I am planning to go hiking, it's a four hour walk and my first solo hike. The problem is that I have zero idea what to take with me, or what are the essential rules/tips for hiking. plz help

>>2827775 (OP)
Where are you going hiking? This is an important factor.

>>2827778
Im going hiking in the alpine region, not climbing a mountain, just a 500m hill. The trail is quite popular, so there shouldn't be any dangerous animals.

>>2827775 (OP)
Just dress appropriately depending on the weather desu and bring extra layers just in case. Also Bring some food and plenty of water
That's all you really need nothing fancy desu

>>2827784
Thanks, the weather in the next couple of days looks good, so it will be a blast.

>>2827775 (OP)
Some basics :
>shoes that are already broken in, you don't want blisters
>water and food
>look up the weather in advance, dress accordingly. Grab a hat or cap regardless because it could be useful in case of rain or sun
>sunscreen. Don't be that guy who thinks he's too tough to need sunscreen and that it's for women who want a tan. Wear the fucking sunscreen. Or if you don't, then wear long sleeves and pants.
>your phone. It's extra trendy now to "just want to disconnect from everything, man" and if that's what you want then take your phone, turn it off and use a paper map. But take your phone. If you get hurt and can't move, you need to be able to call for help. You can use it for maps too.
That's kind of it. Four hours isn't that long so you don't need much more. Get a tiny first aid kit if you're really paranoid I guess.
If you're going to be following a popular trail then you don't need much for orientation, nor do you need camping gear since you're not spending the night there.
oh and most importantly :
>a plushie or figurine of you're waifu so you can take a photo of it at the summit and post it here

>>2827775 (OP)
>four hour
doesn't mean anything. Speeds vary massively between people and terrain, for example, I do 7kmh fresh with no weight, and 2-3kmh tired with full pack.
>what to take for 500m elevation
Depends on the area (climate) and terrain. As a general rule, dress so you're slightly cold when starting, else you'll sweat terribly. For longer hikes, you'd bring a jacket to cover up during breaks, but 4h should be possible without breaks, to.
Other than that:
>suitable footwear
For such a short hike, and on a maintained trail, don't bother with boots. Just wear whatever is comfy. Personally, I'd use flat-soled running shoes (cheap feiyue) since those are what I have, but any shoe will work. Just don't take any you don't want scuffed or scratched. Wear wool socks if you have any, since they remove the sweat more efficiently, meaning your skin won't soften as quickly. But again, 4h is short, so it doesn't matter much.
>water
bring enough. For me (~90kg, sweating lots) that'd be 1,5-2l. I usually bring ~1l + a filter so I don't have to switch canteens midhike, bcs. taking off the pack sucks when you're sweaty.
>sun protection
Wear a hat, preferably with a wide brim. Keeps the sun out, and also keeps branches, spidernets etc away from your eyes.
>fak
bring some bandaids at least, a few bandages if you have them anyways. Unlikely that you'll need them, but better to be prepared in case you stumble and skin a knee, or twist an ankle.
>comms, navigation
bring your phone, and install an offline navigation app like osmand just in case. And if all else should fail, follow water - go downhill until you find a stream, then follow that downstream until you see a street or town.