Hiking gear starter guide for the budding hiker
By
Adelaide Burgess, Contributing Writer
AccuWeather may receive a commission if you choose to purchase any of the products linked in this article. Prices are accurate at time of publish or update.
With the days getting longer and the weather getting warmer, you might be able to smell it in the air: hiking season is upon us. While the most dedicated hikers tend to hike all year round, you might not be ready for snowy hikes through treacherous mountain passes.
Still, hiking season is ramping up and if you are wanting to get started with your childhood dreams of becoming an avid hiker, you'll need to know the basic essentials for what you'll need when you venture off into the great unknown (though we hope you're using a mapping system of some sort). Use our list of essential gear items for the budding hiker to get started.
Hiking Backpack
L.L.Bean Stowaway Hiking Pack
$50
Carrying everything you need for a day in the wilderness has never been as easy and manageable. This stowaway hiking backpack is lightweight, yet can carry up to a 100 pounds of weight if need be. It doesn't have anything crazy going on with it either and is quite simple in design making it a wonderful starter backpack.
First Aid Kit
My Medic The Solo First Aid Kit
$50
Bumps and scrapes are pretty much unavoidable when you're out in the wilderness and the last thing you want is to have an open wound to the bare elements until you can make it back to the car. The My Medic kit gives you all your essentials from bandages to medicine and all in a self-contained, compact bag built for ease of use.
Multi-Tool
Leatherman FREE T4 Pocket Multi-Tool
$60
Having a multi-tool on hand in general is quite useful, but you really don't want to be outside and suddenly needing a knife to cut through fabric or tweezers to pull out a splinter or thorn. This Leatherman pocket multi-tool has 12 different tools ranging from scissors to screw drivers. If you're going hiking, make sure you have a multi-tool in your pack.
Water Bottle
Rambler 36 OZ Yeti Bottle
$50
Keeping yourself hydrated is going to save you a lot of pain. Avoid dizziness, nausea, headaches, and heatstroke by making sure you have clean water at your constant disposal. The Yeti Rambler will keep your beverages icy cold, making it the one-stop spot for a refreshing sip of water.
Energy Bars
$50
Water is a good start, but you're going to want some caloric sustenance on your big hiking adventure. Nuts, protein bars, and trail mixes are going to be your staples as they provide a lot of calories at a relatively low weight and size. These Picky Bars are delicious, plant, seed, and nut based protein bars that will be sure to reenergize you, even the pickiest eater among you!
Toiletry Bag
Osprey Ultralight Roll Organizer
$30
An all-day hike means that you're probably not going to be able to wait for the bathrooms at the beginning or end of the trail head. So, be sure that you've packed all your bathroom essentials in this tight, ultralight roll organizer that is sure to be a compact and essential edition to your backpack.
RELATED:
8 risks that spring hikers should be aware of before hitting the trail
The best hiking gear for cold weather
Duffle bags and backpacks for the perfect weekend outdoors
Perfect gifts for guys who love the outdoors
Flashlight
Ozark Trail LED Flashlight
$10
Even if you're not planning a night hike, having an emergency flashlight in your pack is the best plan of action. The Ozark Trail LED flashlight is bright, compact, and tough. If you're walking back to your car or you just want to explore a cool cave, this flashlight will not let you down.
Lighter
Sirius Survival ZeuX Electric Plasma Lighter
$20
You might not have heard of a fireless lighter that uses a USB charger, but that is exactly what the Sirius Survival lighter is! Additionally, the charger is waterproof, windproof, and easy-to-light! At the press of the button, you can get a fire going for any survival emergency---or just for s'mores!
Sunscreen
Supergoop! SPF 50 Sunscreen
$10
You might think you're fine because you're going to be in the shade of the trees or you'll be wearing a hat, but you should be wearing sunscreen just about every time you know you are going to spend long periods of time outside---especially exercising! Sunscreen protects you from harmful skin conditions and cancers as well as keeping your skin ageless.
The last two things you're going to want to look into before you venture out into your new hiking hobby is a way to know where you are and what the weather is going to be like. Use maps, compasses, or a GPS to keep yourself in the know. As for your clothes, dress for the occasion.
