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3 Things to Pack In Your Hiking Backpack
Planning a hiking trip? If you’re there are many things you can bring along with you on your hike that you may convenient in your time of need. The goal is to minimize your weight while still bringing all the essentials. So what are the essentials for a hike? This article will list 3 items that you may have not thought about bringing with you on your hike.
Food and Water
Food and water should be the first thing that runs through your mind when you think of the essentials you need to pack. Even if you’re thinking about roughing it in the outdoors by catching your own food, bringing up backup food and water is very important just in case of an emergency. It’s very easy to become dehydrated if you’re hiking in very hot weather. When considering how much to bring you should pay attention to how far you will be hiking in addition to how many days you will be there.
Clothes
If you’re taking a multiple day hike it’s important that you remember to pack a few pairs of clothes. This will allow you to maintain a fresh feeling throughout the hike. It’s also important when you pack clothing to consider the weather. If there is the possibility of snow during your hike you should pack accordingly by packing some extra layers in case you can’t make it back to civilization in time. Smaller accessories such as sunglasses and hats should also be thought of when planning your trip.Medicine and Emergency Care
When you’re going for a hike you should also be ready for the worst that any medical condition could cause you or a friend. It’s crucial that you bring their medicine because if they were to have a reaction while out hiking it would be very difficult to them back to a hospital in time. Packing a first aid kit is never bad idea either as there can be many dangerous plants and animals that you could come across in the woods. Personal care items such as sunscreen and tissues may also be important to you, but aren’t necessary.
If you pack these three essentials in your backpack you’re sure to make your hiking trip a much safer one to remember. Remember that you need to consider all of the essentials and pack in a way that reduces the weight of the backpack so you don’t strain yourself.
Photo Credits: richardmasoner
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Children Fishing Safety Tips
Fishing with your children is a very relaxing and fun experience, but it could become a horrifying one if you’re not properly prepared for the worst. Being safe should be one of your prime concerns while out on a fishing boat, especially if you’re taking the trip with small children. This article will outline a few tips and precautions that you should take before going on your boating trip.
Basic Rules
It’s important that before you go out onto the water that you let any children know the basic rules that they need to abide by on a boat. These rules include no running, looking around you before you cast, and making sure that you keep your floatation device on. You should especially explain why each of these is important, as kids might not instantly realize that they could hurt someone else if they hit them with their cast. If they refuse to abide by the rules, find some way to lightly punish them that will make them realize the importance of the rules.
Buddy System
During a fishing trip it’s important that you stress the dangers of the water to everyone. It’s not a bad idea to establish a buddy system in which two people are with each other at all times. If you don’t feel comfortable with two children being the buddies in the buddy system simple pair one child with one adult. This will ensure that each child is properly watched by a respective adult.
Supplies
It’s important that you bring any sort of supplies that you feel you may need while on a boat. It will be hard to get back to shore and to the car if there was a medical emergency so make sure that you bring a first aid kit and any medication that you may need. It’s also a good idea to bring more personal items such as sunscreen or insect repellent. The last thing you want to remember about your fishing trip is how you were sunburned and got bitten by mosquitoes the entire time. If the weather is hot it’s important that you bring a sufficient supply of water or other cold drinks so that your family and friends don’t get dehydrated.
Take some time and read over the supplies listed in this article and consider any additional supplies you may need. Bringing children on a fishing trip can be a hassle, but if you develop a few basic rules and remember to bring any supplies you need then you will be sure to have a safe and fun fishing trip.
Photo Credits: XcBiker
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Five Tips for Safe Desert Hiking
Desert hiking? Yeah, you heard me. When most people think about hiking, they think about thickly-forrested hills with trails cutting gently up the slopes, or canyoneering through northern Arizona with some spectacular views. But some people don’t have access to a whole lot of country side except…desert. And if you’re a desert hiker, that’s just fine by you.
Of course, desert hiking does come with a few risks. If you want to hike safely in the questionable terrain, here are a few tips that should help you on your way.
1. Plan a hike in advance. Don’t just know where you’re leaving on your hike, know where you’re going, what you’re bringing, who’s coming with you, and how to get to your destination. Without a plan, you’ll be far more susceptible to the potential dangers that come with desert hiking. Is every desert hike very dangerous? No, but being prepared will minimize your chances of something bad happening.
2. Remember water and electrolytes. If you’re going on an extended desert hike, you have to remember that water is crucial. Even if you think you can handle a certain amount of exercise, remember that hot air and the sun can also contribute to dehydration – and you often don’t know it until it’s too late.3. Protect your skin as much as you can. Remember to use light white fabrics that wick away sweat and protect your skin from the sun. White reflects more sunlight back to the sun, while black absorbs it. Dress in a lot of white and bring plenty of sunscreen so that the exposed parts of your skin still have some protection. You don’t only want to avoid sunburn, but you want to avoid your skin baking up and losing a lot of hydration.
4. Don’t go alone. It can be tempting to throw caution to the wind and go of adventuring by yourself, but if you bring a hiking partner, you’ll have a lot better chances of finding where you need to go, and making sure that you’ll stay safe.
5. Tell someone else about your plans. If you’re going to be gone a good while – or even going to be gone at all – make sure that someone relatively close to you knows where you headed and when you headed out.
Photo Credits: heatkernel
