If you are new to outdoor activities or have previously stayed in campgrounds with folding chairs, a heavy 20-pound eight-person tent, and a sleeping bag that has been in your family for generations, and if you often come across breathtaking alpine lakes, beautiful meadows, and expansive alpine views on your social media platforms, but most of those stunning sights are located far away from parking lots, paved roads, or campgrounds, and if you desire to explore those remote places and spend your nights under the open sky, then you’ve come to the right place. This introduction to the essential items for backpacking is intended to help you embark on a multi-day journey and potentially ignite your interest in a completely new addiction and lifestyle focused on outdoor activities.
Having the right gear is essential for longer trips as it ensures safety, comfort, and enjoyment. If you have a 20-pound tent and a worn-out sleeping bag, they won’t suffice during cold weather and long distances. Here is a breakdown of the items you need to start your outdoor adventure on the right foot. This list comprises items that I have personally used over numerous miles to ensure safety, warmth, and comfort. It is divided into three sections: essential emergency gear, necessary equipment to accomplish tasks, and additional items for added comfort and enjoyment. Please note that this list does not cater to super lightweight backpacking, which requires significantly lighter gear. Instead, its purpose is to help you begin the hobby and provide an idea of the items you require to venture into the woods and enjoy yourself.
How to Stay Safe, Warm, Well-Fed & Happy
I find it highly likely that with my 5-6 pounds of ultralight gear, I experience greater comfort, improved sleep quality, and equally, if not better, food options compared to most campers who lug around 20 to 30 pounds of traditional/heavier backpacking equipment. You may wonder how this is possible. In this guide to ultralight backpacking, I will delve into the subject in detail, but for now, let’s begin with the three primary factors.
Having good camping skills is crucial for my safety, warmth, and dryness, and they outweigh the significance of the weight of my gear. These skills are not necessarily advanced or specialized, but rather basic skills that every backpacker should be familiar with or learn, such as wearing appropriate rain gear or a warm jacket when necessary, choosing a suitable campsite, and effectively setting up a tarp or pyramid shelter.
I choose gear that is both lightweight and functional, depending on the conditions I will be backpacking in. For example, my light down sleeping bag/quilt, down jacket, and 6-8 oz rain jacket perform just as well as heavier conventional gear that weighs three times as much. I ensure that the gear I bring is suitable for the specific conditions and time of year in the location where I will be backpacking. For instance, I wouldn’t bring a 4-pound, 4-season dome tent, a +20F sleeping bag, and a down jacket on a warm May trip along the Appalachian Trail, where the expected low temperatures are in the 60s. It’s surprising how many people actually make that mistake!
By making wise food choices, I am able to consume 3,000 nourishing and satisfying calories from a combination of complex carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats, weighing approximately 1.5 pounds per day. Remarkably, this amount of calories matches that of 2 pounds of typical backpacking food. Therefore, during a 3-day weekend backpacking excursion, I receive an equal or potentially greater amount of calories and nutrients compared to someone carrying nearly twice the weight of food.
Good hiking & camping skills
The key to staying warm, dry, and happy while backpacking ultralight is having good camping skills. By having confidence in your camping skills, you won’t feel the need to pack heavy and unnecessary gear as a backup. For instance, despite the fact that many solo hikers on the AT primarily sleep in shelters, some still choose to carry a heavy 4-6lb., two-person, four-season dome tent instead of a lightweight ½-pound tarp for the rare occasions they sleep outside of a shelter, even in June. When I refer to camping skills, I mean the basic skills that every backpacker either knows or should know, not the dubious survival “skills” shown on reality TV.
Campsite selection
When backpacking ultralight, it is important to consider the location where you pitch your shelter. While the breathtaking campsites featured in Backpacker Magazine and calendars may seem enticing, they are not ideal for stormy weather. Being in a tent in such exposed areas puts you at risk from the strong winds and heavy rainfall. Instead, it is advisable to find a protected spot, preferably among trees, a few hundred feet higher than the lowest point. This way, you can reap the benefits that trees offer while ensuring your safety.
By discreetly camping out of sight in the trees, you are showing consideration for others who are sharing the area with you, instead of drawing attention to your presence from people who are miles away.
Know how to pitch your shelter
Ensure that you fully understand this information before embarking on your trip. It is not overly complicated. Any individual can set up a tarp or pyramid shelter with a small amount of exertion.
It is highly recommended to read and adhere to the manufacturer’s instructions as they are likely to be of excellent quality.
Before leaving, practice setting up your shelter in the backyard or a nearby park/playing field a few times. If you are backpacking with a partner, do this activity together. It should be simple for you to pitch a tarp or pyramid shelter within a timeframe of 3 to 5 minutes.
When it comes to a simple tarp, there is no necessity for extravagance. Setting it up in an A-frame style using two trekking poles (or preferably, two trees) will suffice in the majority of situations. If faced with strong winds, it is advisable to lower and flatten the pitch closer to the ground.
When setting up your shelter, ensure that it is facing the anticipated wind direction. Set up tarps in a way where the narrower or rear end is positioned lower and facing towards the wind, and arrange pyramid shelters or tents with the entrance turned away from the wind.
When encountering strong winds, make sure to utilize the extra tie-out points on your shelter.
To ensure stability, utilize durable Y-stakes as they possess excellent anchoring capabilities and can be easily driven into uneven terrain. It is advisable to carry 1-2 additional stakes and a small amount of spare cord.
Trees are great for securing tarps, shelter tie-outs, and hammocks.
Trees provide a barrier against the wind, resulting in reduced convective heat loss and assisting in keeping you warm. Additionally, they decrease wind load and alleviate strain on your shelter and tent stakes.
Trees help to prevent loss of radiant heat. In a similar manner to a cloudy sky, they reflect the heat of the day back to the ground during the night, resulting in warmer temperatures.
Camping in the trees helps to reduce the occurrence of heavy dew and condensation that is typical in open campsites. The most unfavorable location for dew is a meadow with no trees situated at the lowest point of a canyon. On the other hand, the most optimal spot is in the forest, on a level ground elevated a few hundred feet above the canyon base (or the nearby lower region).
Emergency Gear
Emergency gear is an item that you desire to never utilize, but you also do not desire to be caught without it during times of need. The majority of expeditions you will partake in are situated far away from developed areas, and additionally may not have cell phone reception or nearby assistance. It is crucial to take these suggestions with great importance and consider the additional weight they will contribute to your belongings.
- First Aid Kit (with Ibuprofen/Tylenol)
- Compass (keep the instructions in your bag if you don’t know how to use one)
- Map of the area in which you will be backpacking
- Iodine tablets for water filtration (If you have no water filter and run out of stove fuel)
- Waterproof matches
- Nice pocket knife
- Extra batteries for headlamps
- Rain poncho (if you have no rain gear with you; mountain weather can change in a matter of minutes)
- EpiPen or Benadryl (if you are allergic to anything)
- Bug bite itch pen
- Signaling mirror
- Mole skin (for blisters)
- Bear spray (if you’ll be in a bear area)
- Snake bite kit (if you’ll be in an area with snakes)
