Taking the Plunge: A Real Talk Guide to Introducing Friends to Outdoor Sports

The dos and don'ts of sharing your favorite outdoor activities without turning your friends away.

I remember my first time. In fact, I recall many first times, especially those that were painful. Our initial experiences with anything can be fraught with anxiety and fear, particularly in outdoor sports like climbing, hiking, water sports, and snow sports. You'd think that venturing into these sports for the first time would be all fun, right? Unfortunately, that's not always the case. Imagine taking a friend climbing who has never worn a harness or seen a crash pad. I'm willing to bet that most people's first time will be a struggle, just like dragging someone who doesn't hike on a grueling 15-mile hike with the notion that it would be a fun, chill hike—so they wear their most beat-up pair of Converse. It won’t come as a shock when they're overwhelmed, and chances are, they won’t be eager for a second round in the future.

We all want to share our hobbies and passions with our friends—why wouldn’t you? Go climbing or surfing with friends; everything is better with friends, well, maybe not everything. So, it's crucial to set the stage for those initial experiences. For example, taking a friend out skiing in Utah who’s never seen snow before because they grew up in Southern California? Well, there are two options: they either love it, or they spend the day falling and leave with a bruised tailbone.

Common Mistakes When Bringing Newcomers

One major blunder I’ve seen and experienced is overestimating what your newbie friend can handle, both physically and mentally. Maybe they’ve convinced you (and themselves) that it's all just a walk in the park, or they’ve climbed before—plenty, 5 years ago, at a gym they don't remember. You find out pretty quickly whether that's true. Here are my four rules:

Don't Ambush Them

What I mean by this is, don't just say, "Hey, want to go on a chill hike?" and then meet them at the trailhead for a 100-mile hike with 10,000 feet of elevation gain. That’s not cool. They’ll end up hating the sport and possibly you.

Tell Them What to Bring

This is simple: if the activity calls for hiking boots or running shoes, say so. Or if you plan on dragging your friend up an offwidth, tell them to leave the gym shorts at home. Oh yeah, and remind them to bring snacks.

It's About the Newbie, Not About You

If you've invited someone, whether it's a stranger or a friend, and it’s their first time, don't make it about you. Enjoy whatever it is you’re doing together.

Don't Show Off

Don’t show off your one-arm pull-up to your friend and ask him if he can do one too when you know damn well he can’t. You certainly should climb something impressive and impress your friend, but don’t overdo it. There’s a fine line.

Don't Leave Them

Don’t abandon them; it's simple. If you go skiing, don’t zip down the blue diamond run while your pal is still figuring out how to pizza and French fry right off the lift.

If you follow these four rules, your time with your beginner friend will be a blast. Fail to do so, and you should consider it poor guidance. So, next time you're planning on going surfing and inviting your pal who’s never worn a wetsuit, give them a basic lesson on going out there and having fun. Don’t let them get washed up by waves and swallow a mouthful of salt water. It might be funny to you, but not to them.

I’ve Learned My Lesson

I remember my first time surfing when I was 14, not having a clue what I was getting myself into. I was a cocky kid who felt confident and thought to myself, "How hard can this be? I know how to swim." My buddy, an experienced surfer, was dropping in on waves I had no business trying to catch. He didn’t have an extra wetsuit for me, and I didn’t own one. He lent me an extra pair of XL board shorts—I wear a size small for reference—and the board he loaned me was a sharp, short board, not beginner-friendly at all. The shorts dragged on my waist, and despite the drawstring, they kept falling down and exposing my butt crack—sorry to everyone who had to see that. We strapped the boards to our ankles, and I followed his lead running towards the ocean like we were a duo on Baywatch. Once the water was deep enough, I body-slammed onto the board, teetering side to side, trying not to tip over. By the time I straightened up, my friend was 40 feet ahead of me, duck diving under incoming waves. I started paddling, and one by one, waves pounded the top of my head. I looked up, and everyone on the lineup was getting smaller and smaller, and my friend was nowhere to be seen. The waves didn't stop; huge mouthfuls of salt water and heaving for air, I decided to call it quits. I turned back. I’ll never forget sitting on the shore with my wetsuit on, watching everyone. It was humbling, to say the least.

I learned that I’m going to suck at first at almost everything, and I can either always suck or come back, try again, and not suck as much as I did the first time.

Why Keep At It?

So why keep going if that first time was so miserable? It’s largely because we should continue to challenge ourselves and improve, but the real kicker is the benefits of sticking with any sport or activity, especially ones that rely on nature. They’re good for your mind, body, and soul. You forget all the bad—the bill you're behind on, forget about it; focus on not falling. Did you take the chicken out of the fridge? Who cares, you have 4 miles to go. It’s an instant escape from the nuances and stressors of life. The sense of achievement we get from surprising ourselves or watching improvement right before our eyes is priceless. Nothing compares to it. We all remember that sweet summit sandwich and how much better it tasted because you earned it hiking up here, that beer after a day of climbing and sending a project at your local crag, or smoking a joint after catching the best wave of your life.

What's the Right Difficulty Level and How Do You Know?

Choosing the right difficulty level for a beginner is more art than science. It's about gauging and understanding what excites the newbie, what scares them, and when the last time they ran a mile was. Are they apt for an easy hiking trail with a few steep sections or a peaceful 3-mile loop around the lake? Then, on one hand, you invite a friend who’s never snowboarded but they are a ripper on the skateboard; 9/10 times, they’ll be just fine after the first hour. They understand the mechanics and they’re used to being on a board. Just don’t take someone surfing who doesn’t know how to swim—how crazy does that sound?

What About After?

The day either is a success, or it was a suffer-fest. Well, if it’s the latter, you need to switch the vibe from suffer-fest to smiles. Don’t just let it end there; end with a bang. Think greasy cheeseburgers from the local restaurant, a cold beer from a nearby dive bar, or kicking back with a joint (where it’s legal, of course). You have to be able to laugh at the chaos. It’s about turning a wild, maybe not so fun adventure for someone into a “Hey, I want to do this again because I love the feeling afterward and getting food.” It’s also called type 2 fun. And hell, that’s the time to convince them for the next adventure.

Opening Doors

Introducing someone to outdoor sports or any physical pursuit is all about opening the door for them to new adventures, to new experiences. Whether you’re guiding a friend or a stranger for their first time climbing, kayaking, or skiing, remember it’s about the experience and the joy of experiencing this with people you love. After all, everyone starts somewhere, and a good start can lead to a lifelong journey.

Now you remember your first time.

When your intro to hiking turns into a marathon, and the only way out is hitching a ride home.

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