Introduction to hiking

Introduction to Hiking

I’ve been hiking for a long time—long enough to know that I’ll never know it all. I’ve been training people in hiking since, well, about the time Jesus played under-14’s rugby for Jerusalem. And even after all these years, I’m still learning.

That being said, I do know enough to get myself into (and usually back out of) trouble on most occasions. One of the best tools I’ve come up with over the years is a simple way to classify hikers—and really, any adventurer. It’s not complicated, but it keeps me honest and, more importantly, keeps me alive. The rule is simple: the less experience I have, the more preparation I need.

Kris Bullen (Director)Scout Leader 2008 — **Kris Bullen** (Director)
Scout Leader 2008

**Outdoor Adventure Australia Hiker classification matrix**

The Hiker Classification Matrix

To explain this, I use what I call the Hiker Classification Matrix. It’s a simple framework that balances two things:

Experience (how much time you’ve already spent outdoors)
Preparation (how much effort you’ve put in before the trip)

Here’s how it breaks down:

Experienced + Prepared = The Fun Zone
This is where you want to be. You’ve got the skills, the gear, and the know-how, so the adventure feels rewarding instead of stressful.
Experienced + Unprepared = The Hazardous Zone
You know what you’re doing, but you’ve cut corners on planning. This is where overconfidence can bite you.
Inexperienced + Prepared = The Challenging Zone
You’re new, but you’ve done the homework. Things might still be tough, but you’ll likely be safe and learn a ton along the way.
Inexperienced + Unprepared = The Danger Zone
This is where things can go badly, fast. If you’re both new and unprepared, you’re relying on luck—and that’s not a strategy.

What Counts as Preparation?

Preparation really fits into two categories:

Existing Preparation – the things you already have:

Knowledge
Skills
Experience
Gear
Attitude

Proactive Preparation – the things you deliberately do before heading out:

Checking weather forecasts
Researching terrain
Reading prior trip reports
Upgrading or testing gear
Physical training
Emergency planning
Route planning and familiarisation

The trick is knowing where you sit on the matrix, then adjusting your preparation to match. If you’re light on experience, double down on preparation. If you’re experienced, don’t let that fool you into being lazy.