Have you decided to start hiking regularly? If you’re looking forward to your first hiking trip, you must ensure that you’re geared up properly, whether the trip is for a single day or a whole week.
Of course, as a first-timer, you might not know where you can buy your hiking gear. That’s understandable. This post will tell you what you need to know as a beginner looking for where to buy hiking gear.
What Is Hiking Gear?
Hiking gear is a term that refers to equipment and items which are essential for effective hiking. Hikers need to have proper gear because it makes the experience safer and more manageable.
Where Can I Find Hiking Gear?
When you decide to get gear for your new pastime, you first need to know where to buy hiking gear. Fortunately, you should have quite a few places to start near your home.
Sports Stores
For anyone looking to buy hiking gear, for example, hiking sticks or boots, the best place for you to start is any sports store in your locality. Hiking might not be what we traditionally think of as a sport, but sports stores remain the best place to get geared up for this activity. If you’re lucky enough to have a bigger sports store in your region, they might have an entire department dedicated to clothing and gear for hiking.
Department Stores
Although you’re more likely to find hiking gear in a sports store, you can also check any nearby department stores. The advantage of these is their variety. They have a lot of products, so you never know what you’ll find.
Another benefit is that you can also get functional clothing for hiking, like head warmers, socks, gloves, and others, as well as snacks and convenient things to eat. Plus, you tend to get affordable prices as well!
Online Stores
The world is getting more and more digital by the second. This is why you shouldn’t neglect to check out the department and sports stores that have made cyberspace their home.
One advantage to online shopping is that you get an extensive selection of products (unimpeded by the physical space constraints of brick-and-mortar locations), and you can order from stores that aren’t even in your area.
This option is convenient, and if all else fails when looking for where to buy hiking gear where you live, you can always find what you’re looking for online. You don’t even need to change out of your PJs. Just kick back and shop.
Should I Buy Pre-Owned Hiking Gear?
Now that you know where to buy hiking gear around you, you might have come across the prices for brand-new stuff. Yep, it can be eye-watering at times, which begs the question – should you go for pre-owned gear instead?
Secondhand hiking gear is a fantastic option if you’ve never gone hiking before and you have no idea whether you’ll do it more than once. This way, you make less of a financial commitment to this activity that you’re not even sure you’ll like.
Are you on a budget too? Then you should probably stick with the pre-owned stuff. It’s hard to justify paying so much for new gear when you’re strapped for cash, and some of the pre-owned equipment is still excellent.
Where to Buy Pre-Owned Hiking Gear?
If you’re looking for where to buy hiking gear that’s been loved before, you can check out online auction websites like Craigslist and similar. You can also go around locally, looking out for thrift stores and yard sales, though you can never predict what you’ll find there, so the chances are a bit lower.
Make Sure You’re Prepared!
Before you finally start buying your gear, make sure to make a hiking gear checklist for yourself. This way, you’ll buy everything you need for that next adventure, and remember to take them along with you too!
When it comes to where to buy hiking gear, there are plenty of options available. Consider purchasing online but look around locally too. You’ll be bound to find what you need!
