My New Addiction

I’ve just come to the realization that I’m sick.

I have a new addiction that needs to be satisfied. I’m now addicted to hiking. I’m to the point where I can’t WAIT to lace up my boots and get back on the trails. I’m *this* close to going Pro on AllTrails.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not adept at hiking yet. Not by a long shot. With only, what, five hikes under my belt, only three of which I fully completed, I’m hardly even a novice. I’m what I’m calling a pre-beginner.

But seriously though, as out of shape as I am (6’5″, 366 lbs as of this morning), doing ANYTHING is a task for me and the fact that I managed TWO hikes last weekend (completed or not) is huge for me.

One of the biggest things I’ve researched since I’ve decided to start hiking is the gear I’ll need to do it. As with everything else in the world, you can spend next to nothing, or you can take a second mortgage on the house, whatever you choose. I’ve already made a bit of progress in this regard, but I still have a ways to go.

Where the Rubber Meets the Dirt

I got a pair of hiking boots after our first trip to Colorado. I bought a pair of Columbia Granite Ridge mid-top hiking boots. Amazon had them for a really reasonable price, and while I’m as far from an expert as you can possibly get, it still seems to me Columbia is a fairly well-known name in outdoor equipment, so I picked ’em up.

The Legs

After my hike last Saturday, I came to the realization that I need some hiking pants; something much lighter in weight than jeans, but will still protect my lower legs should I need it. Finding activewear in my size though is either difficult or very expensive (very expensive being $90 for a pair of pants.) I know, to many, that’s nothing, but with the upcoming budget constraints I’m about to encounter, I can’t spend $90 on a pair of pants.

So, I’m looking at the KingSize Knockarounds Full-Elastic Waist Cargo Pants:

Or the Flexpedition Relaxed Fit Cargo Pants by Duluth Trading Co.

Those pants from Duluth are $90 though. Yuk. I’d also love to have a pair of convertible pants so I can zip down to shorts if the need arises. Neither of these are.

These guys, however, are:

These bad boys are only $30 on Amazon right now, but they’re sized in a S-M-L structure, instead of actual waist size. They do go up to 3XL, which is probably what I’d order, but I hate to get them and they’re too small. I guess I could always return them if they don’t fit.

Balance and Stress Relief

After my trek at the Petroglyphs on the west side of Albuquerque in January, the long walk through the Carlsbad Caverns in mid-March and our first hike on the Cedro Creek Nature Trail the very next weekend, I’ve come to the realization that I need trekking poles.

After my obscene research that I always perform, I came across these on Amazon:

They’re less than $25 right now. Of course, I know you’re probably thinking that they can’t be real high quality and you’re probably right, but they have pretty good reviews, and they’ll at least give me an idea about if I like cork handles, or PVA handles, or the different tips to hike with, or even if I like walking with trekking poles at all. For under $25? I’ll take it!

Carry On

And finally (for now, anyway,) I need a new day pack. I’m currently using a student-quality Ful backpack that, while fine for jaunts across campus or to and from my car at work, becomes a bit burdensome on walks longer than 30 or 45 minutes. While it has plenty of zippered storage, it only has the two shoulder straps. It doesn’t have a chest strap or a waist strap. It’s also not very ergonomic so it just kinda hangs off my back with minimally padded straps. And its overall weight is just heavy.

I’d like something that has at least as many storage compartments, if not as much overall storage area, something that can hold a hydration bladder, and something that will have side pouches and straps to hold the trekking poles seen above. Seems the Osprey 1100 Hydration Pack fits that description.

And at $45, with a lifetime warranty to boot, it looks like this would be a perfect starter day pack.

Wrap Up

I know, there’s a ton more that I’ll need to be completely prepared for every imaginable scenario. Emergency shelters, comprehensive first aid kits (beyond the band-aids, sunscreen and ibuprofen I carry with me now), tents for camping, and so on.

But for these short mile or two hikes where I can still see my car from the farthest point, I think it’s a good start.

But don’t let me tell you. What do you think? Do you think there’s something else I absolutely MUST have at this point? Do you think these couple things are enough? Do you have ideas for different pants, poles or packs that might suit me better? Drop a comment below and tell me! I’d love to hear!

As always, thanks for stopping by. I appreciate each and every one of you.

-Phil