How To Pack A Backpack | Complete List Of Items To Carry

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Have you ever been planning a hiking trip but aren’t sure what to bring? What happens when you get there, and you have to unpack everything because you packed it wrong? Is there a right way to pack for a hiking trip?When going hiking the last thing you want to worry about is being prepared. We all want to know 100% that we are prepared for whatever happens along the way.

This includes making sure to pack the appropriate items in the correct way. Personally, this is important for everyone to know especially if you have had close encounters like me.When I was stung by a bee while hiking, my first aid kit saved the day. Let’s not forget the time that the rain poured down on me, and my trust cover kept my items dry.

We can all benefit from knowing the do’s and don’ts when packing for a hiking trip. Are you nervous about your trip? There is no need to worry; I can help you with your questions!

How To Pack a Backpack?

You want to make sure that you pack your items in the most effective way meaning that the weight is distributed properly so that you can still walk comfortably and not ruin any of your items. If you follow this guide below, then you can count on a successful hiking trip.

1. Pack the Bottom First

At the bottom is where you put the items that you will not need access to as often. You will want to put your sleeping bag at the lower part along with extra clothes.Make sure to roll, not fold the clothing to fit in the bag. Any night only items would go on the bottom but make sure to keep those things away from the item that could transfer smells such as food or toiletries.

This can attract bears or other animals. Animals do not care if the fragrance is food or perfume; they will still be attracted to the odor.Creating a stable foundation is important. Please remember not to put breakable items at the bottom.

2. Packing The Core

Heavy items should be in the center of your pack. This helps make a comfortable center of gravity where the bag is not saggy nor tipping over from being top heavy.Your most bulky items should be placed on top of your sleeping bag and close to your spine. Keep in mind that if you do not pack your backpack correctly then you will have issues along the hike.

When buying your backpack make sure that the frame is built to support your items having centered weight. If your backpack has too much weight on the bottom, it will pull on your shoulder straps and cause pain and fatigue.If your bag has too much weight at the top, then it becomes unbalanced making you less coordinated.

The heaviest items are your main food stash, cooking kit, and stove. You can wrap the lower weighted items around heavier items to keep the items from shifting.For instance, use your tent or rain cover to help fill in these spaces and keep the bulkiest items centered.

3. Packing The Top

Closer to the top should be your map, compass, GPS, sunscreen, sunglasses, headlamp, bug spray, first-aid kit, snacks, rain gear, pack cover, toilet paper and sanitation trowel.This just depends on where your extra pockets are and what you use the most. Top access is important but so are the extra pockets. I generally pack my map, headlamp, first aid kit, and rain cover right at the top.Try to pack gear on the inside and not the exterior to ensure there are no safety hazards.

4. Easy Access

Some packs have extra pockets, zipper panels, or top access which makes it easy to get to. This is where you want to put your most used items.

For me, I pack my cell phone, camera, sunscreen, lip balm, sunglasses, and one food item. Now I do use water quite a lot, but there is usually a special place for that.If your pack has a hydration reservoir, then there is a sleeve for this. Ideally, you want to insert this at home while the pack is empty which is what I do.

I do not mind warm water though and perfect the easier way. You can also keep it in the cooler to make sure it is cold and then insert right before hiking.This truly depends on how you prefer your water and how accessible the sleeve for your pack is. 

Must Have List In Backpack For A Hike

For a day camping trip the items needed may be less than an overnight trip, but they are just as important. The Ten Essentials that you MUST have are below!

1. Navigation Is Important

Navigation is important. You do not want to be stuck out in the woods not knowing where to turn. Make sure that you have a plan in place to ensure that you prepared to make it through your journey.

Now, you can bring your cell phone in hopes that you get a clear signal, but let’s not rely on that. You should have with you a map in a protective case so that it is not damaged. Using this along with a compass is beneficial if you get lost. You could also bring a Handheld GPS or Altimeter; these are both optional

2. Carry Survival Tools

Make sure to carry with you a knife or multi-tool kit. This is handy in case you need to cut, fix, or repair items. If you need a repair kit for a stove or mattress, make sure to bring one along with duct tape strips.

