Mountaineering TIPS: Compilation 0

A compilation of the mountaineering tips i have posted in Facebook.

• Mountaineering TIPS: Instead of using a really fancy backpack liner to keep your stuff dry, use a thick gauge garbage bag. Keep your stuff dry and your money in your pocket.

• Mountaineering TIPS: Before embarking on a hike, make sure you know where the water sources are along the trail. If there are a lot of water sources along the way, you can get away with carrying just 1 liter and filling up as you get to the next water source. If water is scarce, you may need to carry at least 3 liters.

• Mountaineering TIPS: For overnighters or weekend hikes, you can get away with just 2 sets of clothes. 1) your hike clothes, 2) your dry clothes for sleeping. This way, you wont be lugging too many clothes. It is important to keep your 2nd set very dry. As for the first set, you can dry them while sleeping at night then wear them again the next morning as you continue your trek. For extended hikes, you may need to wash your hike clothes while in camp to remove nasty smells.

• Mountaineering TIPS: For a lightweight water storage, use a 1L mineral water bottle or any plastic, resealable pet bottle. Its lighter than your average water bottle and is sturdy enough to withstand a few bumps and falls. Buy a liter of water before you travel to the trail and keep the bottle. You can reuse it many times for water storage. Its disposable if you don't need it anymore after the trek, but remember to dispose of it properly.

• Mountaineering TIPS: As much as possible, avoid wearing clothes made of cotton while trekking. Cotton is very absorbent and very hard to dry on the trail once it gets wet. Get clothes made of polyester because they dry fairly quickly and they don't smell as bad as cotton when wet. For pants, avoid denim. They are heavy and they will weigh you down especially when they get wet. You can get away with using polyester jogging pants for hiking.

• Mountaineering TIPS: If there is one gear you need to invest in, its footwear. For our ancestors, foot gear was not a problem, but for the modern man, to go trekking without a specialized footwear would mean hell. Our shoes protect our delicate feet and allow us to trek for extended periods of time. Choosing a trekking shoe depends on your preference, but make sure you get one from a reputable company. When purchasing, it is advisable to buy your shoes in the afternoon because your feet will expand a bit as you go through the day standing around or walking around. Buying your shoes in the afternoon will give you a a true fit for you shoes. Also, bring your hiking socks that you intend to use with the shoes. You may consider the following type of footwear.
• 1) Hiking sandals are the lightest and cheapest, but offer the least protection.
• 2) Trail runners and Ultralight trekkers. They are a bit expensive, but are very light and offer some protection for your feet. If you are an ultralight hiker who wants feet protection, these may be for you.
• 3) Mid-cut trekking shoes. These are more bulky and expensive. They offer great protection and great traction for any tropical terrain. In the Philippines, these are the most popular type of mountaineering shoes and you will often see Filipino mountaineers wearing this type.
• 4) Boots. These offer the most protection for your feet, but are the heaviest and most expensive of the types discussed here. These offer great ankle protection and will allow you to carry heavier loads at longer distances with minimal risk of ankle injury.

In the end, the preference for footwear will be up to you. Get one that is durable, reliable, and one that you can afford.