Adventure and Sports

If you love exploration and adventure, scuba diving may be perfect for you. Of course, you can just jump in the ocean and go — you need to not only learn how to scuba dive, but also the proper equipment.

While we can’t officially certify you, we can get you started out on the right path with a scuba diving equipment list that highlights all of the essential equipment you’ll need for your new hobby.

Your Official Diving Equipment List

There are some very specific things that make scuba diving possible, along with a certification. If you’re new to scuba diving and thinking of getting your own equipment, you should know that it can get pretty expensive. You can rent the majority of the necessary equipment, but over time that becomes even more expensive than buying your own equipment outright.

To save you time and money, we’ve put together the essential scuba diving gear list:

A Dive Mask and Snorkel

It goes without saying that we’re not meant to see — or breathe — under the water. So, if you’re planning on getting into scuba diving or doing any underwater activities, you’re going to need a decent dive mask accompanied by a snorkel.

To avoid tight scuba goggles that hurt, find yourself a mask that fits properly and allows enough air space in front of your eyes. Trust us, it’s better to have your own rather than a spit-filled rental.

The snorkel part is optional — it’s usually recommended for beginners but it can come in handy saving you some air in your tank while you’re at the surface. Plus, you can use it for snorkeling breaks in between those dives.

A wetsuit (or Drysuit) and Gloves

Wetsuits are made of form-fitting neoprene that allows for a layer of water to get trapped between the suit and your skin. This is what keeps your body warm below the surface. Wetsuits also protect your skin from the sun as well as anything that can scratch or cut you. Think of your diving gloves as an extension of your wetsuit, since they serve the same purpose.

Drysuits are typically used in colder waters, keeping the body dry and trapping air between the layers. Unless you’re an experienced cold-water diver, you won’t need a drysuit.

Scuba Fins

Scuba fins give you better control over your movement in the water. They also elongate your body making you look bigger and more like a predator rather than prey.

Scuba fins come in two types: open-heeled and full-footed. The open-heeled fins are typically used in cold water while the closed-footed in warm. Both come in variants of blade and split fins.

A Scuba Tank

There’s no diving without your scuba tank since it’s your underwater oxygen supply. The tanks come in a variety of sizes and styles, made of steel or aluminum. If you dive frequently, it’ll be more cost-effective to purchase your own. Otherwise, you can rent them at any dive shop.

A Regulator

Your regulator goes hand-in-hand with your oxygen tank. The part which connects to your tank is called the first stage and the part which you breathe from is called the second stage. The regulator is what converts the high-pressure air into ambient-pressure air, making it possible to breathe the oxygen

When picking a regulator, make sure you find one that suits your needs and level of comfort.

A Depth Gauge, Submersible Pressure Gauge (SPG), and a Compass

Depth Gauge records both your current and maximum depth reached during your dive and the SPG keeps track of the remaining gas in your scuba tank. The compass helps you navigate your dive, which is crucial in water with low-visibility.

These gauges come in both analog and digital form, and you can purchase them together as a 3-gauge console.

A Dive Computer

Your Dive Computer measures three things: how long you’ve been under the water, how deep you currently are, and how long you can remain at that depth. Some Dive Computers can also keep track of how much air you have left in your tank.

These can be pretty pricey to rent, so if you’re a frequent diver it’s best to purchase one.

A Buoyancy Control Device (BCD)

Also referred to as a Buoyancy Compensator, your BCD is what keeps you at sea level. In other words, it keeps you from floating to the surface as well as sinking to the ocean floor during your dive. Even though it’s referred to as a device, it’s actually a vest that can be inflated or deflated to manage your buoyancy.

Your BCD also has straps and pockets to help you secure all of your scuba diving equipment.

The Non-Essential Essentials

Now that we’ve got the essentials out of the way, there are few more things you may find essential to your next dive:

• An Underwater Camera —There are some amazing things you’ll see on your dive that will make you wish you had one of these.
• Tank Bangers — These are made from hard pieces or elastic and wrap around your tank. If you need to get your dive buddy’s attention, you simply snap it against your tank.
• Dive Knives —These come with a serrated edge or a sharp edge, and they come in handy if you get tangled in a fishing line or underwater plants.
• Defogger — Rather than spitting in your mask before each dive, a defogger (or baby shampoo) comes in handy to keep your mask from fogging up during your dive.
• Dive Lights — These lights can provide necessary light when cave diving, night diving, or exploring under-the-sea crevices.  
• A First Aid Kit — Keeping a first aid kit is just smart when embarking on any type of adventure. Especially with diving, anything can happen.

