Going for a hike? There are plenty of places to hike around Tucson and the state, that’s why we’re bringing you these 10 essential hiking hacks. Whether you are a beginner or a hiking pro, you’ll want to know these hiking hacks. Every little bit can make your hiking experience a bit more comfortable and successful!
10 Essential Hiking Hacks & Tips
The Rule of Thirds
The rule of thirds is for photography but in this case we’re applying something similar to hiking hacks. Lay out what you think you need and then eliminate 1/3 of it all. In most cases over-packing is going to cause you more issues than it will do good. You don’t need to pack for every scenario. You need to know how to make what you’ve packed apply to every scenario!
Pack Some Corn Chips
We all know and love salty snacks like corn chips, Doritos, and tortilla chips. What you might not know is that they’ll double as a fire starter. They burn slow, steady, and evenly. You can light one and allow it to do the hard work of getting a fire started for you!
Repackage Your Foods
This should be the first thing you do, always. All that bulky packaging is unnecessary in your pack. Use snack bags or other plastic bags or poke holes in the bags to let the bulky air out of them! This will save you space in your pack and help keep everything organized.
Warm Up With a Nalgene
Nalgene bottles are a hikers best friend. If you end up really cold, you can fill your Nalgene with boiling water and put it in a sock. Make sure it is closed up tight and you are all set for a warm up in your sleeping bag!
Cotton Pad Fire Starters
You can dip cotton pads into hot wax and let them dry. Pack them for those days when you need to get a fire started in wet areas!
Sleep With Your Shoes
When you are hiking in cold conditions it can be useful to have a single 2.5 gallon ziploc bag to store your shoes at nice. They won’t dry out but they also won’t be frozen solid in the morning if you pop them into the bag and then put them at the bottom of your sleeping bag.
Pack An Extra Trashbag or Two
You can always use them for weather proofing in a pinch and they’ll be more than useful for segregating dirty, wet, or extra smelly stuff from the good stuff in your pack. They’re lightweight and don’t take up much room so it’s an easy addition. If you really can’t spare the room. Double them up and use them as a liner in your pack!
Wrap Your Water Bottle
Duct tape and even medical tape can come in handy on a hike. Instead of packing bulky rolls of tape just wrap them nicely around your water bottle. When you need them just let your bottle serve as the dispensing station! .
Waterproof Your Pack
Don’t take for granted that you pack will be waterproof. Make sure you check it each time and keep it waterproof with some extra spay when necessary. Nothing is worse than being soaked and then also having to be soaked all night because your pack leaked.
Tic Tac Boxes For Spices
Use empty Tic Tac containers to pack common spices. On a long hike those trail foods can get bland. This is a lightweight way to pack some extra flavor for those meals!
