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Hiking for Beginners: 10 Essential Tips

by Fuel For The Sole February 4, 2020

written by Fuel For The Sole

Hiking is our passion here at Fuel For The Sole. But we know not everyone has found their love for the outdoors. So we want to make the outdoors more accessible to everybody. No matter your skill level or experience. Let’s chat about hiking for beginners.

We partnered up with Emily Pham for this post. Emily was born in Vietnam and runs the blog site Vina.com. Her goal is to introduce the elegant beauty of Vietnam to the world and provide essential information on where to go and what to do in this amazing country. Emily is a hiker too and wanted to share her guide on the essential gear to bring, safety tips and how to avoid common mistakes on day hikes and overnight hikes.

If you are a beginner hiker, what are some concerns you have about being outdoors? Let us know your questions in the comments below, so we can help address them for you. 👍

Our Guide to Hiking for Beginners

Are you taking your very first step into hiking?

Hiking is not only an effective low impact workout but is also the best way to explore the beautiful features of unspoiled nature. When you decide to begin hiking, of course, you will wonder what are the essential things to prepare for a long walk.

For example, if you are making a plan for a hiking trip, mountains are one of the ideal places to explore. But how does one prepare for a trip like this? How do you ensure your safety?

Every beginner may sometimes feel confused when starting to prepare. Do not stress yourself out too much. Take a look at our 10 essential tips for hiking for beginners. It is always better to prepare than do nothing.

1. Check the Weather Forecast

In fact, the weather is one of the most important key factors on your hike. It can even determine the success of your trip.

As you can imagine, certainly awful weather such as snowstorms, heavy rains, dense fog, and poor visibility will never be convenient for hikers. Even if you prepare carefully, you may still have some unexpected problems. Therefore, it’s so much better to check everything first, especially the weather.

To plan for your hike, you should check the weather forecast a week before, or at least a couple of days in advance. This will help you to choose the best time to start your journey and to choose suitable clothing.

You can also change your plans if the weather is terrible and rearrange a hike for when the weather is better.

2. Bring Essential Gear

What kinds of items should you bring along on the trail?

The essential things that you should pack depend greatly on how many days you plan to spend hiking and how remote your hike is.

The following items are essentials you should consider bringing on any hike. Whether it’s a day hike or a multiday hike. These pieces of gear will help you to stay safe outdoors:

Map and compass – consider a paper map rather than a map on your phone. A phone can lose service or power easily.
Sunscreen, sunglasses and bug spray
First-aid kit
Flashlight and extra batteries
Extra clothes/layers and socks
High energy food and snacks
Water and water filter
Emergency tent and blanket – We love the ‘Don’t Die in the Woods’ 2-person survival tent and emergency blankets. They weigh only 9.5 ounces so they are easy to throw in any bag.
Garbage bag
Firestarter (candle, lighter)
Repair tools

3. Take A Real Compass

Instead of using a compass application on your phone, you should bring along and know how to use a real compass.

Actually, even for experienced hikers, it is possible to get lost on the trail. Just imagine that you are stuck in a bad situation, deep in the woods where you can’t access your phone and Wi-Fi to run the app. You will definitely find that using technological devices is not enough to help you overcome that difficulty. Therefore, knowing how to use a real compass is one of the necessary skills that you should learn when starting to get into hiking.

4. Choose A Good Camping Site

How to set up a campsite - Here are the top 10 tips for hiking for beginners. Our guide provides a list on essential pieces of gear, safety tips and how to avoid common mistakes. — Finding a great spot to set up camp is imperative for a good night’s rest. Look for a flat area surrounded by trees to protect you from the weather.

If you are about to take a multi-day hike, especially as a beginner, there are some key things to note. A main one being how to find the ideal place to camp.

To find a perfect place to set up your tent, you should choose a spot which is generally dry and at least 3 kilometres away from marshlands. Look for an area surrounded by trees so it will be less windy and protected from the weather.

You will also want to find a relatively flat area. You should avoid picking a place with lots of stones or sticks covering the ground. This will be a much more comfortable sleep.

And try not to set your tent up on a thick carpet of plants. There are many living things in there that you certainly will not be happy to see.

Are you an outdoor enthusiast like us? While you’re here, check out our other outdoor posts:

5. Know How to Get Clean Water and Bring Food

You can find it easy to get fresh water from natural sources in most situations. Before going for a hike do your research. Get a map of the area and ask local people about the information on water resources. You will also have to learn how to use and carry a water filter. It will be beneficial for you in case you cannot find a place that has clean water. Our top recommendation for water filters, as always, is the Sawyer Products Water Filtration System. This filter allows you to drink water from any fresh water source and it is very lightweight to carry.

In terms of food, you should bring along some essential foods and snacks like fruits, cereals, energy bars and nutrition bars. Energy bars are highly recommended food for hikers to bring because they are easy to pack and give your body enough energy for hiking. Even if you are planning a short hike, always bring along some food in case the trip goes longer than planned.

If you are on a longer trip, going hunting or fishing is one of the best ways to get fresh food when hiking. Of course, you must ensure the meat is clean to prevent the growth of disease-causing microorganisms before you eat them.

6. Learn How to Make A Fire

Learn how to make a fire. Here are the top 10 tips for hiking for beginners. Our guide provides a list on essential pieces of gear, safety tips and how to avoid common mistakes. — It ain’t camping without a fire!

If you do not know how to light a fire, you need to learn as soon as you can before starting to hike. Fire can be a saviour if you get stuck out in the woods. Having a fire will ensure you can keep yourself warm in the colder weather, especially if you lack warm clothes and blankets. You can also use the fire to cook food on if you have not carried a camping stove.

Campfire is also one of the spotlights when camping because people love to sit together around the fire to sing, share their own stories and talk about life.

You can learn this important skill on the Reserve America website.

7. Know Basic First Aid Skills

First aid knowledge is very valuable and is something that people should have if you are a hiker or not.

As you can imagine, when you go hiking, there is a potential for small or severe unexpected injuries. By knowing some basic first aid skills, it will help you to treat the injuries as effectively as you can and prevent them from getting worse. Therefore, you can ensure your own health and your teammates’ health during the hike.

