we do a decent amount of desert hiking.
Protection from bugs is usually little concern because most of the time in the ...
10
votes
1answer
266 views
What should you look for when buying hiking socks?
A quick search online shows there are dozens of different types of hiking socks, with different materials, thicknesses, and properties. In general, what should you look for when shopping for hiking ...
10
votes
2answers
135 views
Trekking in the himalayan region
Which are the better trekking routes in the himalayan region?
Also, how safe are the routes?
If any of you guys have been around in the region, I would like to know your personal experiences as ...
9
votes
4answers
1k views
How to properly lace hiking boots?
When I go on hiking trips, I wear proper boots. However, when I lace them tight, my ankles swell terribly after a few hours and start feeling funny (bending the joint feels like touching a balloon). ...
9
votes
2answers
636 views
What is the difference between men's and women's hiking boots?
When I bought my current pair of hiking boots, the brand/style I tried on and liked was out of stock in the womens version, so the storeperson offered me the mens ones instead. I tried them, liked ...
9
votes
2answers
158 views
Experiences hiking with a baby: backpacks
I'm a keen hiker, in South Africa. Or, I was...
But then our delightful darling daughter was born 7 months ago, and my hiking hobby got replaced with a new hobby.
Anyway, my wife and I are very keen ...
9
votes
3answers
264 views
Soft or hard drinking bottle?
When choosing a water bottle for hiking, a very distinct choice I can make (amongst all the other types of materials and hardiness, size and so on) is weighing up whether to purchase a "hard" plastic ...
9
votes
2answers
128 views
How should I correctly use poles and other equipment to avoid back pain on long hikes?
3 of my lower vertebra have irreparable damage, so I have various workarounds to minimise pain and swelling at home and in the office, and even on short term hikes (ibuprofen FTW) but on a longer hike ...
9
votes
3answers
124 views
Should I always take a hard hat if I go scrambling?
Should I always take a hard hat if I go scrambling?
Scrambling (also known as alpine scrambling) is a method of ascending rocky faces and ridges
Quite often when I'm out on ridges in the UK, I ...
9
votes
2answers
222 views
What precautions should I take when hiking among herds of elk?
During certain times of the year, some of the hiking trails near where I live wind through herds of elk standing on or near the trails. What precautions should you take when hiking among elk?
9
votes
1answer
340 views
Tent floor waterproof rating
I'm currently looking to buy a new tent. The old one had a floor that was said to withstand a hydrostatic head of 10000 mm, but the tents I find in the stores here go to at most 3000 mm for the floor, ...
