The Ultimate Guide on Hiking for Beginners

Hitting the trail means surrounding yourself with dense nature, far from the clamor of honking cars and bustling city streets. You can inhale the purest, freshest air and enjoy the symphony of streams flowing, birds singing, and breeze whistling. However, hiking for beginners can be intimidating if you don't know where to start.

In this guide, we will learn more about hiking, the essential hiking gear, how to choose the hiking trail, and much more. In addition, we will reveal Jackery Explorer Portable Power Stations, the ideal way to keep all your hiking gear charged. They are compact, sturdy, and portable, ensuring you don't have to worry about charging appliances while hiking.

Jackery Explorer 300 Power Station
- 293Wh battery capacity to charge multiple appliances simultaneously. - Updated multifunctional outputs can help you charge six hiking gears at once. - Durable, compact, and versatile for short and long hiking trips. - Weigh only 7.1 lbs, making it a lightweight powering solution. - Compatible with Jackery SolarSaga 100W Solar Panels.

What Is Hiking? Why Hiking?

Hiking means taking long walks over the hiking trail, cross country, or on unmarked land. Hikers explore isolated locations or breathtaking scenery when they hike. The best part about hiking is anyone with zero experience can jump into it without a second thought. There are multiple benefits associated with hiking, including:

• Keeping your brain active.
• Reducing anxiety and keeping yourself happy, healthy, and stress-free.
• Slow-moving activity helps you lose weight.
• Strengthening your bones as it is a low-impact activity.

Hiking Gear For Beginners

Having the right hiking gear for beginners is the surefire way to enjoy the outdoor experience. If you are a beginner hiker, here is the list of "The Ten Essentials" you need to carry in your backpack. These are compact yet life-saving items you'll need to make your hiking experience successful.

Navigation: Many hiking walks do not have access to the Internet. Therefore, you need to pack a few offline navigation tools for a safe hike.

First Aid: Always carry a first aid kit that contains antiseptic wipes, bandages, band-aids, and other minor health aids. If you are hiking with a group, carry 1 first aid kit for every 2 people.

Headlamp: Instead of using torch lights, consider choosing headlamps. You don’t have to carry them in your hands, ensuring you can enjoy the beauty of nature and carry other essential items.

Sun Protection: For summer hikers, sunscreen and a sun hat are other vital essentials. These hiking gear will protect you from developing heatstroke or getting burnt when you walk in the scorching sun.

Shelter: Heavy winds or rain can leave you stranded on the trail. That said, it's crucial to carry a shelter, such as an ultralight trap, an emergency space blanket, a bivy sack, or even a large plastic trash bag.

Extra Water: Conditions can change fast in the backcountry. Therefore, carry enough water with a filter or purifier to ensure you have enough water if the trail gets extended.  

Extra Food: Anything can cause your trip to go long. Therefore, it's recommended to carry one or two days of extra food with a long shelf life. Some food items you can carry include energy bars, dried fruits, nuts, etc.

Fire Starter: While hiking, you'll need reliable supplies to start and maintain a fire anywhere. If you are hiking at places where firewood is not possible, consider carrying an electric stove.

Jackery Power Stations: Portable solar power stations have become popular among hikers, thanks to their lightweight nature. A solar power station can do everything from helping you find a way in the dark by lighting your torch to assisting you in calling for help using your smartphone during emergencies.

Jackery Explorer Portable Power Stations are built with premium-quality materials to store energy and charge appliances. Regardless of the depths of the wilderness, you can keep your device running. In addition, Jackery Explorer 300 Portable Power Station is ideal for short camping trips.

Featuring a battery capacity of 293Wh, the Jackery Explorer 300 Portable Power Station can power six smart devices at once. In addition, the built-in MPPT technology helps the power station to quickly recharge using solar panels, wall outlets, or a carport.

What To Wear In Hiking For Beginners?

Clothing is an integral part of hiking essentials for beginners. Though the exact clothing required depends on the weather you'll encounter, here are a few basic things every hiker should pack in their bags.

Waterproof Jacket: Regardless of the weather forecast, always keep your rain jacket in your backpack.

Hiking Boots: If you are a beginner, you can choose a pair of sneakers with good traction and pack them in your bag. However, if you plan to hike on rocky or unstable trails, invest in hiking boots with ankle support and extra traction.

Lightweight Pants: Choose lightweight and comfortable pants that won't weigh you down and will help you walk long distances comfortably.

Breathable Tops: Invest in a few breathable tops that do not absorb sweat or make it cold and heavy as you hike.

How To Prepare The Hiking For Beginners?

Now that we have discussed the hiking essentials for beginners, it's time to understand different types of hiking, how to choose a trail, and how to physically prepare for hiking.

What Type Of Hiking Is Right For You?

There are a few main types of hiking one may consider:

Day Hiking: It is the most accessible form of hiking and can be completed in one day.