3. Sunscreen Lotion

Protect yourself from Sun by bringing sunscreen lotion, This protects your skin while making sure you do not cause harm to your body.Do not forget to bring your lip balm with sunscreen in it as well as your sunglasses. You will be happy that you brought them all.

4. Stay Hydrated

Even if it is just a day trip, you need to be prepared to have enough water for an extra day. You can bring water packs that will keep you hydrated in case you get stranded. Staying hydrated the entire time is extremely important. 

5. Pack Some Food

No matter how packed beef meals seem convenient, I like grass fed beef. I bought true primal organic beef & vegetable soup to try it for the first time, and it was just perfect. It also is easy to prepare and the best part, free of artificial ingredients that might harm you.

Again, you may think it is only a day trip but be prepared for anything. Bring Backpacking Foods such as some protein bars and food that is lightweight but ensures you will survive in a life of death situation. Mountain House has a Just in Case 4-Day Meal Kit, which is handy to pack.

6. Let There Be Light

Bring a flashlight or headlamp even if you do not plan to be outside late. There are multiple needs for light and by bringing them, you will be prepared for whatever may come. Do not forget the extra batteries. 

7. Make Sure to Bring Matches or Lighter

You never know when you will need to make a fire, or you get caught in a situation where a lighter can save your life. If needed, you can bring a fire starter kit with usually comes in an emergency survival kit.

8. Why Not Bring Some Extra Clothes?

You never know what could happen so why not be prepared. For hot trips, make sure to bring an extra pair of lightweight clothing. For cold trips, pack a jacket, vest, extra pants, gloves, a scarf, and even a hat depending on how high the walk will take you. 

9. Emergency Shelter

It is a smart idea to pack with you emergency shelter such as a tarp, pack cover, or tent in case you or your team need to get out of the weather or have to seek immediate shelter.

10. Last but Far from Least Is Your First Aid Supply Kit

In my case, this is a must seeing that I am accident prone. Make sure to carry alcohol wipes, ointment, bandages, benzoin, gauze pads, non-stick sterile pads, Ibuprofen, blister treatment, medical tape, Antihistamine, safety pins, tweezers, and bug relief from stings or bites. 

Optional items are an elastic wrap, wound coverings, eye pads, liquid bandages, hand sanitizer, aspirin, aloe era, eye drops, thermometer, sewing kit, and a magnifying glass. For longer trips makes sure to carry shelter, a sleeping bag, extra food and water, a pillow, stove, fuel, cook set, quick drying towel, your cell phone, toiletries, and appropriate clothing.

helpful in making you feel more confident?

Do you feel ready to tackle the mountain in front of you? Has this article been helpful in making you feel more confident? After reading and following this article, you should be confident in the items that you packed as well as how you packed them.

As I said before, you never know what could happen! If you have a close encounter with any animal, you know you will be ready. What if the weather takes a turn for the worse? Have no worries because you will be prepared by following this guide. Most importantly, if anything horrible did every happen such as you breaking your ankle or getting lost or stranded, you will have confidence that you can survive for multiple days.

We all have fears and goals when going camping. Please feel free to share your goals and tips that have worked for you. By working together, we can all ensure that hiking is a safe, fun, and exciting adventure.

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Safe Hiking Checklist: Avoid These Mistakes When Planning A Long Hike

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I remember when I was preparing for my first long hike. The thrill and the adrenaline dominated me completely.It was a long weekend where I decided to go with some friends for a long hike.Just be able to turn off my phones and the direct contact with nature give me a complete peace of mind and it’s actually the only thing I do that relaxes me.

However, you need to be careful when planning a long hike. You need to choose your gear carefully, or the hike may give you more headaches that relax you.So, here’s the safe hiking checklist and six gear mistakes you need to avoid when you’re planning a long hike.

Plan Properly for a Long Hike: Safe Hiking Checklist

1. Protect Your Feet

You have a long hike ahead of you. And the worst thing it can happen is that you can’t properly walk.During a long hike, your feet won’t look the same; they will swell and if your shoes aren’t comfortable enough, you’ll feel a lot of pain.

What some people do is that they just go to the store and get several pairs on sale. This actually isn’t a good idea. I did the same, and it didn’t turn out to be a good idea.Make sure the shoes you choose have a thick sole, ankle support, and good traction. 

