Trekking & Hikking
Hiking tips and tricks
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Tips and tricks for hiking hydration, water bladders, keeping feet happy, avoiding pains and aches - along with how to get on the trail quickly.
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but a standard guideline is four to six ounces every 20 mins or so. Better to sip somewhat frequently compared to a lot every few hours (this is how a hydration bladder comes in handy).
Headaches, dizziness, or difficulty concentrating can signal dehydration while anxiety, a weak or rapid pulse, and clammy or hot, dried-out skin point to serious dehydration. See also “Hiking Health“.
The pack may be dedicated to your bladder with just slightly room for day hike gear, or perhaps a regular backpack which has a pocket to position a reservoir. Water bottles could be carried inside of a pack, on outside pockets or even in a dedicated waist belt pack.
Headaches, dizziness, or difficulty concentrating can signal dehydration while anxiety, a weak or rapid pulse, and clammy or hot, dried-out skin point to serious dehydration. See also “Hiking Health“.
- Water Bottles and Bladders
The pack may be dedicated to your bladder with just slightly room for day hike gear, or perhaps a regular backpack which has a pocket to position a reservoir. Water bottles could be carried inside of a pack, on outside pockets or even in a dedicated waist belt pack.
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We would prefer to use a water bladder in the packs. The backpacks we use employ a sleeve pocket to slip the bladder in plus a hole to own the tube out and around to clip in to the pack strap. The end on the tube features a “bite valve” that releases water if you bite about it. This is an easy way to drink because you hike. We’ve been using Camelback reservoirs for a long time. Pictured is our Antidote but they employ a newer model available known as the Crux.
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On a extended hike maybe in really warm weather, we add water bottles into your mesh pockets on the outside with the backpack. For shorter hikes, organic beef use just bottles. Water bottles are quicker to fill and clean, but could be more awkward to seize while hiking - depending on how they carried.
It really boils down to personal preference that is better. If you are a new comer to hiking, or perhaps giving it a go and never sure if you’ll hike much… a water bottle is often a less expensive investment. But for frequent hikers, or those doing longer hikes… we look for that a hydration bladder will be the only way to go.
It really boils down to personal preference that is better. If you are a new comer to hiking, or perhaps giving it a go and never sure if you’ll hike much… a water bottle is often a less expensive investment. But for frequent hikers, or those doing longer hikes… we look for that a hydration bladder will be the only way to go.
- Hydration Bladder Tips and Tricks
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- Try electrolyte tablets like Nuun since they add a bit flavor, vitamins and minerals… and achieving enough electrolytes is effective in reducing your chance of hyponatremia.
- Keep the feet happy
§ Channel your inner Mr. Rogers - swap out shoes at first and end of your respective hike. Drive to your trail head in something comfy like ’Merrells Mocs or sandals, put on boots, then at the end with the hike change back into your comfy shoes. Put over a fresh couple of socks also.
§ Rejuvenate you by removing boots in a lunch or snack break; permit them to cool down a tad. A few seconds of foot massage also works wonders.
§ Elevate feet/legs up after you take a break. Prop on the rock or log, or cross one ankle within the other knee when laying in your back… everything to get the feet/lower leg up somewhat.
§ On long hikes, try soaking your toes in a clean stream or lake for a couple of minutes to reduce heat and swelling.
- Avoid pains and aches
- Stretch your muscle mass: carry out some light stretching after a few moments of hiking, your breaks, and if you are done. Improves your hike AND your recovery the very next day.
- Add dried blueberries or tart cherries for a trail mix. They both reduce inflammation, which is really a major source of joint pain. They’re tasty plus your knees will thanks a lot.
- Consider using trekking poles to scale back the impact on your own knees.
- Consider taking an ibuprofen (like Advil) about halfway by way of a long hike if the knees tend to get cranky. Ibuprofen reduces inflammation.
- Milk might be a good food for muscle-recovery. In our opinion, this actually also means that after-hike soft ice cream is “medicinal”! Once home we may make an ice-coffee with milk plus a packet of Starbucks Via, or create a banana smoothie - blend a ripe frozen banana with milk, a generous dollop of peanut butter and squirt of Hershey’s syrup… yum.
- Get out and go - quick!
- Keep your backpack full of the basic essentials: First aid kit, compass, tissues/TP, hand sanitizer, and even headlamp/flashlight, pocketknife and fire starter.
- Keep boots, trekking poles, hats/gloves, bug spray, suntan lotion etc in a old carrying case, combined with pre-packed backpack, ready to seize and toss in a car.
- Pick a trail before hand. Gather up trail maps and directions and add for the duffel.
- Charge your camera/GPS batteries the evening before. Toss inside pack the subsequent morning.
- Fill water bottles/bladders inside the morning (or chill inside fridge overnight).
- Toss energy bars or trailmix in the backpack, grab your duffel and go!
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