Travel Tip #47 - Preparing for a Backpacking Trip

     To someone who has been backpacking before, this tip is obvious. However, even an experienced backpacker usually ends up taking too much stuff on backpacking trips. What seems essential while you're sitting in your living room packing your pack may not seem so essential as you're lugging your 40 lb. pack up the side of a mountain. So here are some tips to consider when packing for a backpacking trip.

     1. Get a sturdy, lightweight pack. When I was a boy scout, all backpack were large, clunky, and had external metal-framed. In recent years, the much preferred backpack is more compact with a sturdy, yet lightweight internal frame. Not only are they better balanced, but they force you to pack lighter - which is essential for a successful trip.

     2. Remember the 10 essentials. According to Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills, there are ten essentials that any backpacker needs access to in order to have a fun, safe hike. Other organizations, such as the Boy Scouts, have adopted the list. The revised 2003 edition of the list identifies the 10 essentials as: Navigation, Sun Protection, Insulation, Illumination, First Aid supplies, Fire, Repair Kit and Tools, Nutrition, Hydration, and Emergency Shelter. For more detailed information on the 10 essentials, I'd encourage you to check out the following checklist.

     3. After the 10 essentials, bring only the bare necessities. When packing clothes, your main goal is to stay warm and protected from the sun. You don't want to bring an outfit for every day; rather, you will want a spare set of dry clothes to change into if they get wet. Other than that , try to reuse what you have. When packing food, plan your meals beforehand, relying heavily on lightweight dehydrated food. If you plan on fishing for your meals, make sure you have enough nourishment to get by in case you don't catch any fish. Remember, you don't need to eat like kings; eating like peasants will do. If you will be hiking where there are plenty of streams, don't carry enough water to last the whole trip; rather, carry enough for a day, and bring a lightweight water purifier to refill your bottles. (Just make sure you know how to use it ahead of time). Know how much fuel will need in order to boil water and cook your meals, so that you bring enough, but not too much. Let nature be your entertainment. The last thing you want to do is lug around unnecessary weight. A good rule of thumb is: If you can't decide whether or not you'll need it, you probably will not need it.

     4. For a long trip, it is worth the extra money to get lightweight equipment. Usually, I tend to buy things in bulk because they are cheaper. However, when backpacking, smaller, lightweight items are often worth every dollar. This principle is most easily applied when preparing toiletries - buy travel sizes. But it also applies to tents, sleeping bags, cameras, clothing, food, and fuel. I know hikers who cut the handle off of their toothbrushes to cut weight. After eight hours of carrying a pack, you will realize that every ounce counts.

     5. Be familiar with your map/navigation system. The last thing you want to do is get lost. That's how you die. So make sure you can use your navigation system. You also need to know how far apart water sources are so that you can carry enough water to get you from one source to the next. Also, make sure that someone else, who's not in your group, knows your route so that if you don't come home at the appropriate time, they can send help.

     For more ideas on how to prepare, you might want to check out this site. Have fun and be safe!