2. Go Lighter

This is one of the most common mistakes among first-time hikers. They just take so many stuff they won’t even use, and it can really set them back.

When I took my first long hike, I can’t say I haven’t done the same. I didn’t forget the obvious like a first-aid kit. However, I did bring a lot more stuff than I needed in the first place. Instead of a simple camera, I took two, for example.I even took a book I was reading at the time. I really don’t know what I was thinking.The whole point of a long hike is to be with your friends and enjoying the contact with nature. So, you need to be very selective on the things you’ll carry with you.

After all, besides the effort of the long hike, you’ll be carrying your backpack as well. So, the lighter it is, the better you’ll be. Checkout our reviews of ultralight backpacks here.

3. Choose Ultralight Tent

When choosing your shelter or tent, you need to consider the lighter and most durable tents.When you usually go for the cheapest one, they aren’t either light – especially if it rains when you’re taking your long hike, or durable.

When backpacking, you know you need to be extremely light and that a backpacking tent or shelter is something you need to include. Plus, it’s important to realize that you’ll need to protect yourself during the night. Especially if your long hike is to the mountains, nights can be quite cold.

4. Pack Your Food

With all the excitement with your long hiking planning, you need to remember about your diet. One of the challenges, when you’re taking a long hike, is that you need nutritious food. You need to be able to deal with the long hike and the backpack weight.

What some of the first-time hikers do is that they just see dry oatmeal packets and just combine them with a few other things. One thing is for sure: you get tired of eating the same thing over and over again.You’ll end up hating oatmeal just like I do now. You should also make sure to include some snacks, especially high energy snacks.You don’t know if you’re going to get lost and this way, at least you’ll have something to eat.

5. Don't Just Look at The Pricier Items

When you’re going for a long hike, and just like pretty much all in life, there are items where paying more for an item pays off.However, this isn’t the norm. Just to give you a simple example. When I went for my first long hike, I went ahead and bought the best clothing available (best meaning expensive).

I had no clue on what I was doing so I just fell on what others would say that you need to have top-quality on everything. Well, the clothing I bought didn’t last long. They weren’t durable and for the price of one shirt, I could have bought four different ones, and the result would have been the same.You need to make sure you define a budget and that you use common sense.

6. Don't Buy On Impulse

When you’re planning your long hike, evaluate all things carefully. There are times when you’ll be able to save a few bucks if you just wait a couple of days for a sale, or if you get a similar item to the one you’re looking for that is half the price.

7. Lastly

The main goal of taking a long hike is to have fun and enjoy the nature. Don’t get all the planning affect your goal. I can guarantee it will all pay off when you’re out there. Please let me know your thoughts about planning a long hike. Also, make sure you share the article if you like it!

Awesome info graphics by:Fix

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Backpacking Checklist: List Of Items You Will Need For Your Trip

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You plan a backpacking trip for a place where you know it rarely rains. Then all of a sudden, the unthinkable happens a deluge.You say to yourself, “That wasn’t in the forecast!” Believing what the weather website said, you arrived without rain gear.So use this below backpacking checklist and you’ll never forget the thing again, my goal of this article is to quickly give a  rundown of must-have items that you need to check before taking on your next adventure.

So there you are, hiking up a steep hill, drenched. The aim of this post is to help you be prepared for anything when planning a trip of this sort.And that’s the keyword: Planning. In this case, it’s about putting together a backpacking checklist, which is a list of items you will need for your trip.I have an interest in this topic stemming from my wife’s recent trip to Mexico. She found herself hiking, and caught in the rain.

So keep reading and take a printout of this article, the best thing to do is to print this backpacking checklist.

Backpacking Checklist: Ten Essential Things To Pack Before You Head Out On Your Day Hike

The items required for your trip will vary, according to several factors, such as the season you’re taking the trip or the climate of the region to which you are traveling for this excursion.

If the event is happening in the summertime–or any other time, for that matter. Thanks for taking the time to read checklist.

What’s your favorite backpacking gear you always carry letus know in the comment section.

