Take a Hike! Essentials for a Fun and Safe Hike

#SamsClubMag #CollectiveBias

I keep saying that spring is here, but we are still dealing with some pretty cold temperatures here in Minnesota. Nevertheless, my hubby and I have re-started our outdoor evening walks and are gearing up to hopefully take our first hike of the season this weekend. I got an extra push to do so after reading one of the articles in the latest issue of the Healthy Living Made Simple Magazine from Sam’s Club.

The article that caught my eye was “Go Outside and Play”. This article discusses the health effects of taking a walk in nature that include decreased heart rate, more relaxed blood pressure, increased happy hormones, decreased stress hormones, mellower moods, stronger immune system, and fewer fearful thoughts. WOW! I will take a double helping of all of those THANK YOU!

To prepare ourselves with the essentials for a fun and safe hike, I headed to Sam’s Club where I found lots of items that can help in our quest for healthy living. These are five of the basics that can make your hike more safe, enjoyable, and an experience you will want to repeat over and over again.
 

Essentials for a Fun and Safe Hike

Sunscreen
I am a BIG proponent of sunscreen. You don’t want to cancel out all those great health benefits of your outdoor exercise by damaging your skin in the process. Plus, if you have a nasty sunburn, you’re much less likely to want to hike again anytime in the near future.

Snacks
If you’re going to be taking a longer hike, you’ll want to be able to refuel along the way. At Sam’s Club I found lots of options to stash in our backpack like nuts, trail mix and granola bars. Anything that will provide you healthful energy and keep well unrefrigerated and bouncing around in a backpack is a good choice.

Water
You will want to take water on your hike. If you’re taking a backpack, you can put a water bottle in it. Another option (and a pretty cool one) is a hydration pack. It’s basically a backpack with a water reservoir built in that has a tube you can use to drink while the pack is still on your back. I found a pack at Sam’s Club that also has compartments to store the rest of your hiking gear.

Appropriate Clothing
It’s important to wear comfortable clothing that suits YOU when you hike. Since I’m fair skinned, I like to be able to cover my arms to protect my arms even more than with sunscreen alone. This awesome lightweight jacket from Sam’s Club has ventilation to keep me cool while still covering. My hubby is usually always warm, so hiking shorts are a must for him. He LOVES this pair and they were such an awesome price.

Insect Repellant
If you’re hiking where there will be bugs, you’ll want to keep them off of you. We live in Minnesota where everyone jokes that the mosquito is the state bird and we have had to cut walks short because of unexpected swarms of mosquitos. Next time we will be prepared!

The article that inspired me to write this post is only one of lots of interesting and helpful topics in Healthy Living Made Simple Magazine from Sam’s Club. If your health is important to you, I encourage you to check it out!

What do YOU like to do outdoors?

We’re ready to hike!