Hiking with camping in the backcountry, carrying all necessary equipment in one's backpack.
35
votes
9answers
1k views
What is the most efficient food to take a for a 12-15 day hiking trip?
Last summer I spent 15 days hiking with my boyfriend, in Sarek National Park, where there are no places to restock with more food.
The food issue was a major part of the pre-planning, as weight was ...
26
votes
6answers
3k views
What are good knots to know for camping and backpacking?
I once tied a bear bag with a haphazard bundle of knots, and despite being seemingly impossible to untie, it came loose when lowering the bear bag and nearly smoked my friend standing under it. What ...
25
votes
5answers
361 views
Backpacking or hiking in areas open to hunting
A lot of areas that are good for hiking or backpacking are also popular hunting grounds. I am an avid backpacker and hiker, but I do not know much about hunting. How do I find out what is the ...
22
votes
4answers
650 views
What are some good tips and techniques for packing a backpack?
How do I pack a backpack to prevent injury to my back and keep it comfortable while hiking?
19
votes
2answers
621 views
Handling feminine hygiene on multiple-month treks?
How can I handle multiple months of menstrual cycles on a long trek like the Appalachian Trail? I am asking about how to handle the mess. Here are my personal considerations:
Using hormonal birth ...
18
votes
6answers
517 views
What is the best way to cross streams while backpacking?
I'm curious of a good technique to cross a stream while backpacking that's above the boot's waterproof line but no higher than the knees. I typically face upstream and use my hiking poles for ...
18
votes
5answers
2k views
Tent and sleeping bag: pack inside or strap outside a backpack?
When I bought my pack, we were told to always pack the tent and sleeping bag in the pack. Since then I have seen a lot of articles and hikers doing the outside. What are the benefits on packing the ...
18
votes
4answers
261 views
What precautions should I take to protect myself and my camp from bears?
Most of my prior hiking experience has been in areas that are not home to bears, so what precautions should I take to protect my camp (and myself as I am hiking) from bears.
I am aware of a couple of ...
18
votes
1answer
385 views
How to calculate backpacking food requirements for a dog
So I know how to calculate how many additional calories a day I need while backpacking. My question is how do I calculate how much food my dog will need while backpacking.
I'm hoping for a general ...
17
votes
2answers
212 views
As an experienced backpacker in the Eastern US, what should I know before hiking in the Western US?
I have done a good deal of hiking and backpacking in the Eastern US (mostly in New England), but I recently moved to California. What are the major differences in terms of preparation or equipment ...
16
votes
5answers
510 views
Selecting backpacking cooking pot – teflon, aluminum, steel, titanium, or cast iron?
What are the relative advantages / dangers of different cooking wear? I'm a one-pot gourmet that has been using the same stainless steel pot for 15 years, but am considering an upgrade.
Some things I ...
16
votes
2answers
310 views
What to look for in a durable, 3-season sleeping bag?
I'm looking to purchase a camping sleeping bag. I'd like one that's high-quality, durable, and suitable for weekend hiking/camping trips during spring, summer, and fall in New England. (Most of my ...
14
votes
5answers
559 views
What is the difference between external and internal-frame packs?
I am starting backpacking and there are both internal and external-frame packs. What is the difference, and is one recommended over the other?
14
votes
4answers
276 views
How to cheaply introduce someone to backpacking
I meet a fair number people who would like to try backpacking. Unfortunately the initial cost seems to be pretty high. Even an overnight requires a lot of big ticket gear (tent, sleeping bag, etc). ...
14
votes
3answers
170 views
Washing dishes with seawater or freshwater?
When backpacking in a coastal region, you sometimes have access to both fresh water (e.g. a stream) and salt water (sea, bay, etc.).
If you do not treat the water used for washing dishes, what are ...
13
votes
3answers
261 views
What are the vitamin considerations for extended backpacking
For short hikes you can generally ignore nutritional concerns, because you don't generally become malnourished in two days. However, for a long trip like the Appalachian Trail or other long hikes (at ...
13
votes
1answer
179 views
Does any tent manufacturer promise to have replacement parts?