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How To Prevent Blisters on Feet From Walking: Pro Tips To Prevent Blisters

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I go hiking as part of a team on a regular basis, and I can tell you that it can be very painful and uncomfortable going to hike without breaking in your hiking boot. If the boots are new, then you might end up getting a blister at the bottom of the foot. Adding to that noticed a little bit of chafing under my inner thighs and armpits.Sadly, there was nothing readily available at that time, and my outdoor experience ended up with the little discomfort

Why Chafing And Blisters Occur In First Place?

The most commons reasons for skin chafing is due to excess weight, and your skin might be producing an excessive sweat, it can be even worse if you are hiker or an extreme backpacker.

Chafing can occur at any part of the body, it could be down between the legs, and in and around the thighs, groin areas or under the armpits, but most common places are inner thighs and armpits.

What would you do if you happen to have skin chafed under inner thighs and other parts of the body?Having a tight shoe or boots adds more moisture to your foot, and more friction and rubbing to your feet will cause blisters.

Blisters are the most common issue for backpackers. Lack of understanding of how to break into new shoes/boots and lack of understanding of conditioning for feet while hiking is the two primary roots of these nasty blisters. 

How To Break In To New Boots

If the boots are new, then you might end up getting a blister at the bottom of the foot.Blister are nasty and can be very painful, So to avoid blisters wear Boots indoors make it a point to wear your new hiking boots indoors every day for the first Week.

You can wear them as slippers for the better part of the mornings and evenings or the whole day. It depends on whether you are always indoors or go to work.You will initially experience some discomfort and possibly pain, particularly in the toe area and heels.This is pretty common and should wear off once your feet get used to the boots. I’d recommend restricting wearing the boots indoors for the first week without venturing outdoors to prevent suffering blisters.

How To Treat Thigh Chafing?

If the redness and irritation were getting severe, then you might want to see your doctor for the medical prescription to heal skin quickly.I’d suggest few simple remedies for treating the skin chafing. Washing affected areas are so important to stop spreading further and using gentle cleansers removes dirt on the moist areas without harming skin.

1. Apply Petroleum Jelly

You could use petroleum jelly on the skin areas to soothe skin, but it’s not comfortable when you are walking or doing any activity.

2. Apply Baby Powders

Baby powder can keep the skin dry for most of the time and also helps us to maintain the moisture away from the affected areas. So, apply powder when you are heading out to prevent further friction on the Skin.So, we know what is chafing, and we are aware how to take care of irritated skin so Let’s talk about how to prevent inner thigh chafing, quick short term solutions and permanent solutions.

How To Prevent Thigh Chafing?

Keeping your skin dry inevitably stops the skin from further chafing so stop staying in your wet clothes.When heading out for a day hike apply baby powders on affected areas so that it keeps away moisture and keeps your skin dry.Most of all importantly give your skin some time to being active again which helps to heal your skin faster.The best way to prevent chafing on the skin is to avoid friction in the first place, and using skin protectants, Anti-chafing balms and applying anti-chafing powers on the hot spots could benefit in the short term.

1. Using Skin Protectants

Gooch Guard anti-chafing cream comes in a gel, and it is non greesy, most importantly odorless and very convenient to use.As it arrives in the form of the gel, it quickly dries up and sticks to the skin compared applying the lotion and the powder.You are going to get the benefits of using cream and powder.Although it was women’s product I would recommend using this I got better results using this cream, it’s an excellent chub-rub, and it works. Let’s see how anti-chafing balms can prevent skin chafing.

2. Anti-Chaffing Balms

Body Glide has been around a while it comes with the natural ingredients, body glide balms are also non-greasy and odorless. Coco and almond essentials keep your skin moist whole day and help skin to retain moisture and free from chafing.Apply Body Glide before you put on clothes and head out wherever skin is sensitive to skin. Let’s see how Anti-Chafing powders work for the skin.

3. Using Anti-Chafing Powders

I want to pack this powder instead of carrying big 6-ounce bottle will add more weight, and I’m ultralight hiker mostly If I were to use this product mostly I will apply right after freshening up so it would keep my body parts dry all day.

Sprinkling monkey powder onto areas prone to chafing will reduce friction and skin damage. Not sure if you like the fragrances or not but this thing will come with a mild and fresh scent, but if you apply lousily powder may get all over the place so apply gently.

4. Permanent Solution for Her

Wearing anti-chafing thigh bands will prevent thigh chafing for women so you can wear these bands under the skirts and the dress and they are even helpful in the rapid long-distance hikes. 

So, you don’t need to worry about applying gels, balms or powders on no gap thigh areas and keep the friction away by wearing simple bands.

5. Long-Lasting Solution for Him

If you have been looking for the permanent solution to soothe sensitive body parts using right kind of underwear is most important than applying anti-chafing gels, balms, powders because how long are you going to use these on your body if you have issues daily?So, here’s the permanent anti-chafing solution and I’m sure you are going to love this, because this pouch underwear is extremely comfortable, gives your relief from sticking and skin chafing and separates the third leg from clappers.

How To Prevent Blisters?

I recommend that you use a pair of thick Woolen socks that are suitable for hiking. Invest in a pair of insoles to use when backpacking, a pair of arch supports can also do. Because getting moisture of any kind leads to friction and the friction on bottom leads to blisters. So always keep your feet dry to avoid blisters.You can’t keep your feet dry when you are heading out for a long hike, try to aim for the breathable shoes.Having a pair of waterproof shoes doesn’t solve this problem because waterproof boots won’t let air in so you got to choose the shoes which are breathable.

In case if your foot gets wet, breathable shoes let air pass through in and out and let your foot keep dry.Also, keep your socks dry if it gets wet too take it off and let them dry on your pack, and do whatever you can to always keep your foot aired out.Also, remember to keep your toenails trimmed, they can rub against other toes and cause blisters and sores.

How To Treat Blisters?

The quick way to heal your blisters is to keep a competed blister patch on the cleaned blister. Few other tactics for dealing with blisters at the bottom of your foot are

1. Icinig It

Icing helps to reduce pain, icing may not do anything to heal the blister, but you won’t notice much pain.

2. Patch Blister

With athletic tapes relieves pain, and provides stabilization of muscles and reduces inflammation.ENGO blister prevention ultra thin patches attach directly to the shoes and not to your skin so that your shoe fit won’t change at all. And also these blisters won’t irritate your skin, unlike traditional blister patches.

3. Using Liquid Sprays

New skin liquid spray forms a tight, waterproof layer which prevents blisters getting worse compared to regular band aids.New-Skin Spray dries quickly to form a protective waterproof cover and keeps out dirt and germs while letting skin breathe. Apart from these avoid getting any moisture, dust or pebbles into the shoes and always keep your feet clean and dry.

In Summary

You need to have Good fitting hiking boots or Hiking shoes Whichever work for you and never carry a new pair of boots or shoes for through hike. Proper fitting shoes/boots will keep you always from blisters.

And keeping you away from friction is all that you need to prevent chafing. So I’d highly recommend using STEALTH Circular Dual Underwear for Men and Anti-chafing thigh Bands for Women. 

So, I hope this article is helpful and share it with your friends and family as it might help them to get over the pain.

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How To Break in Hiking Boots: Follow These 9 Simple Tips

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We all buy our favorite hiking boots to enjoy a hike with our friends and of course our hidden reason, that is, to show them off.However, with our new shoes come another hurdle that we have to do before we can comfortably wear our boots for long hiking trips.

Breaking in Your New Hiking Boots

Breaking in our hiking boots is really crucial to enjoying the hike. This is not a guarantee with our new favorite pair of hiking boots.New boots are stiff and if you wear them for long hikes, chances are you will have to remove your hiking boots and carry them because of the blisters that you may get as a result. 

There are various Ways in which we can break in our hiking boots, and all these steps are important to soften you boots and ultimately make you enjoy the reason you bought the hiking boots for in the first place, hiking.

1. Buy Right Hiking Boots

The most important step towards breaking in your boots is actually purchasing the right hiking boots for you Always ensure that you ask yourself.

Questions such as

• Does the shoe DM or is it tight or loose?
• When is the hiking date?
• What is the weather like during the day of the hike?
• How long is The hike going to take?
• What is the hiking terrain like?

These are some of the questions that will help you to purchase the shoe that fit you.  And, that will serve the purpose while being comfortable at the same time.It is also important to keep the purchasing receipt so that if you go home and try them on for some minutes and you feel uncomfortable, you can always return to the store and choose a different fit.

