This list of items can make or break your hiking experience.
To get started with hiking, you don’t need the fancy gear or the most expensive or trendiest gear, but it is important to carry the things that matter with you. Now by no means are we gear aficionados, but these are some of the items that Bryce and I carry on just about every hiking trip we take.
What we always have with us:
Appropriate shoes
Water bottles
Trails map
First Aid kit
Snacks
Always wear the appropriate shoes while hiking.
Tennis shoes are always my go to shoe of choice when it comes to walking, running, or hiking flat trails. If you are hiking more difficult trails with lots of elevation change, try a pair of hiking boots. And for those summer days spent at parks with lakes (or trails that might’ve flooded), bring a pair of water sandals.
It is so important to stay hydrated.
Drinking water on a consistent basis is vital to stay healthy in general, but it is super important to stay extra hydrated while outside. When you sweat, you get rid of the water in your cells, so the water supply in those cells needs to be replenished.
Whether it is a physical copy or a digital copy, keep that trail map handy.
Most Texas State Parks have a physical trails map that you can pick up upon entry. However, all of the parks and trails maps are located on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website. You can download a picture of the map to your phone in case you lose cell service.
You never know if you might need a band-aid.
If you aren’t paying attention to your surroundings, one might trip or scratch themselves and need a first aid to clean themselves up. This is also a good place to store any pain relief medicine.
Small snack packages are the best way to refuel your energy.
Walking miles and miles around a park can be exhausting. You need to refuel your energy levels and bring those glucose levels back up by eating a small snack while you’re out on the trails.
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