Backpacking for Beginners

Here's the scenario. Your friends have invited you on a weekend backpacking trip to the great Grand Canyon. You're psyched to spend a weekend out with your friends, but you realize you have no clue what to pack or where to begin. That's where I come in. Mr. Backpack. I will tell you what you need to get started, and cover a few extras along the way.

Obviously, the first thing you will need to go backpacking, is well, a backpack! Whether you are buying or renting, a good quality backpack will mean the difference between life and death. OK, maybe not death, but it will make a difference in your quality of life on your trip. There is no right or wrong backpack, but it is a good idea to try on a few and make sure you like the way it feels. Most internal frame backpacks have adjustable straps to ensure a snug and friendly fit. I will not cover all the details on how to fit it just right, that takes patience and a personal touch to get it just right. What I will tell you is where to start. Head down to your local sports retailer, and ask someone there to help you try a few on. Hint: For a weekend trip, you probably want a pack sized somewhere in the 3600 cubic inch to 4500 cubic inch range. And don't be overwhelmed at the many choices and pick one that is the most expensive. More expensive packs just have more features like waterproofing or a pivoting waist belt. You're looking for simplicity here to get you started. Go to REI and check out some packs. They also have many useful tutorials on there to show you how to properly fit a pack.

The second necessity you will likely need out there is water. But how do you store it? Well my friend, you need a bladder. I personally use a CamelBak Omega that holds just about 3 liters of water. And don't worry, your pack will have a spot for safe storage of your bladder. So what happens when you run out of water? That's where a water purifier comes in. There are two subtle differences between a water purifier and a water filter. A water filter will remove most bacteria and sediments from the water you are about to partake of. A water purifier will rid the water of almost every micro-organism you can sick from including parasites. A filter may not catch these buggers as they are smaller than the bacteria. You want it easy and cheap? Get yourself a Katadyn Hiker Pro water filter and buy some water purification tablets to kill the left over bugs. Take it from me, it's better to be safe than sorry. Just make sure to read the directions on the tablets first, as it usually takes about 4 hours before the water is "safe" to drink.

The next thing I am going to tell you about is a First Aid Kit. This is a must so think of it as your "survival" kit as well. If you think you are John Rambo, you are kidding yourself. The little band-aid and match tucked into your knife simply won't do. You can make one at home, but I recommend buying one ready to go. Campmor offers a great kit to get you started called the Ultralight .7 First Aid Kit. If you don't have time to wait for it in the mail, check out the essentials in there and make sure you buy a comparable one. And one more thing, don't be afraid to add your own little extras. I have a fishing hook and line in mine. This is one of the items in my pack I don't care how much it weighs. When it comes to survival, you want to be able to make it out alive.

Now on to the sleeping arrangements. Sure, you can sleep on the ground. I prefer to not have spiders and ants, or even bears, crawling all over me while I sleep. So you'll need a tent. Look into a lightweight "made for backpacking" tent. There are too many different styles to get into here, just make sure it is light and comfy. I use a Kelty Teton 2, which is made for two people and comes in and just under 5 pounds. Sure, they make lighter ones, but this tent is warm and has plenty of room inside for me and my bag. Some tents have what are known as vestibules. A vestibule hangs out over your tent, usually in front of the opening, and protects your gear from the elements. I don't keep my gear under the vestibule, because I would rather not have bugs crawling in my boots and my pack during the night. My advice, you don't absolutely need a tent that has one. All in all, just make sure you find a tent you will be happy with. While sleeping in your tent, it will be nice to be cozy and warm. That's where your sleeping bag comes in. I use a 0 degree bag all year. If your not going to be backpacking through the Everglades, and sleeping bag rated at 0 degrees will do. Some people think I am crazy in the summer time, but all you have to do if you get warm is give it a little unzip and you're good to go. It might also be a good idea to get a sleeping bag. These come in various shapes, sizes, and weights. Some self inflate and some you have to deplete your body of oxygen completely before it is inflated. They are an added weight and expense to your trip, but they are good for two reasons. The first reason is that you will more than likely sleep like a baby throughout the night because you don't have twigs and rocks poking you in the back. The second reason is they keep you off the ground, which will give you insulation to keep you warm.

So we have the essentials, but I'm hungry what about you? There are a lot of magazines out there that will show you exotic recipes you can take into the back country with you. You may think you are going to need a thousand Ziploc baggies to store all your food in. I am here to tell you there is a simple and easy alternative to packaging your own food for hiking. It's called pre-made freeze dried meals. Now you may be thinking freeze dried ice-cream from the early 70's, but this stuff is much better! They have a variety of different type of foods; from scrambled eggs, to chili Mac with beef, to blueberry cobbler. There are two brands that make these delicious meal substitutes, Backpackers Pantry and Mountainhouse. Both make excellent tasting high caloric meals that will keep you truckin' along on the trail. I am not a physician or nutrition instructor, so I can't tell you how much you'll need. That's up to your belly! Do be sure to pack some of your favorite extras like coffee packets, sugar, Tabasco and salt. But Dave, what do I cook it in? You'll need a fine piece of cookery to get you off and eating. There are various brands and types of cookware out there, but your main focus should be on weight and durability. For this I recommend going Titanium. MSR and Snowpeak make excellent titanium products. Be sure to look through their vast selection and choose one that will best fit your needs. And when you have all that mess figured out, you'll need fire. Some minimalists will only bring flint steel and a striker with them to create fire. They'll go all "hunter-gatherer" in the wild and find wood, kindling and tinder. I prefer to pack in a few extra ounces with my tiny little stove. Yes, there are stoves out there that can fit in the palm of your hand. I recommend the Snowpeak Giga stove. It weighs close to nothing and pumps out and impressive 10,000 btu's of furry. But as I have said many times in this article, take a look around and choose one you like.

The last thing you will need while hiking is clothing. Funny how that comes last. But in all seriousness, buy yourself some nice cotton/nylon blend pants to hike in. There are many different brands to choose from, but I have found Columbia Titanium pants to be the most perfect for almost any occasion. They keep the wind from chilling your bones, and when you get them wet, they dry super quick. Please, for the love of all that is holy, don't find yourself hiking in denim jeans. Denim jeans are not good at wicking moisture, so you will soon find yourself wet and chaffing in area's you didn't really want to be raw. They also restrict your movement which will ensure that you work twice as hard climbing those big switchbacks. Also get yourself a nice moisture wicking shirt. Polyester/nylon blends work well to keep moisture off your back. Cotton shirts absorb sweat, and don't dry as quick, so you're sure to be miserable if you wear one. The last and most important article of clothing you will need is footwear. Some backpackers choose to buy both medium and heavy boots so they have a pair for any occasion. By medium I mean boots that are very light and usually don't offer any sort of ankle support. They often look like shoes, aren't waterproof, and don't offer any sort of load baring support. When I first started hiking, I bought a pair of heavy boots that lace up above the ankle. They have Gor-Tex liners, which is a material that keeps your feet dry and warm. They do add a little more to the poundage, but hey, when it comes to protecting your ankles it's worth it. My philosophy is: if I can tackle a small day hike with heavy boots, then I know they will be good to me with a forty-five pound pack strapped to my back. If you can't handle a small mileage day hike with a pair of nice boots, then you won't be able to backpack. Period.

Remember at the beginning I gave the scenario at the Grand Canyon? All this still holds true to that. However, there are a few things that might change based on your location. Like, if you're hiking rough terrain, you might want a nice hiking pole. Or if you're hiking in Yosemite, you'll need a bear box to hold your food. You'll also want to look into other things such as GPS, gloves, a hat, a compass and maps. There are many different options and styles to your gear possibilities; it will require a little research on your part. I have outlined the bare necessities you will need while backpacking, now it is up to you to make it happen. Have fun shopping for your gear and as always, enjoy the hike.