You can improve your first aid skills by purchasing a book like the ACEP First Aid Manual and carry it with you on a hike. You can also look into local first aid courses taught in your city. Check out the Red Cross website for a course near you.

If you are new to the world of hiking and trekking, there may be some key pieces of gear you need. Remember that safety and comfort are top priorities when you are in backcountry areas. Here are our ‘Top 5 Must-Have Items for Multi-Day Backpacking Trips’:

BAFX Products Trekking Trail Poles – do not attempt an advanced trail without trekking poles. These things will save your joints from high impact which will keep you hiking longer, safer and happier.
Cobiz LED Headlamp – Flashlights are so last year.
Geertop Lightweight Compact Mummy Sleeping Bag – our favourite budget sleeping bag 😊
Trekology Camping Pillow – At less than 3 oz., this luxury item will significantly improve your rest and recovery.
Sawyer Products Water Filtration System – lightweight and effective!

8. Choose Suitable Clothes and Footwear

Proper clothing and footwear are very important to make a trip successful. It is true that the things you choose to wear for a hike will affect your comfort and mood.

It is recommended to dress in clothes that are made from synthetics or merino wool. Skip the cotton clothes and socks. Cotton clothing dampens quickly, retains water and makes you cold.

To adapt to the weather and temperature, wearing layers is also recommended by experienced hikers. By wearing layers, you can add or take off whatever you need, whenever you need it. And it is best if you also prepare an extra warm coat, in case it will be windy, or the weather suddenly turns cold.

Last but not least, you should purchase lightweight hiking boots. Boots that are designed specifically for hiking reduce pain and the likelihood of injury during a hike.

9. Keep A Flashlight With You

When you go hiking, you should bring along a flashlight or headlamp that is fully charged and bring extra batteries. This is recommended even if it is just a one-day hike.

If for any reason the hike takes longer than you had planned, it can become difficult to find your way when it is dark and you cannot see the trail. To be properly prepared for this kind of situation, a flashlight or headlamp will be very useful.

10. Make An Effective Hiking Schedule and Take Breaks

When you start out on a hike, you will feel very strong. However, it is just the beginning; after a long walk, you can be exhausted by the end of the day. Therefore, you should make a hiking schedule to enjoy a hike in the most effective way.

Make sure you are eating properly, drinking water regularly and taking rests when you need it. This will ensure a much more comfortable long day hike.

All in all, hiking is a fun and exciting outdoor activity that is loved by many people. Hiking can help to reduce stress & anxiety as it brings you close to nature. It has many benefits physically as well as mentally. Hopefully, this ‘hiking for beginners’ guide will help your first hike be successful and inspire you to do more wonderful hikes in the future.

Author bio:

I am Emily Pham. I was born in Vietnam – a country with many unknown beaches, historic sites, and tourist attractions. Understanding that Vietnam nowadays is a famous destination, I established the blog site Vina.com with the purpose of introducing the elegant beauty of Vietnam to friends around the world. If you are planning a trip to Vietnam in the near future, our blog will provide you with essential information on where to go and what to do in our country.

What pieces of gear or safety skills do you always bring along with you on a hike? Let us know in the comments below!

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Hiking for beginners: tips, guide, essentials, avoid common mistakes

*This post may contain affiliate links that help to keep this blog running. Read our disclosure for more information.

February 4, 2020

Guide to the best ideas for fitness during vacation, with a quick full body workout routine & tips on the best exercise travel equipment, gear & accessories Fuelforthesole.com

The Ultimate Guide on How to Exercise While Traveling

by Fuel For The Sole January 17, 2019

written by Fuel For The Sole

Have you ever heard someone boasting about a vacation they just got back from, and in the same breath, talk about how much weight they gained? Don’t be that guy!

Traveling can easily interrupt your health and fitness routine, but with some simple tips you can incorporate exercise into your vacation without depriving yourself of fun and relaxation.

The best thing you can do is make a promise to yourself. Promise that you’ll make an effort to be active. Try to include one physical activity every day, even if it’s a ten minute workout. Integrating small amounts of activity will help you from falling too far off your fitness schedule and you’ll find it much easier to get back into your regular routine once you are home.

Keep everything light and simple. Do not over complicate your workouts when you are traveling. Try to incorporate fitness into your scheduled vacation activities. Or just set aside a few minutes every day to work out and you will be fine.

We have created the perfect travel workout routine for you. Why is it perfect for travel? It only takes ten minutes. There is zero equipment involved and no need for a gym. It can be done in any location you choose. It’s fun and effective! If you want a free copy of our workout plan, opt in with your email in our pop-up.

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Are there any fitness and travel pros out there? We’d love to hear how you exercise and workout on vacation! Give us your tips in the comments below 💪

The Best Tips and Ideas for Travel Workouts

Avoid Public Transportation, Taxis and Car Rentals

Do you ever wonder why everyone in Europe is lean, healthy and beautiful? We attribute it to the fact that they walk and bike everywhere! We have no real proof of this, but it has to be related, right?

This is the easiest way to stay fit while traveling. Make it a challenge for yourself to walk everywhere you can.

The added bonus here is that you end up seeing and learning much more about the city this way. Getting out of a vehicle and onto your feet will change your perspective. You will have more contact with locals and you will have more opportunity to explore and discover new areas.

Search for the Best Nearby Trails and Go on a Hike

We always look for great hikes to do when we are traveling for one big reason – views! Hiking offers you the lookouts and landscapes that you will never see in the city center or even while driving.

So, you get the amazing views, and the extra exercise is just a bonus! It’s a lot easier to be active when you have a goal to work toward and beautiful things to look at along the way.

Exercise, workout and fitness tips and ideas for travel and vacations - we find trails for epic hiking to get beautiful views and to get our cardio in Fuelforthesole.com — We would never have seen any of these views without getting out of the city and into the mountains. Find trails and go hiking on vacation for a fun way to exercise and workout while you travel.

Go for a Run and Get Some Cardio In

The easiest way to incorporate a run is to wake up half an hour early and get outside. Make it easy on yourself by finding a beautiful spot to run, like a beach or a boardwalk.

A morning run will set you up well for the day and your workout will be out of the way so you have the day off to relax.

Find City Bike Rentals

This is our favourite thing to do when we visit a new city and bike rentals are available in practically every large city around the world. It’s simple to use – bike docking stations appear all over the city, just find one, grab a bike, cycle around wherever you wish and drop it off at any other docking station you see.

You can get a fairly inexpensive day pass and explore the entire city this way – and you will cover way more ground than you would on foot.

Choose a Fitness Related Excursion, Attraction or Tour

If you are willing to spend the big bucks on a guided excursion – pick something that involves some form of activity. You get much more out of the experience if you are actively involved in it.

Popular excursions you can find in many cities are cave adventures, rappelling, eco adventures, kite surfing, paddle boarding, kayak tours, surfing lessons, beach volleyball tournaments, snorkeling and scuba diving.

To avoid paying heaps of cash for snorkeling tours, just bring your own snorkel gear with you. For a great traveling snorkel set that is high quality but also lightweight, compact and has it’s own carrying bag, check out the PRODIVE Premium Dry Top Snorkel Set.

Or, if you are anything like me and have trouble breathing naturally when snorkeling, try the Cozia Snorkel Mask. If you haven’t seen these yet – they are incredible! The difference is that it is a full face snorkel mask. Although you will look a little strange wearing it, the full face mask allows you to breathe naturally through your nose and mouth, it gives you a 180° view, doesn’t fog up, keeps your face dry and keeps salt water out of your eyes. I’ve converted to this style of snorkel mask and I will never go back. Now all I need is a scuba mask that does the same thing.. 🤔

Have no money to travel? No worries! Just check out our posts on budget travel here:
‘How to Travel the World for Free’
‘How to Find Budget Accommodation and Lodging Anywhere in the World’
‘Things to do for Free While Traveling’
‘How to Maintain Your Food Budget While Traveling’

Pack the Best Lightweight Workout Equipment – Gear, Bands, Mats and Shoes

Having a few pieces of exercise equipment with you while you travel will amp up your workouts even more. If you are serious about your health and want to maintain your level of fitness while on vacation, these lightweight travel accessories are super easy to pack – even in a carry on bag.

WOD Nation Speed Jump Rope – I love the simplicity of a jump rope for exercise. It’s fun and effective. The WOD jump rope is a highly rated and budget friendly jump rope that is the perfect travel accessory. It comes in a variety of colours, has a free travel bag, is lightweight for your carry on luggage and has a lifetime warranty.

TOPLUS Foldable Travel Yoga Mat – An exercise mat allows you to workout anywhere you want to. Luckily, Toplus has made a foldable yoga mat just for travel. It is only 1/16 inch thick, folds up easily and comes with its own carrying bag.

TheraBand Resistance Bands – TheraBands are probably the most effective piece of exercise equipment that you can get for the price. The exercise options are endless and these bands are able to target any muscle in the body. The best part, these bands will take up zero weight and room in your luggage.

adidas Ultraboost Road Running Shoe – A big reason why people don’t work out on vacation is because they don’t have the proper footwear. These adidas runners are perfect for travel because they are lightweight and will pack almost flat in your luggage. These sneakers are a great travel option because they are multipurpose – use them in the gym, running, hiking or just sightseeing around the city.

Synergee Sliders – These sliders can be used in many different ways, and can make exercises like mountain climbers and lunges more challenging. They are perfect for your hotel room and are extremely lightweight to pack in your luggage.

Search for a Hotel With a Gym and Pool

When you are booking your hotel, take a close look at the amenities. Having a gym and pool available to you daily will help to keep you active while on vacation.

Wake up early for a quick half hour workout before you start your day.

Become a Member of a Travel Friendly Gym

If you are a frequent traveler, consider a gym membership to a large chain who offers a multi city pass. Having access to a full sized gym will ensure you maintain your fitness goals while you are away from home.

Most large chains will offer you access to all of their locations. Look into each chain specifically. Some allow access to all clubs for their regular membership price, and some will charge more for a multi city membership.

LA Fitness has 600+ clubs across the US and Canada. For $29.99 per month you get multi city club access.

24 Hour Fitness has 420+ clubs across US. If you are not a member, you can utilize their free 3 day pass while traveling. And, as the name says, all locations are open 24 hours – how convenient!

Anytime Fitness is a massive gym chain with over 4000 locations worldwide (Canada, US, Mexico, Europe, Asia, Australia and more). It also offers 24/7 access. There’s no excuses here, you can literally workout anywhere in the world!

Planet Fitness has 1,600+ locations across US and Canada. For $21.99 you get their multi city access membership.

Goodlife Fitness is Canada’s largest gym chain with over 350 locations. These gyms have all the cardio and weight lifting equipment you need, as well as free group classes. Many locations are open 24 hours. They have a free 3 visit pass for new members as well.

Another point, no matter where you are traveling, look around for local gyms and community centers. They often have a one time drop in fee or you can find a cheap drop in group class to join.

Find Exercise Related Activities on Craigslist

Craigslist is a worldwide classified ads website. Check out the Criagslist page for the city you are visiting. You can find tons of free and affordable activity ideas to do while on vacation.

A quick search on the San Francisco site, under the ‘community’ and ‘classes’ area, and I found free tennis lessons, hiking group meetups (great for solo travelers), free self defense and kickboxing classes and a $5 drop in yoga class.

Stay Hydrated and Pack a Refillable Travel Water Bottle

While you are staying active on vacation, you will need to stay hydrated on the go. Make sure to pack a refillable water bottle to keep up your water intake, reduce your sugary drinks and save you money on bottled beverages.

There are a few key things to look for when purchasing a good travel water bottle. Make sure that it is insulated, durable, leak proof and holds plenty of water. One water bottle that checks off all the boxes, and our personal favourite, is the Hydro Flask 32 oz. Water Bottle. Having a water bottle that you can trust to throw in a day pack will make you more likely to bring it with you everywhere you go.

