Solo Travellers
Protecting Your Gear from Monsoon Madness: Waterproofing Hacks
Waterproof Hiking Gear: Monsoon Protection Tips
As monsoon clouds roll into the mountains and transform mountain trails into wet beauty spots, your trip need not necessarily suffer as long as your gear remains dry. Trekup India provides experienced trekkers who can ensure that even during intense rainfall, your gear stays dry and in good working order. From Western Ghats treks through to Himalayan tracks – Indian monsoon treks offer exceptional beauty but may bring unpredictable rainfall patterns.
How can experienced trekkers ensure their gear stays in perfect condition during an Indian monsoon trek?
Our experts have put together a field-tested waterproofing guide, complete with waterproofing tips designed to protect your equipment during monsoon season and allow you to continue exploring without incident.
Why Waterproofing Matters When Trekking in Monsoons
- Waterproofing your equipment during monsoon treks is essential, no matter if you are venturing to the Himalayan Mountains for several weeks or just trekking in Maharashtra for one weekend trip – this includes making sure it remains dry by:
- Lighter backpacks with integrated electronics, dry clothing, or sleeping bags could make the best choices.
- Reduce risk of fungal infection.
- Improve Morale
- Even the best equipment can be destroyed if water gets inside. Here is how to avoid that happening.
Line Your Backpack From Inside
Rain covers can help, but they may not provide complete protection in Indian monsoon conditions.
Therefore, to increase its reliability under such conditions, ensure to line the inside of your backpack by:
Heavy-duty garbage bags (black liners)
Compactors or rubble bags (thicker and stronger) should be considered.
Specially-designed backpack liners for dry bags
Once your bag is lined, add all of your essential items-clothes, electronic devices, and sleeping bags-into it for safekeeping. Make sure all these are secured inside.
Essential Bag for Safe Storage to safeguard sensitive equipment such as your phone and power bank, as well as documents:
Utilize Ziploc bags or waterproof pouches when transporting items.
Please place them in an easily accessible area in a separate dry bag for safekeeping.
Hack: Placing electronics inside a ziplock bag and placing them inside clothing will help minimize condensation damage to the device.
Waterproofing Your Tent
Most budget tents sold in India are water-resistant but not waterproof.
Here’s how you can monsoon-proof it:
- First, cover your ground. Place an additional covering beneath your tent to prevent groundwater from seeping into it and potentially flooding it.
- Substituting Tarp for Tent. When using your tent, cover it with an enormous polyethylene sheet or waterproof tarp, angled to allow water to pass freely beneath.
- Seam Sealer can provide long-term protection for the seams of your tent during travel. Apply sealing silicone to seal all seams before heading out on an adventure!
- Use a Microfiber Cloth daily for water cleanup.
Protect Your Shoes
Blisters can make the feet sore. To stop this, it is wise to:
Make sure that you wear quick-dry or waterproof socks.
Use either a waterproofing or wax spray on your footwear (especially suede and mesh styles). This will keep the environment as safe as possible while helping preserve their lifespan.
Take one pair of lighter sandals or floating sandals when crossing rivers or using campsite facilities.
Antiquated tricks that provide extra security (only when necessary). For instance, using plastic bags around your feet before donning socks is an emergency measure.
Dry Bag Is a Lifesaver
Put money aside to purchase at least two large dry-goods bags (5-10 Liters each) to store essential items.
This may include: Sleeping bag, clothing, spare power banks, and electronic components
Even if your backpack gets wet, these bags can help your trip continue smoothly.
Care of Electronics in Humid Conditions
Rain can be particularly harsh on power banks, flashlights, and phones, particularly under humid conditions.
Use: To keep electronics functioning at their best in moist conditions.
Silica gel bags and Chalk sticks placed inside electronic pouches soak up moisture.
Ziplock and Cloth Layer
Remember to charge your phone or power bank without placing it into water!
Quick Dry Clothes and Storage
Then opt for Merino wool fabrics as quick-dry options, like Woolite.
