Must-Read: The Best Hiking Gear Around

By: Rick Mosely

There are two ways to go hiking. You can just strap on whatever shoes you got, throw on some shorts, maybe take a sweatshirt and a little bottle of water, and then head over to the freshly-cleared trail, the one that’s well-maintained by the city of crowded with all sorts of weekend warriors going for strolls with their dogs or holding hands with their loved ones. That’s one way. And it’s the way that sucks.

The REAL way to hike is to go off-trail. To blaze your own trail by breaking sticks with your body. Go out camping in the wilderness, having everything you need camping and eating wise in the pack on your back, so it’s easy to transport and something that will not hinder your ability to climb rocks and scale hills. This is the more fulfilling way to go hiking. The kind of hike that ends with a warm shower, scrubbing off the dirt, the soap burning an alert for all the micro-scratches you got from rough branches. These are the best kinds of hikes, but you also need to be completely prepared for them before you go out. (Hint one: Don’t wear shorts.) Which is why today we’re highlighting this article over at Men’s Health that goes through the various equipment you need for a successful hike, and the best out there. For example, this is something that of course you’re going to need:

Muka Soto

It?s a classic backcountry stove conundrum: Canister or liquid fuel? The former is easier to use, but the latter offers better all-weather performance, can run on a wider variety of fuels, and is more eco friendly (from a waste perspective). The downside: Priming (a lengthy process that involves pre-heating the fuel line with a flaming pool of gas). Enter the Soto?the world?s first non-priming liquid fuel stove. Just pump and light. ?I?m never going back to canisters,? said one tester, who also liked the Soto?s built-in pressure gauge. Added bonus: It self-cleans after every use. ($148, sotooutdoors.com)

Check it out: