Nowadays, cities are becoming more and more like concrete jungles, leaving people with ever-shrinking spaces to breathe freely. More and more individuals are escaping into the outdoors with a sense of fleeing the hustle and bustle. It's no longer as rare as it was a few years ago to find people around you who enjoy outdoor activities. As the saying goes: when the forest is big enough, there are all kinds of birds. The outdoor community today is also a mixed bag, with both seasoned outdoor enthusiasts who have earned great reputations and trendy “newbies.”
What defines a true outdoor person? Let’s take a look at the top ten authenticity labels of outdoor enthusiasts.
1
1. Integrity
We often hear outdoor enthusiasts at gatherings justify their reason for joining the outdoor scene by claiming they get to share tents with attractive women and use the opportunity to flirt — and they talk about these stories, real or fabricated, with great confidence. Sometimes these people are just joking to liven up the atmosphere, but other times, they genuinely mean what they say. If it's the latter, then their character is questionable. People with ill intentions are out of harmony with nature and are not welcomed in the outdoor community.
2
2. Respect
Everyone wants to visit places with the most pristine natural and cultural landscapes; everyone hopes to be the first to step into Lugu Lake or enter Shangri-La. When someone who considers themselves to come from the civilized world ventures into areas of raw beauty, everything there deserves our respect. The boundless, unpolluted scenery needs your careful protection, while local customs and traditions — especially those with indigenous flavors — should either be embraced wholeheartedly or admired quietly from a distance without disturbance. Those who walk in with cameras and a look of disdain are nothing more than curious tourists, not true outdoor enthusiasts.
3
3. Honesty
In front of nature, no amount of boasting can compare to the most honest behavior. Those who brag about how amazing they are but can’t even make it to base camp, yet claim to have been the first to summit a certain mountain, are nothing but contemptible and have little else to show for themselves. A common scenario is when someone initiates an online mountain climbing event and asks for team members with climbing experience. Many vow confidently that they’ve climbed numerous snow-capped mountains, but once on the trip, it turns out they can’t even put on crampons, let alone perform rope team safety maneuvers. Such behavior is dishonest to others and, even more so, to oneself. The ultimate consequence is losing the trust of everyone in the group except yourself.
4
4. Trust
When teaming up with others, trust is essential. Some even say that choosing a teammate is more important than choosing a spouse. This involves not only trusting others but also knowing how to earn your teammates' trust. Imagine facing various unexpected situations in the outdoors — sometimes even life-threatening ones. How can you rely on someone you don’t trust to help you? And if others don’t trust you, why would they come to your rescue?
5
5. Openness
Don’t bring an air of mystery or pretentious behavior into the outdoors. If you don’t open your heart and carry a narrow-minded attitude, how can you connect with nature? How can you create memorable stories worth cherishing for a lifetime? With an open mindset, you’ll make more friends and gain deeper insights along the way.
6
6. Environmental Awareness
If your goal in going outdoors is to destroy nature, you might as well stay home. “Leave nothing but footprints” is not just a slogan. It means remembering to carry all your trash down the mountain even when you’re physically exhausted. It means picking up litter you see by the roadside instead of ignoring it.
7
7. Rationality
Outdoor enthusiasts are never short on passion. The urge to backpack across the world would be unimaginable without it. But maintaining sufficient rationality is not easy. It’s common to see people carrying small backpacks full of romantic ideals and heading for snowy mountains, or planning adventures with people they’ve never even met. There are also plenty who exhaust all their energy trying to reach the summit, leaving none for the descent, or who risk their lives pushing forward despite rapidly deteriorating weather conditions just because the peak is close.
8
8. Safety
Safety is either 100% or 0%. It is both a mindset and a lifestyle. Yet, too many people in the outdoors overlook safety, acting on impulse rather than knowledge or extensive outdoor experience. As a result, accidents happen during every major holiday, many of which could have been avoided.
9
9. Responsibility
A perfect outdoor activity requires everyone to play their part and take responsibility. But too many people care only about themselves, so they agree to responsibilities they should shoulder but then fail to act, and as a result, things that shouldn’t happen do.
10
10. Equality
While there is no absolute equality in the world, there should be an attitude of equality. Everyone who steps into the outdoors is equal to others—no one owes you help, and what matters most is doing your own part well.