You can dive without these items barring the first aid kit — which should obviously remain on the boat. Of course, once you begin to add them to your dives, you won’t be able to dive without them.

Don’t Forget Your Sunscreen

Now that you know the diving equipment list items, you’re ready to scuba dive. Just as a reminder, water won’t protect you from the sun’s rays — so lotion up before getting out there.

Check back with us daily for more fun articles on travel, adventure, sports, and more.

Fishing is a universal sport and hobby that spans at least 40,000 years. Today, anglers enjoy the travel aspect of fishing as much as the activity.

For the adventure of a lifetime, go somewhere new for your next fishing trip.

If you’re wondering where in the world is worth flying to for fishing, keep reading. These are the top fishing destinations in the world.

1. Iztapa, Guatemala

Anglers with a passion for fly fishing have likely heard of Iztapa. This city in Guatemala is overwhelmed by sailfish.

Besides finding an abundance of sailfish, you’ll also catch dorado, tuna, and marlin. And, since it’s such a popular fly fishing destination, there are plenty of reliable guides.

Charter a boat guide and you’ll get to fish from some of the most beautiful locations in Central America.

2. Alaska, U.S.A.

There’s something about the clear, clean waters along Alaska’s coast. It’s rugged, raw, and pristine. It’s also known for having a variety of fishing spots with different species.

If you want king salmon, go to the Inside Passage. If you want to lure silvers, stay in the coastal rivers. You can even go fly fishing along the edge of the Arctic.

And, be prepared for tons of wilderness exploring and observing. Alaska is teeming with bears, moose, and other mammals.

3. Cairns, Australia

If you’re a big-game angler, there’s no better place to find marlin than in Cairns, Australia. There is regularly marlin weighing over 1000 pounds here. In fact, there are more of these big guys here than anywhere else.

When you’re tired out from luring marlin, check out the reefs. If you enjoy riding the waves, try surf fishing. It takes some practice, but you’ll likely find queenfish and barramundi.

4. Key West, Florida

You don’t have to leave America to find world-class fishing. Key West is easily one of the top fishing destinations in the country and in the world.

Here, you’ll find all different types of fishing strategies and styles. If you want to improve your general abilities as an angler, this is a great place to practice each skill.

In the ocean, you’ll find sailfish, blackfin tuna, and kingfish. In the Gulf, you’ll find tarpon, redfish, and permit.

5. Eg-Urr River, Mongolia

Anglers who also have a passion for adventure need to head to Mongolia. The Eg-Urr River is notorious for having amazing fly fishing and some incredible species.

Plus, there are next to no crowds. Paired with the remote fly fishing spots, you’ll truly feel like you’re alone in the wilderness.

The most notorious fish to catch here is the hucho taimen. It’s the largest trout in the world. Consider hiring a guide for trout fishing tips and techniques.

Interested in Heading to One of These Fishing Destinations?

Ready to check out one of these fishing destinations? You won’t be disappointed. While these 5 locations are notorious for amazing fishing, they aren’t the only ones.

Do your own research on the best destinations for your style of fishing. Then, check out the Budget Travel section of our blog for tips on getting to your fishing destination!

You’re probably getting into archery or crossbow as a sport right now and a bit confused about what is the most compatible one that is suited for you. Well, let me help you understand what is best for you. Many types of crossbows will surely make you confused at first but then enlighten you as well.

As a kid or an adult, we saw this kind of weapon in TV shows or movies and mesmerized on how cool it is – take a look at this. Maybe you also thought to build this one with some pencils and rubber bands to make your little slingshot for starters. And then you got interested in what it truly is. Why, is it a bow that is in the lateral position or pistol and bow combined? Or maybe both right?

