>>2861316
Shoes, clothing, and a water bottle. It's not that hard.

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>>2861317
Haha, true. But there are a gazillion options, so I figured I ask around here to see what is actually worth buying instead of overspending or buying something with garbage quality.

Also, would 25L be enough for the backpack or should I go higher?

>>2861319
25L is the sweet spot for day hiking but too low for camping unless you go ultra minimal, which I would not recommend for a beginner. I'd get a separate pack for overnights though.
Appropriate shoes, clothes, first aid are most important. Also having enough water and bringing food you can enjoy while exercising. If you are alone, a garmin inreach or equivalent is nice but it'd singlehandedly blow through your budget. For me it was worth the peace of mind, I hike alone 99% of the time though. I only use it to have the SOS button.
>3-4 hour walks in the woods
That's really all there is to hiking, there's nothing magical that happens when you hit hour 5. It's just walking. Of course trails can be easy or hard, well maintained or bushwacking, but for what youre doing it's little more than walks. Enjoy.

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>>2861316
All my gear is from decathlon and I've slept in the Taiwanese tropical jungle more than an aboriginal. I've seen niggas carrying literal propane tanks on their back all the way to 4000m so I guess the important part is determation anon

>>2861316
all of decathlon tents are shit, even their more pricey ones. if you insist to get one from them be prepared to carry another set of flysheet and footprint

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>>2861316
The most important thing for hiking is having the right shoes. There's no need to spend a lot of money - they just need to fit your feet well. Also, don't take long walks in brand new shoes if your feet aren't used to them yet.

Clothing is important, too. If it's cold outside, you should wear a moisture-wicking thermal top, a fleece pullover, a jacket, and a hat if it's really cold. However, since you probably won't go hiking in the winter, a waterproof jacket will suffice against rain. Buy pants that dry quickly. Cotton is warm and comfortable, but once it gets wet, it stays wet.

Always check the weather forecast, but expect worse conditions because the weather is different in the mountains than in the city. Download CoMaps from F-Droid for maps. It's free, and downloads maps for the area, so it can be used without an internet connection.

I think you can find some nice things at Decathlon. I have a few items from there, too (pic related), and they're pretty good for us European weekend warriors.

>>2861350
Thanks for the detailed post! I’m thinking a basic cotton long sleeve shirt, a light fleece jacket on top and a rain jacket should be enough for the weather conditions in which I will be going out.

Would you say wool socks are also worth getting, or should I go with a different material?

>>2861351
Yes, this might be enough.

Wool socks are great for hiking. Merino wool socks are even better. They don't smell bad if you wear them for several days straight, and they keep your feet warm even when they're wet. However, they are expensive and don't last long.
Synthetic socks grow bacteria quickly and aren't suitable for this activity. They may find their use in the summer, but I personally don't like them very much.

Be sure to keep a spare pair of socks in your backpack. Wet socks can cause a lot of trouble. Also, it's a good idea to change the shoe inserts in your shoes at least 1-2x a year.

>>2861354
> However, they are expensive and don't last long.
I didn’t know that. I always thought wool is more durable than your average recycled-plastic type of socks, lol. It probably still is, but I was thinking more like multiple years at least.
>Be sure to keep a spare pair of socks in your backpack
I always keep 2 extra pairs in my day to day backpack :D

Regarding the topic of shoes, do you have any recommendations? Decathlon shoes would be great, but I wouldn’t mind buying from somewhere else if you have had good experiences with other brands.

>>2861356
check out the kiprun tr series. those are decathlon's own brand of shoes. They are too slim for my feet, but then I have very wide feet.

>>2861323
What the fuck why

>>2861351
>I’m thinking a basic cotton long sleeve shirt
Often a good idea to avoid cotton as a base layer unless you're exclusively going /out/ in warm weather. It soaks up water (whether from sweat, unexpected rain or stream crossings), dries slowly and loses all insulation when wet. That can be a recipe for hypothermia depending on your climate. Most people would recommend merino or synthetic baselayers.

decathlon is upping their game
everything has higher quality alternatives like titanium etc
probably not a big deal for consooomers for pragmatic bros it's a game changer

lol no

just get cheap stuff, figure out what you want to invest more of your money into. Get a decent backpack 20-30l (osprey is great) and a decent pair of boots (Salomon, Merrel) and spend whatever is left on what's cheapest.

Check out this guy's channel. He had a couple of good videos about exactly that, including Decathlon gear.
Obviously you can omit the camping equipment if you don't plan overnighters.

https://youtu.be/j7OFiAtMfdQ?si=hPQSUhlK5NkG-qW5

>>2861417
>Osprey
>Salomon
Overpriced boutique gear

>>2861369
gotta get that propane to his meth lab somehow.

>>2861316
Spend 250€ on shoes

>>2861319
merino wear or wool, sold wool.
Thin sold wool aka merino wool is the best.
Shoes above the ancle as height.

