How to Prepare for a Hiking Trip

Series Summary

There is a myriad of camping and hiking tips and techniques for you to learn. Most are good, some are essential. Hiking is not only an excellent for your cardiovascular system, muscles, and joints, it is also a great way to exercise while enjoying the beauty of nature. As you learn more about hiking you will find there is almost no place on land that you cannot explore with training. But before you head off to hike the Rocky Mountains or Mount Everest, get some basic hiking tips and techniques from our hiking expert.

In this free how-to video series, learn how to hike from hiking expert Karl Jensen. Karl will give you hiking tips and techniques to help you learn how to effectively learn how to hike. He will teach you how to prepare for a hiking trip, how to pack your back pack, how to read trail signs, how to know when to rest when hiking, how to stay hydrated while hiking, when to eat while hiking, how to use hiking poles, how to protect trails, how to hike uphill and downhill, how to stretch before a hike, and how to pack for cold weather and for warm weather.

Video Transcript

"Hi, now I'm going to talk about preparation for your first hike. Let's check out some of the things you're going to need. You're going to need a good water bottle. I like to use these because they're really sturdy and they hold a lot of water. Also, you could just, you can really have any water bottle, it doesn't matter. You can get one at a grocery store. Another important thing to have is a medical kit. This one's a little big, you don't have to have one quite so extensive. All you really need is a few bandaids and maybe a little bit of bacitracin if you get a cut. I like this cause it's got a little manual in case something bad happens that I don't know how to treat. It will at least give me an idea of what I can do, like CPR or anything like that. It's also got some large bandages, some tongue depressors for if I need to make a make shift splint, a few bandaids and mole skin, in case I get a blister. Also, you want to have a, just a small survival kit, a simple one like this works great. You can see, I've got some matches, a compass, just a head lamp in case I have to go out in the dark, a whistle if I need to call for help, I also have a lighter. but I always bring matches because if the lighter gets wet it might now work. I also have twine in case I need to tie some sticks together or something to make a shelter. And the most important part, is you need a backpack to carry it all in. I like this one, it works pretty good for just short, few hour hikes. I like it cause the padding is real nice on the shoulders, it's comfortable to wear, it's got this chest strap here to take some of the weight off your shoulders and put a little more on your chest. But, lastly, you're gonna want to have a note. You want to leave a note with a family member or a friend, just someone so they know where you are in case something goes wrong. Give them a time when you left and a time when you're coming back. You might also want a cell phone to bring. It might not work but it could save your life."