Crossbow As A Hobby

So you’ve decided to use something amazing as your weapon, maybe in hunting or in target shooting. It is way more advanced compared to an ordinary bow, they fire much stronger and more accurate. It’s quite easy to learn because it does not need much force and very enjoyable when you indulge yourself in it. But you should also be careful when engaging in this kind of activity because it had bolts that are like arrows. It can harm anyone if you don’t take precautions just like it can pierce armor and may be lethal. It is even used by tribal forces, militaries, and back in the day in China for example to win battles.

The Different Types Of Crossbows – And How You Can Understand It

You’ve reached the part on how you can differentiate the different types according to their purpose so understand properly and maybe you can get an idea on what type to have!

Recurve – They are more advanced and longer than ordinary ones. That has better acceleration which lessens the hand shock. It may produce greater strain on the bow itself but most pro archers, hunters, and shooters often use this kind. But you might need to use a bowstring silencer as it is also noisy to use.

Compound – It might sound odd but the compound type is more popular than recurve even though it is advance. Lower draw weight means higher arrow speed that leads to higher chances of shooting something within a small amount of time .With its cables and pulleys, it became more portable. And their structure allows them to be more energy-efficient. You can check out more information in the Find Your Bow site.

Repeating – But if you want the type that could make your life easier, this one has the shortcut to the entire process. It takes one single movement to make all those bowstringing, projectile launchings, to shooting. That will make you the first one to shoot the target because of its fast motion.

Bullet – This type shoots bullet-looking projectiles made of clay, lead, or stone. Some have a double design while others have a string slot and barrel.

Rifle – Among all them, this is the most advanced model it is designed to provide better aim, exactly similar to rifles -which are named after for. It comes with adjustable sights, a foot pull, and heavy-duty fiber construction that can hit a 250 feet target away. Great power requires great strength to use and launch it effectively.

But if you want the more specific product in the online market, you can check out the comparison chart for the top 5 in Best PSE Crossbows 2019 that is a review.

Considerations In Finding The Best One

Of course, you can’t get what you want if you didn’t think about it thoroughly. Remember that even if you want the best for your hobby you must still consider your budget and choose the one that you can afford. Although there is no harm in investing in things, you know that is better safe than sorry. Also, choose something that you can handle, don’t push yourself too much if you know that it isn’t fit for you. Before selecting something, you have to first ask yourself: Will it be suitable for my hobby? Will this size be comfortable for me? Does it fit the criteria for the realistic ranges that I need? Watch this video for more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgRt4CTvp7s.

A crossbow is a powerful tool and it is up for you on how to use it. You may find it challenging in finding fit, unique, and especially your kind of type. Keep in mind that they vary according to the amount of energy the user will use, size, acceleration system, and different automation degree. While there is a wide range of varieties that are present today you’ll still be assured that there is something for you.

Nowadays, many officers are allowed to field their weapons and weapon optics in their agencies of law enforcement. The weapon optics becomes a very crucial part of the daily operations of law enforcement. The type of optics suits the need helps to decide the one and some of the experts spoke on the strategic operations of the weapon optics. The following things you should be aware of the required accessories of weapon optics.

• Kind of Optics: The two categories of firearms optics are telescopic sights and reflex sights. Telescopic sights are used for magnification and also make the target emerge nearer to the shooter and make it easy for the shooter to make a shot exact. It is also known as “Shots”. Reflex sights are called Reflector sights and such types of optics do not magnify the target image and focus on a single point of reference like a red dot for the extreme acquisition of fast sight. It is good for multiple as well as moving targets. Skilled shooters use at a range of beyond 200 yards. The full form of “reflex” is “reflector”. A mirror and an internal source of light such as LED are used in all reflex sights.
• What about numbers: The capabilities of magnification and size of the tube is expressed in telescopic sights. The tube size is expressed in the form of”mm” and the magnification in “power”.

The terminology of Optics: There are some of the terms that are related to the weapon optics which are mentioned as below:

• Exit Pupil will see when you grasp a scope at the length of the arm and point it in a bright surface like a wall. It is a kind of light in a circle. The brightness of the image depends on the length of the exit pupil.
• To change the magnification, the variable power scope shifts with the help of eye relief. Eye Relief is the distance between the eye of the shooter and the point from where the shooter is able to see the whole image inside a magnified scope with no darkness.
• The field of view is the exact width of which you can perceive via the scope that is measured in feet or meters at a definite distance. There is a negative relationship between magnification and field of view.

Compensation on bullet drop: This feature helps the shooter to hit the target far beyond the zero points of their optics. The Bullet Drop Compensator is not a mechanical term but it is a range of numbers that below the point of aim. This is a fast way to make shots on a long-distance whereas not accurate as working in mathematics.

Have a backup: In spite of the superiority of the weapon optics on patrol rifle, it can go wrong or spoiled or buried. This is the reason, why there is a function of backup iron sights.

To find out other better weapon optics, there is another way to spoke with the officers who are using such devices. They suffer a lot of pain to keep the excellence of their products.

Golfing looks simpler than it actually is, and for this reason, beginners tend to make mistakes that hinder their performance. Such mistakes should be corrected as early as possible. Otherwise, it gets harder to shake off.

Beginner golfers know what it is like to feel like they’re swinging like a pro only to have the ball landing nowhere near the intended target. The most important thing to note is that the perfect golfing is not intuition. You have to learn the right techniques and practice if you want to swing like Jordin Spieth.

Learning all golfing concepts and working on your skill ensures you hack the game in no time. Consistency and patience will have you enjoying Algarve golf deals in no time.

Here are the five best tips to help beginners shake off their bad habits and improve their skill.

Always Hold the Golf Club in Your Fingers

Most beginner golfers tend to hold the club in their palm. When you position the golf club in your palm, swinging becomes hard. You might feel like you’re swinging right, but your ball’s landing tells a different story.

That is a natural instinct you need to unlearn if you want to be a pro at golf. Each time you hold the club, place its shaft on your leading hand’s pinky pad, then, follow this up by hooking your index finger onto the shaft.

Holding the club this way helps you increase club-head speed. To ensure you have this grip right, hold the golf club in front of you and support it with just the picky pad and your index finger. If it balances, you can fold all fingers around the shaft.

Keep Your Thumb Short

Another instinct is when you hold an object is you tend to extend your thumb. That will limit your swing as a golfer as well. Ensure that the knuckles at the base of your thumb are bent, each time you hold a golf club.

Shortening the thumb creates a braking mechanism that helps you balance your club. The long thumb will sabotage you when you attempt backswings. A short thumb will prevent your club from yielding to gravity.

Start with More Pressure on the Lead Foot

Yet another instinct for beginners is starting with more pressure on the tail foot. How you position the force of your body on your feet matters. In has to be in a way that allows you to power your shot for the highest head speed.

55-60% of the pressure should be on the lead foot to achieve an unweighting for precise backshots. Learning the right way to shift the weight of your body between your feet ensures you build enough momentum for each shot.

Pivot Your Body onto the Heel of Your Trail Foot Prevent Your hip from Sliding

You might have your golf club moving away from the ball as it should but mess up your shot by sliding your hip. Pivoting your body onto the heel of your trail foot ensures you get that perfect shot.

Once you master the backshot, you must also learn the takeaway technique. Sliding your hip away from the ball, compromises your form and your shot as well.

Work the Lead Arm into Your Chest

If your leading arm moves out and away from your body during the initial takeaway, you’re doing it wrong. You need to square the clubface to the ball, and this motion does not help you do that.

Instead, work your lead arm into your chest to maintain control of your golf club. That is not the most natural motions, but you need to work on the technique until it becomes second nature.

Wrap Up

As you can see, golfing is not as easy as it looks when you’re an onlooker. Paying attention to the tiniest of details is what makes you a pro.

Wearing the right gear and attire on a motorcycle is essential for protection. Anyone who has ever worn a new pair of leather boots knows they tend to be stiff. While leather is meant to keep feet and ankles covered and protected while on a bike, they should never be so uncomfortable that feet become sore and hurt. To ease stiff leather, explore some tried-and-true methods for effectively breaking in motorcycle boots.

