Trail Hiking on the Cheap
In our modern, consumerist society it is easy to lose touch with both nature and the fact that our happiness need not depend on how much stuff we can accumulate.
One of the soundest antidotes to both ailments is to take up hiking.
It gives one a new appreciation of the beauty of the natural world.
And it also provides a salutary reminder that the material essentials for both survival and happiness are little more than food, water, shelter and warmth.
Young people who are interested in starting out in trail hiking, however, are often put off the sport because of the perceived high cost of participation.
This usually happens when a beginner is invited on a school trip or asked to join a friend.
A lack of knowledge then sends them to the local camping store which will quite happily try to get them to spend hundreds if not thousands on gear that they may never use again.
The truth is that very little is actually needed to enjoy the great outdoors.
One essential is good footwear.
Too often I have been out in the hills and come across beginners slipping about in shoes that are totally unsuited to the conditions.
This is not just unpleasant but can be dangerous, especially in very cold or icy, slippery conditions.
That said, a decent pair of boots or hiking shoes need not cost too much.
The next essential is rain gear, especially if cold and wet weather is expected.
Whereas camping stores will often try to sell the latest and greatest in gear, hikers can often find cheaper clothing by looking out for end of season sales and by looking for military surplus equipment.
The government may not want to spend a huge amount on buying soldiers the very lightest and latest in outdoor clothing but it does want to be sure they are warm and dry in the field.
If it is good enough for them, it is probably good enough for us.
Beginners can often also borrow or share bigger items of equipment such as sleeping bags and tents.
These can be quite pricey and should only be bought once a clear commitment to trail hiking has been made.
In total, a beginner can get started with only minimal expenditure.
Thus even those of modest incomes should not feel excluded from enjoying nature at its best.
One of the soundest antidotes to both ailments is to take up hiking.
It gives one a new appreciation of the beauty of the natural world.
And it also provides a salutary reminder that the material essentials for both survival and happiness are little more than food, water, shelter and warmth.
Young people who are interested in starting out in trail hiking, however, are often put off the sport because of the perceived high cost of participation.
This usually happens when a beginner is invited on a school trip or asked to join a friend.
A lack of knowledge then sends them to the local camping store which will quite happily try to get them to spend hundreds if not thousands on gear that they may never use again.
The truth is that very little is actually needed to enjoy the great outdoors.
One essential is good footwear.
Too often I have been out in the hills and come across beginners slipping about in shoes that are totally unsuited to the conditions.
This is not just unpleasant but can be dangerous, especially in very cold or icy, slippery conditions.
That said, a decent pair of boots or hiking shoes need not cost too much.
The next essential is rain gear, especially if cold and wet weather is expected.
Whereas camping stores will often try to sell the latest and greatest in gear, hikers can often find cheaper clothing by looking out for end of season sales and by looking for military surplus equipment.
The government may not want to spend a huge amount on buying soldiers the very lightest and latest in outdoor clothing but it does want to be sure they are warm and dry in the field.
If it is good enough for them, it is probably good enough for us.
Beginners can often also borrow or share bigger items of equipment such as sleeping bags and tents.
These can be quite pricey and should only be bought once a clear commitment to trail hiking has been made.
In total, a beginner can get started with only minimal expenditure.
Thus even those of modest incomes should not feel excluded from enjoying nature at its best.
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