Hiking: How To Stay Safe + a Lugz Giveaway

It’s the perfect time of year to get out your waterproof boots and hit the hiking trail! Check out these tips & enter to win a new pair of Lugz!

An awesome neighbor and dear friend of mine actually inspired this post.This year she’s trying  going to do 365 hikes in 365 days. So far I think she’s pretty close to being on the mark and I have no doubt that she’ll make up the hikes that she was unable to make. A good bit of record breaking flooding (thanks global warming) and a vacation threw her off a bit.

Ways to Stay Safe When Hiking Alone

Since we live in the Ozarks, there are plenty of great hiking trails that don’t cost anything to check out. Of course if you’re going alone you should always make sure that someone you know knows where you’re going. Cellphones are always great but not so much when hiking trails off in the middle of the woods, mountains or hills!

One of the ways that she made it safe for her to go hiking by herself was to start a women only Facebook group for hiking. She only allows women to join and it started out as just a circle of her friends and people she knew do but it has grown quite a bit. I really admired her intuition to keep yourself safe while enjoying something that she loves to do.

Whether you are a female or not, I think that’s a great idea to make sure that everyone’s safe it insures that someone always knows where you are going hiking and when. Since it is a controlled group it’s safe because all members have been vetted or are personally known.

Choose trails that are well marked out, especially when you are starting out.

If you are going in a National Park, let the game ranger know that you are going alone and what trail you will be taking. That way, they can keep an eye out for your vehicle if you aren’t gone by a certain time.

For animal friendly parks, if you have a dog to take along I highly recommend it! Snacks

Must Have Gear for Hiking

1. Great Shoes! I have had the privilege of testing out testing out the lug’s water resistent boots and have been impressed with Quite a bit. Not only are they really stylish but they keep my feet dry and they are very comfortable.
2. Map & Compass: Take a compass (and learn how to read it!). That way if you get off the trail or somehow turned around, you can find your way back. Take note of where you entered the trail, that way you’ll have an idea of which direction your vehicle is in.
3. Sun Protection: I recently learned that sunburns and sun damage contributes to the weak, thin skin that we have when we have aged. Sure wish I’d known (and cared) about that when I was young! I’ve literally had blisters all over my shoulders and face and they were not cool. Now, I have freckles on my shoulders which I loathe. I was definitely not friendly to my skin!
4. Water! Make sure you take plenty of water with you. It’s better to have too much than to end up getting dehydrated, disoriented and dizzy!
5. Snacks: Take along some protein bars just in case. They are super light, packed full of nutrients and will give you sustenance if you get lost for a while.
6. First Aid Supplies: Take along a small first aid kit, just in case.
7. Flashlight: Just in case…
8. Knife: A sharp one (in a sheaf, of course), just in case.
9. Fire making supplies, just in case you get lost. Please be careful if you have to start a fire! Make sure that you clear an area and can control the spot and don’t start one if it’s super windy, unless you can do it somewhere that is blocked by the wind.
10. Makeshift Shelter: This, again, is just in case!
11. A Whistle: The louder the better! Just in case you are approached by someone unsavory or become lost. The shrill, unnatural sound will carry for miles in the woods!
12. Hiking GPS/satellite Communicator: While these aren’t necessary, they are definitely great for helping you know where you are, keeping you safe and enabling you to communicate in areas where there is no signal.

One lucky winner will get to choose their favorite pair of Lugz boots! Enter to win daily for best chances!