Cotton tends to swell when exposed to moisture and may dry out over time, leading to uneven distribution and an unpleasant experience for users.
Divide clothes into individual ziplock bags, dry sacks, or dry containers and label them for easier access: camp wear, nightwear, emergency attire, or other necessary items.
Trekup India Trek Leader Tips
Pack extra plastic or garbage bags – they make excellent rain gear, packing cubes, and makeshift ponchos.
Be wary of overburdening the raincover: too snug will cause it to be torn open; too loose could result in its falling off altogether.
When camping, secure clothing under a Tarp using paracord or guyline.
Conclusion
Trekking during India’s monsoon season will provide an unforgettable experience of lush beauty, misty clouds, and unspoiled wilderness if your equipment can withstand the elements. When fitted with waterproofing measures that protect from rainstorms or river crossings, dense jungles, or dense rainy weather, you won’t become completely immersed.
Starting with your backpack liner and dry bags lined with plastic liners, applying silica gel to electronic devices, waxing shoes and footwear, and using silica gel, these efficient yet straightforward steps can make an enormous difference on any trek. At Trekup India, we have witnessed that an experienced trekker not only stays dry and safe in any climate – they also fly more easily with less risk and greater positivity.
Before heading off into the rain, ensure your waterproofing measures are up-to-date – it should serve you, not be the source of damage.
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Want To Trek Like Pro?
Check out the following videos if you want to trek like a pro trekker and improve your skills. These videos contain helpful tips, tricks, and techniques to help you trek like a pro. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced trekker, these videos can provide valuable insights to enhance your trekking experience. So, watch the videos below by Trekup India experts to take your trekking skills to the next level.
Know Everything About Acute Mountain Sickness
Acute Mountain Sickness is a medical condition that can occur when individuals travel to high altitudes, typically above 8,000 feet. It is caused by the decrease in air pressure and oxygen levels in the air as altitude increases. Symptoms of Acute Mountain Sickness may include headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and difficulty sleeping. To avoid Acute Mountain Sickness, it is important to gradually adjust to high altitudes and seek medical attention if symptoms worsen. To learn more about this condition, check out the videos by Trekup India.
The scenery and 24-hour sun on these Norwegian isles are no longer a secret
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Solo Travellers
The Best Ear Protection for Kids to Wear at Concerts, Fireworks, and Sporting Events
There’s a reason your child covers their ears every time you walk past a construction site. Little ears are sensitive—and they’re especially vulnerable in the presence of fireworks, race cars, and screaming Taylor Swift fans. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, prolonged exposure to noise above 85 decibels (dB)—the typical volume of a hair dryer—can cause permanent hearing damage, even for adults. Now imagine your child at a Fourth of July firework festival, where pyrotechnics displays can top 150 dB, and you understand why packing ear protection is just as crucial as sunscreen and snacks.
“Our ears are always on,” says Dr. Brian J. Fligor, a pediatric audiologist, author of Understanding Childhood Hearing Loss, and president of Tobias & Battite Hearing Wellness in Boston. “Hearing is crucial for our language development and navigation of the world. That’s why we must protect children’s hearing from birth.”
The good news? Today’s earmuffs—over-the-ear headsets that help block noise—are lightweight, comfortable, and stylish enough that most kids won’t put up a fight over wearing them. They’re also designed to lower the decibel level without muffling or distorting sound entirely. (The goal is volume reduction, not total silence.)
Dr. Fligor advises using protection any time an event is loud enough to startle a child or requires shouting in order to be heard. He also recommends it when riding ATVs, snowmobiles, or other powersport vehicles where engines are not particularly well-muffled. And while hearing protection is not necessary on commercial flights, he absolutely recommends muffs for smaller bush and prop planes, or when attending a jet flyover show. If you’re not sure how to gauge the noise risk in any given situation, there’s an app for that: Decibel X sound meter for iOS and Android offers a real-time frequency analyzer for spot checks.
We asked Dr. Fligor, a father of four, along with other travel-savvy parents about the muffs that work best for their kids and why. Below, the best kid-approved picks for the ultimate ear protection.
