Hiking

I kinda wish I’d started documenting all the hikes I’ve been on earlier but…better late than never, right?

Here’s a compilation of all the hikes I’ve had the chance to write about so far — hopefully many many more to come in the future! In the meantime, happy trails!

I’m included the “Ten Essentials” below as well — you should ideally bring these with you on every hike! (Better to be over-prepared vs under-prepared!) You can also check out this link.

Ten Essentials for Hiking

Navigation system/device of some kind (GPS system, compass, and/or map)
- I have AllTrails Pro and download my maps beforehand (or at the very least, download the offline map for wherever it is that I’ll be going)
Sun protection (sunscreen, sunglasses, hat)
- Biore makes my favorite sunscreen! Effective, goes on clear, no greasy feeling or white cast. What’s not to love!?
- I like Tifosi’s sunglasses since they’re comfortable + protect against UVA/UVB rays.
- I have Sunday Afternoon’s Eclipse hat, which has mesh ventilation + a tech sweat liner as well as a clamshell brim so you can easily fold it up for compact storage. It’s also UPF 50+ (highest sun protective rating achievable).
Light source (can be a headlamp, lantern, flashlight, etc. with extra batteries if not solar-powered)
- I got a solar-powered inflatable cube from Uncommon Goods that I hang off my pack — it gets compliments every time! (Similar one here!)
- I also like the NiteCore NU25 headlamp because it’s super bright, has both a regular light + red light function (so it won’t mess with your night vision!) + is USB rechargeable.
Insulation (extra layer of clothing, jacket, thermal underwear, hat, etc. — weather can be very unpredictable!)
- I have a Patagonia Nano Puff that I scrounged up the money to buy on super-sale!
- I also have North Face’s Venture 2 Rain Jacket (obtained with a giant discount when they were supporting health care workers).
- I’m also pretty in love with North Face’s Paramount Active Mid Rise Pants — perfect fit, super soft, UPF 50+ sun protection, and functional pockets!
First aid supplies (ideally should include bandages, gauze, ACE wrap, moleskin, medical tape, aspirin, NSAIDs/tylenol, antihistamines, tweezers, alcohol wipes/wound cleansers)
- …I’m a doctor, so I procure supplies to make my own bag and don’t really have a suggestion of the best one to buy (sorry!).
Extra food (always better to have extra vs none!)
- Trail mix is easily portable and typically has protein, healthy fats, and salt to help replenish what you may be losing through sweat.
- Honey Stinger Energy Chews are great + have carbs, sugars (for a boost of energy), and vitamin C.
Extra water/water treatment supplies (as above, + water filter/treatment tablets can definitely come in handy)
- After the Rae Lakes fiasco , one can never have too many water filtration devices. We had the Sawyer Mini Water Filtration system between 3 of us (never ever do that), so refilling was quite slow-going.
- I found out about LifeStraw back at Expo East once upon a time and tried drinking water from a murky looking bowl using a LifeStraw. The water came up clear and tasted amazing. I was sold.
- So sold, in fact, that I also have their LifeStraw Flex with Gravity Bag.
Shelter (can be a light emergency blanket/bivy)
Fire starter (matches, lighter, and/or tinder) — cotton balls + vaseline can work quite well for this!
Knife + gear repair kit (a multi-tool can be helpful in this situation! At minimum, a knife + duct tape would cover a number of bases)
- I have a Benchmade knife similar to this one — the knives are kinda expensive but the service and warranty are for life — you can send it back to them anytime and they’ll disassemble and tune up and/or replace all worn parts, lubricate, reassemble, and then sharpen it + ship it back to you at no cost.