British people always say: “There is no bad weather, there are bad clothes”. And they are right. For the hike to bring joy, first of all, you need to attend to the choice of running clothes. It will protect against rain and cold, mosquitoes and ticks, nettles, and twigs.
The right clothing should be comfortable, once again comfortable, sturdy, suitable for the specific route and weather. There is practically no universal clothing (and if there is, then it is expensive), so you need to look at the specific conditions before going out, including the weather forecast.
Shoes
For a hiker, the legs are the most important part of the body (except for the head). Therefore, it is necessary to take care of them first of all.
Three types of "common" shoes can be useful on a hike:
The shoe is sturdy and comfortable, well suited for dry weather, and has a less rugged terrain. But we must remember that the weather can change dramatically, that even in dry weather many roads are muddy, that the grass is still wet from dew in the morning. On the other hand, wet sneakers are not a disaster at all, especially if you know a few tricks.
Ankle boots are a good choice for wetter weather and difficult terrain. They get wet less, the grooved sole holds well on the slope, and the dense lacing protects the ankle well.
The boots work well for rainy weather. But for this shoe, you need to be especially careful so that your leg does not dangle in the boot. They say that mastering the art of winding footcloths is not so difficult. But if this thought scares you, the second pair of woolen socks will help. The shoes are wet, there are replaceable socks, but there are no replaceable shoes. Ordinary plastic bags can help in this situation. They are worn over dry socks, so moisture from the boot does not penetrate to the foot. She is dry and warm again.
There are special hiking shoes: hiking boots.
- suitable for any weather
- in them you can safely walk through the mud
- even a small ford is not scary for your feet in such boots!
- sit comfortably and firmly on the leg (if you choose the right one, of course), and therefore do not rub
- have good adhesion to stones and another uneven terrain,
- protect the ankle from sprains and sprains, and the foot from a stone that has accidentally fallen.
In general, hiking boots are a good thing, but for an easy weekend hike, it is not at all necessary. The first exit into the forest is to go with what is, and then decide according to the situation.
You also need to take care of the condition of your legs.
Surprisingly, it’s true: experience affects the number of corns, they do get smaller. Until you have the necessary personal experience, you can study the theory.
Dangling and uncomfortable shoes, folds on the toes lead to calluses. The chances of getting calluses in wet shoes are much greater.
To avoid calluses you need:
- Choose the right shoes and socks.
- It is advisable to ventilate your legs at every halt.
- At the end of the "working day", you should wash your feet in cold water.
- To glue a thin "paper" plaster cross-to-cross the place that has started to rub. Don't expect watery blisters to appear!
- Use petroleum jelly to treat your feet regularly.
It makes sense to immediately think about a replaceable pair (this can already be simple sneakers or tourist sandals). Sneakers can get wet easily, and your feet can get steamy in the boot. And it's just that the legs get tired from the whole day of walking, and it is very pleasant to change shoes.
It is worth remembering that you should not go all day in new boots at once.
Socks
Trekking socks, specially designed for long hikes, are best suited for hikes. A woolen sock is worn on a regular sock. This combination, proven over generations, has saved more than one tourist. Regular plain socks, of course, can also come in handy. There are also neoprene and fleece socks, but only aesthetes use them on hiking trips.
Pants
For the first time, any comfortable pants will do, even ordinary jeans, if nothing else. But in general, they have many disadvantages in field conditions. The most important: they dry for a long time.
Ideal Hiking Pants:
- comfortable,
- dry quickly (and get wet too),
- strong, not torn from the branches,
- are not bitten by mosquitoes and nettles,
- have several convenient pockets (however, this is optional),
- under them, you can pry thin warm pants for cold weather.
Cold weather
The bottom layer can remain from the previous paragraph or be replaced with thermal underwear (if any), a thin fleece, or a sweater.
A sweater (preferably a fleece) and/or a jacket are put on top.
If it's cold, you can put on all the available clothes on the principle of "cabbage" (except for night one). But this makes sense during stops since it is extremely difficult to freeze while walking. It is just better not to sweat once more during the transition in a warm sweater in cold weather to take it off at a halt, but on the contrary: go without a sweater, and quickly put it on at a halt.
Wet weather
For protection from rain, you can use:
Polyethylene "country" raincoat. The main thing is that it breaks not from the first branch, but at least from the second - that is, more tightly.
A cooler cloth cloak (sold at tourist stores). Its main drawback is that there are no pockets.
A good city jacket can protect you from light rain, but it will most likely get wet sooner than special protective equipment.
Coolest (and expensive) option: a membrane jacket.
The weight of the equipment, which is "on itself", is practically not felt. But sweaters and raincoats are often left in a backpack, so their weight is already worth considering. Therefore, for example, a fleece jacket (the simplest one, practically without zippers) is better than a woolen sweater: it is lighter and more compact and dries faster. And two fleeces can be conveniently combined for different temperature conditions.