Le professeur de trail
(MTwarden - you offered so I figured the info would be beneficial to anyone that wants to read or ask)
...so where would someone start?
I have only done day hikes. I have camped but I have not combined the two as in carry in my gear, camp, carry out.
I know people say it starts with an overnight trip and try things out. But even before that, how does it start?
What type of gear is recommended? How do you get the right pack? What gear is needed? not needed?
**No need to share ALL your knowledge right away. I know for me, this is not something that will happen right away. I imagine the gear can be expensive just to get started and there are other priorities at the moment.
Thanks Warden (and others)!
My favorite day of the week is RUNday
Tim
Jamie - you are tall, so you really need to try on packs. DD#1's boyfriend is 6'5" and we bought him an Ospsrey pack that was made for tall people.
After that keep it light the first time. A good sleeping bag and a bivy is east to use (TT uses this, I think). I get hot at night so I can use a lighter pack than the rating suggests. Compact meals and an easy cooking solution are easy to get on REI. Several camping lists are available on Backpacker.com or REI.com sights as far as listing gear for how long you are planning to be out. Practice any fire starting equipment before you go out!
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Jamie, I'm not sure how old your boys are but don't wait too long to connect on that. Of course my daughter grew up being exposed to this stuff right from the get go(she was snowshoeing and skiing at 3). Her first backpacking was done when I thought she could handle a fairly level 3 mile hike so her and I went into the Porkies and took the Pinkerton trail into lake Superior and we camped for a couple nights. She wore her little Snoopy backpack and carried her blanket and stuffed animals in it. We did it in Sept. and I pulled her out of school for it. It actually became an annual event when she was young. Kept it fun, once we got to the big pond we were on her agenda for those couple days. Also a bug free month. Her first canoe trip was real similar.
In all the early age adventures I carried the bulk of the gear for both of us and also a few extra luxuries as I wanted everything to go as well as possible. No sense of any sufferfest stuff to ruin her outlook on it. All fun and lots of play.
When she was in high school we would go out to either the Beartooths or the Wind River range for a weeks vacation every year just her and I. Boy, I miss that stuff.
running under the BigSky
all good advice!
a lot of folks focus on a pack first, but I encourage that you purchase the pack last- it's important to know what, how much and how heavy your gear is before purchasing a pack- I've seen folks purchase very nice lightweight packs only to find that their gear won't fit or that the pack won't handle the load they've assembled
the most important purchase imo is your sleep system (sleeping bag or quilt), this is where it's best not to skimp- I like down, quality down- it's light, it's warm it lasts a long time and more recently most bags are now using water resistant down as well
insure that the temp rating matches what you realistically expect- no need for a 0 degree bag if you're going to be summer camping, conversely don't opt for a lightweight 50 degree bag if you plan on venturing into the Rockies; imo better to be a little on the safe side when choosing a temp rating
you want a good pad underneath your bag as well, a lot of folks who end up cold are cold because of lack of an adequate pad; the newer inflatable pads are really nice- they offer high R values (warm), they are 2-3" thick (super comfy!) and on top of all that they are light and compact- they are not cheap however, there are good closed cell foam pads that are warm, moderately comfy and less expensive (Thermarest Z lite and Ridgerest)
a good shelter is the next priority; for someone just getting into backpacking I'd probably steer them towards a free standing tent of the appropriate size (1/2/3/4 person), bivies and tarps are great for shaving weight, but better getting a little experience under your belt before jumping into one of these shelters
most good backpacking stores rent gear- I'd recommend for your first trip to go this route, packs, sleeping bags, tents, stoves, etc aren't cheap (but given their longevity not overly expensive either!) this option will give you a good sense of what works for you and what doesn't, often if you find a particular piece of gear you really like they will sell it to a substantial discount
definitely a short (as in duration) trip to start to shake things out, you don't want a two week trip into the Rockies as your first trip only to find out things aren't working as they should
last thought, most folks who try backpacking and don't like it, almost always lack adequate fitness for their chosen trip- for this group here this is obviously a non-factor and will make it much (much!) easier to get out and enjoy the outdoors
2023 goal 2023 miles √
2022 goal- 2022 miles √
2021 goal- 2021 miles √
Are we there, yet?
I thought that, too, on my one and only backpacking trip. I was somewhat dismayed to find that my aerobic fitness did not translate well with a lot more vertical gain than I was accustomed to and the 40+ extra pounds I was carrying. I added more lower body strength training to my routine after that trip.
2024 Races:
03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles
05/11 - D3 50K 05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour
06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.
^ true that, a pack w/ it's additional weight definitely changes up the algorithm , several of the ultra runners found that out during the Bob Marshall Open; my long winter hikes w/ a pack (combined w/ a fair bit of running) I think paid off very well over just straight running
BUT in the scheme of things, all the folks on this site are heads and heels above your average person heading out for their first trip
KillJoyFuckStick
I'll be following this thread with keen interest as I'm starting to plan a large scale (10 days or so) for about 1.5 years off.