A few years ago I got a 2-person tent for backpacking. At some point, I let the rain fly get too hot. It became sticky and its waterproof coating peeled.
I tried to buy a replacement rain fly, but ...
13
votes
3answers
505 views
The best solution for carrying a D-SLR when hiking
I am planning a multi-day hike in the Drakensberg area of South Africa. This is a beautiful landscape with interesting flora and fauna. Consequently I want to have my Digital SLR close to hand. I ...
12
votes
2answers
511 views
Why don't we apply the principles of layering when it comes to pants?
Whenever I see clothing articles geared toward hiking and backpacking that discuss layering (base layer for wicking, mid layer for insulation, etc.), they always seem to discuss these things in terms ...
12
votes
4answers
218 views
Is it ever safe to let a hypothermic person sleep?
My understanding is that with severely hypothermic patients you want to keep them awake if possible. However, if the hypothermia isn't too severe and it's several hours before you can get help - say, ...
12
votes
4answers
309 views
Cheese and eggs on backpacking trips
I have taken some hard cheeses onto backpacking trips quite successfully without spoilage, but I have not dared taking more than I can eat in about 3 days. Eggs I have not dared to take. I am ...
12
votes
4answers
1k views
Are there any low sodium freeze dried meals?
For health reasons, I usually try to keep my sodium intake fairly low. However, most freeze dried dinners offered in camping stores contain an more sodium than I'm looking for. I consider 800mg a ...
12
votes
3answers
147 views
What are some proven methods of training for week long backpacking trips in high altitude?
I'm going to Colorado to visit a friend and we will be going on a week long trek across a couple of 14'ners. I'm looking for some ways to help prepare my body for trip.
12
votes
3answers
215 views
Bear bags vs Bear canisters: which is better?
Most people I know and myself store food in bear bags. However, I have heard that some parks have banned bear bags and require canisters. I've also heard there is a bear in New York that has figured ...
12
votes
1answer
147 views
Will Iodine Tablets Ruin My CamelBak?
In the past, I have gone backpacking with some fairly expensive, heavy water purification tools. But the more I read about water safety in California's Sierras (here and here), the less I think these ...
12
votes
1answer
262 views
Am I likely to need multiple pairs of boots on the AT?
Reading up on a hiking boot size question, I came across this review from Silver Spring, Maryland for a wide hiking boot.
This boot has a "lifespan" of 400 miles. Is that typical of a hiking boot? ...
12
votes
1answer
150 views
What is a good material to patch holes in backpack?
I have a backpack with rip-stop material that is quite beaten up from scrambling over granite boulders. What are some good materials for patching the holes, what kind of thread should I use, and how ...
11
votes
3answers
182 views
What do you do if the fire does get “out of control”?
Let's say you are camping with a large group, and someone starts a camp fire. You're away for a bit and come back to find everyone panicking and the fire to be much larger than actually planned (ie, ...
11
votes
1answer
85 views
How do you best treat a turned ankle in the back country?
Possibly the most common injury I see when hiking with groups is when someone turns or rolls their ankle. Assuming that access to a vehicle is not feasible, what is the best way to deal with the ...
10
votes
2answers
184 views
What dried vegetarian foods have the highest ratio of calories to volume?
I mostly hike in bear country, which limits how much food I can take to the volume of my bear canister. This excellent question dealt with foods that are great on a trip where food-selection criteria ...
10
votes
2answers
123 views
Do kevlar sacks work against bears?
We ran into a hiker on the AT last year using a kevlar back to keep out bears and rodents. He said the product was an Ursack and seemed very happy with it. However he'd never had a bear try to get ...
10
votes
2answers
116 views
How are backpacking conditions at Yosemite in April?
Looking at the webcam, it looks like things are still pretty wintery in that area. Being Michiganders, some snow is not going to deter us (we love winter camping), but we at least want to be prepared ...
10
votes
1answer
332 views
Minimum equipment recommendations for hammock camping
I'm looking to try out some hammock camping on our next trip to the wilderness, but I don't have any of the gear yet. I could buy it all, but as it's a trial run it might not make sense to pour a ton ...
9
votes
5answers
192 views
Can I replace Dish soap?
