Prepare well: Things to bring on a hike

After years of checking all the outdoor stores here and abroad, I recommend that you spend a few hours at a Decathlon store (Masinag, Alabang, at Tiendesitas, or Dasmariñas, Cavite). All the things you will need for a hike or a camping trip will be there – and at very affordable prices.

Hiking shoes.

Take time to choose a good pair of hiking shoes. Use the “rule of thumb” – the distance between your longest toe to the edge of the footwear should be at least the width of your thumb.

Backpack.

Choose a 20liter backpack for a day hike or a 30-liter pack for an overnight camp. Choose one that has shoulder and waist straps which will spread the weight of the backpack and make it easier to carry.

Trekking sticks.

Using only one stick is good enough for a day hike because it helps keep one’s balance. But after Mt. Fuji and Mt. Ulap, I now know that having two trekking sticks takes away the pressure from the knees and the back.

Jackets.

The higher the mountain, the colder it will be. Thus, you will need two jackets – a fleece jacket (left) to keep warm and a rain jacket (right) to keep dry. At Decathlon I am always delighted to see that new technology has produced lightweight and thinner fleece and rain jackets. Check the waterproof rating of a jacket which is measured by the number of hours it has been tested under continuous water flow.

The latest fleece jacket of Decathlon is made of 100 percent recycled polyester yarn and only weights 210 grams in large size.

Dry-fit shirts.

All books about mountaineering advise that one should not wear cotton shirts and pants. When that gets wet, it will be heavy on you, or in your backpack. Wear dry-fit shirts and pants.

Gloves.

I usually bring two sets; a leather set that’s designed for mountain hiking, which is thin enough to be agile when you need to hold on to grass or tree branches; and thick fleece gloves (below) when the temperature drops in the night.

Bonnet.

It is important to cover your head and ears when the temperature drops.

Water bottle.

You need at least two liters of water a day. Carrying extra in your pack will be heavy. Find out if there are porters to bring extra stuff up to the campsite.

You will need more gear if you decide to camp overnight. But that’s another story. (Photos from Decathlon Philippines website)