FAQ:
What should I look for to find the best ear protection for kids?
Aim for a minimum noise reduction rating (NRR) of 22 to 27 dB for general use, says Dr. Fligor. For especially loud environments—like fireworks shows or racing events—higher is better.
What ages need ear protection?
Exposure to loud noise—anything over 85 dB—can cause permanent hearing damage in children and adults alike, which is why it’s so essential to protect our hearing from birth onward. Proactive protection for kids is especially important because they are less likely to self-regulate and move away from noise if it gets too loud.
Which type of ear protection is better for kids: earplugs or earmuffs?
For babies, toddlers, and grade schoolers, over-the-ear muffs are the safest and easiest option. They’re more comfortable, stay in place better, and don’t pose a choking hazard the way earplugs might. Dr. Fligor advises against using earplugs for children until they are old enough to report accurately on their comfort and effectiveness, typically around age seven or older. For tweens and teens, high-fidelity earplugs like Loop or Etymotic work well because they dampen volume without distorting sound (ideal for concerts).
How can I tell if the ear protection fits correctly?
“Earmuffs should form a snug but gentle seal around the ears without any gapping,” says Dr. Fligor. That means the cups are large enough to fit around the entire ear— including the flap of cartilage around the edge, called the pinna—and sit along the jaw. If they slip forward or the ears poke out, it’s not tight enough. If they leave indentations or the child complains about pressure, it’s too tight. To double check the fit, ask your child to shake their head while wearing them: If the earmuffs shift easily or slide off, they’re too loose.
For Jo Piazza and Nick Aster, a camper van trip through the national parks of Colorado and Utah wasn’t just a summer escape—it was a way to reconnect with the adventures they loved pre-kids. “It was time for a trip out west,” Jo says. “We’d visited a lot of these national parks when we lived in San Francisco, but now it was about showing our kids—Charlie, 5, and Beatrix, 3—what makes these places so special.”
The couple, who live in Philadelphia and were expecting their third child at the time (Eliza, now born), mapped out a 10-day loop that started and ended in Denver. Along the way, they visited Rocky Mountain National Park, Steamboat Springs, Dinosaur National Monument, Moab, Arches, Canyonlands, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, and Breckenridge. “It was a bit of an epic romp,” Jo laughs. Here’s how they spent their family vacation—and how much it cost.
Why rent a camper van?
Pregnant, outdoorsy, and realistic about the physical demands of camping with two small kids, Jo knew she needed more than a tent. “Sleeping on the ground just wasn’t going to cut it,” she says. “A van gave me a good place to sleep—and full disclosure, Nick often slept out in the tent with the kids to give me a bit of luxury.”
They rented their “cabin camper” through Outdoorsy—a fully tricked-out truck with a massive cap in the back that felt like a log cabin on wheels. “People commented on it everywhere we went,” Jo says. “We’d get high fives, people asking to take pictures. At one point, someone said, ‘Hey man, we saw you in Canyonlands two days ago! That thing is awesome.”
Planning a flexible route around national parks
Unlike their usual meticulously planned vacations, this one was intentionally open-ended. “We had a general loop in mind,” Jo explains. “We knew we wanted to hit Rocky Mountain right away since it’s so close to the airport, and we knew Charlie would go bananas for Dinosaur. But the rest we figured out as we went. That’s the beauty of traveling by van—you don’t need to lock in hotels every night.”
This flexibility came in handy during a July heatwave in Moab. “We broke up the camping with a stay at the super-unhip Marriott,” Jo says. “It had a fake red rock pool and a mini water park. It flew in the face of the National Park ethos, but with 100-degree heat and two little kids, we just leaned in. They loved it.”
Top highlights for parents and kids
The kids’ favorite moments weren’t always the ones Jo and Nick would’ve picked, but they rolled with it. “They’re still talking about the pool in Moab and the fossil quarry at Dinosaur National Monument,” Jo says. “Also, they were weirdly into how much attention the van got.”
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