Notice your surroundings. If there’s a low-hanging branch up ahead, carefully crouch under it instead of blazing through and causing the leaves to rustle. Walk where there’s cover. Whether you’re walking through trees, buildings or furniture, stay close to cover, like an animal would. Don’t walk in open areas where it’s easy for you to be seen. Have steady movements. Think of the way a cat moves when stalking its prey. Move your body in a steady rhythm so that the sounds you make are steady, too. Random sounds will be more noticeable. Go on stealth runs and practice moving as quietly and unnoticeably as possible. Don’t worry about how fast you’re going.
You can run toe first, too. It’s easier to do this barefoot or with minimalist shoes that don’t have a lot of cushioning. Your body will naturally tend to lead with the balls of your feet rather than striking the ground forcefully with your heels.
If you’re in a forest, walk along game trails or dirt paths mostly clear of leaves and sticks. Watch out for puddles, gravel, rustling bushes, and crackly sticks. If you’re on city streets, edge along buildings and weave through alleys. Cross the street with large crowds of people. Avoid gravel, metal grates, and wooden boardwalks, which tend to be loud. Avoid areas where your footsteps might produce an echo, like tunnels and underpasses. If you’re indoors, weave through large items of furniture. Stay out of rooms that have a lot of clutter. Take back entrances instead of front doors. Choose carpeted rooms and staircases instead of hardwood floors and stairs. If you are walking up wooden stairs, try stepping in the middle of the stair at the edge. It’s structurally the strongest point on the stair and should reduce creaking to a minimum. Do not follow roads if you are running from a car. This should be obvious, but you would be surprised.
If you’re sneaking for the first time, you may be scared of getting caught, which could cause your breathing to quicken. If you feel panicked, try imagining that you’re on a beach on a nice, warm, sunny day, or go to another “happy place” in your mind. Stay there until you feel calm. [5] X Research source
If you’re in a house, it’s best to wear socks, as they are soft, and they are comfortably fitting. Going barefoot is also a good option, unless the floors are wood. Depending on your natural tendencies, sweat and excess moisture may cause you to slightly stick to the floor. This doesn’t hinder your pace, however if it is dead quiet, like the middle of the night, and a target is near, the tiny ‘schluk’ noises your foot may make can be very detrimental. Wearing socks is nearly always your best bet indoors. Carry your shoes with you and put them on when you’re clear of the house. If you’re in a place with lots of grass or leaves, use socks or go with bare feet, carrying your shoes, however be wary about going barefoot in an area containing many rocks, glass/bottles, or patches of spiny plants. The last thing you want is a bleeding or painful foot while trying to sneak away. You could also wear toe shoes or water shoes, but be careful: if these types of shoes get soaked, they can emit a “squish” sound as your foot hits the ground. To cross a rocky place (pebbles, gravel, etc. ), you must use a pair of thick socks or bare feet. Soft socks and bare feet cushion the impact, but shoes will push the stones down and out, making the sound of rocks moving. For walking in a mixed environment, like a suburban street with a road, gravel, and grass, wear running shoes with soft, flexible soles. Be careful not to walk flat-footed with these shoes.
If you’re walking around at night in a city, tight black clothing will do. If you’re in a natural area (a field or forest) wear loose clothing to distort and break up the human figure. Wear dark browns and greens instead of black, because black stands out. Don’t wear anything that will reflect light. Remove shiny jewelry, and try wearing contacts instead of eyeglasses. Try not to wear heavy gear. All it will do is fatigue you and make it harder to move. This will also make more noise.
Take one of the objects out quickly and throw it at the nearest hard surface that is in the opposite direction to create noise. If the noise you made was louder than the one they think they heard, they are likely to look at where that noise came from, allowing you to slip away undetected. You can pick up a stick or another object and throw it in a certain direction. The person will move to inspect it while you go in the opposite direction. Just remember that if the object is too big, the person looking for you might see it and find out not only that you’re there, but also the direction it was thrown from.
Do not go into any areas with fake weapons (Airsoft, Nerf, etc. ). If you do use airsoft, make sure any gun is not loaded.
A fun thing to do with a (stealthy) friend is to set an objective, like getting to a cookie jar in a remote place. It should be something that can be done quietly, but perhaps not easily, such as removing an object from a container. With a friend, sneaking creates intense, exciting memories.