Stay Fit on Vacation by Choosing Healthy Food, Snacks and Meals

Food is a huge part of your health and fitness level while on vacation. Even the best of us are tempted to just ‘let it all go’ on vacation and gorge like a king.

One of our best health tips for traveling is to pack snacks to bring with you wherever you go. If you have a healthy and convenient snack in your bag, you are less likely to opt for the ice cream cone, churro or slice of pizza you see on the street.

But be careful, many ‘grab and go’ snacks are extremely unhealthy. Look at the ingredients and avoid lots of added sugars, salt, oils and fillers. We have reviewed the best whole foods and convenient snacks to take with you in our post ‘Healthy Food Ideas for Snacks and Meals While Hiking’.

Here are our top choices for healthy pre-packaged snack options. We love them because they offer real ingredients, high quality energy, minimal sugar and preservatives, and are delicious:

QUEST Protein Bars – we love QUEST bars because they have a high quality protein blend and no added sugar – instead they are sweetened with natural ingredients like stevia. They also have tons of fun flavours like Peppermint Bark, Pumpkin Pie and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough.
KRAVE Jerky – this is one of your best options when buying jerky. Due to the nature of jerky, most brands are high in additives and preservatives. Krave jerky has minimal ingredients, are minimally processed and has no artificial ingredients. And the best part is – they are delicious! And come in some unique flavours like Black Cherry BBQ and Chili Lime.
Made in Nature Fruit Fusion Superberry Superfuel Blend – this is a healthier twist on the traditional trail mix. A mixture of cranberries, raisins, cherries, blueberries, goji berries, and zero preservatives make for a tangy treat! Check out this brand – they have loads of healthy snack options.

Learn more about how to eat healthy and save money on food when you are traveling with our food travel posts:

Your Quick 10 Minute, Full Body Workout – A Complete Bodyweight Routine With No Gym or Equipment Needed

So, are you ready to commit to staying fit while you travel? We hope we made it simple for you.

To get your free 10 minute full body workout routine that you can do anywhere, without any equipment, enter your email in our pop-up to be sent to the downloadable PDF.

Everyone has 10 minutes, even on vacation! And this workout can be done any place you like – in your hotel room, in a nearby park, on the beach – literally anywhere, no excuses!

This workout even allows a few seconds of rest between each exercise. But don’t rest too long. To make a 10 minute workout effective, it needs to be done quickly and intensely. Make sure to do the exercises in the order they appear on the infographic. They have been put in this order to seamlessly move between exercises to create a quick, efficient and effective workout.

If you have more than 10 minutes, use this as a circuit program and repeat as many times as you like.

Have you found other fun and unique ways to add exercise to your vacations? Let us know in the comments below! 😊

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*This post may contain affiliate links that help to keep this blog running. Read our disclosure for more information.

January 17, 2019

A travel guide to the pros and cons of car camping vs. backpacking. Why a camper vehicle vacation is best for budget, expenses, packing gear & exploration. Fuelforthesole.com

Why You Should Consider Overland Car Camping Travel

by Fuel For The Sole September 21, 2018

written by Fuel For The Sole

Whether you are a traditional traveler, brand new to car camping or an overlanding pro, it’s always opportune to review the perks of camper travel. In the beginning our of travel journey we were fairly ‘traditional’, traveling mostly by plane and backpacking through major cities. And although we have thoroughly enjoyed our past travels, we realized that car camping would allow us to see more, travel longer and give us a richer experience.

And so we chose to join the ‘Overlanding’ community. The term ‘overlander’ has a quite broad definition and there are plenty of ways to do this. But our first choice was car camping in our converted Acura SUV. Our first overlanding road trip lasted 5 months and took our camper van all over North America.

We think we made the right decision to switch from traditional travel to car camping travel. And we remain very enthusiastic on the subject. So let us take you through our journey. We will start with what we believe to be the biggest advantages to camper van travel. To do this, we will make a direct comparison between a more traditional way of traveling vs overland travel. And yes, we will be keeping score. 😉

Are you a pro overlander? What are your best car camping tips? Let us know in the comments below! 👇

Car Camping vs. Traditional Travel: Pros and Cons

1. Startup Camper Vehicle Cost and Expenses

In this category, overlanding takes a huge hit. If you are travelling on a budget, the cost of purchasing a van, camper or RV may just not be in the books for you.

From our research, the absolute cheapest way you could get yourself into a camper would be to buy a cheap cargo van and convert it yourself. Even this will cost you at the very least $2,500, with the added issue of needing the skill and the time. This alone will knock a massive group of people out of ‘Team Overlander’.

In spite of this, we chose to cough up the startup cost because we are looking at this as a long-term investment.

Needless to say, traditional travel, especially backpacking, can be extremely inexpensive. Your startup costs are really just finding a cheap flight somewhere. You may have to purchase some gear but generally these costs come nowhere near the $2,500 mark.

Backpacking: 1, Overlanding: 0

Are you new to car camping? Want to learn more about how to get started, what to pack and how to get around? Check out our other overlanding posts:

2. Lodging, Food & Transportation Budget and Expenses

Here is where overlanding took a huge lead for us and is perhaps the main reason we chose it. The cost of lodging, food and transportation are dramatically less when you are car camping. Allowing you to travel much further and much longer.

Cost of Lodging

You’ll save the most when it comes to lodging. You can find very inexpensive, and often free, campsites anywhere around the world. My favourite resource is iOverlander.com – this site displays a map view of the world and allows you to filter for ‘wild’, ‘informal’ and ‘established’ campsites (as well as hostels and hotels).

If you are overlanding on a budget, your camping fee could be anywhere from $0 to $25 per night (in North America) or $0 to $8 per night (in Latin America).

The other thing to realize is that this is the nightly fee for your whole group. In a hostel you will have to pay per person (even with just a couple travelling together these costs add up quick). If you are planning to stay in hostels, expect to pay between $10 and $30 per person, per night (in North America) or $7 to $12 per person, per night (in Latin America). Hotels and Airbnbs would obviously be even more than this. I’ll do the math for you: by travelling overland you could save $600/month/person in North America and $300/month/person in Latin America compared to hostel stays.

