Backpacking Basics

Backpacking Basics

Trip-planning tips, gear lists, safety advice, and other essential wisdom ever hiker should know. Maybe you’re ready to try backcountry camping after an inspiring visit to a national park. Maybe you want to introduce your kids to the great outdoors. Or maybe you’re a longtime hiker who just needs a refresher after too much time away from the trails. Whatever your goal, this guide to getting started as a backpacker will help you enjoy a lifetime of safe, scenic, and satisfying adventures. With more than 100 smart tips, it answers all the questions: what to eat, where to go, how to read a compass, and much more.

PLANNING

Backpacking Basics – Take these 21 trail tips to heart, and you’re virtually guaranteed a good hike.

Pretrip Planning – Do the research, here’s how.

Hikes – Not sure where to go? Find a hike here.

Gear Lists – Packing lists for all conditions.

Kitchen Kit– When cooking in the backcountry, don’t leave home without…

Repair Kit– Don’t let a busted strap or a deflating tent ruin your trip.

Survival Kit– Be prepared for adversity with these pieces of gear.

Toilet Kit– For your travel companion’s sake, pack what’s on this list.

Personal Kit– For your travel companion’s sake, pack what’s on this list.

First Aid Kit– A homemade ensemble of the most essential elements for pretty much any hike.

Organize a Backpack– Become a bona fide pack rat with these essential tips.

GEAR

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Getting the Right Gear – We’ve made it easy to find great gear for great getaways.

Boots – No question, boots are a hiker’s most critical gear.

Clothing – When dressing for a wilderness trip, you can’t take your apparel decisions lightly.

Packs – When shopping for a new pack, do what any savvy home buyer would—analyze your situation, then prioritize your needs.

Tents – Carrying a tent is necessary insurance against crowded lean-tos, wild weather, and bugs.

Accessories – Don’t be be caught without these essentials.

Waterproof Your Wilderness World – A complete guide to buying gear that will keep you dry—no matter what.

FOOD

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Pack More Power – A nutritionist explains why hikers need protein.

Eating Well – Easy ways to improve nutrition and flavor on the trail

Gorp Recipes – Winning entries from BACKPACKER Readers

Menu Maker -Your guide to eating right on the trail.

FITNESS

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Hike Farther, Hike Stronger – The latest, greatest strategies for building strength, endurance, speed, and flexibility.

Climb Like Ed – The sky’s the limit with a fitness plan andclimbing tips from world-class mountaineer Ed Viesturs.

Get Trail-Fit Indoors – 4 indoor workouts that’ll keep you outdoor-ready.

Four Week Fitness Plan – 30 days to a killer trail body.

Multi-Day Fitness – Train for a long trip with these great endurance tips.

SKILLS

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Stay On Course – Six simple tips for backcountry navigation

Align Your Compass – If you only learn one navigation skill, this is the one that will unlock the wilderness.

Compass in Action – How to raise your navigation skills from novice to master.

Map Contour Lines – Understanding topos: Part 1.

Map Symbols and Colors – Understanding topos: Part 2

Map Care – Trail tested advice for using and protecting paper topos.

Act Fast – Smart (and stupid) responses to 18 sudden threats.

Professor Hike – The author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Backpacking and Hiking, Jason Stevenson, answers all of your camping, hiking, cooking, training, you-name-it questions.

Using GPS – Become a GPS guru.

SURVIVAL

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The First 30 Seconds – What you can do to thwart a panic attack in five common crisis situations.

Don’t Guess–Calculate – When close won’t cut it, use these trail-tested tips to hit the mark..

Survive a Night Without Gear -When a day hike turns into an overnight, learn how to take care of yourself.

Build A Never-Fail Campfire -Where campfires are allowed, it’s important to know how to build–and put out–flames properly. LEAVE NO TRACE

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Leave No Trace Principles – Guidelines for leaving your campsite as pristine as you found it.

The Low-Impact Hiker – 7 strategies for keeping the backcountry beautiful.  

FIRST AID

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Hypothermia 101 – Advice for preventing and treating this deadly condition

Snake Bite First-Aid – Folk remedies only make the victim’s condition worse, know the facts

Rash Poison Ivy – How to keep the rash at bay

How to Treat a Blister – Take care of a common ailment in four easy steps

STAYING WARM AND DRY

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Stay Dry Anywhere – Tricks on how to stay dry and keep your gear dry

Sleep Warmer – Eight easy ways to stay warm at night

BUGS, BEARS AND POISON IVY

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Escape From Unfriendly Natives – Tips for avioding bears, skunks, snakes, and ticks.

How to Keep Bears AwayLearn your black bears from your brown bears then figure out how to keep them away from your camp.

Thwart Mosquitoes – Take a cue from the locals, who fight back on multiple fronts.

Hang a Bear Bag – How to stop bears from robbing you blind.

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