Hiking tips in times of Coronavirus

With coronavirus confinement and people being obliged to stay home, the great outdoors might be the best close thing to feel alive again. While governments are issuing and reminding all of us to stay at home, citizens can still go “responsibly” outside. In fact, connecting with trails, plants, and nature is important for our mental and physical health. Taking a walk each day can help stem off diseases.

With that being said, let’s check the tips in these crazy times while keeping our distance why not get close to nature.

Tip # 1 – Avoid crowded spots

Pick a place to walk where there aren’t too many other people. If you arrive at the parking lot of a hiking area that is packed with parked cars, you might want to try a different spot out instead. If you do an online search for a particular community’s municipal website, most have a link listing places to hike in that town. It’s a good time to try a new place you’ve never explored before. Also, this website, http://www.bluegreenadv.com/ offers ideas on places to hike.

Tip # 2 – Follow physical distancing guidelines

You should still practice distancing when out for a walk or a hike. This means staying at least 3 meters from other people and not gathering in groups. If you are however walking with either one person or a group of people who all live in your house, you can walk close together. But, if you have a walking buddy who doesn’t live in your house, you should practice physical distancing during your hike.
Granted, this makes holding a conversation challenging. But you can use headphones and call each other on your cellphones as you walk, and put your cellphones in a shirt or pants pocket as you talk. This will leave your hands free (to hold a water bottle if needed) and not make walking as cumbersome.

Tip # 3 – Stay away from things

Stay clear of things you encounter on your hike that you can touch, like fences, railings, sign posts, and gates. You only want to touch things you bring into the hiking area, like your backpack with the essentials like your walking stick.

Tip # 4 – Choose apparel wisely

You should choose clothes that pull sweat away from the skin and dry quickly. This can help make your body less susceptible to getting sick.
Quick-drying fabrics to look for include terms such as Dri-Fit and Supplex. If you are heading up high trails in which you experience drastic weather changes, wool can keep you dry and cool as well.
For walking and hiking, choose loose-fitting clothing rather than skin-tight clothing you would need for running and yoga.
Avoid cotton at this time. Cotton tends to absorb sweat and doesn’t dry as quickly.

Tip # 5 – The obvious stuff

Wash your hands before you go out and immediately when getting home. You should also keep some hand sanitizer in your bag and car to use after you finish your trail.

Carry a water bottle. You want to keep yourself as hydrated as possible to avoid getting sick. According to the Mayo Clinic, the adequate daily intake is approximately 15.5 cups of fluids for men and 11.5 cups of fluids for women each day. For walking and hiking less than an hour, water is all you need to drink.

Wear sunglasses as these will help you remember not to touch your face. You can also use the sun screen to do that and if you can, you should wear masks at all times.

Don’t stay in your hiking clothes. Change your clothes immediately upon returning home and put them in your laundry hamper rather than in your bedroom. The COVID-19 virus can live on objects for up to 72 hours. This means heading home immediately after a walk or a hike and not stopping for a burger at the drive-thru .

We also recommend taking off your shoes at the door and leaving them outside. This won’t allow you to bring any potential viruses back home.

Gaby W. Awad

Foot Care & Blister Prevention

When my brother Edward who is living in Canada last visited us in Lebanon he introduced hiking as a lifestyle to me and my family. My passion to hiking was there and then discovered. I remember well when a night before our first serious hike to Mount Moussa, I asked him what should I wear as socks. He told me then that socks are the most important piece of gear any hiker should invest in. Because obviously if you develop blisters in the trail, it will be hell on earth for the rest of the journey. When you are hiking, the most common way to get a blister is from your sock or shoe rubbing up against the skin of your feet for an extended period. The shoe may either be too loose or too tight, and it’s likely that sweaty or wet feet are the main cause of getting blisters on a hike. Whatever the reason, one thing is for sure, these hurt.

Prevention

Although everyone has their own methods, good blister treatment boils down to one thing: prevention!

There is a lot of pressure on all parts of our feet from carrying our weight, shoe contact pressure and from toes close to each other. Add walking over challenging terrain, it’s inevitable to see blisters happening. Don’t ever think of padding and adding layers of cushioning like a donut pad or a modification to your footwear to reduce pressure and wearing more than one sock can even be the cause to your blisters. The best way to prevent blisters is to reduce the play between your feet flesh and the socks. This is why the hiking socks are made from material that sticks to the flesh in order to reduce friction.

Your feet will get warm and perspire when you’re walking all day, no matter what the weather. Moisture-sucking socks will help at the start, but along the way they become the root cause of the issue creating oily layers that increases friction.

The shoe may either be too loose or too tight, and it’s likely that sweaty or wet feet are the main cause of getting blisters on a hike. Whatever the reason, one thing is for sure, these suckers hurt.

To keep those feet happy and blister-free, here are 5 basic tips to always keep in mind before, during and after a hike.

1. Wear shoes that fit right
Invest time, money and effort for finding the shoes that fit correctly. Your toes should have just enough room while the heel is secure and fits tight, so it won’t lift up as you walk.

2. Buy Hiking Socks
As you hike, feet are likely to get sweaty and rub against the shoe. Invest in a good pair of merino wool socks to allow your foot breathe and stay dry but warm at the same time. Slipping and squeezing in your socks are no good either, but whether or not you prefer thick or thin socks is up to you.

3. Wear your New Shoes Before You Head Out
This is key to blister prevention. Super stiff shoes will rub and quickly cause blisters and foot pain, so take a few walks and short hikes in them to soften the material before you hit the trail.

4. Keep your Feet Dry
In most cases, wet feet come from a normal and healthy amount of perspiration while hiking, so socks with good breathability can certainly help, or you can try foot powder to absorb moisture. In all cases (summer or winter) bring one or two extra pair of socks to change during the hike.

Drying out your boots or shoes by a campfire at night can help, and if you have them, stuffing towels or paper inside overnight will absorb moisture. Since feet tend to swell and get sweaty on hikes, it’s helpful to take off your shoes during a break and allow your feet to breathe.

5. Give Your Toenails Some Trimming
Giving your feet a little extra attention never hurts! Trim your toenails, give yourself a foot massage and keep your boots free of rocks and debris from the trail.

In the next post I will write some tips about how to treat blisters while hiking. Till then, remember; he better you take care of your feet, socks and shoes, the better time you’ll have outdoors.

Gaby W. Awad

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