119
votes
How do I make people not be afraid of me and my dogs?
Couple suggestions for meeting people on the trail with dogs,
Keep the dogs leashed.
When passing people put the dogs on the opposite side of yourself so that you are between the dogs and the people.
...
- 69.2k
79
votes
Sleeping solo in a double sleeping bag
In my experience, most standard single sleeping bags, are built so you can zipper them together to make a double. They are designed to zipper to an identical/matched bag, so don't count on buying to ...
- 30.3k
69
votes
Is it poor etiquette to ask fellow backpackers where they have been/where they are going?
No. There's nothing wrong with asking other adventurers where they have adventured.
I've asked random people that question, other people have asked me, it never has put me or them on edge or ...
- 10.7k
51
votes
Accepted
Are there any advantages while backpacking to hike during the night and sleep during the day?
There are several reasons, though not all of them would apply for one's usual holiday trip.
Remaining unseen
Obviously, during night its dark and this gives you a fair bit of cover if you want to ...
- 707
45
votes
Are there any situations while backpacking that would require a watch?
I don't backpack, but I canoe camp and I used to do it with small children. We took a watch and used it for three things:
we need to have all the work done and food eaten by the time it's dark, say ...
- 12.1k
43
votes
Are there any situations while backpacking that would require a watch?
While doing the West Coast Trail in Vancouver, Canada I had to buy a watch for the first time.
I had a table with the tides for that week and I needed the watch to tell if high tide was going to get ...
- 1,569
37
votes
Trumpeting while backpacking?
Depending on how much other stuff you will be carrying, a whole trumpet and case may be too heavy and/or bulky.
Just take your mouthpiece and blow through it when you feel like it, on an easy part of ...
- 1,090
35
votes
Are there any situations while backpacking that would require a watch?
I'd argue that a watch is a fairly important device for backpacking and I generally never leave without one.
Monitor progress
If you do multi-day hikes you generally have a plan or schedule you ...
- 12.7k
35
votes
How do I make people not be afraid of me and my dogs?
As someone who is fine with dogs, I'm saddened that my son was nipped by a puppy when he was very young and is now very nervous when needing to walk past dogs, and there are lots of strays where I ...
- 475
34
votes
Is it poor etiquette to ask fellow backpackers where they have been/where they are going?
There is nothing wrong with asking people you meet on the trail where there are coming from or going to. This is very normal trail-encounter talk. I've asked people this many times and rarely gotten ...
- 21.4k
34
votes
Reusing disposable water bottles vs. buying dedicated bottles
A reasonable compromise is any pop bottle -- one designed for carbonated beverages. They are several times as strong as the water bottles. I've never managed to break one.
I have a polyethylene ...
34
votes
What to do if you are above timberline and your descent is cut off by a large forest fire?
Option 2 is better, as activating your PLB will divert resources that could be used to fight the forest fire, and put other people in unnecessary danger (PLBs aren't a get out of danger free card).
...
- 69.2k
31
votes
Accepted
How much should your backpack weigh?
The ideal weight is zero. The less weight you carry the more you will enjoy your outing.
That being said, one should try to minimize their weight within reason. There exist different schools (...
- 8,051
30
votes
Accepted
Am I packing too much for a 2-3 day hike in the forests?
You're bringing all the right things... (the only thing I would question is why a flashlight as well as a headlamp? - though if it's just a small flashlight, no big deal- I sometimes bring a spare ...
- 324
30
votes
Am I packing too much for a 2-3 day hike in the forests?
Trying to cut pack weight is all about leaving "extra" things out and then replacing needed things with light versions. Some things that jump out at me as "extra":
Tent for 2 people
If there is ...
- 10.7k
30
votes
Are there any advantages while backpacking to hike during the night and sleep during the day?
The main advantages are:
You don't need sunscreen
Even with a full moon, the night sky is awesome
Things look (and sound) weirdly and wonderfully different in moonlight
In summer, the temperature ...
- 23.4k
30
votes
How many days does it take to reach hiking X miles per day?
I don't think it works like you think it works. If you're trying to build your distance, you might do 8 miles one Saturday, then the next weekend do 8 on Saturday and 6 on Sunday. The next, 10 on ...
- 26.1k
29
votes
How much should your backpack weigh?
The general rule of thumb is to carry no more than a third of your body weight. That should be your max, so the answer is to carry less than that. Make your bag as light as you can.
Aside from that ...
- 53.5k
29
votes
How to keep contact lenses from freezing during backpacking in cold temps?
Just sleep with the solution in your sleeping bag. Same with drinking water.
During the day you may need to carry it next to your body.
- 7,156
29
votes
Accepted
Suffocation while cooking under an umbrella?
The answer to this is a resounding: No.
The main problem with suffocation and cookers is in enclosed spaces where there is no airflow. Suffocation when using a cooker can happen when either the O2 ...
- 9,664
29
votes
Trumpeting while backpacking?
For one, thank you for asking and planning to be considerate. I wouldn’t wholly throw away the idea of practicing while on a backpacking trip, particularly if you’re a professional, but there are ...
- 2,530
28
votes
How should I plan a backpacking trip with people who have never backpacked before?
Make the trip short and easy. Better to have them wishing for something longer than regretting that they're stuck on the trail. Just spend one night on the trail, in good weather if you can arrange it....
- 4,219
28
votes
Under what conditions does heating a tent artificially make objective sense?
The general rule I use is if your tent needs to be heated to be comfortable, then you're "doing it wrong" and should have gotten a better tent. There isn't really any weather (especially backpacking, ...
- 2,810
28
votes
Accepted
Cooked meat/chicken when hiking
I strongly recommend you don't follow the plan you outlined, bringing cold cooked meat along on your hike to eat after a day or two. You almost certainly can not achieve this while following food ...
- 4,384
26
votes
How do I make people not be afraid of me and my dogs?
Though you don't actually state it, I get the impression you normally let your dogs roam free on your hikes. If this is correct, then you are taking a very large risk with other people's health and ...
- 409
25
votes
How do I make people not be afraid of me and my dogs?
The most important thing is keeping all dogs on-leash in public areas. Technically, you can't make any person not feel afraid. But a leash will do a lot to reassure someone who is frightened or ...
- 367
25
votes
What to do if you are above timberline and your descent is cut off by a large forest fire?
Your question answers itself - "above timberline" indicates very little, if any, fuels for the fire, so the best option (assuming no life-threatening issues) is to stay put. As others have mentioned, ...
- 7,259
25
votes
Accepted
Sleeping solo in a double sleeping bag
The parameters of your girlfriend would matter depending on the ratio of 'space' occupying, but let's ignore that for now.
I would put a cord or something around it to minimize the space; air needs ...
- 1,899
24
votes
How can I backpack further without resupplying?
You don't say anything about the climate and ascent/descent involved, but assuming an average mountain trail 160 miles (260 km) should be doable in a single push.
I don't think there's any magic ...
- 11.7k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible