My top 10 tips to manage trekking in the heat
I have led many treks in hot places like Vietnam, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Kyrgyzstan and more, and learned a lot about how to trek in the heat.
I can tell you, I do not enjoy it much. When you’re sweating permanently and your clothes are sticking to you. And your mouth is parched and feels like the desert. When there is so much humidity in the air that you can’t get yourself dry after a wash.
It is a real challenge and something that I have to actively manage, for myself and often for group members.
With that in mind, here are my top tips about how to trek in the heat to help you stay in good condition on the trail.
HYDRATE, HYDRATE, HYDRATE
In a hot environment, you can lose a huge amount of water from sweating and breathing.
So hydrate.
It will keep you alive. And coherent. You’ll be able to make good decisions. And you’ll be in a good position to actually enjoy yourself.
Overall, in hot climes, I aim to drink 3 – 4 litres a day. My logic is that if I aim for 3 to 4 litres I may hit 3 but if I don’t aim for anything, I’ll be lucky if I hit 2. And that will not be enough.
I take at least 2 x 1 litre Nalgene bottles with me on the trail. I favour the wide mouth clear plastic type as they are easier to fill and you can see what’s in them. My goal is to drink the 2 litres during the hike and to take on more liquid at breakfast and after the hike.
TAKE A WATER FILTER
Being able to fill up with water along the way can be really critical. I have tried several different water filters over the years and have finally settled on the Katadyn BeFree 1L soft water bottle. The flow rate is good and you can squeeze it and filter water straight into other bottles, which is very handy.
See my mini review of water filters here:
How to choose the best water filter? – Adventures Afoot
USE ELECTROLYTES
I always take a tube of SIS electrolyte tablets on a hot trek. You need just one tab per 1000ml. One per day is plenty and helps balance the body’s salts and sugars. They are tasty too so this makes getting your water in much easier. Other products are available.
COVER UP
If I’m hiking in hot temperatures, especially with no shade, I always wear a long sleeved shirt. The sleeves don’t make me any hotter but they do protect my skin and reduce my risk of sunstroke and sunburn. They also have UV protection. There are lots of lightweight, cool feel fabrics out there that are perfect for hot hiking.
A cap or sunhat is an essential item. It keeps the sun off your head and it can be dunked in a stream and used to cool yourself down at every opportunity.
Don’t forget the Factor 50 too – there’s loads of good brands out there to choose from. Ears, nose, sides of the neck and hands are all prime bits that often get overlooked and frazzled.
SUNGLASSES
I like good quality shades to protect my eyes. I prefer Cat 3 for general use and Cat 4 if I am going to be around glaciers, snow or lots of water. They don’t have to be that expensive. Companies like Decathlon | Sports Shoes, Sports Gear & Sports Equipment sell good quality Cat 3 shades from £10 upwards and Cat 4 shades from £32. I favour Bloc glasses for general hiking as they are affordable and robust and offer very good protection.
PACE YOURSELF
All too often you get a racing snake or two on a trek. If you’re genuinely really used to hiking in heat (and possibly at altitude), then that’s great. If not, experience tells me that you’ll fade out pretty quickly if you’re just trying to get from place to place as fast as you can.
‘Steady away’ is my mantra and it serves people well. Find a pace that you can walk and talk at. Take regular stops so you can drink water, take on snacks and admire the view.
Even better if you can take those rests in the shade. If you’re on a long multi day trip, pacing yourself gets more and more important.
START EARLY
If you can, make an early start. This way you can enjoy a cool start to the day and be finished or resting, before the day reaches it’s hottest.
In some countries where rivers and streams are glacially fed, you’ll want to be crossing them as early as possible if there are no bridges. What is a trickle in the morning can often be a raging torrent by the afternoon.
GET SHADY
On treks that I know will be very hot, I take an umbrella. It is great to be able to create your own bit of shade at every rest stop. In fact, it is pretty blissful. I bought a folding, vented umbrella for under £15 from TK Maxx. And of course, should it rain, you can also keep a bit drier (but if it’s super windy, ignore that)!
CHAFING IS A THING
Sweaty skin and friction creates chafing. It is sore and annoying and can really spoil a trip. Try and avoid poor clothing seams in delicate places and places where flesh can rub together.
Consider bringing some ointment to help prevent chafing and to soothe it if it develops… there are lots of options.
PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE
Do you know what dehydration looks like? What about heatstroke?
In my experience, these things are often cumulative. You don’t look after yourself properly for the first couple of hot days and then, BANG! You’re overcooked and dehydrated. If no-one spots this early on, it is bad news.
During my years of leading treks I’ve learned that prevention is way better (and easier) than cure.
SO:
Commit to drinking your quota – maybe get a buddy system going if you know you will find it challenging
Be honest about how you’re feeling. If you’re not doing well the sooner you deal with it, the better it will be.
Did I mention pace yourself.
Finish your liquid when you get into camp, and then keep going. I try and taper my fluid intake by early evening so that I’m not getting up all night having to pee.
If you’re not peeing a lot, you’re dehydrated. And if you’re peeing yellow, you’re dehydrated. So do something about it.
Commit to making the effort to look after yourself and your travelling companions.
One of my other favourite mantras on a trip is ‘Be Bothered’. It’s surprisingly easy to spoil your own trip by letting things slide. Be bothered and look after yourself and your buddies. You’ll give yourself every chance of staying healthy and you’ll enjoy the experience and adventure so much more.
