Trailside Homestead

What you actually need to have a great hike!

A hike to me is second nature, but for others one to many bad experiences have soured their desire to get outside. As I’ve gotten older I have come to realize that less is often times better than more. But I realize now how much I did not fully understand that when I first started hiking. So in today’s post we will be going over what I consider to be absolutely essential to having a good hike, after all a bad hike can lead to a dead end to nature for many.

I for one have no real desire to travel. Exploring on the other hand is much more up my alley. To some that may sound like the same thing but to me it is much more complex.

Don’t get me wrong I would love to see ancient castles, beautiful cityscapes, and exotic plants, but as of right now in my life I have a bountiful place to explore right in my own back yard.

Many of us can think of the reasons to not hike. The biggest one being away from home. It can be annoying to pack chargers and devices alongside the other items you may deem essential.

Our homes our our homes for a reason. They are where we store our food, our stuff, our comfort items. This can make it especially hard for us to get outside after being cooped up all winter. We get used to the convivences that our homes give us.

Being outside doesn’t tend to be convenient. If you forget something, well your just gonna have to wait! Either that or make a detour which often times makes the trip more frustrating.

But this can actually make it a very cleansing experience. One of my favorite lessons that being outside in nature has taught me is to adapt. You quickly learn what works and what doesn’t.

That is exactly how I was able to make this list. Through trial and error I have found items that truly make a hike worth while. You need essentials but bringing less and adapting to your situation can often lead to the best memories or at least a lesson for your next adventure!

So What To Bring?

Packing is the most stressful part, after that it’s smooth sailing!

1. Find A Reason

Look at the picture above. How does it make you feel? To me it makes me feel stressed. There’s a lot of bulky, heavy, and random items there! So to first understand what to pack you need to find your why!

Why do you want to hike? Is it get more fit? To get aesthetic pictures to post? To learn more? Heck to tan?

Whatever your reason is, you need to have one. As kids when an adult told you to do something it was pretty hard to feel motivated. But when you have a desire/reason all of the sudden your itching to make it happen!

2. Choose A Route

Now that you have found your reason the next step is to choose what kind of hike your aiming for. Maybe your a complete beginner so even a small hike seems intimidating. In your case I’d honestly just start out with walks.

It’s not safe to take on more than you can chew. Especially when it comes to exercise. Trust me when I say if you hurt the day of just wait till tomorrow cause that’s when the real pain begins.

Remembering to plan out a route can leave you much more prepared. After all no need to overpack for just a walk and under pack for a several hour hike.

3. Pick Your Storage

This one is VERY important since the biggest thing we all dread is dragging something along with us. I know in my case, I hate holding things while walking. It never feels comfortable, your hands get tired, and it slows you down.

So now that you already have a route planned, use that info to influence what you use to carry your essentials.

If your hiking out in the middle of nowhere for hours, I’d bring a lightweight backpack. But don’t waste your money on expensive backpacking gear. Unless your planning a several day back packing excursion all you really need is a plain old backpack.

On the other hand if your planning more of a short stroll than honestly just a small side bag works perfect. I highly recommend for either trip to use something that doesn’t require you to hold with your hands.

So purses, backpacks, fanny packs, and side bags are all great since they free up your hands.

4. Nutrients

This one is always important so if your going to listen to anything I say I heavily recommend this point! Food is essential and without them you can find yourself in a pretty bad situation fast.

While food is not as important on shorter hikes/walks, it becomes more important the longer you are away. I find it best to always bring some sort of snack.

Although we often put snacks in a bad light, when it comes to getting outside they are perfect! Already pre-packaged and also often small they barely take up space.

Don’t forget to eat before you go out no matter the distance. Things happen and a short walk may turn into a much bigger ordeal. So just in case be sure to eat something beforehand.

5. Water

Okay okay I think we all understand water is important, that’s a given. But even so we always seem to forget to drink it. DO NOT FORGET WATER.

Most of us have enough meat on our bones that even if we did go a day or two without eating we’d be okay. Water on the other hand is needed everyday just to function.

So please be sure to bring water, even if its just for a walk. Water also can be used to clean things off if needed such as your hand if you touch something icky.

Honestly I just end up buying whatever our gas stations largest bottle of water is that way I don’t have to worry about losing it, plus I can throw it away when I’m done.

6. Bring A Buddy

This one is a bit optional. I say a bit as I understand some may turn to nature to get away from people. But even though it might be nice to disappear for a bit, we don’t need you disappearing forever!

I always recommend to bring a buddy or even a group along as it makes it fun and there is safety in numbers. For those of us hiking in more rural areas the noise of a big group is often enough to scare off a lot of animals.

But if going alone is more your style at the very least bring a cellphone and even a battery pack. While it’s annoying to bring bulk with you it’s a lot more annoying to be lost in the woods, alone….

Nice And Simple

And just like that, you really don’t need a lot for a great hike!

Yep, that’s it! A trail, food, water, a buddy, and a little pack is all you really need to have a great time! The more you try to complicate it from there the less fun you will have.

Hiking is special because it can be planned to a T but still be spontaneous. In fact that is how a successful hike should be! Bringing food and water lets your body relax, but doesn’t mean you can’t forage for food while your out and about.

Maybe you have a route planned but part of the trail is closed. That’s okay maybe that leads you to discover a similar, even cooler trail nearby. Or instead you explore a town nearby to makeup for it.

Either way you got out of your comfort zone and tried something new! As you hike you’ll find what works for you and best fits your lifestyle. There may be things you just can’t live without, but that’s okay use this article as a starting guide and grow from there.

I hope to inspire you guys to get outside and reconnect with nature. So if you have any tips for hiking or just want to share your experience be sure to leave a comment and if you enjoyed today’s article be sure to like, share, and suggest more content!

With Love, Victoria Fox