Organized gear for any type of trek is one of the most essential parts when it comes to prepping for a trek. Although there are certain things which make a summer trek gear distinct from a monsoon trek ones, here are the 5 most important gear required for a summer trek followed by the 5 most important gears for a Monsoon trek. Read On…

1. Water Bottle: Staying hydrated is the most important thing while trekking, especially during the summer. Dehydration also results in Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). When you are hiking, your body dehydrates but most times due to cold or cool temperature, you do not realize you are sweating. Hence, sipping water from your bottle frequently will keep you hydrated.  

2. Good Quality Hiking Boots: It goes without saying, but good hiking shoes are the most integral part of a trek. Without them, you will not be able to trek for a long time. When it comes to the shoes, prices do matter. Because when you buy a cheap pair of boots in order to save some bucks, they might not do justice to the amount you’ve paid already. Always opt for durability and toughness, to avoid blisters or any other major foot infections or injury.

3. Sun Glares: More than the fashion quotient, glares are for the protection of the eye from  the harmful UV rays, especially during the summer because the rays are the strongest. If god forbid, by any chance you get into direct contact with the rays, you may lose your vision partially or in some cases, completely! Please buy a trusted brand of eye wear, because they are  professionally made for the protection of the eyes itself!

4. Cap/Hat:  Whenever hiking or trekking in open, you should always protect yourself from the direct exposure of skin to the sun. Sometimes the sunburn can be really bad and if you are too much into hiking and trekking, then buying a cap or hat will help you in a lot of ways.

5. Sunscreen/ Sun Blocks: You must protect yourself from UV rays and direct sunlight, especially while traveling or trekking/hiking. Use sunscreens with SPF 70 or more as I have seen some really bad cases of sunburns which proved very painful for quite a few days after the trip. You can also carry lip balms with SPF rating to protect lips getting sunburn.

                              5 Must haves for a Monsoon Trek

1. Poncho: A good quality poncho is like a great monsoon trek buddy. It avoids getting us drenched in rain and also keeps us free handed while trekking. An umbrella while trekking is as useless as a computer without its CPU. No umbrella can withstand the wind at high altitudes while it’s raining. Plus it is a burden for the trekker, because in monsoon the slopes are slippery than ever, so when we have a free hand, we might be able to break a slip, if we’re about to fall, but when you use an umbrella instead you cannot save yourself from falling!

2. Floaters: Carry an extra pair of footwear, but only floaters and not flip flops. You should carry them because when you are trekking, at the campsite, where you rest for the day in the evenings or nights, you might want to keep your shoes for drying to avoid any kind of infection. And, floaters are the best alternative, to roam around the cliffs, as they are rigid, and provide you some amount of support.

3. Non- Cotton Pants and Full sleeve Tshirt: Cotton should be avoided during trekking, especially in the Himalayas and monsoons in Sahyadris (Maharashtra). Cotton or denim does not soak as much water like the synthetic does. Most people prefer breezy cotton wear while trekking, but we recommend you to wear full sleeves synthetic clothes and pants.

4. Reusable Plastic bags: Believe it or not, they are a life saviour while trekking. Carry a bunch of them to keep wet clothes which you no longer need. You can dump anything and everything inside a plastic bag and then place it in your bag, to avoid it from getting wet. Necessary items like wallets and phones can also be stored in mini plastic bags. But make sure you do not pollute the vicinity by dumping them anywhere on the way.

5. Change of clothes: Carry a good amount of change of clothes to avoid falling sick. If the clothes are drenched in water, you may catch a cold or cough. In severe cases you can also get pneumonia. To avoid any such diseases, carry as many clothes possible. 

Do not waste your summer vacations, merely by sitting at home and binge watching    random Netflix series, on the contrary test your horizons, and experience a trek for the lifetime. In the rainy season, you might want to be extra careful to take up the trek, but some extra care to walk those extra miles on the high altitudes will get you a long way!

Compiled by: Pratusha Asawalikar

pratushaasawalikar@gmail.com

If you wish to go on a trek or a camp anytime soon, let us take you with us. To book your slot visit www.getbeyondlimits.com 

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