{"id":220,"date":"2023-07-13T01:23:32","date_gmt":"2023-07-13T01:23:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hikelike.me\/blog\/?p=220"},"modified":"2023-08-14T08:36:54","modified_gmt":"2023-08-14T08:36:54","slug":"ten-things-pro-hikers-do-and-you-probably-dont","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hikelike.me\/blog\/ten-things-pro-hikers-do-and-you-probably-dont\/","title":{"rendered":"Ten things pro hikers do (and you probably don\u2019t\u2026)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

You\u2019ve probably seen those pro hikers passing by on the trail, moving nearly as swiftly and as fast as trail runners but they obviously are not. They have (rather small) backpacks and they might have even camped next to you with their semi-transparent dyneema tents. Here are seven things they do (very) differently from the grand mass of \u201cordinary\u201d hikers: <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

1. They don\u2019t pack their fears<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Most people just don\u2019t know how or what to pack for an upcoming hike. However exiting the idea of a hike may sound, when faced with the empty backpack on your bed and your closet wide open, you often tend to do what most people do – you pack your fears onto your bag. Afraid you might be cold? Here\u2019s an extra layer. Afraid that there won\u2019t be any clean running water and \/ or detergent? – Here are two extra pairs of socks and underpants. And the most common of all fears – you\u2019re afraid you\u2019ll starve out there in the grand open. So you bring A LOT of extra food. And I mean A LOT. Well here\u2019s the thing – Unless you intend to get stranded and lost in the jungles of South America with zero survival knowledge – you\u2019re probably over doing it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pro hikers are not afraid of the outdoors. They simply don\u2019t pack their fears. They know exactly how their chosen gear will perform under a myriad of conditions, they will plan every single meal on the hike (or almost) and then they\u2019ll probably just pack one or two meals less then they \u201cshould\u201d especially on long trips because they know that sometimes you just don\u2019t feel like eating all that your \u201chome self\u201d had packed for your \u201coutside self\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2. They trade weight for knowledge <\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Knowledge is power. And in the hiking world the greatest form of power is weightlessness. I.e the fact that you actually know<\/strong> what you\u2019re doing out there in the wilderness means you need less \u201cstuff\u201d and it also means that the stuff you actually must bring on a hike – Is the most efficient and conditions adopted stuff. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Probably the best illustration of this concept is the choice of a tent. There are 3 kinds of tents: Expedition tents – for extremely harsh weather conditions like -50\u00b0c snow storms in the Arctics, 4 seasons tents – for winter hiking and for moderate hard conditions and the most common – 3 seasons tents for, well as the name suggests – the 3 seasons which aren\u2019t winter. However unlikely it is that inexperienced hikers will purchase a very sturdy, heavy expedition tent for just a regular hike, the \u201cseasons\u201d part of the tents tends to confuse many and as inexperienced hikers tend to pack their fears as mentioned above – Some of them will just go for – \u201cthe safest one; well, just in case!\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A pro hiker on the other hand, hiking even on somewhat stormy weather conditions – will rarely go for even an \u201cordinary\u201d 3 seasons tent. As most of these tents have 2 walls (or layers) to prevent condensation. 2 walls is a lot of walls for a pro hiker. A lot of weight. So he or she will probably go for a single layer 3 season\u2019s tent that weighs half (or less) the weight of a 3 season\u2019s tent and probably a quarter of the weight of 4 seasons one. Heck, they might even sleep with just a tarp or a bivi bag. Those gear items necessitate a bit of knowledge to operate. Like the fact that we exhale a whole liter of water over an average night. That\u2019s a lot of water all over your sleeping bag and other gear items. Not knowing where exactly or how to pitch your one-layer tent or tarp will result in a not-so-pleasant an experience. but a pro hiker will know exactly how to avoid those situations and his tent probably doesn\u2019t even have poles – his trekking poles will be used to pitch which is yet another great way to save weight – have several uses for the same gear item. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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3. They make detailed gear lists<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

This is why all pro hikers make gear lists. Obsessed with gear lists, worship gear lists, spend hours making them and are very (very!) proud to share them in forums and groups. Gear lists are at the heart of a good hike planning. Pro hikers most likely have a well-sought-after inventory of everything they have at home along with a mention of essential features (like temperature ratings for sleeping bags or R. Values of Sleeping pads or lumens of their head lamps) along, most obviously – the weight of each and every item. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it\u2019s time to plan a hike they will just craft a costume-maid hiking gear list for that hike based on their inventory list and than just spend a ridiculous amount of time weighing and philosophising with their own selves about which gear item they should bring and what should be left behind. Most of them, if asked will be able to proudly tell you, on the trail exactly how much<\/strong> weight<\/strong> they carry on themselves in any given time. (Way way less than you do, most likely) Making lists, being unhappy with the total weight and searching for the perfect gear item that\u2019ll \u201cshave a few more grams off that category\u201d is nothing short of an addictive hobby. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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