How to Pack for a Weekend Backpacking Trip

If your planning on making an overnight or weekend backpacking trip, congratulations, you won't regret it. Backpacking is one of the most fulfilling hobbies out there, and if your blessed enough to have overnight trails nearby then take advantage of them as much as possible.

A few tips that you should keep in mind before you pack are:

1) Know when to leave. Find out how long the trail is from the head (beginning) until your campsite. Also, find out the sunset time. You'll want no less than an hour of full daylight after you reach your campsite; if you're a beginner, then maybe two. Allow yourself an average of one and a half miles an hour on the trail. This should give time for breaks and lunch. Multiply the miles that you plan on hiking by 1.5 to 2, and then simply Count back from the time you want to be at your campsite.

2) Know your limits. Find a topographical map of the trail, and if the trail gains 500 ft in a mile then don't do it if your a beginner. Generally, most developed trails will have a ranking. The trail description on the map or website should say: easy, medium, or hard.

3)Know you water source. Check your map and do some research. If there is a creek or a spring near your campsite then your golden. Just boil creek water for several minutes to make it drinkable. If not, bring two-liters per day of water; plus what you'll need for cooking.

Packing is half the battle. Pack things right and you'll have a good night, but pack things wrong you'll be up all night long.

The first step is deciding how much food to take. As a general rule of thumb, I take no less than 6,000 calories of food. If you're just hiking a few miles then you won't need quite so much. A meal replacement bar (Met-RX Colossal 100 is my choice) for a trail lunch is ideal. A supper menu is purely up to taste. Dried goods are ideal. There are plenty of resources for easy and light recipes, but rice with dried vegetables always works. Packs of instant oatmeal are quick, easy, and tasty for breakfast.

Here is a list of other essentials

-First Aid kit. If you are hiking alone or with one or two other people, then a personal kit should suffice for the group.

-Rain gear. A pack cover, a personal poncho, and a dining fly for the group will do.

-Clothing. Two changes of socks per day, sock liners if available, a change of underwear, camp shoes (comfortable flip-flops for around the site), and a bandanna. You'll probably want a long shirt and thermal pants for the night, and maybe even gloves and a beanie if it is to cold.

-Cookware. A gas stove or a liquid fuel stove, pot, bowl, spork (Taco Bell's plastic sporks are light and disposable), desired spices, a mug or cup, something to scrape the pot, matches, and pot holder.

-Misc. Sunglasses, pen & paper, camera, watch, hiking stick, pocket knife or multi-tool, duct tape, toothbrush & toothpaste, camp suds (a fantastic biodegradable soap for camping), rope & bag for hanging food at night, extra rope, sunscreen, and toilet paper, sleeping bag, tent, sleeping pad.

How to pack:

Generally, you want the heaviest items on the bottom. Put whatever solid items you can inside the pot and place it at the base of your pack. Put your clothing and other items in ziplock bags and place them above the heavier items. The philosophy is that you want to position the weight on your hips, and use your back and shoulders for stabilization.

Certain packs will allow enough space to put either your sleeping bag or tent inside, and maybe even both. Ideally, you'll want to put your sleeping pad on the outside. Its light enough to not throw off your balance, but bulky enough to not want it inside.

You'll want to keep your first aid kit, knife, water, and rain gear in an easily accessible compartment in case they are needed. It is also a good idea to keep trail snacks such as beef jerky or trail mix out as well.

If you want to study packing and backpacking further I'd suggest checking out backpackermagazine.com or picking up a Boy Scout manual. There are plenty of resources available in libraries and the internet. Happy camping!