Backpacking essentials to store in your never-ending bag
The world of backpacking is one unique to any other. When you think of camping, most people think of a tent, fires, and sleeping bags. While all of those things are possible and essential for backpacking as well, there is so much more that is needed. Backpacking is a lot more physically intensive than traditional camping. Instead of setting up a campsite and staying there for days, true backpacking is when you hike to a destination, set up camp for the night, and then wake up and hike to a different location for the next night. With this style of camping, you are carrying all of your supplies for multiple miles each day. This post will cover the needed essentials for a successful backpacking trip.
Storage
I recommend that the very first thing any backpacker gets is an actual backpack made for these kinds of trips. Backpacking bags store everything that you need with features that help evenly distribute weight in order to prevent soreness and allow you to carry more weight with less struggle. I have a forty-five liter REI women’s bag, with adjustable straps that connect at my hips and chest. Getting my bag improved my trips immensely and made a world of difference on long hikes.
Shelter
After hiking into your site, it is time to set up camp. The two main sleeping options are a tent and a hammock. While I have a hammock to relax in throughout the day, a tent is the way to go to protect you from Mother Nature’s elements. For inside the tent, compact-able sleeping pads and sleeping bags come next. A sleeping pad is basically a blow-up mattress for one, to prevent you from laying on the ground.
Food and Water
A camping stove, cook pot, spork, and water filter are next on the list of essentials. Backpacking stoves are small burners that attach to a propane tank, allowing you to then use your cook pot to make anything that you could make at home on your stove. Just pick up your plastic spork, choose an end, and enjoy! The water filter that my group uses is a Sawyer Mini that simply attaches to a water bottle and filters as you squeeze it through.
The trick to backpacking is trying to cut as much weight as possible from your bag. Backpacking companies make almost everything ultra-lightweight, so that you have some more wiggle room. While I discover more essentials every time I go, such as a first aid kit and rain gear, as long as you have reliable shelter, food, water, and an easy way to store everything, you can get started with a new hobby.
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