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What Is The Difference Between An Internal Frame Backpack And An External Frame Backpack?

In this post I want to look at some of the key differences between an internal frame backpack and an external frame backpack and review what type of hiking or trekking trip each of them is best suited for.

I mentioned in a recent post that this year, in June, I will be taking on my biggest hiking challenge to date which is to climb Mont Blanc in the Alps. This is a big undertaking by anyone’s standards and preparation for it is key. Right on the top of the preparation list is of course equipment.

Equipment for the trip can be split into two broad areas. The first area is gear I already have and use regularly. The second area, as this is not your average hike, is some very specialized gear that’s required for an undertaking of this kind. For example, a good rain jacket would fall into the first area while very specific hiking boots that can be fitted with crampons which enable you to comfortably walk on ice would fit into the second.

A further way to distinguish this is that for gear in the first area, I either already have it or will purchase it as I will use it in the future for other hiking treks and trips. While gear in category two, is gear I will have to hire when I get there as it will be very specific to this particular challenge and I will have no immediate future use for. The aforementioned boots and crampons being a good example.

While looking through the equipment list for the trip, which is extensive by the way, I came across the requirement for a 40 to 60 liter backpack. This makes sense as we will be staying in huts along the way as we trek up to Mont Blanc so we will need to carry about 2-3 days of gear with us. I currently only really have day packs which of course aren’t suitable for this adventure and so the search for a suitable backpack began!

Almost as soon as I started to look one of the immediate distinctions I came across was that you can have backpacks or rucksacks which have either an internal or external frame. Although I had an idea, I wasn’t 100% sure what this distinction meant so after investigation, I thought it would be useful to add what I’ve found to a post that people can reference if they come across the same problem of deciding which one is best for them.

External Frame Backpack

An External Frame backpack, for all intents and purposes, seems to be the less popular of the two and, from my research, the less commonly used these days. However, they can still be purchased and are still very, very popular with many hikers. With an external frame, the rucksack itself hangs from the frame which is exposed on the outside. See the picture of the inside of an external frame back pack below as an example.

Advantages of an External Frame

Below are listed some of the main advantages of using an external frame backpack:

Generally speaking, from what I could see, external frame packs are cheaper
They can carry more gear by providing more opportunity and capability to hang things outside of your pack on your back along the frame e.g. sleeping bag, a cooking pot, etc.
Allow much better ventilation to your back while hiking
External frame Packs usually have multiple large storage areas as well as side pockets

OK, so having had a quick look at an External Frame Backpack, now let’s move on to the Internal Frame Backpack.

Internal Frame Backpack

An internal frame seems to be the road that most backpack manufacturers have went down over the last decade. That is, more focus seems to have been invested in developing the design and capabilities of the internal frame as opposed to the external frame.

With an internal frame the pack is compacted in, more or less, one main closed unit. See the picture below of the inside of an internal frame back pack as an example. As you can see, there is no visible frame on the outside.

Advantages of an Internal Frame

Below are listed some of the main advantages of using an internal frame backpack:

Internal frame packs tend to have larger interior volume but in one single compartment
Allow more freedom of movement while hiking as the pack is more compact and secure to your body
Can be better and possibly safer to use in a wider range of environments e.g. areas prone to thunderstorms – not likely a good idea to have the metal poles of an external frame exposed in those conditions
More and more, internal frame packs are being built with better ventilation to your back but they’re probably not as good as the external frame in that department

Which is Better?

There are many arguments that I came across as to which one is better. First and foremost, it is of course down to personal preference but from most of my research, internal frame backpacks seemed to be the more popular and the better choice.

From my reading of it, an external frame backpack is good if you’re trekking for long periods but out on open trails where you will not have to do any awkward maneuvers or walk through difficult bush and trees. They seem to be able to carry that bit more gear and so are better at carrying tents, sleeping bag, etc.

Another advantage of the external frame in this area is that not much consideration has to be given to how you pack your pack, so to speak, in that it is far enough away and sitting higher on your body to not be an issue if you have an awkward cooking pot sticking out.

The internal frame can of course be used for the same long trekking purpose too but you will of course need to pay that bit more attention to how you pack your pack as all your gear will be packed away with bits on top of each other. Therefore it will be harder to access something at the bottom of your pack. In saying that though, many modern internal frame backpacks come equipped with easy access pockets so you can access the contents from the front of the backpack.

From my reading of it, an Internal frame also seems to be that bit more versatile as it can be used in a wider range of environments. For example, as mentioned above, you don’t want to be hiking in a thunderstorm in the Rockies with a metal pole from an external frame back pack attached to your body pointing up to the sky above your head. Definitely doesn’t seem like a good idea if lightening bolts start shooting around!

Also, if you were to undertake a trip like what I will be doing in June, an external frame pack would seem to me to be too bulky and cumbersome. The internal frame holds the weight in a more compact manner and holds it closer to your center of gravity and so would therefore seem to be better for walking across steep open mountains off trail.

A narrower profile to the internal frame also helps to give it a snugger fit on your back. This in turn enables more maneuverability which is necessary for those tight spots or if you have to do a bit of scrambling.

Conclusion

I have decided that I will be purchasing a 50 to 60 liter internal frame back pack for my trip to Mont Blanc. I haven’t decided which exact make and model I will go for just yet but I will be sure to do plenty more research to ensure I get a good one and will also be sure to post my findings up in a detailed review.

An internal frame backpack definitely seems to be the more appropriate of the two options for that kind of trek as I will be off trail, hiking over tricky terrain, hiking across ice and will likely have to do a bit of scrambling. Therefore balance will be key and so a low center of gravity with a snugger fit and narrower profile on my back seems the way to go!

I don’t however write off the external frame. It definitely has it’s place and I think I will continue to do more research into them. I’m sure the time will come for me when going with an external frame is the better option for a particular type of hiking trip.

Do you use an internal or external frame backpack? Which one do you prefer? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below!

The Advantages Of Outdoor Lightweight Jackets

I thought today I would do a short post with some reflections on why outdoor lightweight jackets are such a great investment and what the main advantages of them are. I am of course referring specifically to hiking jackets here which have all the basic things you need for a good outdoor jacket that’s not only lightweight but also very functional.

I am of course a hiker so I bought my hiking jackets with very specific and functional uses out on the trail in mind. However, do I use my jackets for just walking around town or to keep me dry on my way to my car at work? You bet I do!

Hiking jackets are a really versatile piece of kit to have around and will come in handy for almost any type of weather.

Waterproof

By default, many decent hiking jackets will come with waterproof capabilities as standard. This means that the outer shell of the jacket will at least have a DWR (Durable Water Repellent) coating of some kind on it which, you guessed it, repels water.

When you see this in action on a hiking jacket, the water forms little beads and rolls off. So whether hopping from your car to the gym or walking your dog on an unsettled November evening, a hiking jacket will keep your head and torso dry.

Lightweight

As already alluded to in the title, hiking jackets are by design lightweight. This is because they are generally used for layering. If you’re not sure what layering is, check out this post. In short it’s the process of adding or removing layers of clothes in response to your environment. You already do it every time your cold and put on a sweater. That’s effectively layering.

Anyway, back to the characteristics of hiking jackets. Hiking jackets also tick the box for being lightweight as they are normally made from very lightweight materials. This is to not only be light when actually wearing the jacket, but also to be light when it’s not being worn and is instead being carried in your day pack.

Breathable

Accompanying the waterproofing capabilities mentioned in the previous section, many hiking rain jackets also have some element of breathable capability as standard. For a jacket to be breathable it basically means that it is made from a material that has pores on it that are small enough to keep water out e.g. rain water but large enough to let moisture and heat from your body out e.g. sweat. This keeps your body comfortable and dry from the inside as well as the outside.

It should be noted here too that many hiking jackets have additional ventilation features to help with internal heat regulation. An example of this would be pit zips, see the image below. that’s me sporting, 🙂 , the pit zips on the Marmot Minimalist Rain Jacket, an excellent rain jacket option.

These are zips that are located underneath the armpits of your jacket. When you open these you usually find a mesh like material that lets air in and so acts like a type of ventilator.

There is much, much more behind the science and wonders of waterproofing and breathability. If you’d like to learn more about how waterproofing and breathability works in hiking jackets, you can check out this post to get you started.

Stowable

This is an easy one to forget about sometimes but another handy feature of a good hiking jacket is that they can be bundled up and stowed away neatly and efficiently. This ties in with the lightweight option mentioned above as, as well as being lightweight, hiking jackets are quite easy to stow away wherever you need to put them.

They are tough by design so can take a some ruffling and some abrasion as standard while losing none of their functional capabilities. Bottom line? They’re ideal for stuffing into your travel bag or throwing into the bag of you car when on the move.

Fashionable

Hiking jackets generally as a rule are pretty fashionable. Now, I don’t mean ‘put one on and head out to the club dancing’ fashionable but day-to-day use fashionable. A hiking jacket does tend to bestow a mild aura of adventure and freedom on the wearer, even if they’ve never went further than their local park for a stroll 🙂

I can’t say that for certain, that’s just a perception. However, when you see someone kitted out in good hiking gear, odds are that they’re not afraid to get out in the wilds and live a bit!

Conclusion

If you’re in the market for a new functional jacket but are hmmnning and hawwing about what to get, you could do a lot worse that taking a look through the wide variety of hiking jackets available on the market today.

You can get the search started by checking out the best hiking rain jacket options. If you’ve never owned a hiking jacket before, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised and pleased with their versatility 😉

Can Hiking Help Me With Weight Loss?

The short answer is yes, hiking can help you with weight loss and form a key part of your overall weight loss program!

I think when people think of losing weight, many times the first port of call seems to be dieting. Dieting is used here, and throughout the rest of this post, in the context of radically changing your intake or content (or any mixture of the two) of the food that you eat. Dieting seems to me in many cases to be a somewhat dubious part of the process of losing weight.

Diet on the other hand, used here and throughout the rest of this post in terms of the actual, normal everyday content of your diet, is of course a critical, if not paramount, part of your overall health as well as your weight and shape.

Now, before continuing I must state that I am not a nutritionist nor am I a weight loss expert. However, I have read much material on the subject of general diet and health and would consider my lifestyle to be quite healthy. With all the above in mind, there are to me, two golden rules to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and balanced weight.

Golden Rule Number 1 – Eat Sensibly

The most important thing you can do in the area of your ‘diet’ is to eat sensibly and to eat well. For me, and this is probably restating the obvious for many, this means that there are certain specific things you do, do and eat, and there are very specific things you don’t do or eat (or eat minimally).

So with that in mind, what should you be eating?

OK, so we’ve looked at all the good stuff! What about the not so good stuff? Well, in the graphic below, I list out some of the stuff you should avoid eating or at least eat in much smaller quantities. There’s nothing wrong with a treat every now and then 😉

Now, you can go into each one of these areas in great detail but, for me, if I stick with these guidelines, I should be doing pretty good. You are of course allowed to have a big sugary dessert or greasy fries and pizza but only every so often and sparingly. As a guideline, once or twice a week as a treat is a good rule of thumb. This is commonly referred to as a cheat meal in many exercise regimens.

Dieting

Now, if we look at ‘Dieting’, where we radically change the intake, content and / or amounts of food for an extended period of time, to me it seems like shooting yourself in the foot in many cases. There are of course unique circumstances for each individual where dieting is completely appropriate. However, for people who are in general good health, dieting seems to, many times, have the opposite effect over the long term.

That is, when you start dieting you restrict your calorie intake either via content or quantity restriction. The human body is an incredibly efficient machine and so your body and metabolism, quite quickly I assume, adjust to this level of consumption. Inevitably, the restrictions of your dieting method of choice are broken and you return close to the level of food intake you previously had.

However, you now approach your old level of consumption with your new lower level of metabolism. Therefore, you have increased your calorie intake to your previous levels but you can’t process it at your previous level as your body has adjusted to the restrictions as part of your diet. The resulting effect, you not only put the weight you lost back on but likely add some more. To summarize, the dieting regimen you initially started to reduce weight, now actually ends up being the cause of you putting on more weight.

In many cases, the situation continues until another reason comes up to change and, nine times out of ten, people look to another dieting method. Unfortunately, it seems to me, the cycle described above is just repeated and so it continues again and again. The ‘Dieting Industry’ is a multi-million, if not billion, dollar one so I think we can assume that the smart marketing folks in that industry know that people will be back time and again. A sound business model for them but not such a sound lifestyle model for the individual.

Now, I want to again stress again that I am not a dietitian or a nutritionist and as already mentioned, for some circumstances dieting is likely to be an appropriate course of action. However, the main thrust of what I am saying here, and it’s nothing we haven’t all heard many times before, is that first and foremost, we should eat a well-balanced diet of quality content and reasonable portion size.

That’s the first part of this equation to help with any weight loss plan. On to part two …

Golden Rule Number 2 – Exercise

Now we come to the second part of this simple equation to help with weight loss, and that is to exercise. While your ‘diet’ should always be balanced and made up of the appropriate mix and balance, exercise is a key part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. In brief, the food you consume provides you with the energy to live and ideally you want to be burning any excess with some physical activity.

When trying to lose the pounds, there are any number of activities and exercise regimes that you can employ to get you started on the road to your ideal weight. I can’t say for certain but from what I have witnessed on this in friends and family who wish to lose weight, this can often start off quite gung-ho. For example, after a New Year’s blowout resolutions aplenty are quite often made.

Many times then, people put the cart before the horse and sign up for all sorts of intense exercise programs and they start, no pun intended, trying to climb a mountain from day one. Now, don’t get me wrong, many of these programs are good and they do work. However, I get the impression that many people take on too much too soon and eventually they move into overwhelm, get frustrated and pack it in.

They then console themselves with a trip to McDonald’s for a super-sized feast before deciding that exercise just isn’t for them and might not be the best approach after all, and they will approach the problem from a different angle and instead look to dieting!

And off back in the never ending circle they go. You can see how easy this can lead to the feeling of being stuck in a maze!

What I would like to suggest is that if you’ve tried multiple exercise regimes before but found that you couldn’t stick with them, what about going out for a hike? I know, it doesn’t sound too flashy!

No super-fast weight loss promises
No flashy gizmo’s to help you nail that perfect abs fat burning exercise
No complex technical jargon to explain why this works while so many other approaches failed

Yes folks, I am indeed suggesting that, in combination with a balanced and healthy diet, the simple act of going out for a regular walk is the perfect place to get you started on the road to losing those extra pounds!

It’s Healthy For Your Body!

OK, our primary goal in the context of this post is to lose weight. Absolutely! We are talking about exercise that will help with weight lose. However, we need to keep general physical health in mind. Many physical health regimes can do more damage than good. What about hiking?

First off, hiking forms an excellent aerobic exercise. Aside from reducing body fat, it helps:

Improve circulation and oxygenate your body
Increases energy and stamina
Maintain a healthy weight
Build muscle

This leads to all sorts of other health benefits which we’ll explore more below.

I would also class hiking as an excellent anaerobic exercise. Anaerobic exercise is where you have short but intense bursts of activity e.g. sprints or HIIT (High Impact Interval Training) are some example. Although hiking would maybe not normally be considered a prime anaerobic activity, I do think you do get anaerobic benefits.

To illustrate, as you hike in mountains, the terrain of course changes. From flat, to steep, to downhill, etc. This means that your levels of exertion fluctuate. For example, when you approach a very steep climb on a mountain and you push yourself to maintain a steady and fast hiking pace, I think it feasible for you to experience anaerobic benefits for those shorter blasts of exertion. Perhaps not as intense as sprints yes, but I believe there is benefit all the same as your muscles are put under strain and you have to take a break.

Increased Chances of Long Term Success

So, why do I think this overall approach has a much better chance of long term success? Well, there are numerous reasons why I think this and I go through each one in more detail below … are you ready?

Easy To Get Started

Hiking is easy to get started with. You don’t even need to go to the mountains at first, there are many opportunities to get out for a good stretch of your legs locally in your town or city. Then before you know it you are, literally, climbing mountains as you take to the treks and trails in the hills surrounded by nature.

Motivation

It can seem hard to get up early in the morning to go for a run or get in your car and drive to that gym, get changed and do the conditioning class. Putting on your boots and walking out your front door is not a difficult thing to get started on so it’s not hard to find some motivation to get you going.

Momentum

Remember that exercise program that looked like a mountain mentioned above? You know what, because getting started with hiking is easy to do and you can see progress quite quickly, you start to build momentum quite quickly too!

All of a sudden that mountain of an exercise program, doesn’t look so hard any more 😉 As you get fitter and challenge yourself more and more on the trail, it is much easier to look at taking on other exercise programs with much less fear of non-committal or failure. A positive reinforcing circle can be born and developed quite easily.

Minimal Start-up Costs

You never know, and I highly doubt this 😉 , but hiking simply may not be for you. The good news is that you don’t need to spend a fortune to find out. Simply get a good pair of hiking boots and a decent jacket, some additional items like gloves, hat and appropriate hiking pants (You can use your normal pants to get started with as long as the weather is favorable) and you are pretty much good to go!

Attainable Goals

You can determine your own pace. You don’t need to try and reach unattainable goals or punish yourself when you can’t keep up with the demands of a tough workout regime in conjunction with your busy life. Simply, start off by doing what you can. Set your first goal as walking three miles in your local park, neighborhood or along your local canal or river.

Then, simply build it up from there. The benefits start from day one and as you get more advanced and take on steeper mountains and trails, you will be giving your body a harder and tougher workout, all the while increasing your stamina and strengthening muscles!

Other Health Benefits

Aside from the obvious physical benefits, there are many other benefits to hiking. On a psychological and even spiritual level, getting out close to nature is just good for the body, mind and soul. I am convinced hiking can be looked on as a meditative mindfulness practice. At times on the trail, absolute presence and focus is required to ensure you don’t trip up on a tricky climb or slip over a tricky rock on a rocky ridge. By default, at times you need to be very focused so monkey mind has to take a back seat.

On top of that, there’s nothing quite like a good hike to help you have a good nights sleep, I can vouch for that 🙂 A good nights rest with proper sleep does wonders for general health. Assuming you stick with hiking and see some pounds drop off, your risk of developing diseases like Diabetes and heart disease will go down.

All of this can lead to less stress, anxiety and overall tension in your day-to-day life. So by starting regular hiking, or any other suitable exercise regime, it really is a circular benefit that is self perpetuating once you get it going.

Social Aspects

As you get more into hiking you can discover wide social aspects to it. It is a perfect way to spend quality time with your nearest and dearest. You also have the option of joining a hiking club where you will meet lots of folks with whom you will most likely forge long term relationships and friendships. The folks you meet in hiking groups will also likely encourage you to push the boat out a bit more

From my experience of joining hiking groups, I have met people who I have ended up socializing outside of hiking in other social arenas and I have also arranged some amazing hiking trips with people I have met in hiking groups. My trip to Mont Blanc is a good example of this, I ended up going on that with a friend I made in a hiking group.

In short, the social possibilities are really endless, I see it all the time in the groups I hike with, I’ve even seen a few budding romances develop from people meeting in hiking groups, including one marriage!

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed this post on how hiking can help you with weight loss, but before I leave this today, I again want to state that I am not a dietitian, nutritionist or physician. Everyone’s individual circumstances are unique and you should always consult with your physician or trusted health professional on any changes you are considering making to your diet or exercise plan to ensure they’re right for you!

However, as a general rule of thumb, the simple combination of eating right and getting suitable exercise, will steer most people on the right path to not only losing unwanted weight, but to also maintaining a decent general level of health and fitness. While this post was primarily about how hiking can help you lose weight, I think it important to point out the other benefits that can come from it on all the other levels that go to make up your health and state of being.

That is to say, it helps you stay healthy on all levels; body, mind and soul. I think when you feel good in your mind, and even spiritually, about the physical exercise or activity you are doing, you have a much better chance of long term success that is sustainable. That translates into a much better chance to lose weight and keep it off which is of course the main goal in this context. As you are still maintaining a reasonable diet with treats here and there, you won’t feel deprived on that front either.

If you’ve never went hiking before but something in all the above appeals to you, why not give it a go? It’s easy to get started! Check out some of the posts here on Cool Hiking Gear or go through the getting started with hiking guide, and you will be out on the trail in no time 😉

What do you think, is hiking a good way to help you lose weight and stay healthy? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Do You Want To Climb Mont Blanc In The Alps?

At the start of the year I mentioned in a post that this year, 2014, I wanted to start to push the boat out a bit more with regards to my hiking adventures. By push the boat out I was generally referring to taking on some bigger challenges as well as starting to go out hiking in other countries and locations further afield.

The prime target on the list for 2014 was to hike and climb Mont Blanc in the Alps. Mont Blanc is the highest mountain in western Europe at 4810 Meters high and so is much bigger than anything I’ve ever hiked and climbed up before. To give you a taster, check out the picture below of the summit of Mont Blanc. Looks pretty special doesn’t it!

As it is a higher altitude, it of course means that to do it you need to hike in snow, ice, etc. even in the Summertime. Therefore it’s not something you would attempt without …

Getting The Right Training

As I will be hiking in an environment that’s completely new to me, getting the right training is crucial. It will involve hiking across deep snow and glacial ice which of course brings it’s own unique set of dangers and problems like crevasses (a big hole falling away below you in the snow) and avalanches.

To hike in this environment, the right type of gear will be crucial and much of it, I will never have used before. Things like crampons (things you attach to your boots to enable you to walk on ice) will be new to me so again, getting the right training on how to use the right gear in advance is critical.

As well as gear, safety procedures will be paramount. I’ll need to be trained on things like roping up. In brief, roping up means you are tied to one or two others by ropes. If someone falls down an aforementioned crevasse or the like, the others keep them from falling to hit the ground as they’re tied to them and so can also pull them back up. Sounds a bit scary I know! I think for Mont Blanc, it would be one inexperienced person tied to one experienced guide.

Finally, hiking in high altitude will also be completely new to me. I did a post on altitude sickness some time back and, as I mentioned in that, I will be moving into the altitude sickness zone, above 2500 meters, which I have never done before. As also mentioned in that post too, there is a right way to do things to acclimatize properly to ensure you limit your chances of getting altitude sickness. Again, the training on this will be crucial.

To summarize, all the points above illustrate how getting the right training in advance is vitally important to not only maximize your chances of reaching the summit but also, more importantly, to keep you safe and alive!

Having Experienced Guides With You

This is a must for someone like me who is new to this type of environment and to taking on a challenge of this nature. Having appropriately qualified and experienced guides with you is not optional unless you are an experienced mountaineer and are used to the Alpine environment.

Guides will likely be the ones who do all the aforementioned training with you, to help learn how to use the gear, but they are also critical in exercising judgement. What I mean by this, is that there are lots of factors to consider when attempting something of this nature. For example, the weather plays a crucial role.

Experienced guides know what a certain forecast will mean and how to act accordingly. Obviously, if it’s heavy snowfall and visibility is zero it would be a no-brainer and you probably can’t attempt to summit. However, there are many more subtle weather possibilities which while not as obvious could still have a significant impact. A certain wind pattern, which may normally mean little under normal circumstances, could have a whole different impact in the Alps and have more dangerous implications e.g. an electrical storm.

That’s where the experience of guides is vital. They’ve been there and know how to react appropriately given certain conditions. They know if it’s better to attempt to summit via one route, given certain conditions, as opposed to another route. They also know when it simply isn’t safe to proceed and to hold off for another day or simply call it quits!

Ready To Rock!

With the above two priorities in mind, we started the hunt for a good trip provider that ticked all the boxes. There are many ways to approach it but we decided to try and go with an established company that was well recommended.

As luck would have it, when I was skiing in the Alps over New Year’s, one of the Guys in our party had used a particular company, who specialize in running trips to Mont Blanc, only last Summer. Uncanny I know, he was a friend of a friend and I only met him at the airport. Within a few minutes of talking to him, somehow it came up. Very good luck I thought! Anyway, he highly recommended a company and so we had a good place to start. It’s hard to beat a personal recommendation from a trusted friend!

I did look across several companies as well but I ended up choosing the one he recommended. There are plenty of good options out there. It seems possible to get private guides or to sign-up to a package via a company and probably a few other options in-between. I’m sure they all have their merits.

How Much Will It Cost?

With regards to price, from what I could see it worked out pretty much the same across the board. For a weeks trip including training, acclimatization time in the mountains (with hiking to another summit or two close to Mont Blanc as part of that) and of course your summit attempt, you will be looking at approximately two thousand euro (Accurate at time of publishing in 2014).

Not cheap I know but for the nature of this, I don’t think it’s a bad price. On top of that, you will need flights, Geneva is the best option to fly to from my research, as well as a transfer to the town of Chamonix which is close to Mont Blanc. You should also factor in a few hundred bucks to hire snow and ice hiking gear like crampons, harnesses, helmet and so on.

Most trip providers will offer gear hire separately or as part of their package. You may also need to buy a few bits and pieces in advance like a good rain jacket or a 40-50 liter backpack. Finally, with a bit of spending money thrown in, I think you would be looking at two and a half to three and a half thousand euros all in (approximately $3400 – $4800 US as of exchange rates Feb 2014). The large gap allows for a significant difference in flight costs which will vary significantly depending where you are coming from.

Some companies do offer several options if you are an experienced hiker / climber and so you could do it just over a few days. This option is of course a bit cheaper as it assumes you don’t need training and will make one attempt directly at Mont Blanc rather than doing any pre-summit attempt climbs on other mountains e.g. other lower peaks around Mont Blanc. Not an option for me and my friends at this stage of the game 🙂

It is worth noting here though that your summit attempt is weather dependent so you should try and give yourself a window of a few days to do it. Yes, it is possible that you can go all that way and the weather isn’t in your favor and it simply isn’t safe to do it. Would definitely be a bummer but of course better to be safe than sorry!

If you’re thinking of doing Mont Blanc, here are a few companies to get your search started. I looked into all of these and they all seemed pretty good:

Conclusion

Well, that’s really it for this post. I just thought I’d put an update in on this, as it will likely be one of the biggest, if not the biggest, hiking / mountaineering trip that I will be taking this year and I am of course psyched to do it! Can’t wait 🙂

I would consider myself pretty fit but I will need to start upping my hiking and fitness activity in preparation. Hiking with weighted packs for longer distances and that type of thing. It will give me a good excuse to get a few other to-do’s off the list beforehand, any excuse for a hiking trip 😉

I hope you find this bit of information useful if you’re considering climbing Mont Blanc at some point in the future. Personally, I think it will be a great experience and I am really looking forward to it. I will of course do a post on how I got on after the trip. I hope the weather is kind to us when we get there!

Have you hiked and climbed Mont Blanc? Any tips or suggestions on the best way to do it? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below!

What Is Pacing?

Today I want to take a look at a more advanced navigational skill or technique you can use in hiking to help you in bad visibility or if you’re trying to get somewhere in the dark. That technique is called Pacing.

What is Pacing?

Pacing is basically a way to help you establish how long it takes you to travel from one point to another over a specific distance. Once you have established your ‘pace’, using certain parameters, you can then reuse the result at any time in the future when you’re trying to go a very specific distance in bad visibility, darkness etc.

How do you do it?

First off you need to work out what your, what I will call here, ‘magic number’ is. Your magic number is the length of time, defined in counted paces, it takes you to walk from point A to point B across an exact distance of one hundred meters. (you can in theory use any distance measurement, the principles are the same, but for ease of use I am sticking with one hundred meters).

To do this, you need to measure out one hundred meters from one point to another. This can be done anywhere but ideally on a flat and even piece of ground. The start of this one hundred meters is marked as point A and the end is marked as point B.

When you have done this, go to the start of the one hundred meter line at point A. Then start to walk at an average pace from point A to point B. In your mind start counting from when you start walking, starting at one when your back foot first hits the ground.

By back foot, I mean that if you start by stepping your right foot forward first, you count one when your following back, in this case left, foot hits the ground. This is one pace.

See the diagram to the right that illustrates this. Note the count going up by one every time the left foot hits the ground.

Continue on in this manner and increment your count by one every time your back foot hits the ground until you reach point B of the one hundred meters you have marked out. When you reach one hundred meters, remember your final counted number. This final counted number is your ‘magic number’!

It’s recommended that you get your magic number on the flat two or three times first and then use an average of the three to give you your final number.

What is the ‘Magic’ Number all about?

This final number is the ‘magic’ number as it is the amount of times your left foot hit the ground as you walked the one hundred meters from point A to point B.

You now know how long it takes you to walk, in your paces, one hundred meters, at your average speed.

How can this be applied?

Well, the next time you are out on the hills and visibility is bad, or if you’re hiking at night and can’t see anything in front of you, you can use this magic number to help you get to where you need to go.

To do this you of course need to know where you are starting from on your map first (this is the most critical thing with regards to using maps for navigation, you always need to know where you are first before you can try and get to where you want to go next). We assume here that this is the case and you know where you are.

You then need to take a compass bearing to your next point, apply any applicable degree changes for magnetic north, based on your location in the world, and measure the distance from where you are to your chosen destination on the map. To work out the distance in meters you use the scale on your map and the ruler on your compass.

So, say for example you need to go two hundred meters at a bearing of 205 degrees to get to a specific landmark at night. You set your bearing in your compass as required and then start to walk in that direction counting one every time your left foot hits the ground. When you reach your magic number, you have just walked, approximately, one hundred meters.

Stay on your bearing and repeat to count your magic number again. When you’ve reached it again you’ve walked another one hundred meters. You now know you have walked two hundred meters in your desired direction and so you should be at, or reasonably close, to your destination!

If you need to apply this technique over a longer distance, say for example 1200 meters, it is a good idea to use counting beads or some other way to help you keep track. So every time you reach a one hundred count, you mark off a bead or counter and start counting from one to one hundred again. When you reach a one hundred count again, mark off another bead and so on.

It’s worth noting though that pacing loses more and more of it’s relative reliability the longer you travel so it’s generally better to try where you can to cut longer pacing into definable legs. In summary, it is not ideal to pace out very long distances but sometimes, you may not have a choice.

With regards to counting, be careful when counting in your head into the hundreds as you will quite possibly get confused at some point and lose count. Then you could be scuppered as you won’t know how far you’ve came or how far you have to go!

Conclusion

Pacing is a neat skill to have and not very hard to learn. You may need to be careful when using pacing across rough terrain or going up or down as the magic number for your pace may differ a little. Just keep things like that in mind. If you can, try and do a few tests when you’re out hiking in good weather.

For example pace up a steep incline and measure the distance traveled against your magic number and see how close it comes to one hundred meters. Doing this a few times will give you a better target for steeper inclines and that type of thing as the number does change over different terrain and on steeper sections.

Pacing is never an exact science so don’t rely on it only. Ideally you want to combine it with timing and other navigational aids to help you get a clearer idea of where you are.

Have you ever used pacing? Did you find it useful? Let us know in the comments below.

How To Use Average Walking Speed To Estimate Hike Duration

In this post I want to take a look at how you can use the typical average speed walking or hiking To estimate how long your planned hike will take. Before going into that in more detail I want to give some quick background on how this came to my mind for a post.

I was taking part in a hike recently and the usual pre-hike questions were in full flow. The detail of this hike was shared with everyone in advance as normal. Typically this includes things like meeting point, start time, distance and so on.

How to Estimate Hike Duration

One question came in from one of the hikers inquiring as to what time the hike would finish at. A comment was made, in jest, that as the starting time was clearly given, it should be easy for them to work out the duration from that based on the other factors that were also listed, including distance. A conversation then ensued about how to
judge the average length of time for a hike.

I knew what it would be myself but was a little surprised to see that quite a few folks couldn’t make a reasonable estimation off the top of their heads so thought it might be useful to add a brief post on estimating the duration of your hike when planning out your route. It’s a useful and simple enough piece of knowledge that’s not hard to remember or apply.

As an aside, estimating the time duration of your hike should be a standard part of mapping out your hike in a ‘route card’ before you set out on a hike. Completing a formal route card is a good idea but you need to have the navigation skills to be able to follow it and so it’s perhaps for the more experienced /advanced hiker.

Most hikers, newbies included, should be able to make a base estimation of time duration if they have some basic information like distance and so on.

Average Speed Per Mile / Kilometer

The most important thing we need to establish first is what is the average speed you will be hiking at!? This can differ a lot across many individuals. However when looking at estimating an average time, it is safe to use the average walking speed of a human which is about five kilometers per hour, which gives twelve minutes per kilometer.

This average is of course based on normal flat ground so you could argue that this would be incorrect for hiking as you will be going across more difficult terrain and going up. That is considered further on in the calculation but even with people of different hiking speeds, it is safe to use the average of twelve minutes per kilometer.

I should add a note here that no direct consideration is given for speed gains going down. Savings in time, due to a faster pace across flat land or going down, are compensated for by losses in time, due to a slower pace across more difficult terrain. In short, the average works out fine.

If you want to get an even more precise time, you then add in the next two items.

Altitude

When hiking, altitude of course comes into the equation as you will likely be ascending upwards as you progress throughout your hike. You of course go slower when going up so that needs to be factored in. Allow 1 minute for every 10 meter rise in altitude.

Now, you do need a bit of experience to be able to work out more exact distances in height from a map. Good maps will have contour lines, see the green arrow pointing to a contour line in the image below, which indicate the shape of the land but also use a standard height distance between them, e.g. 10 meters, to indicate altitude.

Count the contours and multiply by the distance between each contour and you have your height. Contour distance does vary from map to map though so you need to figure that out.

Now, that may sound complex, especially to someone new to this but any good map should also have some numbers on it. These numbers are usually at height intervals on the contour lines e.g. every 50 or 100 meters.

You can use these to get a basic idea of height by finding a number close to where you’re starting and one close to where you’re going.

General Addition

Finally, as mentioned above, you will also encounter difficult and tricky terrain and maybe end up going a little bit sideways or something like that.

To help allow for things like this, add an additional bit of time, say 10 minutes, for every hour from the total of the first two parameters. This can vary but 10 minutes is a reasonable rule of thumb for a group hiking at a reasonable pace.

An Example!

So, with the above in mind, let’s put all this together and look at an example. First a quick summary of the rules we are to apply:

For one kilometer in distance give twelve minutes (average human walking speed of 5km’s per hour)
For every ten meters you go up in height add one minute
For every hour you get as part of your result using the first two points, add ten minutes

So, if you are hiking 10 kilometers distance and you will ascend 500 meters in the process, you would calculate your estimated time as follows:

Distance: 10 (kilometers) * 12 (minutes) = 120 minutes

Altitude: (500 (meters) / 10 (meters)) * 1 = 50 minutes

Total time (So far)= 170 minutes or 2 hours and 50 minutes

General Addition: 10 minutes per hour on two hours and 50 minutes = approximately 30 minutes (I rounded it up):

Total Time: 200 minutes or 3 hours and 20 minutes.

Conclusion

So there you have it, not too difficult at all to make a decent estimation of how long your hike should take. I should mention that the parameters listed out above are based on something called Naismith’s rule. It is the commonly accepted method to estimate duration.

It’s worth noting that this is far from an exact science and I typically find the time given here quite generous. There will of course be difference’s for very fit people or if a group is moving at a very fast pace. Also, terrain can also play a significant part and so there are more advanced calculations within the rule, and extensions on it that other folks have added over time. Even with that, it is never precise.

However, from my experience, the above works pretty well to work out an average duration of a hike going at a standard pace. You can of course play with it to see what works best for you but it’s a handy and very easy piece of knowledge to have and to remember.

I hope you found this useful 🙂

How To Clean A Hydration Bladder

In the last few weeks I was looking at hydration packs in a fair bit of detail. In one recent post we looked at what to consider when buying a hydration bladder and in another I touched on my hydration bladder of choice at the minute.

When looking at what to consider when buying a hydration bladder, one of the key things listed for consideration when buying one, is how easy your chosen hydration bladder / reservoir is to clean. This has a lot to do with the design of the bladder and what you use it for.

Pictured above is the Camelbak AntidoteTM Cleaning Kit, click on the image to learn more.

When considering design, you have the Ziploc or Screw Top options. Both can work well in the context of cleaning. In my opinion a Ziploc is easier to clean as you can open the whole reservoir wide open but in the past I didn’t have too much trouble cleaning a screw top hydration pack either.

The relevance of cleaning is also impacted by what drinks you’re putting into your hydration bladder. I only ever use mine for water so I am not adding anything that can leave sediment that can turn into various biological nasty’s over time. However, you may want to use your pack for another type of drink aside from water so I want to take a look at some tips on how best to clean your hydration bladder as well as possible.

Even if you just use water, bacteria from your mouth can get onto the bite valve and into the tube so you do need to clean it even if you’re just using water.

Cleaning Your Hydration Bladder / Reservoir

It is recommended that you clean your reservoir after every use. I have to be honest and say that I do not do this and think it is a bit over the top. As mentioned, as I only use water in my hydration pack I don’t feel the need to deep clean it after every use. I feel a good rinse out with water is enough and I add light soap into the equation every so often when I rinse it out.

I always pay a bit of extra attention, when I rinse it after every use, to the bite valve as that’s the piece that goes into my mouth. The bite valve usually hangs loose out in front of you as you hike so it can easily get dirt onto it when you take your pack off and put it on the ground, say when you stop to sit down and have lunch. With that in mind, I always give it a good rinse out every time after using my pack.

Tip: when you’re drinking from your hydration bladder while hiking, it can be a good idea to rinse the bite valve in your mouth with some water from the pack. I know it doesn’t sound too pretty, but do a couple of swirls of water around the valve in your mouth and spit the water out. It can help to remove any dirt that may have got on to the bite valve while out on your hike.

However, if you’re using other drinks in the hydration bladder, I think a good cleaning after every use would be required. It’s worth noting here that there are specific cleaning kits, like the one pictured above, which have brushes, solutions, etc. that you can get which are designed to help you clean your hydration bladder. However, these aren’t always necessary and I think they’re probably of more use on a less frequent occurrence i.e. when you need to give your bladder a really deep clean every so often.

On a medium term ongoing basis (after 10 to 20 uses), first off, I clean my pack by filling the reservoir / bladder with a mixture of water and two or three denture tablets. I started to use denture tablets after I found them to be very effective for cleaning my thermos flask. I found They gave a great clean and left a nice freshness behind them after the clean. Makes sense as they’re used to clean dentures after all.

You can also use hot water and baking soda instead of denture tablets, two or three tablespoons should be enough (as with the pack cleaning kits, you can get specific cleaning solutions for this very purpose too but denture tablets or baking soda should work fine … denture tablets are my preference).

To be sure you get the mixture into the drinking tube, you will need to activate the drinking mechanism by biting on the bite valve at the top of the tube. This will fill the tube up with the cleaning water. You don’t need to put the bite valve into your mouth when doing this. You can usually just pinch the valve with your fingers over the sink and that should be enough to get the cleaning water flowing through.

If not, you may need to angle the reservoir in such a way to get the water flowing e.g. hold it up so gravity helps the process. When the solution is filled into the tube, let the solution settle and leave it in the reservoir and tube for 30 to 40 minutes. Then pinch the tube a bit to empty the water in the drinking tube and let a fresh flow of cleaning water fill the main reservoir. Move the whole bladder around a bit more to move the water in the main reservoir a bit and then leave for another 30 to 40 minutes.

When ready, empty the solution out of the reservoir and rinse the whole reservoir and tube with hot water. You can use a mild soap too if you like but the main goal is to ensure you rinse all the denture / baking soda cleaning water out of the reservoir. Rinse as many times as you need to, to do this effectively.

Drying Your Hydration Bladder After Cleaning

When finished cleaning leave your hydration bladder / reservoir in such a way that it can air dry. As best as possible you want to enable air to circulate throughout the pack to prevent any moisture staying in the pack which could form mold.

When I’m drying my Platypus Big Zip Lip LP Reservoir, pictured above, I slip the sliding plastic seal, the dark blue piece at the top of the pack in the picture above, between either side of the top of the bladder. This leaves the top open and so air can get in.

