Age is No Barrier To Hiking If you want to start hiking as an older adult or you hiked as a youth and are just getting back onto the trails, you'll quickly discover that the hiking gear and skills used by today's hikers have changed significantly in the past 20 years. From lightweight gear, footwear, and clothing to advances in GPS navigation and satellite communications, nearly every aspect of the hiking experience has been transformed, making hiking more accessible than ever for older adults. Hiking Over 60 has two parts: Part 1: Hiking Fundamentals is written for beginner hikers, and covers the basic gear and techniques needed to day hike, including: How to choose lightweight hiking footwear - How to prevent blisters or treat them when they occur. - How to choose hiking clothing. - How much food and water to bring with you. - How to go to the bathroom outside. - How to use a map to navigate and not get lost. - How to plan a day hike. - How to write a trip plan and leave it with a trusted friend. Part 2: Hiking Gear Guide explains the why, what, and how of modern hiking gear. It includes gear recommendations to help you select the best gear for different adventures and budgets, including: How to create a lightweight footwear system that prevents blisters. - How to layer hiking clothing including base, mid, insulation, and waterproof layers. - How to choose and use trekking poles. - How to filter or purify natural water sources. - How to choose and fit a backpack, including fastpacks. - The pros and cons GPS-enabled smartphone navigation apps. -And much much more! Whether readers want to day hike in the town forest or take on a pilgrimage trails such as the Camino de Santiago, they can rely on Werner's up-to-date information on everything from safety to hiking footwear to GPS navigation. I highly recommend Hiking Over 60 -Susan Alcorn, author of Walk, Hike, Saunter: Seasoned Women Share Tales and Trails, and Camino Chronicle: Walking to Santiago. Hiking has changed dramatically in the past twenty years and there's no one better than Philip Werner, the modern day hiking wizard behind SectionHiker.com, to bring you up to date on the latest skills and gear in his Hiking Over 60. -KATHLEEN MEYER, author of the best-selling outdoor guide How to Shit in the Woods: An Environmentally Sound Approach to a Lost Art Philip Werner is the founder of the highly acclaimed hiking website SectionHiker.com, started in 2007. Since retiring from the software industry in 2010, he's hiked and backpacked over 10,000 miles in the United States and Scotland. Philip is currently a hiking leader for the Bread Loaf section of the Green Mountain Club. In the past he's been a 4-season hiking leader for the Appalachian Mountain Club, a trail maintainer for the US Forest Service, a Master Educator for Leave No Trace, and a backpacking guide for Andrew Skurka Adventures.