I have been trying to get my weight down on longer backpacking trips. I have already taken to buying very strong soap and using very little, but I was wondering is there something I can replace the ...
8
votes
6answers
2k views
How long does mayonnaise last unrefrigerated in the back-country?
Yes, mayonnaise. It is sold unrefrigerated, and is an essential component of any back-country sandwich. Has anyone reached its limit and had it spoil on them?
(I haven't. Of course, I've never had an ...
8
votes
6answers
976 views
What is the proper way to tarp tent to avoid condensation?
I tried pitching a tarp instead of a tent this weekend. In worked well, kept off the rain etc, except for the condensation. It was far worse than any condensation I've ever had in a tent. We had ...
8
votes
3answers
165 views
What is the true risk of suffocation from different combustion sources in a tent? (CO2, CO)
Aside from risk of fire (which for this question we will assume has been fully mitigated) what is the real risk of suffocation if one were to use a stove, lantern, or candle lantern in a tent?
There ...
8
votes
2answers
86 views
Do bag liners add the same warmth value to all sleeping bags?
I have a bag liner that claims to add 15 degrees to the "range" of a sleeping bag. Is it reasonable to assume that it would work the same for all bags? For instance, would it extend a 40 degree bag ...
8
votes
2answers
113 views
Logs & Rocks - Step on or over?
Growing up we were always taught to never step straight over a rock or log because it is a good way to step on or startle a snake that you cannot see. However, on a lot of hiking forums I see it ...
8
votes
4answers
133 views
What are the key factors when choosing a sleeping bag for backpacking?
I'm preparing to go on my first ever backpacking trip and do not have a suitable sleeping bag. What are the factors I should consider when choosing one?
Personally I'm looking for the best value I ...
8
votes
1answer
160 views
How does the Esbit stove perform in cold & wind?
I was on a group trip this weekend where a fellow hiker brought an Esbit stove which uses hexamine fuel tabs. The temperature was not what I would consider extreme. Temperatures in the high 30s to ...
8
votes
2answers
1k views
Where can I find an iodine crystal water purification product?
For years I used a product called Polar Pure for water purification when weekend backpacking. It was an iodine based solution, so not great for a thru-hike, but fine for a week or less. Specifically, ...
8
votes
1answer
201 views
How to treat shin splints while backpacking
It's been a couple of years since I last had bad shin splits but I can still recall how painful they can be. I was able to heal them before mostly with a couple weeks rest.
If the pain came back ...
8
votes
1answer
302 views
What can be safely trimmed on a backpack
When trimming weight there are a lot of options. Lighter gear, less gear, etc. One of those options is to take an existing pack and trim off "unnecessary" extras. For instance, I have (no kidding) ...
8
votes
1answer
985 views
What sleeping bags are needed for a northbound thru-hike of the AT
If you were attempting a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail, starting roughly now (being mid to late March) and going northbound, how many sleeping bags and of what types would you need, assuming cost ...
7
votes
2answers
213 views
what are the differences between high-end sleeping pads and cut to fit foam mats
I'm pretty tall and I find that to purchase a brand-name sleeping pad means shelling out serious $$$. To solve this I have always just purchased a roll of foam padding that I could cut to make sure it ...
7
votes
2answers
185 views
What is a good tool for minor trail maintenance while hiking?
I hike a few trails in the lower Appalachians which are very infrequently traveled. Maintenance when it happens, is performed by hikers. I much prefer to just clear smaller blowdowns as I come to ...
7
votes
2answers
264 views
What makes nylon an effective material for hiking pants?
I often see 100% nylon pants a lot in stores. What properties does it have that make it effective when hiking? Is it effective in all seasons or just under certain conditions?
7
votes
1answer
100 views
How much warmth dead leaves add if placed under your tent/pad?
During the fall season, fallen leaves from deciduous trees such as maple, oak, etc. can be found in abundance. Dead leaves can be gathered and placed under your sleeping system in order to sleep more ...
6
votes
3answers
193 views
Walking trailers
Heavy backpacks can spoil the pleasures of being in the outdoors. There are two ways to resolve this:
Carry less
Find an alternative to the backpack
While the first option is usually the best one, ...
