Trekking
Comes from the English word trekking (not to be confused with tracking). Usually this means a long hiking trip through the mountains.
In the classic Western sense, trekking involves long day hikes and overnight stays in comfortable base camps. There may be cabins with showers and a store, but sometimes the camp consists of only tents. If you watched the movie “Wild” or read the book of the same name, then you already understood that the main character was engaged in trekking. With no hiking experience at all, she was able to cover a decent part of the Pacific Crest route.
This type of “increased comfort” hike is rare in Russia due to the lack of stops and camps.
Our trekking is hardcore hiking in Crimea or the Urals.
All food and equipment must be carried on yourself, so you need a good sleeping bag, tent and other gear. We carry all this on our backs in a backpack. Foreigners have come up with a word for this – backpacking. This concept is closest to our, still Soviet, concept of a hike.
The trekking routes are marked and mapped. Moreover, there are guides who will accompany you. For beginners, this will help them return from the hike not only with positive emotions, but also in full force. But backpacking implies greater freedom – you can go anywhere, because you do not depend on shops and showers.
It is much easier to climb to the top of at least 600-700 meters without a backpack, but we are not looking for easy ways, are we?
Trekking requires special boots – they have a high shaft, tight lacing, a rigid heel and toe. However, they should be comfortable and soft inside. It is also not recommended to go hiking in newly purchased boots – they need to be broken in, as you will quickly get blisters.
Hiking
This is a simplified trek – a one-day simple transition, familiar to us as a “weekend hike”. You don’t need to prepare for it six months in advance. All you need is a supply of food and water for a day, sometimes a backpack and a sleeping bag, as well as good trekking boots.
Hiking is the simplest and therefore the most popular type of such leisure. As stated above, it is essentially a walk in nature. In the absence of mountains, people easily go hiking in the local forest. The main thing is to walk, because if you just go out into the forest, spread a mat and eat shashlik on it – it is already a simple picnic.
There is also a more interesting branch for us – speedhiking, when you do not just follow the route, but strive to overcome it as quickly as possible and become the champion of this trail. As a rule, there is no overnight stay here, so you can go light.This hike is a good opportunity to test your endurance, exercise and lose weight.Preference should be given to light and functional things. But it is better to replace trekking boots with cross-country running shoes (we will talk about them below).
Trail running
You won’t believe it, but each of us did it when we ran from the neighboring village home across the field to have time to drink fresh milk while it was still warm. Trail running is running along paths in their natural state. That is, with natural relief, pine cones, stones, and gopher holes underfoot.
Trekking boots are not suitable here, because you won’t run far in such heavy shoes. Special sneakers have been created for trail running – they are much stronger than regular running shoes, have rigid inserts on the toes and heels, but they are much lighter. First of all, because of the fabric base of the shoe itself – this promotes good ventilation. We have already written a detailed article about how to choose running shoes , including mountain running.
Trail routes can be anywhere – in the forest, on the seashore, in the mountains. The most beautiful type of such running is skyrunning , or mountain running. It runs along ridges, passes and plateaus.
But a backpack for such a “hike” needs to be very small – you only need water and, if the run is long, a special snack. Remember that large luggage is extra weight.
All three of the above disciplines are a great way to lead an active lifestyle, maintain your health, and test your strength. You can turn them into a great hobby, find new friends, and strengthen your friendships or family relationships. In general, in the summer, you should use every opportunity to breathe more fresh air!
