My Gear

When I started hiking, I didn’t set a high value on my equipment. I just put on old leather boots or sneakers and went outdoors. Once, I climbed Hochlantsch (Austria, 1721m) wearing shorts and trainers and surprisingly my socks didn’t get wet, but I caught a cold and so on… This story made me realize that gear is very important and there are situations when you can’t dispense with proper clothing or tools.

Footwear: 

When buying new hiking boots, make sure you select a waterproof one! If your boots get soaked, the remaining part of your hike can be terrible. Consequently, wearing improper footwear doesn’t allow you to enjoy your hike, since you always need to pay attention to each and every of your steps. Hiking is about experiencing nature around you. Why would you spoil this by having low-quality shoes? 

Currently, I wear Quechua Forclaz 600 when I’m hiking. (Click on the link for technical details and excellent photos of the boot). It’s absolutely waterproof, comfortable, made of high-quality materials, and ideal for all-day hikes. 

Gaiters: 

At first I didn’t know why to wear these. The reason is simple: they protect your shin from wetness, mud, and sharp underwood. Good gaiters make hiking comfortable even in knee-high snow or on extremely muddy trails. What is more, it prevents your trousers from getting dirty and soaked. I possess a Tatonka Gaiter 420 HD

Without gaiters you'll be this dirty!

Raincoat: 

You can never trust weather forecast; therefore, always take a reliable raincoat with you. No doubt, a well-ventilated rain jacket is essential. Airing is important: a good mackintosh protects you from rain, but lets your sweat out, so you won’t be streaming with perspiration. Unfortunately, I don’t have a really good one yet, but I plan to buy one soon. 

I think these are the most important parts of one’s gear when going to one day hikes. Of course, you can have special trousers, socks, and rucksack but these are not essential. Personally, I use old military training trousers and a worn-out backpack. I’ve never encountered problems with these, they are quite okay.  Spring has arrived!!! I hope I can write a hike report to you next week. Stay tuned!