There are various reasons for preppers to hike, either because hikers and preppers belong to the same caucus or other reasons. Let’s see them below.
3 Reasons for Preppers to Hike
An Opportunity to Use Your Gear
You must pack your gear quickly as a prepper, and preparing to go hiking is one of the best ways to learn how to. You have to be aware of the appropriate pockets for every piece of your kit. You can do better by timing yourself as you pack to know how long it takes you.
Hiking will also give you the chance to become more comfortable with your gear. Practicing in your backyard will not expose you to the landscape of the hiking trail where there are more challenges. Hiking with your gear regularly will help to become familiar with them.
This spares you the error of packing gear for the wild without knowing how to use it.
Health Reasons
Hiking is beneficial to health, so why wouldn’t it be important to the prepper? Your physical wellbeing is, after all, a key requirement of becoming a good prepper. A hike is a full-body workout. To test your limits, hike on the not-so-easy terrains, carry heavy backpacks to build your endurance and balance. This helps to build muscles, and all these are attributes that you’ll need if you have to bug out to your bug out location in an emergency someday.
Start with shorter hikes to know the physical limits of your body at the time and get your body in the mood. Over time, your fitness level will start to improve, and this will coincide with you wanting and being able to go on longer hikes. If you carry on for long, your fitness level will become very impressive.
Hiking may have mental benefits too. Hitting the trails regularly will reduce the risk for developing or experiencing depression and anxiety. Plus, the wild helps you become more creative.
Master Survival Skills
As a prepper, you must take the time to master your survival skills, and this should never be when you’re in danger already. You can’t continue practicing at home too because you’ll hardly find it challenging. Hiking is, therefore, the best way to improve your survivability. How?
It involves the challenges of the wild despite that you’re not in any SHTF situation. For example, hiking usually requires a map. You can master your map reading ability on your regular hikes. While hiking, too, you may start to devote some time to animal tracking.
For something even better, take longer, more adventurous hikes. Hike at night and camp too. When you’re very sure of your ability to survive, start hiking alone. Not because you’re proud, but because lone exploration is one of the ultimate tests any prepper can undertake.
Concluding the Reasons for Preppers to Hike
There are even more reasons for preppers to hike. Spending your time on the trails will give you the opportunity to study the environment and have a more improved knowledge of the wilderness. You can also learn basic first-aid operations on your adventures.