Backpacking is a passion that has over the years gained a strong fan base among people from all walks of life from fitness enthusiasts, to adventurers seeking to try something new, to hunters looking to get into spots few others can. It can make for a very rewarding experience both physically and psychologically as you challenge yourself and push your body to new heights. However, a regularly ignored part of any successful trip is backpacking safety. This entails ensuring that the various aspects of backpacking that touch on your safety are well accounted for. Below are some things you should ensure to minimize the possibility of injuries on your trip.
Stay hydrated: Backpacking entails putting your body through lots of physical strain mostly in the open sun while lugging heavy gear. The result is water loss as the body seeks to cool itself and purge of the resultant waste through urine. This makes clean water a prerequisite for backpacking safety throughout the trip. Rationing has to be applied wisely to ensure that the supply available goes for as long as possible. Small continuous sips should be avoided in favor of drinking a fair amount at appointed points of the journey to stretch out the quenching effect. A nice touch is adding energy supplements to the water for that extra energy boost. Also, it is always a good decision to add hydration supplements to your water. Supplements can help your body absorb the water and waste less, as well add some carbohydrates and essential vitamins and nutrients for optimized performance. Check out Wilderness Athlete’s Hydrate & Recover for our recommended hydration drink.
Avoid exhaustion and injury: Its important to know your limits and how much you can take to avoid serious injury. For those who don't do any form of exercise, the sudden strain of extreme outdoor activities can spell disaster for the muscles, bones, joints and mental capability. Ensure you have the correct gear to maximize your comfort and full body support. Backpacking safety has to start with ensuring that your chosen backpack has an ergonomic design that suits your frame and that won’t result in joint or spinal column injuries. You should only carry the essentials to avoid strain on the untrained parts of the body. Pack well to avoided lopsided weight distribution as this will often lead to a painful end of your trip.
First aid kits are not optional. As you move further away from civilization, you increase the response time of emergency medical help and you will often be on your own if anything goes wrong. In putting together the kit, you need to factor in the kind of risks you will be exposed to on the trip. Identify dangerous terrain, animals and plants that can hurt you and pack the relevant painkillers, anti-venoms and remedies. For those with special conditions like diabetes, carry enough insulin in a kit that can withstand rough conditions.
Finally, you need to communicate both before and after you leave. Your backpacking safety is enhanced when you let others know beforehand where you are headed and your routes to ensure help can get to you in an emergency. Study the terrain you are visiting and identify rest points and tracks to avoid getting lost. Carrying a GPS navigation device is also a good idea as it enables you to know your location at all times. Its also wise to acknowledge the safety in numbers as you can assist each other collectively when the need arises.
Stay hydrated: Backpacking entails putting your body through lots of physical strain mostly in the open sun while lugging heavy gear. The result is water loss as the body seeks to cool itself and purge of the resultant waste through urine. This makes clean water a prerequisite for backpacking safety throughout the trip. Rationing has to be applied wisely to ensure that the supply available goes for as long as possible. Small continuous sips should be avoided in favor of drinking a fair amount at appointed points of the journey to stretch out the quenching effect. A nice touch is adding energy supplements to the water for that extra energy boost. Also, it is always a good decision to add hydration supplements to your water. Supplements can help your body absorb the water and waste less, as well add some carbohydrates and essential vitamins and nutrients for optimized performance. Check out Wilderness Athlete’s Hydrate & Recover for our recommended hydration drink.
Avoid exhaustion and injury: Its important to know your limits and how much you can take to avoid serious injury. For those who don't do any form of exercise, the sudden strain of extreme outdoor activities can spell disaster for the muscles, bones, joints and mental capability. Ensure you have the correct gear to maximize your comfort and full body support. Backpacking safety has to start with ensuring that your chosen backpack has an ergonomic design that suits your frame and that won’t result in joint or spinal column injuries. You should only carry the essentials to avoid strain on the untrained parts of the body. Pack well to avoided lopsided weight distribution as this will often lead to a painful end of your trip.
First aid kits are not optional. As you move further away from civilization, you increase the response time of emergency medical help and you will often be on your own if anything goes wrong. In putting together the kit, you need to factor in the kind of risks you will be exposed to on the trip. Identify dangerous terrain, animals and plants that can hurt you and pack the relevant painkillers, anti-venoms and remedies. For those with special conditions like diabetes, carry enough insulin in a kit that can withstand rough conditions.
Finally, you need to communicate both before and after you leave. Your backpacking safety is enhanced when you let others know beforehand where you are headed and your routes to ensure help can get to you in an emergency. Study the terrain you are visiting and identify rest points and tracks to avoid getting lost. Carrying a GPS navigation device is also a good idea as it enables you to know your location at all times. Its also wise to acknowledge the safety in numbers as you can assist each other collectively when the need arises.
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