Find the right fit

First and foremost, choose a pair of boots that fit properly. When looking for the right fit, toes should have some wiggle room. At most, toes should touch the front of the boot but never press up against the boot. When it comes to heel slip, no more than a quarter-inch is advised; a looser fit is better than a tight one, but within reason. When wearing the boots, you should have no points of pressure.

Motorcycle boots are meant to cover above the ankle at a minimum. Tall boots are a good choice, as they provide more protection over short boots, but they can be less comfortable and require more breaking in. Full-height boots give better ankle support and greatly reduce the risk of sprains and bone fractures.

To find the best motorcycle boots, turn to Chaparral Motorsports. As one of the largest motorcycle accessory and vehicle dealerships in the country, Chaparral offers the biggest selection of top quality brands. Between free shipping promotions and a low-price guarantee, purchasing boots and apparel from Chaparral Motorsports means buying with confidence and ease.

Use leather conditioner

Leather oil or conditioner will help speed up the break in time of new boots. Applying leather oil two to three times in the first week will help to soften the leather and allow it to stretch as it forms to the foot. Bear in mind not to use leather oil around the heel of the boot; the leather around the ankles should stay firm and not stretch.

Treat with rubbing alcohol

Another way to stretch boots is through the use of rubbing alcohol. Use a mixture of one-third rubbing alcohol with two-thirds water and spray on the inside of the boot so that the leather is moist but not saturated. Walk around in the boots for 20 minutes after spraying and reapply as needed every 20 minutes. Conversely, soak a pair of thick socks in rubbing alcohol, ring out any excess liquid, and wear them with the boots for 20 minutes at a time.

Another trick with rubbing alcohol is heat-treating. After soaking socks and ringing out excess liquid, strap on the boots and use a hair dryer to heat the parts of the boots that are too tight. After heating the leather, walk around and wiggle your feet and toes to put extra pressure on the leather to encourage it to stretch.

Use a shoe stretcher

Stretch boots overnight or when not in use with a shoe stretcher. Simply insert a shoe stretcher and expand as much as possible. You’ll find two types of shoe stretchers; a one-way stretcher targets the width of the boot, whereas a two-way stretcher can stretch both the width and the length of the boot.

See a professional cobbler

When in doubt, seek the help of a professional cobbler. They know exactly how to stretch leather to give you the perfect fit, and can make the right treatment recommendation for any type of boot. The cost is minimal cost and saves time on do-it-yourself methods so that boots are ride-ready in no time.

Most ancient civilizations have survived through the land. They used the natural resources available to make a better home for their tribes and families. As they depended on the area for sustenance, they needed to learn how to take advantage of anything. These are the reasons why agriculture and domestication existed: to make it easier for man to make food. Hunting and gathering in the woods is not enough anymore, and these activities can be quite dangerous as well. There is also another food source that has been used for so many generations across cultures in this world: Water.

Why Is Water So Important?

Most people would agree that there is life in water. As humans, we are also made of water as most of the organisms in this world. We need water to survive because it is needed by all parts of our body. If we don’t drink enough water, our body knows it and creates warning signs to remind us. Foul smelling and darker colored urine, dryness of the lips and skin, and body weakness are just some of the symptoms of dehydration. If it worsens, it could even lead to death and this is something we want to avoid for a long time. Learn more about this here.

There is also another reason why water is very important: It is the home of many other animals. Large bodies of water can contain as many organisms as the earth itself, probably even more. In fact, aside from the galaxies far beyond, the ocean has not been fully explored yet by humanity due to its vastness and depth. Only a few creatures can survive on the trenches on the deepest parts of the ocean. Most of them are not even discovered by any scientist around the world. It is quite interesting that people focus more on the sky when there is a lot to discover beneath.

As you may have noticed, most cities around the world are actually built near bodies of water. The main reason is there are a lot of things that you can get from just a simple riverbank. Bricks are made from hardened mud which became the walls and foundations of the home. People use the bodies of water for hygiene and cleanliness as well. There was even a time when we dumped our garbage to the water, thinking that the ocean will just absorb all these wastes. As we have discovered though, this is not a good practice especially since we also get our food from the water. Read more about this here: https://www.the71percent.org/how-are-fish-affected-by-water-pollution/.

