How To Prepare For A Multi-Day Hike

By Kamryn Mattson


For hikers, there are few bigger highs than climbing to the top of a scenic vista and enjoying a view that few other people will ever see. If you have been hiking your local trails for a while and are ready to enjoy a longer hike spread over multiple days, consider following some of these suggestions.

For people considering a large hike somewhere such as the Appalachian Trail, the Grand Canyon or the Pacific Crest Trail, quite a bit of preparatory work will be needed. You can't go from a simple weekly hike on your local trails and then just hit the trailhead with a huge backpack. You need to spend months preparing for this adventure. You need to plan hard-core day hikes with a fully loaded pack, as well as an overnight hike or two to truly work up your endurance. Hit the treadmill or stair climber on those days that you are not hiking to improve your cardiovascular fitness. If the hike is at altitude, you also need to practice hiking at higher elevations.

In some ways, hiking is all about your feet, so do whatever you can to protect them. You need the best possible hiking boots, and you need to hike in them many times to ensure that they are broken in and comfortable. There are plenty of other foot-related items you will need to bring along, such as quality socks and special foot tables and moleskin to prevent irritation and blisters, which can severely affect you on the trail.

Your backpack is also important and it needs to fit well and be large enough to hold all of the supplies you will need, such as a water bladder, water purifier and food. As with hiking boots, you need to actually go to a store and try on this item. Do go to a store where the staff is comprised of people who actually know something about hiking and backpacking. Get measured and try on the pack before you buy.

While exercise is good for your body, sometimes you do suffer from exercise-related pains and strains. When you are hiking, the limits of your pack weight and the remote location in which you are hiking make it difficult to pack braces or tapes or medicines to help you deal with pain. In addition, you have to keep going; you cannot simply stay on the trail, so the RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) cure isn't exactly realistic. However, you can pack a few physiological hybrid shapes to help you manage if muscle pain begins to be a problem.

Featuring a unique design that provides structure and support, these physiological hybrid shapes come in many different varieties. There are shapes designed specifically for the legs, knees, shoulders, elbows and the back, so you simply take along the shapes for the areas where you are most prone to experience pain. The shape will protect the sore muscle and grab strength from nearby tendons and muscles, allowing you to move with less pain. The weight is minimal, so it won't add to the burden of carrying a heavy pack, and you can wear the shape for several days and it will continue to support the sore area.




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