Becoming an avid traveler is no longer out of reach.

1: Gear is just an external factor; true strength lies in your physical fitness. Your gear might cost over ten thousand, theirs only a little over a thousand, but you're just not as capable as they are.

2: Only novice travelers like to compare brands, prices, and styles of gear. Real veterans never discuss this boring topic.

3: Forget cotton clothing—it takes forever to dry when wet. In summer, it can give you a cold; in winter, it can cause frostbite.

4: Sweatbands aren't just for looking cool—they’re multi-purpose. A sweat-soaked headband also makes a great summer cooling item.

5: Always carry a raincoat with you. It shields you from wind and rain while freeing up your hands for other tasks, and at night, it adds an extra waterproof layer to your tent.

6: When it’s hot, wear a headband—it’ll actually keep you cooler and at least help prevent heatstroke. Over 70% of body water evaporation comes from the head.

7: High-top hiking boots can sometimes change the course of your entire trip, and those with deep treads might even save your life.

8: Waterproof, quick-dry clothing is essential during the rainy season—forget about jeans.

9: A jacket is a must. Don’t hike in a sweater—it not only snags on vegetation, but in windy weather, it’ll also make you lose body heat faster.

10: Not everyone is suited to hiking boots—I personally prefer military-style shoes and combat boots.

11: When taking a break, while lowering your hips, remember to massage your leg muscles and move your feet around.

12: Cut baby diapers into insoles—they offer unexpected dryness and softness, and they’re free—supermarkets often have promoters giving them away.

Food Chapter:

1: Prioritize high-calorie, compact foods—don’t just indulge in a bunch of puffed snacks.

2: A small piece of chocolate is far more effective than two steamed buns.

3: Drinking small amounts frequently is better than waiting until you’re thirsty. Freshwater with a bit of salt is more practical than carbonated drinks.

4: If water is scarce, try mouth-holding hydration. It curbs thirst without needing to swallow right away.

5: Crisp mountain spring water can harm your health, especially when you’re sweaty, your blood vessels are dilated, and you’re overheated.

6: Don’t casually try wild mushrooms. Avoid brightly colored ones. For others, cut off a small piece and place it on your tongue tip—if you feel numb or uncomfortable after a minute, it’s toxic.

7: Don’t casually sample wild plants. Drop the sap from the leaves or stems onto exposed skin—if you feel itchy or uncomfortable after a minute, it’s not safe to eat.

8: If you want to enjoy delicious snake soup, first determine whether it’s venomous. For venomous snakes, beat them with a stick; for non-venomous ones, grab the tail tip and smash it against a rock. Before skinning, cut off the head, make a deep incision along the belly to the internal organs, then peel the skin starting from the severed head.

9: Chewing gum can relieve fatigue.

10: Using multiple plastic bags to seal food will attract unwanted animals with the smell.

11: Instant noodles aren’t recommended for outdoor trips—even though they’re convenient. The palm oil in them is highly processed reused oil, which is very bad for your health.

12: Always keep a compressed biscuit in your backpack or waist bag—it could save your life in a critical moment.

13: Pine needles can be used to make tea that’s not only convenient but also fragrant. Chewing a handful of pine needles can stave off hunger and disinfect your mouth.

Hiking Chapter:

Hiking Section:

1: You must follow the team leader's arrangements. If you have any objections, raise them before taking action. If you refuse to comply, please voluntarily withdraw.

2: The beauty of the wilderness is delightful, but if you start jumping around, you’ll become everyone’s burden tomorrow.

3: Speaking softly conserves more energy than shouting. When you’re exhausted, a little hiking tune can work wonders.

4: Unless there’s an avalanche, landslide, or a wild animal chasing you, don’t arbitrarily change your walking pace.

5: If you only have half a kettle of hot water, choose to soak your feet rather than instant noodles.

6: Don’t wait until you’re exhausted to start gasping for air. On long hikes, maintain steady breathing.

7: During short breaks, avoid removing your backpack lightly—otherwise, it’ll be hard to put it back on afterward.

8: Trekking poles not only save energy but also help when resting by propping up your backpack.

9: Condoms are far more useful in harsh environments than in bed. They can keep your electronics dry, and inflating two to tuck into your front and back can act as makeshift flotation devices when crossing rivers.

10: Sanitary pads aren’t just for menstruation—they can also be made into waterproof insoles or placed under or over your feet to keep them dry.

11: A small waterproof bag ensures you always have dry clothes and can also protect your electronics.

12: Wash downstream and relieve yourself away from trails.

13: Don’t stand out in the wilderness just to attract attention—it’s usually dangerous to show off.

14: Don’t assume hygiene is a priority. When bathing conditions are lacking, a wet wipe will do.

15: Don’t wash your hair in the wilderness. Catching a cold and losing energy is terrifying. If you must, use dish soap—it cleans effectively and saves water.

16: Unless necessary, avoid randomly attaching gear to the outside of your backpack. It’s inconvenient and may damage items when navigating through dense forests or rocky areas.

Safety Section

1: Don’t make a fire in the wilderness unless you’re cold and wet, especially in areas with dense vegetation.
2: Avoid camping near water bodies—check for animal tracks before setting up. Don’t camp at the base of slopes where falling rocks could be deadly. Avoid crossing river valleys during the rainy season, as flash floods can strike in an instant. Don’t camp in open mountaintop areas—lightning strikes the highest point first.
3: If a teammate is in danger, don’t rush to rescue them without thinking—you might be the next one calling for help.
4: Don’t provoke aggressive animals or drive tame ones into corners. Don’t pick up helpless young animals.
5: Maintain your integrity—stealing is for thieves. A moment of carelessness could provoke angry villagers and unexpected hefty fines.
6: If you’re physically frail, don’t carry weapons casually—they’re more likely to be used against you.
7: Carry a sharp small knife—it can help you quickly escape from your tent in an emergency.
8: When climbing dangerous terrain, unfasten your chest buckle. In a crisis, it allows for the fastest separation of you and your pack.
9: On unstable ground, avoid stepping randomly—the safest choice is to follow your teammates’ footprints.
10: Your chest buckle has a whistle—blowing it saves more energy than shouting for help.
11: For rapid bleeding control, use wood ash. If the wound is too large and no medical supplies are available, use glue from repair kits to seal it—502 glue works particularly well. The glue is toxic, but not as deadly as blood loss.
12: Don’t share a tent with others casually unless you truly know them.
13: Don’t hesitate to shout for help—it’s free.
14: Knee pads might save your hiking career.
15: Don’t drink excessively—that hobby is very dangerous.
16: If you feel unwell, find the cause immediately and make a judgment. Toughing it out might mean waiting too long for an ambulance.
17: Bury your feces—not just to eliminate the stench and flies.
18: Always close the inner tent zipper when camping; to mosquitoes, an open inner tent is no different from a cafeteria.
19: Don’t challenge probability—the smallest risk will eventually catch up with you if you keep trying.
20: Can’t sleep? Stay up and keep watch. The wilderness has many unstable factors.
21: Respect the advice of locals, even if you’re experienced in outdoor activities.
22: Simplicity is temporary—people always have their flaws.
23: Don’t easily trust strangers. Ask multiple people to get more reliable information.
24: Keep a low profile when hiking. Being aggressive will only make things worse.
25: When traveling alone, let a friend know your itinerary. Posting a route map on your door won’t take much of your time.
26: First protect yourself, then you can better take care of others.
27: Realgar mixed with white liquor is more effective. Sprinkle realgar wine on your shins while walking—generally, snakes are quite interested in human shins.
28: Don’t arrive at your campsite at night.
29: When traveling alone, don’t let people along the way know you’re by yourself.

Ethics Section:

1: Take your trash with you, as if we were never here.
2: Dig your own hole for toilet use and bury it, keeping it away from the group’s campsite and water sources. Don’t let everyone step on a landmine just because you’re afraid of the dark.
3: Say thank you when asking for directions, and pay for any fruits or vegetables you pick.
4: Fellow hikers are all brothers. When you meet them traveling across the country, be sure to exchange phone numbers and greet each other.
5: Nature belongs to everyone. Do everything you can to eliminate the trash brought by yourself and others.
6: Don’t drive vehicles into grasslands, riverbanks, farmland, or various natural scenic areas.
7: Don’t make loud noises. You may be full of energy, but others need to sleep.
8: Waking up early is a good habit, but don’t make noise before others have gotten up.
9: A team inevitably includes the elderly, weak, sick, and disabled. Don’t focus only on your spouse and neglect those who need help.