Cost of Food and Meals

Food cost is also a money saver. Because you will be able to store food and cook for yourself in your camper, you do not have to eat at restaurants as often.

By purchasing your own food and cooking your own meals you will spend about $10/day/person (in North America) or $6/day/person (in Latin America). If you are backpacking and have no way to store food or cook you will be eating street food, fast food or in local restaurants. This could cost anywhere from $20 to $40/day/person (in North America) or $10/day/person (in Latin America). You could save $600/month/person in North America and $120/month/person in Latin America by cooking rather than eating out.

Cost of Transportation

Transportation costs are a bit tricky to calculate since it depends on what cities you want to visit and what activities you are interested in. Gas prices in the US and Latin America come at a moderate cost of $3-4 USD/gallon. But it is safe to say that driving yourself and paying for your own gas will be cheaper than flying, taking a train or taking a bus.

Overall, by choosing to road trip and car camp, you could save $420 to $1200/month/person; add on additional transportation costs to these figures and you are looking at a very significant savings. The best part about saving this kind of money is that you are able to travel further and longer than you would through traditional travel.

Backpacking: 1, Overlanding: 1

3. Packing Gear, Equipment & Supplies

This was another huge one for us. By bringing our own camper vehicle, we are able to pack way more gear, equipment, and supplies. We can bring lots of clothes for cold and hot weather, camping and hiking gear, guitar, electronics (laptops, cameras, lenses, drones), sports gear (bicycles, skis, snowboard, fishing equipment), and room to buy souvenirs.

When we were backpacking through Europe we were so limited with what we could bring. If you are travelling for multiple months, through different terrain and weather, it becomes a lovely convenience (albeit a huge luxury) to have more gear for all the activities you hope to partake in. It also saves you from needing to rent or purchase equipment along the way. We’ve done the minimalist backpacking thing and loved it. But we thought it would be fun to travel in a way that gives us more options.

Backpacking: 1, Overlanding: 2 (I realize how bias this point is as it really just depends on your preference. But for the sake of our personal tally, overlanding gets a point).

If you think the overlanding camper vehicle life is for you, there are some essential items you will need to help you get off the grid, and to stay safe, comfortable and prepared. Here is our list of The Top 5 Essential Pieces of Camper Gear to help you get started on your journey:

Goal Zero Yeti 400 Portable Power Station – The ultimate, all-in-one portable power station.
HQST Solar Panel– Find a solar panel that can sit flat on the roof.
Mr. Heater Buddy – A safe and efficient way to keep you warm inside your camper vehicle.
Fan-Tastic Roof Vent – Keeping moisture out of your camper keeps the interior healthy and keeps condensation off your windows (helping to keep you stealth).
Anker USB Car Charger – To charge your phone & laptop on the go. An essential piece of gear on the road.

4. Comfort

By driving your own camper, you also have the added benefit of living in a comfortable (yet small) space. You can have the luxury of a quality mattress, privacy, a quiet place to work, the comforts of home (I’m thinking.. your favourite mug, pictures, your own smells). A hostel has its own charms but having a space that is your own offers a much more warmth.

Backpacking: 1, Overlanding: 3

5. Getting off the Beaten Path

Imagine a local gives you a tip on a must-see secret waterfall located outside of some tiny village you’ve never heard of. This is what it’s all about. This is why you travel to every corner of the world.

But how do you get there? Transportation can be very problematic while backpacking. At the very least, the search for transportation is stressful and expensive, and at worst you can’t find a way to get there at all.

If you have your own vehicle the possibilities are endless. You can get to the most remote of locations and all you need is a map. For us, seeing places that haven’t been seen by many is why we travel. Having our own camper vehicle will allow us to do this.

Bonus: This is another money saving tip as you will not have to pay for a bus ride or a tour company to take you there.

Backpacking: 1, Overlanding: 4

6. Ability to Travel to Destinations Around the World

As travel lovers, we don’t want to limit ourselves to where we can go. Obviously, with a camper van we are only able to travel on ground and therefore have essentially no ability to travel overseas (unless we want to spend an exorbitant amount of money to ship the vehicle). Since we live in Canada, our overland travels limits us to North America and Central America (even travelling to South America is tricky due to that pesky Darien Gap).

We’re okay with this because this still gives us an amazing amount of land to discover. And when we are ready, we will fly overseas. Having a camper van really gives you the ultimate flexibility because you can choose which type of travel is appropriate for that time in your life. Nevertheless….

Backpacking: 2, Overlanding: 4

7. Meeting Fellow Travellers

While overlanding and car camping every night, there is a potential to become isolated from other travellers. If you are looking for ‘wild’ (a.k.a. free) campgrounds, it’ll likely just be you and some locals. You’ll find more travellers at established campgrounds but you will spend more money on these types of sites.

On the other hand, hostels are a hot spot for meeting fellow backpackers. There are obviously endless benefits to meeting other travelers: connecting with like-minded individuals, meeting eclectic people, acquiring invaluable tips and advice on where to go, making lifelong friends! Clearly, the more exposure you have to other travelers the better.

Backpacking: 3, Overlanding: 4

Are you looking for other ways to travel the world on a budget? Check out our budget series to find cheap and affordable travel methods:

8. Meeting Locals

On the other hand, camper van life takes you out of the hostels and hotels and puts you right in the middle of true local life. This is especially true for budget overlanding which often includes speaking to business owners and families to gain permission to use their property for the night.

I have yet to experience this but from what I have read, this is where you get some real cultural experiences and connect with locals on a deeper level. Even established campsites will be full of locals to meet and converse with.

And of course, since you won’t have a hotel to stay in all day, camper life forces you outdoors where you will be constantly exploring and meeting people everywhere you go.

The ability to connect with locals is a huge asset while travelling. It is the only true way to experience their way of life. The more opportunity for this, the better.

