Hiking for beginners on a budget
We are used to sitting in front of computer screens for long hours. Unfortunately, for most of us, it’s impossible to change this state of affairs, as it is a non-negotiable part of our job. To treat all the illnesses caused by the sedentary lifestyle, we swallow all kinds of pills, often paying for them an awful lot of money. If pursuing another career is out of the question, you should try getting as much physical activity as possible.
One way of incorporating more physical movement into your life is to start hiking. You might get intimidated by all the fancy equipment that you absolutely need to have. Or that’s what the ads want you to believe. The truth is, you don’t need to break the bank to start hiking. In a second you’ll learn how you could avoid spending a lot of money. Let’s go!
You need a plan!
Planning first might be a good idea when it comes to all kinds of endeavours that are at least slightly dangerous. When it comes to hiking, though, the list of potential pitfalls is on the longer side. If you don’t do your research before heading toward the unknown, you might wander off into the area full of bloodthirsty tigers, or, perhaps, malicious pheasants. As a consequence, you may end up in a hospital with serious injuries, or perhaps a case of PTSD. Birds can be truly vicious animals.
If you plan on going someplace dangerous, you should consider taking out insurance. Wild animals, an avalanche, or perhaps lack of foresight that could prove fatal – it is impossible to predict what could go wrong. If in the event of things going awry, you want your family members to be well taken care of, you should make the necessary arrangements before you start your trip. If you want to learn what type of insurance would be perfect for you, check out https://www.anorak.life/.
Borrow the necessary gear!
If you don’t plan on going hiking every other week, you might be better off asking your friends if you might borrow their stuff. Alternatively, if your friends aren’t keen on hiking, you could rent the gear from a professional shop. It is nice to have your own hiking gear, but if you are trying to keep the budget tight, you should consider every option.
If you decide to start your journey using equipment that isn’t yours, you should remember to be extra careful! If you choose to ask for someone’s help and end up damaging their stuff, you might need to pay more than if you were to buy it. So please be careful.
Bring your own food and water!
If reducing costs is your top goal, you should prepare your food beforehand, so that you won’t spend a dime on food or beverages while on a trail. The shops that are in proximity to tourist trails tend to have horrendously high prices. If you happen to miscalculate how much water you need, then sure, go ahead and buy yourself a bottle of water, but avoid any unnecessary spendings. If it doesn’t tire you too quickly, you should bring a huge jug of water with you. With time, the weight that you’ll need to carry will decrease!
Avoid injuries
Although hours of walking on steep terrain can lead to injuries even among experienced hikers, there are things that you could do to avoid injuries.
The essential thing is to be realistic. You might have watched several movies about people walking for days across mountain passes ending up just fine. Remember, though, that movies aren’t governed by the same set of rules as the real world. If you don’t have much experience with hiking, and your legs are not accustomed to the strenuous effort, you might get injured very quickly. And there’s nothing pleasant about straining your ankle while in the mountains.
Do you know the realistic estimate of how long it will take you to get to a place where you could rest? Getting lost in the mountains while its dark may be a great story to tell your grandchildren, that is if you manage to survive. Don’t try to impress anyone, and most especially yourself – it’s better to take baby steps, and try your luck with more advanced trails once you gain some experience.
Godspeed!
Although you are likely to see people sporting gear worth thousands of dollars, you don’t need to spend a lot of money to have fun. You could borrow some of the equipment from your friends or relatives – the chances are, you’ll find at least one person willing to give you a helping hand. And remember not to get overambitious. You could easily get injured, and you would need to take a long break from hiking.
