Good gear for hiking is critical to keeping you safe and enjoying your hike. Your time outdoors no longer has to be something you endure, there can, and should, be beautiful moments to pause and be a part of nature. For me, this starts with good comfortable lightweight gear. As a scientist I have brought questioning and analysis into my hike planning and gear selection. The following is the philosophy I find works for me. I provide details on the gear I have used over the years to assist you on your hiking journey. I believe hiking is a continual learning process, right from your very first hike, though to experienced hikers, you should always strive to keep learning and improving your connection with nature. I also hope this guide can help stop you from wasting money, carrying an overweight pack and making some of the mistakes I have along my hiking journey. After 30 years hiking I have made a lot of mistakes and hopefully this guide will help you on your journey. I provide details of different gear, to help show a comparison of price, weight and function for each. I don’t intend for you to purchase this gear, rather use it as a comparison when making decisions on what gear to take on a trip to suit your hiking style. What works for me may not work for you. There is no right way or wrong way to hike – Hike your own hike! I’m always reviewing my gear, what worked, what didn’t and finding new solutions. I believe the more comfortable you are in nature the more you are able to connect with it and enjoy the experience and a big part of this is taking the right gear. I am constantly working to lighten the weight of my pack while being safe and comfortable. I enjoy hikes more when I carry less weight so I can be more agile and not be deeply fatigued when I get to camp. Every item that goes on my back I assess using the following four criteria and I encourage you to do the same: Function Weight Comfort Price The value you add to each criterion may change over time or location. For example, when I was a student, price was really important to me. Likewise if you hike in cold areas you need to be 100% sure your sleeping bag will keep you warm. Alternatively, a friend of mine selects gear that is suitable for all conditions and is indestructible, but this gear is bulky and heavy. As a result they are slower at hiking and fatigue quickly.
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