Backpacking: Hikers must carry a specialized bag with all the hiking essentials for beginners. These trips can last from one night to months.

Fastpacking: As the name signifies, fastpacking means covering larger lengths in a shorter amount of time.

Thru-Hiking: It is a long trail that generally starts and ends at different locations.

How To Choose The Hiking Trail For Beginners?

There are several ways to find the right hiking trail for beginners, including:

• Reading guidebooks and websites to understand trail difficulty, directions, nearby water sources, trail features, etc.
• Asking friends and family members who enjoy hiking.
• Talking to local hiking organizations to understand complete, up-to-date trail conditions.

How To Find Hiking Partners For Beginners?

Ask your hiker friend to accompany you on the trails to get acquainted with the necessary hiking for beginners' knowledge.

If you don't know any friends who love hiking, you can consider online groups or hiking clubs to find hiking buddies.

Another way to search for hiking partners is by using the Internet. You can start with the Facebook groups or search "hiking groups near me" in the search bar to get the entire list.

How To Physically Prepare The Hiking For Beginners?

For newbies, physically preparing for hiking is extra important. Here are a few simple ways to prepare yourself and avoid getting worn out during hiking.

• Cardio is an endurance-based exercise that will help you improve your stamina.
• Try doing some crunch workouts beforehand to strengthen your legs and core muscles.
• Stretch your body and muscles before hiking so they don't feel worn out.
• Start with small hikes rather than tackling a strenuous hike to prepare your body for challenging locations.

Hiking For Beginners Tips

Besides carrying hiking gear for beginners, you need to follow a few safety precautions to ensure everything goes well.

Carry a Light Source

Always carry multiple light sources so you are never left in the dark. Your phone's flashlight can work during emergencies, but using a flashlight for too long can drain the phone's battery.

Invest in Solar Charger

A portable solar charger is a device that combines a power station and solar panel. The solar panels convert the solar power into electricity, while the power station stores the electricity to charge different hiking devices, such as smartphones, digital cameras, lights, etc.

Jackery Solar Generators are built for outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, or power outages. Whether you're on a one-day solo hike or a one-week family camping trip, Jackery Solar Generators are your ideal charging companions.

Inform Before You Leave

If you plan to go for a hike alone, always inform someone. It could be anyone, including your friends or family members.

Check the Weather

Weather can change drastically within a matter of minutes. It's better to call the park officials and ensure the weather is clear before leaving home. This will help you save yourself from bad, wet, or crazy weather.

Have Basic First Aid Knowledge

Carrying a first aid kit is not enough. You'll have to understand how to use different first aid elements during medical emergencies.

Hiking Trail Etiquette For Beginners

Every sport requires you to follow some etiquette, and hiking is no exception. Here are a few hiking trail tips for beginners you've to follow to avoid mistakes.

Don't Play Loud Music

Many hikers often love to enjoy the calmness of nature while hiking. Listening to loud music using your phone or portable speaker on popular trails can ruin their experience.

Don't Take Shortcuts

Shortcuts can be dangerous, as following uncharted trails can make it difficult for anyone to locate you in an emergency. In addition, these shortcuts are not eco-friendly and can interfere with wildlife in an area.

Do Leave the Trail Better

Follow the "leave no trace" principle by taking all the trash with you. This will maintain the magnificence of the trail and add up to nature's beauty.

Do Allow Fast Hikers to Pass

Always allow the runners and fast hikers to pass through while hiking. If you are taking a breather, be sure you move close to the right edge of the trail before resting.

Hiking For Beginners FAQs

What size of solar generator do I need for my hiking trips?

Determining the appropriate size of solar generator for hiking depends heavily on the appliances you wish to charge. Below is the simple formula to calculate the working time of Jackery Solar Generator 300 to charge various hiking appliances.

Working Time = Capacity in Wh × 0.85 / Operating wattage of the device

Here we suppose that you want to charge appliances that consume nearly 100W.

Working Time = 293Wh × 0.85 / 100W = 2.4 hours

How long should a hike be for beginners?

If you are starting out, consider picking a hike under 5 miles with minimal climbing.

What are the 3 basic skills in hiking?

Hiking is a great activity to spend time away from the chaos of the city. Mastering the three basic skills can make hiking for beginners more fun and memorable. These include:

• Learning basic survival skills.
• Knowing how to read a compass and map.
• Packing the proper hiking for beginners' gear before leaving.

Final Thoughts

Going off the beaten path and relishing the hiking trails is a fun experience. Learning the basic skills of surviving and packing all the essential gear can make hiking for beginners extra fascinating.

One essential gear every hiking enthusiast should carry is a portable power station or solar generator. Jackery offers different sizes and capacities of solar generators and power stations to keep all gear charged.

For hiking, you may consider investing in Jackery Solar Generator 300. It is a compact, lightweight, and sturdy powering solution to charge hiking appliances for long hours.