2. Wear A Pair of Good Quality Socks

When trying to break in your hiking boots, it is also important to invest in a pair of good quality hiking socks.Avoid the light type of socks as you will not get the right feel and will not readily absorb moisture and sweat. Test the socks with your new hiking boots and determine the comfort levels you get while wearing them.

3. Walk Around The House in Your New Hiking Boots

It is a grave mistake to buy hiking boots, and after some testing you decide they are a right fit, and then you go a long hike.You may end up with a bad day as a result of blisters caused by your new boots. So days before the hike wear your socks and hiking boots and walk around the house as you do your household chores.If your feet hurt, you might want to try it again the following day for a few minutes and as the comfort levels increase, also increase the time you have them on Do this for a couple more days until you feel comfortable Walking in them around the house.

4. Up the Testing Phase

Once you have established that you can comfortably walk in the house with your new hiking boots, it is time to up the pressure and determine if it will hold up.Go outside for short distance walks, such as 30 minutes to one hour, around the block or going to the grocery store.

Try it for a few more days and every time, increase the time for the walk. Establish the comfort levels each time you go for a walk.With time you will realize that the shoes become more comfortable and you are able to cover more ground and time during your test walks.

5. Jog with Your New Hiking Boots

Once you are comfortable walking in your new shoes, trying something new, jogging. You can jog around the block or the park as you establish your comfort levels.

6. Do Some Exercises in Your Shoes

If you are comfortable walking and running in your new hiking boots, go to the gym in them.Do some exercises in them. Doing squats help to soften the soles and reduce the pressure exerted on your feet.Also note the time you can be in the gym for in your new boots and also pay attention to any pain you might have felt while in the gym.

7. Go On A Short Hike in Preparation For The Main Hike

Go on a short hike that simulates the actual hike. Climb a small mountain and walk through rough grounds to test how your shoes will handle the pressure and the different surfaces.It is important to note that during hikes, you will probably be carrying some luggage with you e.g. backpacks that has all the items you need for the hike.This is probably a good time for you to test this as well. Carry your backpack and go on your simulated hike.

8. Keep Wearing Your Boots, Until You Can Comfortably Wear Them For A Whole Day

Our aim is to break in our hiking boots. So it is important that we keep wearing them in our effort to achieve our goal. So, how do you know that you have achieved this?

You will know that you have achieved this if you can comfortably wear your hiking boots for a whole day without any discomfort whatsoever. This is also a high time to set your boots aside for the big day, the hike.

9. Customize Your Boots. If Necessary

If you have tried breaking in your hiking boots in vain, this might be a good time to bring them to a specialist to customize them for you.There are many specialists in hiking equipment and finding one to help fix your boots will not be difficult and they can help customize your boots for you.

This is actually something that you have to resort to if there is constant pain in the same area of the boot throughout your test phase.Explain to the specialist in detail the pain you feel and then they will know what to do to help you relieve the pain when you wear your boots.

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How To Read Topographical Maps : Maps For Hiking And Backpacking

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Practicing a map of a familiar area helps you identify landmarks related to the counter lines on your map.Topographical maps give you the power to visualize the three-dimensional view of terrain, and they more information compared to trail maps, and they provide us with a realistic view of the actual landscape.

Reading topographical maps requires knowledge about reading contour lines, reading index lines, knowing the interval between the counter lines.The understanding evaluation including steep and, identifying the direction of the river and streams flow and the map.The first thing you might want to see on any top map is the details of Legend, let’s see How to read and understand a legend.

Understanding Map Legend:

You can find a lot of essential details at the bottom of the top map it lists the significant details like map scale, contour intervals, index line intervals, map reading clues and magnetic declination for using a compass. Let’s see what does each element indicates.

1. Map Scale

Large scale maps give you more information than small scale maps. Let’s say for an example a map scale of 1:20,000 means that one inch on the map is equivalent to 20,000 inches on the ground.

So, it depends on the scale ratio 1: 20,000 maps are considered to be large and 1:1,20,000 scale is deemed to be small.

So, it’s good to have an understanding of map scale. With a large-scale map, it’s possible to see more details compared to small scale maps.

2. Reading Contour Lines

• Contour lines are also called isolines shows the equal elevation on a map at defined intervals. Counter lines can tell you whether you are hiking an uphill, downhill, or over flat territory.
• Closer lines indicate a Steeper Slope so when the contour lines are very close together that indicates a Steep.
• Elevations are heights between contour lines.
• The peak is the Highest point of the mountain; the peak is a complete circle within the center with the highest elevation.

3. Contour Interval

Change in height between one contour line to another is called contour interval, and it is always same on the map.

4. Color Illustration On Topographic Maps

Brown: To Indicate Contour Lines.

Green: Shows the sparse or denser vegetation.

Blue: You might have guessed it already, it indicates water, lakes, swamps, and rivers. In areas where snow and ice are usually present year-round, glaciers shown in blue.

Black: Represents actual hiking trails.

Red:Indicates roads and boundaries.

5. How To Identify North

In Most of the maps North is always up but it may not be same case so take a compass rose and identify where the North is.

6. Orienting Compass and Map

You might wonder, why would I ever need a compass when I got the smartphone, GPS handheld with me.Well, your phone or GPS could run of out juice, and the clouds and weather conditions may stop your devices using satellite services.

I agree that it’s a lot of fun having navigational devices and smartphone but knowing how to use a map and compass keeps you stay in the path without getting lost. Before we even see how to use a compass, it is crucial to plan your route, your choice of terrain, hiking skills, and athletic conditions will all affect your plan. Plan your trip ahead to avoid any unnecessary risk, and let us start learning how to use a compass.

• Basics Compass consists of the direction of travel arrow on the top of the scale, and you always need to follow that direction of travel arrow on hiking.
• Compass comes with a freely rotating bezel, and on the outer rim of the bezel, you can see N (North) and cardinal points (E, S, W) and the degrees ranging from 0-360.
• Inside the compass, you can see a bit of shed shaped object called the Shed.
• And Lastly, you can see a floating needle that will always point to the magnetic north. and underneath that, there will be a base plate. So that's all the essential parts you need to know.
  

Topographical maps give you the power to visualize the three-dimensional view of terrain.On most of the topographic maps, North is always up, if not check underneath the map for the direction.

The orientation of the map is one of the necessary skill, so let’s talk about that. As I said, North is always up on most of the maps, and there will be lines going up and down, and they represent North and South, and the lines crossing left and right represent the east and west directions.

Very Concise video From MRCAParks

Orienting Compass with Map

• Take the compass keep the arrow on the bezel in line with the compass scale arrow.
• Place the edge of Compass in line with the lines (called meridian lines) on the map pointing to North and South directions.
• Rotate the map until the North need (red), bezel arrow and compass scale arrow are equally aligned.

Once you orient your map correctly, then you should be able to identify the terrain with the help of peaks, cliffs, and other key objects.You got to be ready to change the directions so placing your thumb on current position will help you identify the last position.You need to take a bearing before going into the woods so that you can always come back If you couldn’t determine location by using terrain objects.

7. Start Reading Maps

See all other features that topographical maps then you can start identifying hills (Circles inside the circles indicates the mountain).Cliffs (Denser contour lines), Slopes (sparse contour lines), Depressions (shown by hatch marks), River and Streams (usually show in Blue) and which direction they are flowing (Usually V share – Flowing down).

8. Where To Download Topographical Maps?

The U.S. Geological Survey provides an unmatched series of next generation quadrangle topographic maps covering an entire American landscape. All of the topographical are freely available on USGS website.These topographic maps include very subtle layers that are not available on traditional topographic maps such as aerial photo and shaded relief images.

9. Dedicated Paper Maps

These topographical maps may have a more detailed information and come with more additional features such as detailed landscape, very high detail maps, may have precise coordinate grids, might include Key points, and last but not least some of them are water resistant.

In Brief

So, having an understanding of a topographic map out is invaluable. I hope this article has provided you enough information to read topographical maps, and I assume that you could identify terrain details, steep and slope of mountain or hill by just looking at the contour lines.

I always carry topographical map of the trails and a compass along with me and there no other match to these.

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