Customer Reviews

101 Essential Tips: Hiking (101 Essential Tips)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a 72-page book that has something none of my other backpacking books have--color photos! LOTS of photos. Photos of socks, shoes, tents, lights, walking sticks, camping food (pre-cooked), hiking gadgets, fire ingredients, campsite pests. It's got photos showing how to cross water, how to read a topo map, how to use a compass, how to pack a backpack, more more more. It's not the 'Exhaustive Guide to Hiking,' but it's amazing what it packs into a tiny space. If you're new to hiking or backpacking, it's a bargain and a most efficient way to absorb a lot of information in an hour or two.

My 11 year old son and I are just beginning to backpack. This was a great book for him to read. Not very long, lots of pictures. For an adult, it is a bit superficial.

This tiny book can even fit in your backpack! Illustrations accompany brief explanations to almost any hiking question...Weather signs, packing, equipment recommended, how to read a map, and even natural wildlife information/identification. This is a fun starter book to get you ready and excited for your next hiking excursion. I rate this book a four only because it could have been more specific at times.

The problem with this book is that is doesn't play to one specific audience and by doing so renders itself useless. It offers tips that are very basic as well as advanced but it doesn't make any sense. Its a small book meant to be taken with you while you hike but so it doesn't cover any one tip in too much detail. Because of its brevity, some tips are actually incomplete and could be dangerous on top of not containg enough information.

TIP 2- Choosing Companions- walking with a group is safer than walking alone, and walking with friends is preferable to walking with strangers. (Rocket science folks!) Find a walking association and make an effort to talk to everyone early on.
--so here the book is supposing that you are somebody who has never hiked before.

Other tips go on to talk about choosing clothing, food, tents and backpacks so here the book is assuming you are going on a multi night camping trip which is fine but the information here is not thourough enough for inexperienced hikers so it really ends up being useless. Tips 8-24 aren't bad as they talk about boots, fitting you pack and how to pack it as well as foot care and the layer system. It pretty much goes downhill from there though as we get the myriad of misinformation and common knoweldege.

TIP 25- Sleeping Bags- says nothing about the temp rating system or down bags or the difference between house sleeping bags and camping sleeping bags.

TIP 30- Bring Portable Foods- no duh!

TIP 36- Bring First Aid Kit- yikes!

TIP 38- goes into detail about planning your route on a multi night hike. Does not talk about distance planning and makes it seem like a breeze. This is misleading and you shouldn't be making your own routes along places without trails unless you actually have some unmarked backcountry experience.

TIP 41 and 42- How a compass works and setting your compass. -great except for the fact that again, someone who doesn't know how to do this should not be getting them in a situation where they need to do for the first time from a book!

TIP 46- Navigating by stars- see problems with 38, 41 and 42....

TIP 61-63- crossing dangerous water alone, in groups etc...oy vey don't get yourself into this please!

There are some usefull tips here and there but for the most part I don't like this book. There are some usefull first aid tips but most kits contain this information in them already or you just get a pamhlet of the internet that does.

Bottom Line: Anyone new to hiking should check out other bigger books at their bookstere which go into more detail about types of shoes, conditioning, safety etc..

Anyone who wants to get into more serious day hikes or multi night trips should try out the Backpackers Handbook by Chris Townsend. This is an excellent book that pretty much covers everything this book does but in much more depth.

This a great companion for the beginning hiker. It is small enough to carry on camping or day trips and is a nifty reference. The full color pictures make for an easy way to understand and remember the author's points. The book is filled with practical know how. Many of the topics covered may seem remedial for more advanced hikers but are nonetheless a good survey of the basics. The 101 tips cover a wide range of information from breaking camp to reading maps and planning routes to life-saving first aid. the book is easy and quick to read, consisting of only 69 short pages. It is an excellent and inexpensive aid for any new hiker.

While its not comprehensive... its also not overwhelming! The book is very accessible and make a great teaching aid. I use it in in all my hiking/backpacking teaching I do with Girl Scouts.

My only criticism of the book is the recommendation to use cotton underwear... Here in the northwest... that would be a poor choice.. So, I spend and extra minute on this point and tell the students to mark out the sentence in the book.

If you're just beginning in this hobbie of hiking this a great inexpensive book to check out. I bought this for my dad for fathers day and he said the way the book explained and demonstrated ideas and concepts, it gave him more know how and the insight to hike at a more professional level.

This tiny book can even fit in your backpack! Illustrations accompany brief explanations to almost any hiking question...Weather signs, packing, equipment recommended, how to read a map, and even natural wildlife information/identification. This is a fun starter book to get you ready and excited for your next hiking excursion. I rate this book a four only because it could have been more specific at times.

I love this book. It's designed to give the complete novice an introduction to hiking in general. It will introduce you to a number of ideas that act as a great starting point for further research. This is *not* a comprehensive guide, but it's well worth the price if you're just starting out.

Sadly the best thing about this book is the portability. While it has some good info, if you already know anything about camping/hiking/backpacking, then you will get nothing new from it. If however you know absolutely nothing and have a passing interest, then the book is worth it for a survey of the sport. Otherwise, pass on it, or get a more in depth book.