Preparation Section:

1: A 10-meter rope doesn’t weigh much, but it’s incredibly useful—for tying, climbing, drying clothes, making stretchers, lifting, repairing, and more.
2: Sunscreen, mosquito repellent, and realgar are all essential. Band-aids, anti-diarrheal medicine, and tying ropes should always be at hand.
3: Keep candy in your waist bag. Besides replenishing energy, you can also share it with kids you meet.
4: Always carry an emergency kit with you.

Note: Emergency kit: Use a box-shaped or bag-shaped container to store emergency items such as cold medicine, thermometer, anti-inflammatory drugs, bandages, glue, cotton swabs, iodine swabs, needles and thread, adhesive bandages, a small knife, binder clips, paper clips, medical tape, etc. Inside the emergency kit, there should be another small container holding non-waterproof emergency supplies, such as matches, candles, phosphorus paper, realgar, etc. The emergency kit should be waterproofed for unforeseen needs.

If you're a newbie hiker hitting the trail, your backpack should include: a tent, a moisture-proof mat, a ground cloth, a headlamp, trekking poles, an inflatable pad, a sleeping bag, one set of change of clothes, one raincoat, one pair of underwear, two pairs of socks, a multi-functional scarf, one set of toiletries, one pair of gloves, N portions of trail food, one pack of compressed biscuits (don’t touch it unless absolutely necessary), one water bottle, and one set of folding cutlery. For seasoned hikers, especially lead hikers, you should add a medium-sized folding shovel (small ones are ineffective, large ones are too heavy), an emergency kit, a pair of walkie-talkies, one stove, one pot, one steel basin, one windbreak board, and gas canisters based on the trip duration. Also bring one pair of goggles, one rechargeable flashlight, and one handheld GPS. If you’re going through snowy terrain, prepare two gaiters.

The term “hiker” originally meant: independent travel. Later, it expanded to mean achieving the greatest travel experience with the least money, so hikers began venturing out into the world with backpacks. Early hikers didn’t mind what mode of transportation they used—as long as it was free or cheap. Today’s hikers have formed a stable and large community, and with the support of various technical gear, the concept of hiking has broadened. Visiting towns or villages is also part of the hiker lifestyle—in short, as long as you feed yourself, house yourself, and find ways to save money, you qualify as a hiker.

Pre-trip planning:

1. In your city, there are usually hiker groups. Even if your city is too small to have one, nearby cities definitely will. Search online using keywords like “Chongqing hikers,” and you’ll generally find something. Or look for hiker groups on QQ, join them, and then ask around in the group about hikers in your city.

2. After finding a group, because of gender dynamics, many organizers may “kindly” suggest that you don’t need to prepare your own gear and recommend sharing a tent with their team members. But please, do not listen to them—no matter how well-intentioned they seem. First: Is the person you’re sharing a tent with trustworthy? Second: Without carrying your own gear, you won’t truly understand the hiker experience, which is bad for your long-term development. Also, owing favors for shared tents can easily make you dependent on the group and unable to be independent.

3. Before your first hike, buy a basic set of gear: a tent (can be single-person), trekking poles, a headlamp, a moisture-proof mat, a sleeping bag, a backpack, hiking shoes or sports shoes, and a raincoat.

4. Do at least half a month of running exercises—jog for one hour every day and do 50–100 squats.

5. When you start joining group hikes, always act as the third party. This means: don’t become the leader, and don’t be the one being helped. Stay independent and do your own part instead of relying on others. Many new hikers tend to be dependent—seeing experienced hikers makes them light up and want to rely on everyone. If you keep this up, no matter how many hikes you go on, you’ll still be a newbie. Carry your own pack, cook your own meals, dig your own toilet (many hikers relieve themselves outdoors without burying it—that’s very wrong).

6. After a few experiences, it’s recommended to expand your circle, meet more people, and choose 5–10 long-term hiking partners. You can even have a slightly larger group so that whenever you gather, a few can show up.

7. Experience solitude. In the early stages of hiking, insist on setting up your tent on the outskirts of the campsite and learn to sleep alone. Use this time to overcome fear. Someone who can’t sleep alone or face fear isn’t a qualified hiker. Don’t accept others’ protection—be independent. That’s the most important thing.

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