If something’s going to go wrong, it’s best to know about it early. A well-planned ‘shakedown hike’ will not only weed out the gear that won’t work, but it will also set you up for a successful and enjoyable adventure.
A good gear setup is like a friendship — reliable, comforting, and requiring you every now and then to carry someone (or something) on your back. And just as you’d want to grab coffee with a new acquaintance before spending a week together in Hawaii, it’s generally a good idea to give your multiday loadouts a try before venturing onto the trail.
Sure, this may sound corny. But consider this — how many times have you found yourself cussing out an article of broken gear? When it’s just you, the elements, and your kit, that pinching hiking boot or too-thin sleeping pad takes on as much personality as an awful travel companion.
Test Gear on a Shakedown Hike
Pack Heavy
![shakedown hike shakedown hike](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2022/09/shakedown-hike.jpg)
Don’t Take Shortcuts
![setting up your whole camping setup setting up your whole camping setup](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2022/09/setting-up-your-whole-camping-setup.jpg)
Choose Varied Terrain
![shakedown hike - choose different trails - Carry the Weight The Art of the Shakedown Hike](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2022/09/Carry-the-Weight-The-Art-of-the-Shakedown-Hike.jpg)
![shakedown hike - choose different trails shakedown hike - choose different trails](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2022/09/shakedown-hike-choose-different-trails.jpg)
Be Prepared for Failures
Lastly, Get Excited!
![shakedown hike - views shakedown hike - views](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2022/09/shakedown-hike-views.jpg)