A long time ago, our ancestors hunted wild beasts and foraged food on a regular basis. The last non-violent revolution, the Agricultural Revolution, allowed the human race to grow their own food and stay in one place, giving rise to the civilizations where we live today. While most people don’t forage, hunt, or fish for their food today, exploring the great outdoors is still something that should be experienced by everyone.
Whether you’re a hunter, a hiker, a professional botanist, or someone who has the urge to go exploring outdoors, humans are inherently curious about the environment around them.
If you are one of those whose curiosities cannot be contained anymore, here are three things that you should keep in mind if you are planning on exploring the great outdoors. It doesn’t matter if it’s just in the forest behind your house or on that extreme terrain in another country.
Gear Up
Most of us are civilized, so it is essential to choose the right equipment for the trip. You will be doing a lot of walking, and we really mean A LOT. Climbing up rolling hills or steep mountain crags, you want your feet to be planted on the surface firmly to avoid all kinds of accidents. It would also be helpful if your clothes are tear- and water-resistant. Exploring the great outdoors means encountering the harsh elements, so you better prepare for thorns, rain, sleet, or snow. You can get the apparel and gear that you need from online stores like kryptek.com.
Training
Have you ever experienced taking the groceries out of the store, walking to your car, and then feeling winded once you sit down? There’s no way you walked more than a mile on a flat manmade terrain carrying 7-8 pounds of goods max. Now, imagine scaling the tallest mountain in the state with the weight of all your gear on your shoulders. Obviously, your day-to-day strength won’t be enough.
One of the most important things to keep in mind before exploring the outdoors is to assess your level of fitness as honestly as possible to avoid a fitness-related incident. Once you’re okay with running around the block ten times, do it again. Or maybe you could train doing pull-ups just in case you need some upper body strength to pull yourself or a friend out of a ditch, literally. Training a few months before your planned trip is important.
Choose appropriate gear
Gear? Check. Training? Check. Location? Now is the time for you to really be sure of what you want. Are you planning a long summer hike and camp under the stars or to hike from town to town with a stay at the local inn? It is important to be efficient and bring just the necessary equipment for your specific type of exploring to lighten your load as well as bring some souvenirs that you might encounter in your travels.
Exploring outdoors is a great way to appreciate nature. It helps people pay attention to the importance of the environment and its inherent beauty. We only have one home after all, so go out and see it for yourself before it’s too late!