Backpacking: 3, Overlanding: 5

9. Getting Outdoors and Into Nature

And this brings me to my next point. Although it does not apply to every traveller, of course.

But by staying in a hostel or hotel, you may be more tempted to hang around during the day and spend less time exploring.

With camper life, you have no choice but to explore the land and discover the people. The opportunities for adventure are amplified. And that’s what we are all looking for.

(It seems cheap to give this one to overlanding because it really just depends on what type of traveler you are. How about everyone gets a point!)

Backpacking: 4, Overlanding: 6

10. Travel Safety & Security

And finally, the point that is in the back of everyone’s mind.

I have to admit it, the odds of getting into an unsafe situation increase slightly when road tripping and car camping in certain parts of the world. It may be unlikely that anything would happen, the chance is still there.

Although, if you talk to any experienced overlander they will fight you to the death on this. Because, as long as you are prepared and smart, you will likely be just fine.

For us, we don’t let irrational fear hinder our main objective. We want adventure… so bring it on!

Backpacking: 5, Overlanding: 6

And voila! Overlanding reigns victorious! Well, for us anyway.

The idea behind this post was to open up some minds and explore some different ways of travel. Overlanding is not something we had heard of or considered until more recently. We were very enchanted by the idea, researched it and realized it could work for us.

But we encourage travel of any kind, in any way you can. Open your mind and your heart to the world. It will give you so much more in return.

If you are looking for more inspiration on overlanding, car camping and camper van travel, check out these other great bloggers:

What are your reasons for overland travel? Is there a main reason you choose car camping over traditional travel? Comment below!

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Road Trip Travel guide: Why a camper vehicle vacation is best for budget, expenses, packing gear & exploration. Pinterest Fuelforthesole.com

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September 21, 2018

Guide to hiking the West Coast Trail, BC, Canada. Tips on booking, reservations, training, transportation, WCT express, packing list, itinerary & campsites. Fuelforthesole.com

Eleven Tips for Hiking the West Coast Trail

by Fuel For The Sole September 17, 2018

written by Fuel For The Sole

We successfully completed the West Coast Trail a few weeks ago. We will hold here for applause.

Being relatively new to these multi day backpacking hikes, we had some hiccups, but overall the trip was absolutely beautiful, spiritual and life changing. I definitely think every single Canadian should be required to complete this trail and it should be a top destination for anyone visiting Canada.

For more information on how to prepare for and pack for a long hike, thru hike or backpacking trip, check out our other posts ‘Backpacking Essentials: What to Bring and What Not To’ and ‘Physical Training for Backpacking and Thru Hikes’.

This post is a quick rundown of what we believe to be the most important tips for the trail and what we wish we had known before starting the hike. As always, feel free to comment below with any other questions you may have about the hike.

Your Travel Guide to Hiking the West Coast Trail on Vancouver Island, BC, Canada

Tip #1: Preparation is key. Training on overnight hikes will perfect your packing list and checklist

This tip is mostly for inexperienced backpackers. The West Coast Trail is long, hard and dangerous. If you have limited experience with overnight hikes you need to get a few under your belt before attempting this “Great Walk”. Multiple practice runs will ensure you have a much more successful and enjoyable trip on the West Coast Trail.

Firstly, practice hikes will give you an idea for how your pack feels and what the weight feels like. This will allow you to switch up your pack or decrease your weight if necessary.

Secondly, you can test out the quality of your gear. If you happen to be using old, borrowed or brand new gear, this will give you plenty of time to test out the performance of it all. During our practice runs, we realized we had to swap out our sleeping bags for warmer ones, we switched from water tablets to a water filter, and we purchased better quality hiking boots that offered more comfort and support. Looking back at the swaps we made, we realize how critical those changes were. Once you pack your gear and start on that trail you are stuck with what you brought. Testing out your gear in real life circumstances is essential prior to your trip.

Third, you realize which items you wish you had brought along. During our practice runs, we had an ongoing list of items we wish we had packed. We made sure to add these items to our pack before beginning the West Coast Trail. Our list included chapstick, hand sanitizer, baby powder (for chapped areas), playing cards, a toque/beanie and warm gloves, painkillers, Blister Pads and Bafx Trekking Poles. Every single one of those items was used daily and made our trip much more tolerable.

Note: We went back and forth on whether or not to bring trekking poles with us. Andy decided to, I decided not to. And guess what happened, Andy got through the trail with no injuries, and my knees gave out on Day 3. No one should attempt the West Coast Trail without trekking poles. You will need them with every step you take in order to take impact off of your lower body joints, allow your upper body to share the work, get you up and down hills easier, and they can even be used to check the deepness of puddles and to ward off predators. Something like the BAFX Trekking Trail Poles the perfect for multi day hiking because they are lightweight, collapsible (so you can easily pack them away when you don’t need them) and super durable so they will last you through many hiking trips.

The last piece we learned on our practice runs was that we did not need as much food as we thought. We packed meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as snacks. However, we found we did not get very hungry on our hikes. The combination of heat and exhaustion does not amount to hunger. We decided to carry smaller and more lightweight breakfasts (essentially just oatmeal), we cut out lunch completely and just brought trail mix and beef jerky, and we kept our dinners simple and dehydrated. Even with all these changes, we had more than enough food on the trail. What we saw along the trail was that people packed way too much food which made their packs overweight. A practice run will give you a good idea of how much food you really need.

Tip #2: Find the most lightweight equipment and gear as you can

We talk a lot about this in our post Backpacking Essentials. Spending time (and money) on this may be the one thing that gets you through this hike and with less risk of injury. As stated in a previous post, the recommended weight for men to carry is 1/3 of their weight, and for women it is 1/4 of their weight. These are the maximum numbers and every pound less than this max will improve your hike immensely. Lightweight products with good quality performance tend to be quite expensive. But if you take your time looking online and in surplus stores, you will find some good budget options. If nothing else, ensure you have a lightweight pack, tent, sleeping bag and make sure not to carry too much food.

