For First-Time Hikers

I was living in South Texas the first time I went hiking on a preserve trail. I admit I had no idea what I was doing, though the experience wasn’t completely new. I had previously hiked up a mountain in Monterrey, Mexico, with friends who lived there and knew the area. I remember leading the group, walking a few paces ahead of everyone through the trees, eager to reach the summit, but our hike was cut short, and I never saw the top. From that first experience, I was hooked and made up my mind to do it again soon. I wouldn’t though, hike through a forest again…not for another few years, anyway.

I had only ever “experienced” hiking and marveled at the beauty of forest scenery through old copies of National Geographic magazine and other related print material on the topic. I had seen it done in movies, namely adventure flicks where a band of heroes or a lone adventurer trek across vast landscapes while an aerial camera zooms out above them to reveal their relative smallness against the majestic, but foreboding, wilderness. This was certainly a far cry from the hikes through the arid brushland of South Texas that I was familiar with, which, while amazing in their own right, just weren’t quite at parity with hiking through a forest temple, with its mighty tree trunk pillars and stained glass-like treetop ceiling.

When I owned my first car, I finally had the opportunity to experience it for myself. Not far from my hometown was a national wildlife refuge, Santa Ana. I had visited it once before, as part of a grammar school field trip, but we hadn’t made it onto the trail (we were there to visit the nature center itself and watch the original version of Dr. Seuss’s “The Lorax”. Unlike the forests of the Midwest that I hike today, this was a mesquite forest of old gnarled mesquite trees, each draped in long, hanging Spanish moss. In the daytime, it was a scene straight out of an old western, the kind of place where John Wayne might track down a bandit. As the sun set, it was a scene straight out of a horror movie. It wasn’t National Geographic, but it was my forest, and the first place I thought of to take my future wife on a first date.

She wore the wrong shoes, which is what this post is really about. If you’ve never been hiking before, one of the first questions to come to mind is, no doubt, what you should wear. I’ve been there, recalling the images of hikers in the National Geographic magazines, thinking to myself, I need to get myself a proper pair of boots, a knapsack, and a fancy canteen for water, khaki cargo shorts, and a button-down plaid shirt, rolled at the sleeves. I recall thinking I had to look the part, like the people in those images, before I could go hiking. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

Sure, the right gear is important for just about anything we do, but only insomuch as it is practical to our purpose. In the wilderness, utility trumps appearances, and functionality trumps fashion. The right gear is whatever is right for you. It can differ from season to season, depending on where you’re hiking, and from trail to trail. I have been in the forest on hot summer Midwest days and during sub-zero Midwest winters. I’ve hiked on flat, foot-worn trails, through tall prickly prairie grass, and along damp marshy wetlands. Every situation required some minor adjustments, but a few staple items are important.

Here’s a breakdown of my typical hiking gear:

• Comfortable shoes, well-suited for the terrain and that provide sufficient traction. This doesn’t have to be hiking boots. Even sneakers can get the job done depending on the terrain. I would, however, avoid dress shoes, open-toe shoes, flat bottoms, and flip-flops. Take it from my wife and the white dress shoes she wore on our first date.
• Comfortable socks, because going commando in your shoes can result in painful blisters. Lengthwise, I prefer to protect my legs from thorns and insect bites, but I tend to go off-trail. Staying on the trail should pose little danger to your legs.
• Lightweight breathable clothing for warm weather; lightweight layered clothing for the cold. You never want to be over-encumbered by your clothing or gear, especially in situations where sweat or rain can weigh you down and make you uncomfortable. Clothing with plenty of pockets is optional, but I personally prefer it to carry equipment.
• Protection from the sun; in my case a baseball cap and/or sunglasses. Though you’ll spend most of your time sheltered by the shade of the forest canopy, some trails cross uncovered areas and the low early morning or early evening sun can cast intense light through the trees, limiting your visibility.
• Water. Depending on the length of the trail, the duration of the hike, and your access to water in between, you’ll want to bring along only enough water to avoid dehydrating or to clean wounds should you require first aid. A 34oz reusable water bottle is more than enough for my needs.
• A simple first-aid kit. Again, avoid carrying excess weight. I find that a small ziplock bag containing bandages, insect bite ointment, and antiseptic wipes suffices. If it is a popular trail, you’re likely to encounter other hikers should you find yourself in more serious trouble than this will cover. If you’re going it alone in a remote area, pack your first-aid kit accordingly.

The following items are the more personal-preference items that let me write this blog:

• My GoPro camera, for documenting the trail and capturing interesting footage to share (coming soon).
• My cellphone, for emergency purposes only and quick photography (I try to make my hikes as distraction-free as possible from my daily life and responsibilities, but I am a married man and a father, and my family needs a way to get a hold of me when I am alone in the forest).
• My all-purpose bound journal; small enough to fit in my back pocket or large drawstring bag, with only a pencil or a pen for notetaking and sketching.
• A drawstring nylon sports bag (lightweight, easy to store, but strong enough to carry anything I can’t hold in my hands.
• My multi-purpose paracord survival watch (which includes a compass, whistle, flint and steel, and a thermometer, half of which I’ve never needed to use but which straps unobtrusively around my wrist in a small package…just in case).
• A hiking pole (seriously optional; I choose to carry an inexpensive aluminum one for support as I hike up or down steep surfaces to reach off-trail locations, as well as for protection against the possibility of dangerous wildlife encounters, though I have never had to use it in this capacity).

As you can see, there is nothing particularly special about my gear and very little you can’t find in a typical closet. When it comes to preparing for a hike, a little common sense goes a long way. Take only what you need for what you want to get out of the hike. If exercise is your purpose, pack as light as possible. If you’re heading into the woods to document the experience, pack a camera. If you’re planning on going off-trail and into the brush, wear clothing that will protect you from thorns and the possibility of poisonous plants or insect bites. There is no uniform for hiking, and no special requirements either.

Perhaps the only essential requirement is the right footgear. You’re going hiking after all. Everything else should be selected purposefully, with a clear use in mind. If you’re like I was all those years ago, putting off hiking for lack of the “right stuff”, then put it off no longer. Your first hike will inform every hike thereafter, and you will learn from personal experience what works best for your hiking needs. What’s most important is that you hit the trail and discover, for yourself, the personal benefits of getting back to nature.

Have first-time hiking experiences or advice to share? Please post it in the comments section for others to read and learn from, and as always, thank you for being a valued member of the Forest and Trail community.