AboutRoy Wallen Expertise I spend time and effort in hiking and climbing activities, including learning new methods and locations.
Experience Working in the application of technology to medical products. Experience includes 20+ years in product marketing and strategic planning, of which 8 years was in Europe providing strategic and tactical support to European and Asian markets and 3 years in managing distribution channels outside North America. Since 1973, a hiking and climbing enthusiast with a wide range of hiking and climbing experience in the eastern US and Europe.Since 1970, a Christian who takes his faith seriously. BS in Electrical Engineering with a concentration on biomedical applications; graduate work in engineering and business; Greek language study; fluent in English (native) and German. New England 4000-footer Club, numerous hikes and climbs (Appalachias; German, Austrian, Swiss, and Italian Alps; US desert southwest).
Question QUESTION: Roy:
Well I would like to start out that my experience with hiking is about as much as I have read online. I have read a few articles online and they all say get a good pair of shoes. So, that part is done. Went to REI today and picked up a pair of Asolo Fugitive Gtx and my wife picked up Vasque Ion GTX XCR mids. When "they" say a good pair of shoes... are these adequate?
My questions pretty much start from what else do I need to get? I assume some sort of camel pak for water and appropriate clothing? As a rookie wanna be hiker in Orange County, CA... I plan to keep it simple to some local trails here in or near Orange County. Eventually hoping to graduate to larger trails in SoCal and then of course going to some meatier ones. I assume that I do not need a gps or compass for the local trails (I dont know the name but the cities where the trails are located at are Irvine and Chino Hills.)
I guess my overall plan is to attempt to spend some quality time with the wife and have fun while moderately working out. I thought hiking would be one of those things that we can take a camera and just ourselves and enjoy the wilderness. (Im the typical computer nerd guy who doesnt see much activity outside of my cubicle. A bit overweight, but in decent shape, and the wife is in good shape.) Any suggestions or pointers of other websites would greatly help. Thank you.
ANSWER: Congratulations on making a start to what will be, in my experience, some of the best times in your life. You're off to a good start with quality hiking shoes. My suggestion is to also pay attention to socks, as these can make a difference in a feet full of blisters or not; my preference is a thin sock of silk or synthetic next to my skin and a thicker sock of synthetic or wool to absorb shock and sweat.
A small pack with the "10 essentials" is strongly recommended: map (or guide), water (lots in southern California), food, rain gear and extra clothing, first aid kit, knife or multipurpose tool, flashlight, sun protection (hat, sun block, sunglasses), firestarter, and compass (you need to learn how to use it). This may seem like a lot of stuff but if you twist your ankle and need to wait for someone to arrive to help, you'll need all of it.
I lived in southern California for quite a while and there are great places to hike near you. I recommend the "Afoot and Faield" books by Jerry Schad, written for Orange County, San Diego County, and (I think) Los Angeles area. If you want to learn about tools and techniques, REI has clinics and the Sierra Club has outings.
Have fun and stay safe. If you have more questions, please write.
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: In regards to the "10 essentials" list... is this a priority even on the beginning hiking trails or is this something that the wife and I can eventually graduate to when we go 'off trail'? For Orange County trails and the initial investment... is this a must even though we are starting off with basic trails or is this something that I should just forego and get anyways to prepare for the more advanced trails?
In the term of a small pack... I see there are backpacking packs, hydration pack, hiking pack or technical day pack. Is a typical 2liter hydro pack the way to go or just a typical backpack with bottled water holders good enough? This is in reference to just the local trails and I assume less than 5 miles of trail.
Answer As in all things, you need to exercise judgement in what to carry on a hiking trip. What you carry, if anything at all, depends on the walk. That said, if you are heading out for a half-day of hiking in the hills you probably need everything I mentioned, to a degree. Hiking in Orange County in the summer does not require extra clothing (though a long-sleeved shirt may be useful) or rain gear, for example. It does require lots of water, however. Please don't underestimate the "essential" nature of the items I listed.
Regarding a pack, what you get can be a matter of preference. I prefer a general pack and water bottles while others like hydration packs (the former is cheaper). You certainly don't need a large backpack or a technical pack. A pack that simply holds things will suffice to start; you don't need a special pack with such features as bottle holders, support straps, hip belt. If you want to start out without spending much, you may have an old book-bag pack that you could use or go to local Goodwill and find one for $2.