Gear Matters! Pack with care. You want to ensure you have everything you need yet you do not want to overpack. Do your research, plan it out, take practice hikes. Check out our other backpacking posts for tips. In order to help more novice backpackers – we have come up with our Top 5 Must Have Backpacking Items to ensure preparedness, comfort and safety:

BAFX Products Trekking Trail Poles – do not attempt an advanced trail without trekking poles. These things will save your joints from high impact which will keep you hiking longer, safer and happier.
Elmchee Rechargeable Headlamp – flashlights are so last year.
Geertop Lightweight Compact Mummy Sleeping Bag – our favourite budget sleeping bag
Trekology Camping Pillow
Sawyer Products Water Filtration System – lightweight and effective!

Tip #3: Advice on which campsites to sleep at

To keep things in numerical order, I’ll talk about the trail from 1 km to 75 km. However, if you are travelling from south to north, these stops may not make as much sense for you.

Skip Michigan Creek (12 km) if you can and go for Darling River (14 km). Two reasons for this: It will take an extra 2 km off your next day, and Michigan Creek wasn’t much of a campsite with little to offer. If you are able to push it even further, try to get to Tsocowis Creek (17 km). This campsite is much more beautiful and comfortable than 12 km or 14 km, and also has beautiful falls to sleep beside.
Most people will stop at Tsusiat Falls (25 km) because there are no other campsites from 30 km to 42 km. This is a stunning campsite with really cool driftwood set ups and more falls to gaze at (*Note – the falls are the only water source here, which means you have to get into the water and catch your water from under the falls. If you do not want to be submerged in glacier water, fill up before getting to this site). Because of the placement of this site, it is very popular and busy. My suggestion is to stay on the north side of falls where it is less busy, has it’s own bear bin and separate outhouse, is much closer to the water source, and has loads more driftwood.
If you can make it and if you are willing to spend the money, there is luxury camping at 30 km. I say this mostly because of the long stretch where there are no campsites available (other than this luxury camping spot) from 25 km to 42 km. Camping at 30 km will shave off 5 km for your hike the next day. I think it is worth it. Hiking from 25 km to 42 km is a long day and if you can break it up a bit you will enjoy it much more. The luxury campsite offers cute and updated cabins with generators and they are located on a beautiful and secluded beach.
Another way to break up that 25 km to 42 km stretch is by camping at Dare Beach (40 km). This is not an official campsite but it has lots of beach to use and its own fresh water source.
Coal Creek (42km) is also called “farting beach” because it sits across from an island of sea lions who bark all night – a little difficult to get the rest you need. Just a heads up to any light sleepers out there. Earplugs would be very useful here.
Walbran (53 km) is very lovely, very busy, has a nice spot to swim and lots of driftwood. However.. ⇨
Stay at Cullite Cove (58 km) if you can. It has very little campers due to the placement along the trail – you would either have to hike from Thrasher Cove (70 km) to Cullite which is a very long, very hard day, or you hike from Camper Bay (62 km) which makes it a very short day (about 2 hours) which some may see as a waste. Or if you are coming from the north you would be coming from Walbran (53 km) which would also make for a very short day. However, if you can figure out how to make it work, this is by far the most beautiful and secluded campsite of them all. This is the only site that is not directly on the beach and is set back into the woods a little bit with a quick path down to the ocean and to a fresh water source lovely for swimming in. It is in a cove and you are completely protected by huge rock walls. Because of the protection, this was the only night where the air stayed warm and everything remained dry.

Tip #4: Average time to complete the 75 km trail is 5 and 7 days. Your duration depends on your experience level.

If you are an inexperienced backpacker – plan on, and expect to take 7 days. We planned to take seven days for the trail and we ended up completing it in six days. But we ended up regretting this decision.

We decided to hike from Camper Bay (62 km) to the end. In hindsight, we should have broken this up and stopped at Thrasher Cove (70 km). The last 5 km of this hike are definitely the hardest and should be hiked over one day to ensure you are not rushing or injuring yourself. We pushed it too far and ended up very sad. Although it was nice to be in our beds a night early!

Taking seven days to complete the West Coast Trail ensures each day is broken up into easy to handle chunks, with appropriate downtime in order to rest and recover. You also get the time you need to enjoy the trip. It allows you time to take breaks and take lots of pictures.

This will probably be one of the most amazing trips you will complete in your life – my suggestion would be to take it slow and enjoy it!

Tip #5: Stop at the Crab Shack restaurant and Chez Monique’s for great food

We took full advantage of the two restaurants located along the trail. One good thing is that you can plan for these stops and pack in less food and less weight. You will also be dying for some tasty, hot food and a cold beer after a few days. You are also supporting the local people who are wonderful and have amazing stories to tell.

The Crab Shack was our favourite – located at 32 km at the Narrows ferry crossing . They serve fresh crab (literally taken out of the water as you order it), fresh fish with baked potato for about $35/meal. They also have snacks, beer and bottles of liquor ($30 for a 13oz). They only accept cash so make sure to bring lots.

The second stop is Chez Monique’s – located at ~45 km on the beach. They do serve breakfast, which we were hoping for, but they only serve it to the people who camp out on their beach. So the menu is essentially burgers and veggie burgers at about $20 – $25. They also have snacks, baked goods, wine, liquor bottles (cheaper here at $20 for a 13 oz). They accept cash and credit card.

Food is so important while hiking – we have to ensure we have enough (but not too much), that it is lightweight, non-perishable, energizing and tasty! If you are stumped for ideas, check out our post ‘Healthy Food Ideas for Snacks and Meals While Hiking‘. Our food guide reviews the best high energy food and meals for day hikes, as well as overnight, multi-day backpacking trips.

Tip #6: Information on best routes, itinerary and kms per day

Make sure to walk the beach path for the first .5 km of the north side of the trail – if you take the forest you will be on ladders and hiking up and down elevation for no reason.
In general, the beach path will be faster and easier, with less elevation changes, than the forest path. I cannot think of any areas where this is not true.
Take the beach path from 65 km to 70 km – it is much more direct of a trail and the forest trail is quite difficult here. This beach stretch includes “boulder beach” which is exactly as it sounds. Boulder beach is extremely difficult so you need to take it slow. It stretches from about 67 km to 70 km and can take 2-3 hours to complete but it is beautiful and includes amazing caves and surge channels.
As a general note – from 0-55 km you will be traveling at about 2-3 km/hr and after the 55 km mark you will slow down to about 1-2 km/hr. This is where the trail gets significantly more difficult due to quick and constant elevation changes, an increase in the amount of ladders, and very large tree roots to cross over. Make sure to plan your days out properly according to how fast you will be walking.

Tip #7: Getting there – tips on transportation, the WCT Express and bus schedules

First off, because the West Coast Trail is located on the endlessly beautiful Vancouver Island, you will need to take a ferry in from Vancouver, BC or Seattle, Washington; fly into Victoria, BC or Nanaimo, BC; or take a seaplane to Bamfield or Port Renfrew which are the two closest towns to each trail head.

Once you are on the island, you can either drive or take a bus to your trail head.

There are two options for a bus or shuttle:

1) The West Coast Trail Express provides shuttle bus service (May 1 to September 30) from Victoria and Nanaimo to the trail heads and between the trail heads of the West Coast Trail and the Juan de Fuca Trail. The West Coast Trail Express picks up and drops off passengers at Victoria, Sooke, Port Renfrew, Gordon River, Mesachie Lake, Honeymoon Bay, Nanaimo, Nitinat, Pachena Bay, and Bamfield. As of 2018, the cost is $90 to get from Pachena Bay to Gordon River (and vice versa), $55 to get from Victoria to Gordon River, and $125 to get from Nanaimo to Pachena Bay.

2) The West Coast Shuttle provides shuttle service (April 15th to October 15th) to the West Coast Trail, Juan de Fuca Trail, Cape Scott Trail and the North Coast Trail. As of 2018, the cost is $70 to get from Pachena Bay to Gordon River (and vice versa), $40 to get from Victoria to Gordon River, and $70 to get from Naniamo to Gordon River.

*Both services have a very limited schedule and you must make a reservation beforehand.

Driving directions:

Driving from Nanaimo to Pachena Bay via BC-19 S will take you about 3 hours. Driving from Victoria to Gordon River via Juan De Fuca Hwy/BC-14 W will take about 2 hours. Enter this on Google Maps before you leave. You will lose your cell service on the drive but Google Maps will continue to work as long as the trip was loaded beforehand. Both routes will take you on some rough roads. If you do not have a dependable car, do not attempt to drive yourself.

There is weekly parking available at both trail heads. There was a $5/day fee at Gordon River. It appeared there was no parking fee at Pachena Bay.

Are you interested in traveling more but have no money to do it? No worries! Just check out our posts on budget travel here:

Tip #8: Where to start & orientation – Entrances at Bamfield (Pachena Bay) or Port Renfrew (Gordon River)

I suggest staying overnight at your trail head in order to settle in and to get your orientation finished the day before your hike so you can wake up and start your hike as early as possible. Orientation is mandatory, is about 1/2 hour long and occurs twice daily – at 10 am and at 2 pm. Which means, if you get to your trail head the same day you are starting your hike, you can’t begin until at least 10:30 am. This cuts into a long hiking day if you are travelling North to South, and a very difficult hiking day if you are travelling South to North.

Staying overnight at Pachena Bay (North trail head): Bamfield is the closest town (about 5 km away) and offers multiple hotels to stay in, as well as restaurants. Or even better, and cheaper, Pachena Bay Campground offers full service camping with hot showers and a snack shop. Pachena Bay is a beautiful beach that you will want to wonder along for a few hours.

Staying overnight at Gordon River (South trail head): Port Renfrew is the closest town (also about 5 km away) and offers hotels and restaurants. Pacheedaht Campground is located right at the start of the trail head and right where you will take your orientation. There are also hot showers here, as well as a snack shop with a small restaurant menu, and amazing fry bread! This is located in a very popular fishing area with a beautiful view of Port San Juan.

Tip #9: Reservations and booking must be done in January

It is very important to plan ahead for this trip and book in January when the reservations open. As of 2018, standby spaces are no longer available. This means if you want to get on the trail you have to reserve a spot. These spots fill up very quickly once reservations open. So don’t procrastinate!

Tip #10: Which direction is best – North to South vs. South to North

There is so much discussion around this. We walked North to South for no real reason. We were rushed into the decision during the booking process and booked it without really knowing the difference.

The general idea is this – the south end is MUCH more difficult than the north end. So your decision will be: whether you want to tackle the hardest part right away when you are fresh and uninjured, but when you will be carrying the most amount of weight in your pack and therefore will be expending much more energy to get through it; OR you want to hike the easiest part of the trail while you have your heaviest pack and hike the hardest part when you are lighter, but you may potentially have much less energy or may have an injury.

Personally, I was happy we chose North to South and that is mostly due to my lack of experience with thru hikes. We found that the first three days were exhausting and painful but as we walked on we felt stronger and more energetic to keep pushing on. In the beginning, the idea of walking 6 hours a day was shocking but halfway through we gave it no thought at all. Also, most people decrease their pack weight by about 10-15 lbs during the hike due to supplies being used up (food, fuel etc). This made tackling the most difficult areas much easier for us.

If you are not very experienced, I would suggest taking the trail from North to South. If you are a strong and experienced backpacker, going South to North would be appropriate.

Tip #11: Talk to everyone you see

You will come across wonderfully diverse groups of people along this trail. Everyone has a different level of backpacking experience and you learn just as much from someone inexperienced as someone with lots of experience. While passing people hiking in the opposite direction, they will have invaluable advice and great tips for what’s coming up ahead of you. People come from all around the world for this hike and you will meet wonderful people, make new friends and have plenty of entertainment.

I hope these eleven tips will help with your preparation for the hike. The most important thing is that you research, plan and prepare as much as possible before starting your trip. Have fun, be safe and enjoy!!!

Have you hiked The West Coast Trail? What tips do you have for everyone? Comment Below!

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September 17, 2018