25 Thru-Hiking Tips for Your FIRST Thru-Hike (In Just 7 Minutes)
This is the second part of my video series ”Thru-hiking tips in a limited timeframe”, where I quickly share important thru-hiking tips without any fluff. To find out another 20 tips, watch the first part of this video:
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▼ TABLE OF CONTENTS
00:00 – Intro
00:09 – Tip 1
00:18 – Tip 2
00:23 – Tip 3
00:33 – Tip 4
00:56 – Tip 5
01:12 – Tip 6
01:46 – Tip 7
02:02 – Tip 8
02:18 – Tip 9
02:27 – Tip 10
02:37 – Sponsor
03:18 – Tip 11
03:36 – Tip 12
03:47 – Tip 13
04:01 – Tip 14
04:19 – Tip 15
04:34 – Tip 16
04:45 – Tip 17
04:58 – Tip 18
05:04 – Tip 19
05:31 – Tip 20
05:44 – Tip 21
05:56 – Tip 22
06:13 – Tip 23
06:43 – Tip 24
06:54 – Tip 25
07:37 – Final Words
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▼ ATTRIBUTION
The following music was used for this media project:
Music: Sneaky Snitch by Kevin MacLeod
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License (CC BY 4.0):
The following music was used for this media project:
Music: Bleeping Demo by Kevin MacLeod
Free download:
License (CC BY 4.0):
The following music was used for this media project:
Music: If Anyone Dies (Instrumental) by Steven OBrien
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License (CC BY 4.0):
The following music was used for this media project:
Music: Morning Stroll by Steven OBrien
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License (CC BY 4.0):
The following music was used for this media project:
Music: Chord Guitar 001 by Sascha Ende
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License (CC BY 4.0):
The following music was used for this media project:
Music: Fromage by Steven OBrien
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Some more suggestions:
Have with you, in your fanny pack, two very useful devices against shepherd dogs: some individually sealed dog biscuit, and a pepper spray. Also remember that dogs fear your sticks, they have no idea how light they are.
If you go alone in the wild on trails which are not well known and not popular, have with you some communication device: a PMR radio, a VHF-UHF radio, or a satellite device such as a Spot, a Garmin InReach, or a Personal Locating Beacon (PLB), to be used in case you really have a serious problem such as a broken leg.
Again, if you go alone on wild places, buy a Recco reflector to put on your rucksack: you buy it only once, it costs you €25, and it can help the SAR team to find you in a moment. Always plan for the worst case. “Be prepared”.
Always say exactly to some friend or family where you are going, which trail, which route, and stick to that. If a rescue mission must look for you, they will find you in a few hours. Hotel and camping owners will often chat you up on where are you going today and if you are coming back tonight, they don’t do it out of curiosity, but because they want to know whether they have to alert the SAR. They are polite toward you and you should spend some time with them showing them what will you be doing.
Don’t eat fruits just because they look nice and coloured: there are plenty of poisons out there.
Before you sit on a stone, always beat the stone with your sticks, so that the eventual snake goes away. Don’t just sit on a stone.
Never without a hat.
In the Apennines, the Alps and in general in those places where you find wild boars, you will also probably find plenty of cows, horses, sheep and the inevitable ticks: study them, how to recognize them, how to recognize the illnesses that they transmit. Disregard American videos regarding shorts, always use long trousers.
Have with you some magnesium and potassium pills, to prevent cramps or to cure them.
Besides toilet paper, if you want to bring with you some wet wipes, always use the ones “without plastics”, marked as “compostable” or “biodegradable”. Cover your dejections with some leaves and put some water on your poo to accelerate its degradation.
I personally always wear mimetic colours (no red, no yellow, no blue, no “flashy” greens, no white, only olive oil green, light brown, dark brown, dark green, grey, black) in order to be better able to see wild birds: birds perceive bright colours such as yellow and red as very specific signals, they will fly away and you will see less and disturb more. Don’t dress as if you were participating in a Himalayan expedition if you love birdwatching. At least, that’s me.
And frankly, a suggestion which is overlooked by many in Italy when they are in group: don’t shout, don’t make useless fuss.
Super fun and creative!
Just use Castille soap. It is completely biodegradable, super cheap, and you can wash everything with it.
Regarding socks, I have a tip for someone struggling with blisters: As a base layer, wear light, toed socks (e.g., Ijinji), then wear a high, thin merino wool as a second layer. This will help wick away moisture, and ultimately, prevent blisters.
Never use biodegradable soap in any stream, lake, river, or other water source, at least in NZ.
Biodegradable soap should never be used directly in streams, lakes, or any natural water source. While “biodegradable” means it breaks down over time, it still requires soil, sunlight, and bacteria to degrade, not water. Direct use harms fish and aquatic life, increases nitrogen, and lowers water surface tension.