How To Buy Hiking Equipment

When buying hiking equipment, there are two primary things to consider - usefulness and durability. Although many people will say that cost and manufacturer are just as important, usefulness and durability are far more important when buying hiking equipment.

Hiking is a unique sport in that it requires the participant to carry all of their gear with them. It is therefore important to ensure that hikers carry only the amount of equipment absolutely necessary for the hike or trip, so you must consider the usefulness of each piece of equipment. On a day hike it would not be useful to take a camp stove or heavy cast iron frying pan. On an overnight trip these two things might be vitally important. Hand in hand with this aspect of usefulness is the philosophy of dual use items. Finding gear that can be used for more than one purpose is very beneficial. A pot that can be used for cooking as well as cleaning, wet wipes that can be used for bathing or cleaning utensils, a poncho or tarp that can be used as a ground tarp or as a tent are all examples of dual use items and can save hikers the pain of extra weight and space on a trip.

Durability and reliability are also very important when buying camping gear. When camping or hiking it is not uncommon to be away from civilization for long periods of time. The last thing a hiker wants is to find themselves three days from the nearest town with a camp stove that has a leak, or a tarp with a tear. It is vitally important that you can depend on all of your gear and that it is durable. It is one of the two most important aspects of buying hiking equipment.

At a minimum a hiker will need the following for an overnight hike:

* a sturdy backpack (a frame backpack for longer, more intense hikes)
* a sleeping bag or blanket
* a camp stove with propane or white gas
* a pot to cook in
* a fork, spoon, and knife
* food for the duration of the hike
* a couple canteens of water, or a way to refill canteens (using water purification tablets or a pump)
* a poncho
* a change of clothes
* hiking boots or sturdy tennis shoes
* and bug repellent

Based on the area where the hike is going to take place, there may be other items that are necessary.