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News / Recreation
Hiking gear starter guide for the budding hiker
By Adelaide Burgess, Contributing Writer
AccuWeather may receive a commission if you choose to purchase any of the products linked in this article. Prices are accurate at time of publish or update.
With the days getting longer and the weather getting warmer, you might be able to smell it in the air: hiking season is upon us. While the most dedicated hikers tend to hike all year round, you might not be ready for snowy hikes through treacherous mountain passes.
Still, hiking season is ramping up and if you are wanting to get started with your childhood dreams of becoming an avid hiker, you'll need to know the basic essentials for what you'll need when you venture off into the great unknown (though we hope you're using a mapping system of some sort). Use our list of essential gear items for the budding hiker to get started.
Hiking Backpack
L.L.Bean Stowaway Hiking Pack
$50
Carrying everything you need for a day in the wilderness has never been as easy and manageable. This stowaway hiking backpack is lightweight, yet can carry up to a 100 pounds of weight if need be. It doesn't have anything crazy going on with it either and is quite simple in design making it a wonderful starter backpack.
First Aid Kit
My Medic The Solo First Aid Kit
$50
Bumps and scrapes are pretty much unavoidable when you're out in the wilderness and the last thing you want is to have an open wound to the bare elements until you can make it back to the car. The My Medic kit gives you all your essentials from bandages to medicine and all in a self-contained, compact bag built for ease of use.
Multi-Tool
Leatherman FREE T4 Pocket Multi-Tool
$60
Having a multi-tool on hand in general is quite useful, but you really don't want to be outside and suddenly needing a knife to cut through fabric or tweezers to pull out a splinter or thorn. This Leatherman pocket multi-tool has 12 different tools ranging from scissors to screw drivers. If you're going hiking, make sure you have a multi-tool in your pack.
Water Bottle
Rambler 36 OZ Yeti Bottle
$50
Keeping yourself hydrated is going to save you a lot of pain. Avoid dizziness, nausea, headaches, and heatstroke by making sure you have clean water at your constant disposal. The Yeti Rambler will keep your beverages icy cold, making it the one-stop spot for a refreshing sip of water.
Energy Bars
Picky Bars Assorted Pack
$50
Water is a good start, but you're going to want some caloric sustenance on your big hiking adventure. Nuts, protein bars, and trail mixes are going to be your staples as they provide a lot of calories at a relatively low weight and size. These Picky Bars are delicious, plant, seed, and nut based protein bars that will be sure to reenergize you, even the pickiest eater among you!
Toiletry Bag
Osprey Ultralight Roll Organizer
$30
An all-day hike means that you're probably not going to be able to wait for the bathrooms at the beginning or end of the trail head. So, be sure that you've packed all your bathroom essentials in this tight, ultralight roll organizer that is sure to be a compact and essential edition to your backpack.
RELATED:
8 risks that spring hikers should be aware of before hitting the trail
The best hiking gear for cold weather
Duffle bags and backpacks for the perfect weekend outdoors
Perfect gifts for guys who love the outdoors
Flashlight
Ozark Trail LED Flashlight
$10
Even if you're not planning a night hike, having an emergency flashlight in your pack is the best plan of action. The Ozark Trail LED flashlight is bright, compact, and tough. If you're walking back to your car or you just want to explore a cool cave, this flashlight will not let you down.
Lighter
Sirius Survival ZeuX Electric Plasma Lighter
$20
You might not have heard of a fireless lighter that uses a USB charger, but that is exactly what the Sirius Survival lighter is! Additionally, the charger is waterproof, windproof, and easy-to-light! At the press of the button, you can get a fire going for any survival emergency---or just for s'mores!
Sunscreen
Supergoop! SPF 50 Sunscreen
$10
You might think you're fine because you're going to be in the shade of the trees or you'll be wearing a hat, but you should be wearing sunscreen just about every time you know you are going to spend long periods of time outside---especially exercising! Sunscreen protects you from harmful skin conditions and cancers as well as keeping your skin ageless.
The last two things you're going to want to look into before you venture out into your new hiking hobby is a way to know where you are and what the weather is going to be like. Use maps, compasses, or a GPS to keep yourself in the know. As for your clothes, dress for the occasion.
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