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>>2861316
>250€
Unless you are climbing actual mountains or spelunking you can just hike in old clothes. The only thing that matters is experience and boots/socks. The decathlon tennis socks are good, and the hunting boots are good for the money. But you don't need to spend 250€. Just buy a 20L backpack, pick the cheapest one because you won't notice the weight difference for casual hiking.

When hiking carry a poncho or rain jacket (ponchos are lighter but they suck with wind), a meal, a 2L water bottle, spare socks, a first aid kit and a knife. That's all you need unless you are doing technical stuff. Pic related are my favourite decathlon boots, unless you are walking on wet rock, because they are kinda slippery.

The Quechua shoes aint that bad if you are not doing mountains. I have a pair that have served me pretty well for just normal walks (~6 hour long treks through hills and woods and shit).

I did bought the MH100 as first shoes for walking. Really good shoes to start with. Only issue is your feet will have the worst smell in the world.
I liked the high shoes to protect my ankles. It s really good as a beginner because you can walk like a retard among the rocks. But yes it s not for intensive use, after like 10 to 30 hiking into the rock it kind of fell apart. I was using them to go climbing, so we did take some shitty path into the rocks.
Decathlon is honest with their product, they display their lifetime.

I strongly advise to go with this one because it s cheap, and after a few hikes you will see other shoes and know what you want.

Other important information : get a wind breaker AND a down jacket. Always separate the heat from the layer which protect you from the rain. You will often need to take off your down jacket because you will start sweating a lot and it I'll be raining.
I bought the MT500, I had a Patagonia for like 4 times the prices before and I still prefer the MT500.

Otherwise I always pick the brand "simond" it s like 2 to 5 times cheaper than the brand with the same specs. Maybe a little be heavier, instead of 500g you will be at 600g but who care when you walk.

And yes a 25l is largely enough. Just take a bag with the clips to put it around your waist. And I like to have other clips like in the alpine bag to put other stuffs outside of my bag, like my jacket or flip flops on the top

>>2862707
>Only issue is your feet will have the worst smell in the world.
This is usually due to the use of poor materials such as paper or wood fiber. Once they get wet with sweat/water, bacteria begin to multiply inside, breaking down organic material and this causes the shoes to smell like corpses. Always check the inside of the shoe before buy and remember - changing shoe insoles 1-2x per year greatly reduces this.

>>2861351
A cotton baselayer will work against your insulation and is a very bad idea. When you sweat and your cotton base gets wet your body will use energy to dry it. Cotton will hold on to more moisture and dry slower than synthetics or wool. If youre hiking in 100+ F then cotton could be good as it will cool you down, but in normal or cold conditions it will be cold and uncomfortable. It could even kill you given the right circumstances.

For moisture management theres basicly two directions you could go:

A fast drying synthetic base that wicks moisture away from the body and dries fast. If needed combine it with a fleece that breaths well and transfer moisture to it’s outside so that it can vaporize. Materials like Alpha Direct, Octaloft or a grid fleece will work as active insulation. A wind layer over the fleece will make it alot warmer.

Merino wool. You will stay wet for a longer time but it will be comfortable and warm even when its wet. If its cold a wind layer or hardshell on top of a merino base will help trap heat. You might not need a insulating layer

is there a downside to wearing microspikes in cities

>>2861316
Spring and autumn suck to hike in. It's shoulder season, everything is partially frozen or caked in mud. It can be as cold as winter or as hot as summer so you need to prep for an annoyingly wide temperature range. Bugs are waking up and hungry.
You can dayhike big 4000m mountains in thrift store clothes and regular sneakers, don't overthink it. Avoid cotton, look for wool or silk or polyester, bring at least 2-3L of water and a few thousand kcal of energy-dense snacks.
Trail runners beat boots every time unless you're regularly scrambling through boulder fields.

Decathlon's outdoor line uses the following system:
NH: "Nature hike", basically casual everyday wear designed for normies, most of it is cotton or polyester mesh. I quite like their cheap 14euro NH men's pants that are 100% cotton for the summertime. The level of intensity for strolling through well maintained nature parks on-trail in nice conditions.

MH: "Mountain Hike", clothing and shoes designed for more rigorous use. Rarely incorporates cotton, lots of strong synthetic fibres. The kind of outerwear or shoes you'd use for hiking on poorly maintained trails or for hiking in hilly/rugged areas.

MT: Mountain Trek, this is the expensive shit designed for off-trail hiking long distance trekking. Their MT pants are waterproof and almost indestructible. MT boots are their past the ankle trekking boots.

100-500-900: this is Decathlon's advertisement of the product's longevity. A pair of MH100 shoes will last roughly 100 uses before they need to be replaced. MT900 pants can be used around 900 times before you have to get a new pair. The 100 range is recommended to first time users just trying a new sport for the first time, 500 for casual practitioners and 900 for people who go hiking every single week.