Fishing is one of the most popular pastimes in the world. Even though a lot of people don’t have any idea how to do it properly, they still try anyway. There is a lot of fun in catching your own food and making it into a meal. However, as said before it is not as easy as it seems because you need to have prior knowledge regarding the basics of fishing. There are many aspects of it that you need to consider since not all of us can just start being an expert.

Things To Learn And Prepare Before Going To The Water

• Prepare all the materials that you need.

Fishing is not just an activity that you can get into without any kind of preparation. You need to have a nice rod which corresponds to your height, Measure near 12 inches or 1 foot more than your height for a good length of the fishing rod. It should also be responsive once it catches your bait, meaning you can feel it pulling once the prey takes the lure. Also, you need to have fishing lines or tackles on hand if ever the one on the rod breaks. To find the perfect tackle, you can check out online guides like Tackle.org Fishing Tackle Guides. Baits and bobbles are also important when luring fish in. Other equipment that you need to prepare are sinkers, cutters, a pair of sunglasses and a pail for your catch.

• Know the weather during your trip.

One of the aspects that influence your catch of the day is the weather. If you are going to go out on a cloudy weather, make sure that you have the appropriate gear like rain coats to protect you from a sudden downpour. The fish may not be as abundant during these instances as well depending on your area. If you are going to go fishing on a boat, it might not be a great idea to set out when there is a storm brewing. Even if you think that it would be far from your location, the winds and rains can still affect the water. It can be dangerous for you as well. Wait until the weather is fair and sunny, then you can fully enjoy your small adventure.

• Familiarize yourself with the area that you will fish.

The fish that you will catch will also depend on the area that you want to explore. Different kinds of fish can come from different places so it is important to know the species you will be hunting. The species and size of the prey will also determine some of the equipment that you will bring. For example, the size of the hook will be depending on the size of the fish in the area. Fishing lines will also be dependent on the size. The baits will depend on the usual diet of the fish.

• Acquire a permit from the local government unit.

This one is rather important since you cannot just fish anywhere you want, For example, you need to have a permit in Florida and there are various kinds of permits. However, this will not be needed if you will rent a boat that has the permit from the local government. As long as you are in this kind of boat, then you can legally fish in the waters.

Skiing has fast been the sport you are coming to love. And, you are aching to be out there and take part in the next ski event in your area. But, have you considered finding the right ski gear that you will use then. Do not wait till the last minute to find the perfect Obermeyer ski jacket and ski gear sales for you and your loved ones. With the rush, you could get it wrong as it is easy to miss out on specific material and size specifications for every piece of ski gear that you should use. Besides, mastering the art, getting the right equipment will ensure your safety during skiing. On the latter, you will want to consider the following highly:

Jacket

Any ski gear is incomplete if it lacks a ski jacket. But, how warm is it and how comfortable do you feel when in it? That should be a key factor when choosing your ski jackets. Also, as you would consider the material for your ski pants and shorts, ski layering and shirts and vests, find a ski jacket of a natural material that will keep you warm while still letting out the sweat.

Footwear

Whether you opt for Tecnica Mach 1 130 or any other ski footwear in the Tecnica Mach line, choosing one that is the right size is a factor that you should not ignore. A tight one will have you straining to bend your foot when negotiating bends while skiing. And, that could risk you flipping or tripping on your ski footwear while out skiing. Loose footwear is not any good either. With such, you face the risk of developing foot sores as the footwear will rub against the sole of your foot and your toes as you ski.

Ski socks

Finding the best fit of footwear comes with using the right pair of socks, too. The perfect ski sock to use should, correctly, remove moisture from the sole and the entire foot instead of trapping it. It should allow aeration throughout the time you are skiing. You do not want a pair of socks that would have you divert your focus from the sport to thinking about how uncomfortable you are. And, comfort here also must factor in whether the pair of socks are flexible enough to have a shape that fits your foot perfectly even when in your ski boots. The most appropriate material for such ski socks is wool or a synthetic variant.

Conclusion: Consult right

If you are new to this sport, require the help of reputable ski gear for sale suppliers to find the perfect fit of Obermeyer jackets and Tecnica footwear. That should also include the material and size of the socks, shirts and vests, pants and shorts, layering, and accessories to use in the sport. For veterans in the ski sport, you also could use some help. You haven’t been very comfortable in your ski gear of late. So, right before you order online for a different set, consult on the gear that you will be most comfortable in, and that will ensure your safety when skiing.

Photo by Tom Swinnen from Pexels

Imagining going on your first hike can be a little intimidating for first-timers. You can listen to your friends, or loved ones share their experiences and the lessons they’ve learned along the way while hiking. That might help you ease up and find some bits of courage to try it finally. But thinking about something and actually doing it are two very different things.

Having an experienced mountaineer to help you learn the ropes of hiking can give you that much-needed confidence boost that every beginner should have. Hiking can be a fun and safe experience when you have someone to guide you through.

Before you take your first step to the wild side, there are a couple of pre-hiking essentials that you need to know. These hiking tips and tricks are very useful for anyone keen on getting their outdoor game on but can’t quite imagine yet what will happen once they’re there.

This is perfect for anyone who’s been wanting to go out there but doesn’t know where to start. Dive into the details on what kind of gear you need to buy and what you can borrow. The small but important stuff like what you need to wear and what you can do without. How to pack your bag to make everything fit and how to not get anything wet. Start with this checklist and feel free to add on to it later on during your succeeding trips to make your experience even better.

To boots or not to boots

Comfort can make the difference between an enjoyable hike and a painful one. The shoes that you wear should have ample ankle support and heavy-duty grip for different types of terrain. They must fit well and feel worn in. New boots or shoes that you haven’t worn in yet might give you blisters after the hike.

Most importantly, your shoes should have enough room for your toes to move inside when hiking downhill. You don’t want to end up with dead toenails at the end of your trip.

If you want to keep it light, a good pair of shoes will do. Hiking shoes with good soles are best for different kinds of conditions. Since it’s your first time and still feeling your way through the mountains, best not to invest in hiking shoes right away—boots or not boots. You’ll do fine with your regular running shoes for the time being.

Tip: Make sure that you cut your toenails before your hike to reduce rubbing through your in-soles and avoid getting cuts.

To shade or not to shade

Expect to be exposed under the sun when hiking. Don’t go out for an extended period without any kind of protection—ever.

Ideally, your hat of choice should provide shade to your entire face and preferably protects your neck too. You can start simply by choosing something that works both for cold and hot climates like ponytail beanie hat or a visor.

The glare of the sun can give you a headache, most especially if there’s a body of water nearby, like the sea, along your chosen hiking trail. Choose sunglasses that have polarised lenses to give you the extra shade you need.

Too long or not too long

For day hikes, a long-sleeved polypropylene shirt is lighter and packs smaller in your bag than bulky cotton-based clothing.

Merino is one of the favored brands for hikers. The material used in their shirts can transition easily from hiking gear to daily wear, which makes them very versatile. But what gives it more bang to your bucks when you buy one is the way it keeps away moisture away from your skin. The fabric can help your heated body breathe well—plus it is odor resistant.

It doesn’t matter if you go for long or the short sleeved shirts they have. Same goes for pants. Both long and short can regulate your body temperature, especially during hot weather. Most, if not all, hikers actually live in the same shirt or pants for days during long treks—even weeks at times.

Tip: Consider fabric weights when buying Merinos or other thermal-based shirts or pants. The rule is that the thicker they come, the warmer they get. Don’t forget to check the labels and remember that 120 gsm fabric weight and below are best for warm conditions while 380 gsm and above grade are for cold conditions. Lastly, note to self—absolutely no denim.

To bring gadgets and not to bring gadgets

Electronics are essential in the mountains as they are in the city. Navigation and safety rely on them. You can bring your phone, camera, or other gadgets that you think you might need during the hike for your own convenience. What you need to be wary of is keeping them dry at all costs.

Days before your scheduled hike, make sure to check the weather and adjust your packing list, if necessary, accordingly. Even when you expect a sunny climate, always water-proof your electronics regardless of conditions, especially your camera or camera phones.

Tip: It’s crucial that you document your first journey to help you plan and prepare better for the next one. Make sure you don’t leave without it.