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The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > The Great Outdoors > Thread for making fun of people with the wrong type of hiking gear
 
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Yarville
Jun 14, 2013
 People have hiked the AT in crocs. Unless you're hiking in extreme conditions or ignoring the 10 essentials completely there is no 'right' or 'wrong'. If it feels good out I'll go on weekend trips in cotton and wearing sneakers.

* # ¿ Dec 23, 2015 09:15
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# ¿ Apr 29, 2024 10:40
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Yarville
Jun 14, 2013

B33rChiller posted:

I didn't think hiking was such a heavily regulated sport.
Different classes for terrain / trails?
10 essentials?
I've never heard of any of this. I was under the impression that hiking was simply walking in the woods. But I guess I shouldn't be surprised that people take it super serious and sperg out about every aspect.

The 10 essentials isn't something extreme or super serious, it's just basic safety. Carry water, food, shelter, etc. If I'm going to unfamiliar territory or planning on doing anything more than a planned <8 hour hike in familiar territory I'm carrying the full 10. It's stupid not to.

* # ¿ Dec 23, 2015 09:46
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Yarville
Jun 14, 2013

Guest2553 posted:

It's me, I'm the idiot with the wrong gear. I did the military route of the Vierdaagse Nijmegen with all the associated garbage military gear that goes along with it. Impermeable leather boots with waffle insoles? Check. A rucksack that can't be adjusted to sit straight and would always put most of its weight on one shoulder? Check. Heavy uniform that doesn't breathe and collects enough sweat to built a salt lick? Check. Part of a team of 11 people that has to stick together, each with their own different strides and pacing? Aw yeah, son. All to march a distance about equal to a marathon over cobblestone for four straight days, not including the 500+ miles of endurance training in the 10 weeks leading up to the march itself.

I was fortunate in that I'm built for endurance hikes because that poo poo broke a lot of people, now that I think about it. Multiple stress fractures in metatarsals, skin sloughing and/or toenails popping off when socks were removed, open sores forming on hot spots on feet/back/thighs etc. One dude chafed so bad he had to walk bow legged and the entire crotch of his combats was a blossom of blood, but god bless him he powered through every day and finished it. The worst I got was some foot fungus after a flip flop broke on the way to the living petri dish of a shower they had at the camp. Oh well.

I liked it so much I did it twice :sparkles:

Though I've definitely never hiked that far during my time in the USMC, I have generally had a good time during long rucks... Our pack is actually pretty nice, especially when you're carrying heavy loads (which you always are) and I've never gotten any blisters or anything in my boots. The only lovely part is that, due to my height, I'm usually in the back... Which means running.

* # ¿ Dec 31, 2015 07:09
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The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > The Great Outdoors > Thread for making fun of people with the wrong type of hiking gear