They have a very good range of merinowool products that other anons have described previously, I would get a merino shirt as a base layer, some merino hiking socks, MH500 pants (water resistant), a cheap fleece and an MH500 rain jacket. They also sell non-own brand products and I recommend their Columbia Redmonds for being super comfy (for wide feet also) and being almost fully waterproof. Get a 25L backpack and upgrade if you want to start camping.
>t. used to be a Decathlon Outdoor department salesman before I got a real job

>>2861316
Dude, you’re in fucking Germany. Tennis shoes, jeans, and layers is fine.
t. Also in Autismland and have „hiked“ through forests and fields for 4+ hours in fucking boat shoes many times.

>>2865101
Oh no no

>>2861369
>The lightweight chud fears the propane king

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OP here. I have bought the following items:
Shoes: Quechua MH100 (40€)
Socks: 2 pairs of half-height socks (15€)
Pants: Simond MT500 Zip-Off-Pants (50€)
Shirt: One of their basic long sleeve synthetic shirts (~15€)
Fleece: Quechua MH500 (25€)
Backpack: Simond MT100 50l (50€)
Water Bottle: 1,5l stainless steal bottle (17€)
Knife: Solognac AXIS 85 8,5cm foldable knife (18€)

Total So Far: 230€

I decided to spend a bit more on the backpack and pants because the quality was noticeably better than that of their cheaper alternatives. Once it's autumn, I'll buy a sturdier pair of shoes, too. The pair I bought already feels pretty good, though. I've been on multi-hour walks and "mini-hikes" around where I live to test them (and my clothes) out, and I have no complaints so far.

I also put off buying the jacket for now. Once it gets colder, and I'm ready for longer and more remote hikes, I'll buy it along with a few other items, such as a first aid kit, a headlamp, cooking utensils, etc.

Tomorrow, I will go on my first "proper" hike. I have planned a route for every weekend for the next six weeks.

Thanks to everyone who gave advice and suggestions :)

>>2862707
>I strongly advise to go with this one because it s cheap, and after a few hikes you will see other shoes and know what you want.
Yeah that is what I did. For my first hikes, going with anything expensive would be overkill, especially since I will be figuring out what kind of terrain I would be usually hiking in the upcoming weeks.
>Other important information : get a wind breaker AND a down jacket. Always separate the heat from the layer which protect you from the rain. You will often need to take off your down jacket because you will start sweating a lot and it I'll be raining.
Good point.
>I bought the MT500
You mean the windbreaker, down jacket, or both?
>And yes a 25l is largely enough. Just take a bag with the clips to put it around your waist. And I like to have other clips like in the alpine bag to put other stuffs outside of my bag, like my jacket or flip flops on the top
I went with a 50l which is a bit overkill for now, but figured might as well buy a bigger one now, since I'm planning on doing multi-day trips in the future.
>>2863167
>A fast drying synthetic base that wicks moisture away from the body and dries fast. If needed combine it with a fleece that breaths well and transfer moisture to it’s outside so that it can vaporize.
That is what I went with. And I noticed throughout my test walks that this combination is very comfortable. The synthetic base starts smelling a bit, but I as long as it is not stinking, I will survive, lol.

>>2864038
>Spring and autumn suck to hike in.
In my region it's quite pleasant actually. Yeah, if it rains a lot mud could become annoying, but I walked through mud for a couple hours with basic sneakers before lol.
>>2865099
>They have a very good range of merinowool products that other anons have described previously, I would get a merino shirt as a base layer, some merino hiking socks, MH500 pants (water resistant), a cheap fleece and an MH500 rain jacket. They also sell non-own brand products and I recommend their Columbia Redmonds for being super comfy (for wide feet also) and being almost fully waterproof. Get a 25L backpack and upgrade if you want to start camping.
For now I went mostly with synthetic materials, but I'm putting aside some money every month so I could switch to better quality clothing and gear once I start hiking more often and figure out what I like and dislike. Thanks for the detailed explanation!
>>2865101
Hahaha true. I have walked through forests plenty of times with my day-to-day shoes, but I just wanted to have a "dedicated" kit for hiking, because I also want to do multi-day trips in more remote areas (even outside of Germany) once I'm experienced enough.

>>2865293
Alright, that’s fair then.
If you’re going to start hiking outside of Germany then be very aware of the fact that Germany has no actual wilderness and that wilderness is very dangerous. Germany has basically no areas where you are not within a few hours walk of a village. Germany has no predators nor poisonous critters. It’s basically /out/ on tutorial mode.

>>2865316
Lmao reminds me of a german exchange student we had in phoenix who thought she could take a 'day trip' to dallas texas.

>>2865335
Hamburg to munich is 776km and 7h35m. Phoenix to dallas is 1712km and 15h18m. I didn't realize how tiny germany really is.

>>2865316
Oh yes, I am aware. For solo trips I will be mostly sticking to Germany and neighboring countries with low-threat.

You won't catch me soloing a multi-day trip through a Romanian old-growth forest where I'll probably end getting mauled by a bear, lmao.

>>2865275
need some updates
how are your impressions so far?
happy with your decision to start going /out? happy with the gear?