It’s also a good idea to come back to it after a day or two and empty it again just in case a little pool of water has gathered somewhere in it. It also moves the bladder itself a bit and so lets air in to places it maybe wasn’t getting into (sometimes the sides of the pack will stick together in spots while drying). After that, put it back into the drying position with the sliding seal between the top ends of the bladder holding it open.

Some cleaning packs, like the one pictured at the start of this post, will have drying arms which can be used to hang your pack in a specific way to help and speed up the drying process. Not a necessity I feel but no harm to use if you have them.

Tip: when you first get a new hydration bladder it can sometimes have a plastic type taste. Washing the pack out and drying it several times in a row as listed above, should do the trick to get rid of this initial nasty taste. If not … you may need to get a better quality hydration pack. Soaking it in salt water for an hour may also help

Conclusion

So that’s that. These easy steps will help keep your hydration bladder usable time and again well into the future. Even if you only use your pack for water, I recommend you give it a good rinse after every use and a deep clean every 10 to 20 uses following the steps above.

I have to admit that I may be a bit lazy in comparison to others when it comes to cleaning my hydration bladder but I only let myself away with that as I only use my pack for water, nothing else. If you use your pack for fluids other than water, definitely follow the steps above after every use. It will ensure you keep your pack free from anything growing in it that shouldn’t!

You need to make the call on that for yourself though. It will depend on a number of factors such as what you’re drinking from your reservoir, how often you use it, if you have a clean freak disposition like Monica from the sitcom Friends, etc. If you’ve any questions on any of this, feel free to leave them below.

I hope you found this article useful. Do you have any tips for cleaning a hydration bladder? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below.

What Is The Best Moisture Wicking Material?

I was recently on a hike and I was talking with a fellow hiker about keeping yourself warm but dry when out on the trail. They happened to be wearing a cotton tee as a base layer and so they weren’t the most comfortable as we had just finished a rather steep climb.

Needless to say, their cotton tee was damp with sweat and of course cooled down as we hit a lighter pace. Not the most comfortable place to be in, especially in winter, that’s for sure.

As we discussed this I suggested to them that they should get some base layers and tees made from material with good wicking capabilities. I pointed to my North Face Crew Tee which I was wearing at the time.

They were a bit confused as they didn’t know what I was referring to when I mentioned ‘wicking’. I of course then started to explain what I was referring to.

Later when I got home I thought about it some more and realized that wicking is referred to throughout the site here on several posts, and while we may have given a cursory and brief explanation about what wicking is, we thought it might be useful to delve into the subject in a bit more detail for clarity. In particular, to review what is the best moisture wicking material.

So, before we get to that let’s start from the beginning …

What is Wicking?

Wicking, when used in the context of clothing fabric, in the easiest way I can put it, refers to the ability of that fabric to move moisture away from the body and the fabric itself. This can help keep the body dry and cool even when the person sweats from exertion.

It’s worth noting that many base layers can also act as a very good insulator too so it’s worth keeping that in mind when choosing the kind of base layer that best suits your needs.

How does Wicking Work?

Wicking works by utilizing a thing called capillary action. This means that the fabric is made up of tiny little tubes, like capillaries in your body, that the moisture can move up into, away from your skin and released into your outer layers of clothing or the air.

If you think of a wick in a candle, think how the wick draws the wax up the wick to the flame to be burned. The principle of wicking fabric is pretty much the same.

So, to try and give a real life example of this …

You are on the trail wearing a wicking base layer. You start to sweat and so you create an environment of high humidity between your skin and your shirt or tee. Sweat moisture begins to gather on the underside of the base layer. This high humidity, or wet air, close to the skin will then try to move towards a lower humidity environment where the air is dryer.

Wicking fabric helps all this to happen as the fabric make-up encourages the moisture to move along the fabric, the aforementioned capillary action, to the outside where it can spread out and evaporate when it finally reaches the lower humidity on the outer layer.

Wicking fabric, means that the fabric has tiny capillaries in it which are large enough to let moisture, like sweat, be pulled away from the skin and out and away.

Wicking fabric is used in all manner of outdoor activities from running to hiking and is used across all seasons but is particularly effective in colder temperatures. It can act as a good insulator, in terms of heat, too.

You can check out a full post on layering for winter here but as a quick summary of layering, for hiking in cooler temperatures you have:

Base Layer – The layer closest to your skin and so where wicking capability is most needed. You want to let moisture, sweat, be able to get away from your skin but also have a layer element of insulation to keep heat in.
Mid Layer One – Can be a shirt or a tee; ones with more breathable capabilities are preferable
Mid Layer Two – This layer is mainly for warmth so a fleece is a good example
Outer Layer – Waterproof hiking jacket and waterproof hiking rain pants which are ideally all breathable

Note: layer’s can sometimes be optional as they may not be needed depending on the temperature.

What is the Best Moisture Wicking Material?

On a scale of one to ten for the best functional materials for wicking, with one being bad and ten being good, I would place cotton sitting at one. Definitely a no-no right next to your skin, and for hiking gear in general, as it absorbs moisture and so keeps it next to your skin.

However, it is worth noting out that in certain conditions and in certain climates, like a desert, cotton can have an advantage in that the retention of moisture helps keep your body cooler for longer. That’s an exception though.

On the good end of the scale at a nine or ten you have synthetic fibers like polyester, polypropylene and natural fibers like merino wool.

For base layers I use both ones made from synthetic based fibers as well as ones from merino wool, or a combination of the two to try and get the best of both worlds.

The table below ranks out some of the common materials that tops, tees and base layers are made from, in order of their wicking capability, at least how we rate them.

Note, some materials in certain circumstances can have an advantage over others in certain circumstances, which we explore a little more below the table.

Material	Rank	Pros	Cons
Merino Wool	#1	Our top choice! Merino wool Breathes well and has excellent moisture wicking capability Lightweight and can be versatile enough to be worn in summer i.e. a lighter construction Best in terms of odor control, face it, its next to your skin, it’s going to get sweaty	Arguably not as long lasting or durable as other materials like nylon Can be pricey when you get a quality Merino Wool base layer or top
Polypropylene / Nylon / Polyester (Synthetic)	#2	Our 2nd choice as synthetic materials like Polypropylene and Nylon have truly excellent wicking capability Breathability is good but will vary based on the construction, weave, etc. Quick and easy to dry while wearing Tougher and longer lasting *Typically the most wallet friendly functional base layer or top	Not as soft and comfortable as Merino wool Tends to retain odors *Can tend to get chilly in tough conditions, doesn’t retain heat well
Silk	#3	Really nice on the skin Soft, lightweight and so comfortable to wear *Excellent breathability	Not as moisture wicking (although there are some silk / synthetic combos than can work well) Like synthetic materials, retains odors more Typically requires a lot of TLC as a material e.g. hand washing, so not practical Can be pricey
Rayon	#4	Has a nice silk type feel Moderate breathability Can hang well Quick drying	Doesn’t wick away moisture as well as polyesters or nylons Wrinkles easily *Can require dry cleaning (Not practical)
Linen	#5	Very durable and easy to care for Typically has excellent breathability *Can be great for hot weather	Like cotton, it absorbs moisture (doesn’t wick away moisture or dry) Wrinkles very easily *Doesn’t retain heat well
Cotton	#6	Easily the winner in terms of cost and versatility Comes up Trumps in terms of care, a basic wash cycle will do the trick Soft and comfortable to wear Pretty durable with decent breathability (until it gets wet)	Absorbs and retains moisture Poor wicking capability, especially when wet

I find base layers and tees made from synthetic fibers easy to clean and they have a very quick drying time. On top of that they are also very lightweight and packable.

