Back Country Camping For The Beginner Part 2

\”Are YOU Ready?\”

Here’s part 2 of my Back Country Camping Series.

Keep in mind that this is the way I do things.  Everybody who hikes and camps has their own method, gear, and techniques for camping and I always enjoy heading out on the trail with a new partner to see how they handle different situations.  I love learning new things out there.

If you’re an old hand at backpacking leave a note with some cool gear or a new technique you’ve tried out in the comments section.

Footwear

A good set of hiking boots or shoes is critical.  In addition you should also get a good pair of socks that will allow your feet to move a little in the boot without causing blisters.

Make sure you try them out on a hike around your neighborhood.  I like to walk at least five miles on one trip in a new pair of shoes to make sure they won’t cause any hotspots on my feet.  Blisters happen to most everybody that hikes a long distance, but they can be minimized by having a well fitting pair of boots, good socks, sock liners, and by breaking them in over several shorter hikes.  Finding out fifteen miles into your hike that your shoes suck is definitely not the way to go.

Stove, Cup and Misc Gear

 A small stove is important to the success of your trip.  If you rely on just a campfire to heat your water you’ll find that it will slow you down and it could really cause a problem if it rains and you can’t build a fire.  A small light-weight stove that I use is a home made alcohol stove.  It’s super light and is very inexpensive to make and operate.

Anther stove that I like is the Solo Stove.  It’s a small wood burning stove that I’ve used for awhile now and I really like it.  As a bonus the alcohol stove I mention above fits inside the Solo Stove perfectly in case it’s raining and you can use that as the heat source instead of wood, pine cones, or what have you.

A cup or small pot is another essential piece of gear.  I’ve used many different cups over the years, but to be honest I always seem to go back to the military canteen cup.  There are many lightweight options out there and you just need to shop around and find out what fits your budget and your needs.

Water filter or water purification tabs are also critical.  Water is one of the most important things you can have on a hike, but unfortunately it’s heavy.  As you know one gallon of water weighs about eight pounds.  Thus when you’re hiking a water filter or the purification tabs are hugely important.  I’ve hiked various portions of the Appalachian Trail and always used a water filter.  You can also boil water to purify it, but this takes fuel and time, so if you’re planning on going that route make sure you pad it into your trip time.

A poncho and rain gear is also good to have.  A poncho is a good multi-use piece of gear to have around.  There are a million things you can do with it, which I won’t go into here, but I always pack one with me.  A light-weight rain suit is also useful.  It can protect against the rain and also work as a wind breaker.  Couple it with a light thermal top and a wool hat and you have a decent set up for when it gets cold on those mountain tops – even in June or July.

 Clothing - I usually carry an extra pair of hiking pants/shorts and a t-shirt in addition to a light thermal top even in the summer.  Make room for an extra pair of socks or two as well.  Don’t pack cotton!   You’ve heard me say this before and now I’ll say it again.  Don’t pack cotton clothes!  There are many good synthetic and wool options out there.

Food – All that hiking comes at a price.  Not just the price of gear, but expect to be burning at least 3000 or more calories a day.  One of the best types of food you can get for hiking and camping are freeze dry foods.  Avoid cans with liquids in them!  I met a small group once that had tried hiking 55 lb packs because they had canned potatoes, canned veggies and other stuff.  They lasted about four days and then left the trail half dead because their packs weighed too much.  Don’t fall victim to the same way of thinking.

If you want Gatorade or something like that you can buy it in powdered form and store it in baggies.

Another recommendation is energy bars.  You’ll be surprised at how many of these you’ll go through while you’re out hiking.  They might start to taste the same after awhile, but for a quick boost halfway up a mountain you can’t beat them.

Misc Gear

There are a bunch of smaller items you’ll need such as lighter/matches/firesteel, fork and spoon (or a spork), canteens/water bottles, head lamp and a small flashlight as a back up.  You do NOT want to get caught in the middle of the night in the deep woods without a light.

A small Sawvivor survival saw or a Sven Saw is mighty handy to have along on your trip.  And don’t forget a good survival knife!  With the combination of a good knife and saw you can cut wood to length and split it with your knife using the baton method.

Paracord or some other kind of cordage is usually very helpful.

You’ll also want some way to navigate while you’re out there.  I prefer a map and compass because I’m old school and don’t trust the new technology enough to put my life on it, but a lot of people these days use GPS units.  Your choice!  (Just hope the batteries don’t run out.)  Check out my series on map and compass reading for more detailed info on how to use map and compass.

Minimal toiletries, bug spray, decent first aid kit, bandana, and don’t forget to line your pack with a heavy-duty contractor bag to keep your stuff dry.  That plastic bag can also be used for other things as well if necessary such as shelter, water storage, make-shift poncho, etc.  I’ve seen people fall in during river crossings and seen the sky open up and drench people and their gear.  If you have your equipment stored inside a plastic or WP bag you should be all set.  Nothing sucks worse than crawling into a wet sleeping bag at night!  Been there and done that on more than several occasions.

One method I use to create a list for hiking is to run through my day mentally and make sure I have the gear as I go along.  For example:  wake up and heat water for coffee and oatmeal.  Make sure I have the stove, pot stand, canteen cup, fuel, coffee and oatmeal, and a spoon.

Run down to the stream to get water:  make sure I have a stee;l

Trial Run

Before heading out on the trail make sure you do an overnight or two locally with your gear to make sure you’re not missing anything or maybe have something that doesn’t work or gear you don’t need.  Don’t skip this step!

It’s an invaluable tool for fine tuning your gear.  Hike out to a spot near where you live and set up your tent, lay out your sleeping bag, cook a meal, and have a fire if it’s possible.  When you wake up in the morning eat breakfast then break camp and hike out.

The whole time you’re doing this evaluate your gear!  Did the stove perform the way you expected?  How much fuel did it take to actually boil a cup of water?  Two cups?  Was your sleeping bag warm enough?  Was your pack too heavy hiking in?  Is it possible to lighten the load somehow?  Were you able get a fire going ok?

Every single thing you do evaluate it and see if there’s a lighter, better or easier way to do it.