I Woke Up This Morning After A Challenging Hike… Here’s Some Lessons Learned
Hundreds and thousands of influencers are out there telling you about the best equipment, awesome deals, and amazing destinations. No one will tell you about the pain and suffering one must endure when hiking. Especially no one will tell people with no hiking experience what to expect. Some will think it’s too much and bail out. Some will think it’s a walk in the park… and bail out half a mile in.
I am that guy. I am not a professional hiker, just a guy who goes out there on weekends and who isn’t paid to pitch stuff to anyone on YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram. I am also not very fit. I am also not 25 anymore, and I can tell you all about that pain and suffering. I will also tell you why hiking is awesome if you prepare properly.
Let me first start by saying that you don’t have to suffer. Pick an easier trail, don’t carry a heavy backpack, go slow, and make stops as often as you’d like. Go to the park. Drive instead of walking. There are so many ways to make this less painful. This, however, is not my way of hiking.
I would absolutely stop and take in the views. In fact, that’s the only time I stop for an extended time. All other times, I would keep moving, however slowly.
Additional information about my hiking ways: I carry a 20-lb backpack (Mystery Ranch 3-Day) with water, IFAK, a large device charger, a few necessities, and spare clothes. I hike in Belleville C320 (not an affiliate link — just my other story about why this boot). I carry plenty of water, snacks, a spare phone, and a lot of will to finish the track.
Now, on to the lessons.
The first thing you need when hiking is to take care of your feet. Believe it or not, the whole hiking experience is, basically, using your feet to move the rest of you in the desired direction. Shocking, I know! This means two components — socks and shoes, boots, or sneakers.
For the love of all that’s dear to you, do not go in cotton socks. Every single blister on my feet right now is a result of wearing cotton socks. Cotton is fine when dashing from your car to a grocery store or a subway exit to your building. The best thing you can do is buy wool socks. Yes, I said wool. No, you won’t get hot in them. I trained for days in Florida’s July heat wearing wool socks, and it wasn’t hot, sweaty, or unpleasant. In fact, it was the best decision I ever made for my feet. Buy good Merino wool socks. I have Darn Tough (my favorite), Fox River (thick and cushiony), and Merrell. All three brands are awesome. Darn Tough even gives you a lifetime warranty, so if you wear through them — you get a replacement pair for free.
Next step — footwear. Your boots, shoes, or sneakers. Depending on your destination, this may vary, but make sure you’re comfortable walking long distances in them. There’s an argument that tall boots protect the heel better, but no scientific data supports that. In fact, the US Army did a study that shows that the benefits of tall boots vs. short are marginal. My personal choices (and I go to great lengths explaining them in this article) are still 8" boots. The last time I went hiking in Hoka Challengers, I had debris, seeds, and dirt in them by the time I hit the middle of my trail. I also missed taking an amazing picture because I couldn’t wade through an inch of water, which is nothing to my Bellevilles. Still, go in what you trust to be comfortable, and if you survive and want to do it again — you’ll have a better idea of what you might need. That’s how I got here.
The last part of taking care of feet is being prepared for the blisters. Yes, they may happen, especially if you are not used to hiking, which is different from walking in a straight line in the park. Carry bandaids if you must, but a better solution is Leukotape. It’s like a second layer of skin when yours is no longer there. Oh, and carry a pocket knife to cut the pieces you want.
The other large part of surviving the hike is getting proper nutrients. This one is a little tricky since your body may behave differently from others. But most things should be the same for everyone.
Hydration — unless you’re going for a 20-mile march or a specific time limit, you don’t need anything sophisticated, like a hydration bladder or system. I carry small 500 ml bottles; they can fit anywhere, and once you’re done with them, you can flatten and store them anywhere. Don’t throw them on the trail, be mindful of the environment, don’t be an asshole. Also, they are reusable, so you can fill them up and take them on your next hike.
Electrolytes — it’s a fancy word until you, like me, wake up dizzy, lightheaded, and unable to get out of bed because your head is spinning. Worse, if you have the same symptoms on the trail. There are electrolyte drinks and powders you can mix into your water. You can also bring good trail mix — Buc-ee’s Southwest trail mix with spicy stuff is one of the best I’ve had. Its only problem is that they’re sold in large 10-oz bags, so it gets more complicated as you work through it.
Nutrition: A 2—or 3-mile hike may not sound like much if you’re walking in the park, but if those 3 miles pack 600 ft of elevation, you’ll want something to munch on after the first hour. Trail mix, jerky, protein cookies—I like Clif; it’s the least disgusting thing I’ve tried. You can always sit down and unpack the sandwiches, too, if you’d like.
The dress code becomes important if you go further than your local park. For my latest hike, I drove two hours north. My cotton t-shirt and flannel shirt were pretty warm in the city, but when I got out of the car upstate, it felt pretty chilly. I warmed up when I walked, but it was cold and windy at the top of the mountain. I warmed up again, moving down, but in the last hour, when I was completing the trail (in darkness, I might add), sweaty clothes and the cold breeze weren’t feeling too cozy. I chose to suffer through cold to finish the trail faster and minimize the time I had to hike in darkness. A better way to dress would have been not wearing a cotton shirt, selecting nylon or other synthetics, wool, or a blend. The same logic applies to socks: you want something that keeps you warm (cotton doesn’t) and dries out fast (cotton doesn’t). As always, layers are the best since you can add and remove as much stuff as you want.
Last but not least, get yourself a mapping app. I use AllTrails and pay for a Pro account because, to me, it’s absolutely worth the $20–30 a year. There’s always that couple or a group of beginner hikers standing in the middle of the trail, figuring out which way to go and asking for directions. I was there once, and I almost got lost picking the wrong turn in Harriman State Park and had to retrace my steps and return. Not all trails are marked. Some places have almost no markers, so AllTrails is your only way to get where you’re going — and return safely. Also, AllTrails works without a cell phone signal, provided you have downloaded the trail map beforehand. Many good hiking areas have a weak or no signal at all, so navigating without it is a huge advantage.
At the end of the day, the most important thing is to enjoy whatever it is you’re doing. Even if it results in pain and suffering the next day.