On the downside, they can hold body odor more than merino wool but for me personally, this has never been a major issue.

It’s worth noting that merino wool acts slightly differently than the synthetic fibers in terms of wicking. merino wool, which comes from merino sheep, is much softer than standard sheep’s wool.

It can absorb some moisture into it’s fibers while still being able to breathe well, while also acting as an excellent heat insulator, holding heat within the fibers at the same time. Merino wool can also be better in terms of odor as it can fend of bacteria better than synthetic fibers.

My Preference

I got my first merino wool base layers only quite recently as I was previously more than happy with what my synthetic polypropylene ones had to offer.

However, after I started using merino wool base layers this winter, I have to say, I am a major fan!

The merino base layers feel excellent against the skin, that bit smoother and more comfortable. It also really does feel that bit more toasty and snug in merino wool than a purely synthetic base layer.

In saying all of that though, in terms of merino wool vs. synthetic base layers,

I still use my old synthetic layers as well as the merino wool ones as I think they both have their own merits and special capabilities to offer (As mentioned in the paragraph above re: certain circumstances where one may be better than the other).

Our Top Merino Wool Base Layer Pick: Meriwool

Get the Meriwool Mens Merino Wool Midweight Baselayer on Amazon Now!

The Meriwool men’s merino wool midweight baselayer Crew is a very functional and affordable base layer, an excellent choice for the trail.

Buy the Meriwool men’s merino wool midweight baselayer on Amazon now!

Conclusion

So that’s it for today. A short post but hopefully an informative one if you’ve been wondering what all this talk about ‘wicking’ is about, and what the best moisture wicking material is!

Hopefully it at least gives you an idea of what it is and how it works and what to look for.

If you’re planning to do a lot of hiking, or any outdoor activity, all year round, it’s good to be familiar with what wicking is. If you need base layers, you should look for gear made from material that has good wicking capabilities e.g. polyester, merino wool, a mix, etc.

I recommend trying a few different base layers and so on out, and see which one suits you best for your needs depending on the activity you need it for.

What are your base layers made from, synthetic materials? Do you prefer merino wool?

Hiking In Wetlands

Hiking in wetlands can be quite the challenge. Being from Ireland, I am of course quite familiar with this type of terrain as we get lots of rain. There are many places in Ireland and close by in the United Kingdom that have wetlands.

What is a Wetland?

Some common examples of wetland are:

Bog
Fen
Marsh
Swamp

Hiking in Wetlands

I have hiked in the types of terrain listed above many times. Usually it will be specific parts of hikes that will be particularly boggy or marshy although you can come across areas on the trail that are too deep to even attempt crossing. A full on swamp is a good example of this, not a place to be hiking in but you may well hike around the periphery and so you will encounter swampy and marshy bits.

Generally speaking, wetlands get harder to negotiate as the seasons get colder and wetter. The ground tends to get even more saturated in places in the autumn and winter and so it increases the effort you need to expend to cross it.

It’s funny as sometimes I think we don’t give marsh, bog, etc. it’s due respect as I do find it can be very arduous and tiring to hike in and it adds an extra level of difficulty to any hike. On a recent hike I had to cross some very marshy areas and it felt like I was nearly wading through quicksand! My legs were knee deep at times in places and the sheer effort it took to pull my legs back out while I hiked, if you can call it that, across the boggy and marshy ground was very tiring.

Usually accompanying the negotiation of this type of wetland terrain, in Ireland and the UK for sure, in the colder seasons is wet and inclement weather so I find that hiking in marsh and bog-land in cold wind and rain is a definite challenge.

I know a few hikers who I would consider pretty hardy but they have no time for hiking in this type of terrain. I think it is the type of terrain that can bring out the kind of love / hate reaction. Some people love hiking across bog and moorland while other’s just can’t stand it.

However, in saying all this, water will of course freeze if it’s cold enough so you can end up walking over quite icy surfaces, even in bogs and so on. This can work both ways and be to your advantage or disadvantage. I’ve been out on a crisp and icy morning hiking across bog in January and as it is frozen, it is actually quite easy to walk over and much more pleasant than having your boots sink deep into it as they normally would.

However, you need to be careful too of course. The ground is of course more slippy so there’s more risk of you taking a tumble on an icy patch. Something to be wary of for sure.

Keeping Your Feet Dry

Another tricky thing I find hiking in this type of environment is keeping your feet dry. Even with the right hiking boots, gaiters and hiking gear on, if your leg regularly get’s submerged in marsh or bog up to your knees, you have a real battle on your hands to try and keep your hiking socks and feet dry and, of course, warm.

You of course also have areas like the Everglades which are sticky swamps in a very humid climate and environment. I haven’t experienced hiking in that type of environment as yet but I can imagine it brings it’s own set of very specific challenges … alligators wanting to have you for dinner being one of the more significant ones 😉

To hike in this type of terrain and environment good waterproof hiking boots are a must. You will definitely need gaiters and also good waterproof rain pants. A waterproof hiking jacket is also a must as these areas are prone to heavy and regular rainfall.

A final note is on the clean-up afterwards. Cleaning up your hiking gear, in particular cleaning your hiking boots, after hiking in wetland type terrain does sometimes take a bit more work than many other environments as you’ve a tendency to take some of the bog etc. back home with you on your boots!

Also, it is a good idea to clean your boots and gear at the nearest available opportunity after hiking in bog and marshland. While this is a good general rule anyway, due to their special nature, some wetlands, like bogs, are more acidic and so can dissolve seals and binds on your hiking boots and gear if you not washed off with water.

Conclusion

Now, I don’t mean to knock bogs, marshland, etc., they have their own special type of beauty but they can be challenging to hike in. So, as always, be sure to prepare yourself appropriately before setting out on your hike if you’re venturing into wetlands and always wear the right hiking gear. Going into a wetland with the wrong gear on will at best be unpleasant and at worst potentially a disaster.

If you’re going into a wetland area for the first time be sure to do your research and find out what areas are safe to hike in.

Do you like to hike in wetlands? I’d love to hear you thoughts in the comments below 🙂