Hiking is a physically demanding outdoor activity that builds endurance and tests one's willpower. Experienced hikers have compiled 17 essential hiking tips—do you know them all?
Hiking is quite a challenging outdoor activity.
1. When walking uphill, try to put more weight on your heels. Your heels naturally align with your center of gravity, allowing your body weight to be distributed across your thighs and even your waist. This saves about one-third of the effort compared to climbing on your toes. Using only your toes is like exhausting your calves while leaving your thighs idle. On uneven slopes with protruding rocks or ridges, step on them with your heels. If the slope is relatively flat, try to keep your entire foot flat on the ground. Another tip for uphill walking is to fully extend your supporting leg with each step when switching legs—let your knee "pop" straight. This shifts some of the leg’s load to your hip muscles. Don’t fuss over the extra motion; it gives you a 0.3-second rest for each step on one leg. Anyone who climbs uphill using only their toes without straightening their knees is essentially training their willpower the hard way.
2. Use your hands whenever possible. Supporting yourself with your hands reduces the strain on your legs. Most of the time while hiking, your hands are just hanging around, fully rested and ready to help. When you can use them, put your arms to work too. Why are four-legged animals better at climbing than humans? Because they distribute their weight more evenly. Animals must find it strange to see humans climbing upright—it looks like acrobatics. Whenever the slope exceeds 45 degrees, use both your hands and feet. It’s efficient, saves energy, and isn’t unbecoming—in fact, it’s almost primal.
3. Walk with a slight outward splay (like an "outward V"). This foot position helps shift weight to your heels and reduces the angle between your feet and shins, easing strain on your tendons. I’ve noticed locals carrying heavy loads uphill (like transporting manure or water) often walk this way. They may not move especially fast, but they keep going without stopping, straightening their knees with each step as if marching in place.
4. Use your palms to press down on the lower part of your thighs for extra push. This does two things: it creates a torque between your arms and legs, transferring arm strength to your legs, and the pressure from your palms helps tighten your thigh muscles for better power. When you press down on one leg while lifting the other, it feels like pushing against a rock—giving you leverage.
5. Breathe deeply and heavily while climbing uphill. It’s okay to breathe exaggeratedly—inhale as much as you can. More oxygen strengthens your lungs and heart, helping your muscles work more efficiently. Try deep abdominal breathing, expanding your lungs fully from your throat to your diaphragm. Mountain air is cleaner, and circulating fresh oxygen through your body is like giving your insides a refreshing cleanse. If it’s cold, press the tip of your tongue to the roof of your mouth to warm the incoming air slightly, avoiding a shock of freezing wind.
6. Using a hiking stick reduces leg fatigue. Two legs are no match for four, but adding a stick makes you functionally three-legged—which beats two. A short stick (reaching from your hand to the ground) works well, as you can plant it firmly and let it bear weight like another leg. Longer sticks (like walking sticks or makeshift poles) also help, though they require slightly more arm effort to maneuver.
7. Hike with your head slightly tilted upward. Visually, this makes the slope appear less steep. Tricking yourself with an optical illusion is a way of defying the challenge.
8. Wear sturdy, high-top shoes for hiking. Hard soles protect your feet from sharp rocks, allowing full foot contact even on uneven terrain without hurting your toes. High collars support your ankles, improving stability between your feet and shins. Casual sneakers aren’t ideal for hiking—their soles are almost as thin as your feet, so every rock strike feels direct.
9. Shed layers if you get hot. Overheating drains energy, and sweaty clothes chilled by wind can lead to illness. Even in northern winters, you might hike in a shirt if it’s warm, and in summer, layer up in windy areas. Don’t fuss over putting on/taking off clothes—the comfort of your skin reduces frustration and tension during the hike.
10. Bring gloves for off-trail hikes. Near mountain summits, paths often narrow or vanish entirely, forcing you to push through thorny bushes. Gloves prevent cuts from brambles, and when scrambling up steep sections, they act like makeshift shoe protection. Gloves are especially important in summer, when thorny undergrowth ("shrubs") grows denser than in winter.
11. About mountain trails: Unmarked mountains are time-consuming and exhausting to navigate. Finding a path feels like searching for a mentor. But here’s how to spot trails: Power lines crossing ridges often have maintenance paths left by inspectors. The same goes for fiber optic cable routes. If your destination includes terraced fields, charcoal kilns, or small landmarks (towers, springs, monuments, graves), there’s likely a trail. Generally, trails adapt to the terrain—they may zigzag halfway around the mountain or even loop back unexpectedly.
12. Trails don’t vanish abruptly. If one suddenly disappears, you’ve likely strayed. Retrace your steps a bit and search for where the trail bent off-course. Don’t force your way forward—even if you summit by bushwhacking, you’ll miss out on the clever physical challenge of proper hiking. Sometimes trails split into equally wide branches. One may merge back soon, or it could be a real fork. Assess the terrain or test one branch by walking a few hundred meters.
13. Ask locals for directions patiently. Clarify details like which turn to take after the last fork, any distinguishing landmarks, the distance from the previous fork (e.g., "visible from the third fork"), or how long it takes to reach the summit from the last turn. The more specifics, the better—and memorize them. Ask multiple locals to cross-check information.
14. Identify north before starting your ascent. Usually, you can see the mountain peak from nearby villages—note the angle between the village and the peak to orient yourself. Check your direction periodically during the hike, estimating turns. In the mountains, human sense of direction often fails—you might even swear the sun is in the "north." But trust the sun; it doesn’t lie.
15. If lost while descending, follow valleys downhill. Small gullies lead to larger ones, which eventually connect to settlements. You might not return to your starting point, but you’ll avoid danger—especially at night or in fog. Valley paths are the safest way down.
16. Sliding down steep slopes on your butt isn’t embarrassing. The safest method is sidestepping with your weight slightly back, planting one foot securely before moving the other. Walking backward is hard on the eyes and slow. Instead, sit and scoot downhill on your butt, using your hands for balance. It’s fast and secure—just risk wearing out your pants.
17. For gentle descents, jog lightly for efficiency. Taking quick, small steps—or even jogging briefly—works best. Wasting energy on braking or feeling cramped is counterproductive.
Don’t underestimate these 17 tips. Once you’re on the trail, you’ll find each one is a golden rule—incredibly useful.