Image Credit: Vern, Creative Commons
Going to a mountain for a trek or some climbing is a beloved pastime of many outdoor enthusiasts. For them, there’s nothing better to replenish their energy than leaving all the smog and noise of civilization behind and setting for the mountains, to enjoy the remote beauty of the places where human hand didn’t install pavement for the human foot to walk on. Going on such a vacation from concrete is something anyone should do at least once in their lives, and of course, more than once for those who catch the outdoors bug. But just as mountaineering and trekking are activities very much worth the effort that goes into them, it should also be noted that those are activities that are performed in a setting that’s not always welcoming.
The great outdoors are not something that will actively set out to kill you, but when it comes to safety, it is less safe than your home town. In the outdoors, there might not be cars to watch out for, or streets to cross, but there are stones, tree trunks and roots to trip over, cliffs to fall over, ground that can crumble beneath your feet or above your head, wildlife, and so on. And if that wasn’t enough, all of that waits for you in natural light, which means that when the sun goes down, it gets dark, and even more dangerous.
In an effort to offset some of the dangers that are found in the great outdoors, companies like Adamant have started manufacturing strong, durable, protective gear that people who like to go mountaineering or trekking need to wear. Things like helmets, different layers of clothing with different properties, boots designed for mountain climbing or boots designed for trekking are only some of the gear that people who want to enjoy the outdoors.
In fact, the amount of gear you have to wear outdoors depends on the type of activity you’re performing. But even if you don’t need a helmet, an ice pick or crampons, that doesn’t mean that the gear you do need to take with you should be anything but the best quality. Your shoes need to be sturdy and strong because the surface you’ll be walking on will be rough or it is very possible you’ll be trekking through water or in rainy conditions so they need to be waterproof, they need to have extraordinary ankle support in order to prevent injury, and so on. The layers of clothing you need to wear should be made to perform specific actions – the layer closest to your skin should conduct moisture away from it, the layer furthest from your skin should be waterproof so to stop moisture from passing to the layers beneath it.
Having strong mountaineering gear is important because the gear you use in the great outdoors have to be able to withstand the wear and tear it will be subjected to in the harsh conditions. It should be strong because its strength is what will protect you, and keep protecting you for a long time.