You people have issues
Faster Than Your Couch!
I suggest camping out somewhat close to your home the first few times, so that interrupting the trip, or cutting it short because you forgot something essential is not a big deal.
I have stayed within one hour of driving on our first camping trips with the kids (and then did only day trips from our "base camp", so it was not what you are envisioning, but something to start from), and I always found it very reassuring to know that if I really needed an item, or if we all got soaked and cold, it would be easy to just go home and either get the item and then continue, or entirely discontinue the "epic fail" trip.
I don't recall ever really going home, but it just felt better, and with kids, you just never know what's going to happen next.
And of course, it's the "fails" that you learn a lot from.
Run for fun.
2/3rds training
agree with most of the above...get your gear sorted and then look at packs. This is also highly dependent on your area and the climate conditions where you will backpack. If it's buggy or has a high chance of rain, a standalone tent is great as far as comfort goes (and comfort goes a long way after hiking all day). The idea of taking regular 5-10 day trips sounds awesome but realistically is not going to happen for me, so I forego creature comforts to get the most distance out of overnight outings. I don't have a very compact, efficient, or light cooking setup so I just roll with bars, gels, trail mix, etc. All these factors will dictate what kind of gear you need and how big a bag you'll need to fit it in.
My not-entirely-running-related 'Gram
You know, entire books have been written on this but we will solve it all with a few postings. Good advice so far though.
First off a random opinion--the emphasis over the last several years has been going lighter and lighter to the point where it's some sort of manly badge of honor to do a spartan survival trip. Personally I view it as a vacation adventure and I want to be comfortable and enjoy my time out there. Why suffer? On the other hand every extra pound you carry will feel like 10lbs out on a technical vertical climb. It always comes down to weight vs. comfort and weight vs. bulk in packing.
As I have stated here a number of times I have an over abundance of gear---6 tents, 5 sleeping bags, 5 pads, 3 stoves, 5 backpacks, etc. I usually sit on a crate in the man cave with my stuff spread out and stare at it all unable to decide what to take. Generally I am able to figure things out and pack things right but I have also cursed myself out there for overpacking a few needless items. They tend to get heavier by the day.
Anyway, a couple more items to consider--
Trekker poles--pretty nice when toting a heavy pack on rough trail
A lightweight stove and at least a pot or two for cooking.
A filter or steri-pen or something for your water. Couple nalgene bottles or collapsible water container too.
Possibly a sil-tarp--my 8x10 folds up to just larger than a tennis ball.
Light rope to hang your food or maybe get a bear cannister(required in some areas)
Learn how to be comfortable in the wilds, learn how to read a map, navigate by compass, feel comfortable off trail.
Generally experience is your best teacher though it would probably be great if you could connect with someone who is experienced and go with them the first time. Also every day you wear the pack it becomes easier and lighter as you eat your food.
Lastly for now--most people look at a map and totally misjudge how many miles they can cover toting a house on their back. Plan conservatively.
On my guide leaded trip I was a little surprised at how few miles were planned each day. After being on the trails and allowing for a lot of sightseeing stops along the way, as well as stopping early to enjoy the surroundings, 6-8 miles a day was plenty. Contrast that with the 10-12 miles per day hiking hut to hut in the Alps with essentially heavy day packs and wanting to get to the next hut by dinner time after a good breakfast.
Also, remember you'll have to stop and set up camp BEFORE the sun goes down, if you want to keep things easy.
That cuts back the hours available for "hiking", too.
Is there a "genera rule" as to how much food/supplies you can carry for how many days without resupplying;? Is 10 days way too much to expect without resupplying? The route I'm planning will draw me close to a town a little more than halfway through. I'm planning a through hike on a chunk of the Arizona Trail.
And the 6-8 miles per day rule... ugh. I was hoping to average closer to 15-18 /day. I figure 2 MPH average with rest breaks and food breaks. I might be completely ridiculous in that endeavor which is why come spring I plan on testing "my plan" out over a couple 2-3 day adventures. I'm sure cumulative fatigue will catch up with me towards the end and my average will drop.
And the 6-8 miles per day rule... ugh. I was hoping to average closer to 15-18 /day.
Keep in mind that trip was for sightseeing. Lots of stopping to look at scenery, flora and fauna, taking photos. About half of the group of 8 had never been backpacking before including yours truly. We stopped early each day to explore the area as well, occasionally taking short side trips. With the exception of the one night camping in the back country, we were also restricted to designated campsites. Getting to the next designated campsite would have required a higher level of fitness than what the trip was designed for.
Sue
Whiskey in a water bottle is lighter than a 12 pack of beer.
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