Anyone into Backpacking?

[JulesMaximus]

REI is where we go...and REI outlet online to buy as well.

I also bring a .45 when hiking in Northern Minnesota ... don't want anything eating me up.

Overkill. Everyone knows that 9mm is perfectly adequate for bear defense.

 

[Zedtom]

I have a wool stocking cap that has a chin strap that rolls up when you wear it but can be pulled down to keep it from coming off when sleeping. No matter how warm your bag is, your head is still exposed. My hat keeps my head and ears toasty.

 

[Patterner]

I have a wool stocking cap that has a chin strap that rolls up when you wear it but can be pulled down to keep it from coming off when sleeping. No matter how warm your bag is, your head is still exposed. My hat keeps my head and ears toasty.

Uhhh, my head's not exposed once I cinch everything down: http://www.rei.com/product/762528

Speaking of sleeping bags. Figure out whether you're a hot or cold sleeper and buy your bag accordingly. I'm a *very* hot sleeper and this +15 bag does me just fine down to about -5 just fine. Anything heavier and I have to wring sweat out of whatever I'm wearing while I sleep.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Uhhh, my head's not exposed once I cinch everything down: http://www.rei.com/product/762528

Speaking of sleeping bags. Figure out whether you're a hot or cold sleeper and buy your bag accordingly. I'm a *very* hot sleeper and this +15 bag does me just fine down to about -5 just fine. Anything heavier and I have to wring sweat out of whatever I'm wearing while I sleep.

I'm a hot sleeper too but I absolutely hate being cold at night. I bought a nice down Marmot bag +15 that can stuff down into a tiny space, good for backpacking, and I've found that not zipping it up and just sticking a leg out for a little while helps quite a bit. I've used this bag and nothing else down to 25 degrees outside and, while it is a little warm for that, it is a great bag. I slept in just my underwear and a t-shirt the entire night.

 

[TheNinja]

I thought you were asking if anyone was into backpeddling.

 

[Patterner]

I'm a hot sleeper too but I absolutely hate being cold at night. I bought a nice down Marmot bag +15 that can stuff down into a tiny space, good for backpacking, and I've found that not zipping it up and just sticking a leg out for a little while helps quite a bit. I've used this bag and nothing else down to 25 degrees outside and, while it is a little warm for that, it is a great bag. I slept in just my underwear and a t-shirt the entire night.

Heh, might be the same bag...the one I linked is mine and it's a Marmot 15.

 

[M0oG0oGaiPan]

sounds kind of kinky. count me in.

 

[Sukhoi]

WOOL SOCKS. Just get the cheap REI ones. They're so much better than cotton socks it'll blow your mind.

 

[zinfamous]

Visit your local REI and talk to the folks that work in the camping section.

/thread

 

[GoSharks]

[*] The most important thing is a good pair of boots. No matter your budget, this is the one component that price should be no object for. If your boots don't support you or leave you with blisters, a fun trip in the woods will turn into an excruciating experience.

Many to most people will not need boots. Boots are heavy and clunky - total overkill unless you are packing 50+ pounds in talus.

I backpack exclusively in trail runners. Super light and breathable so your feet don't get hot, and if they get wet, they will dry seemingly immediately.

My next investment is into a titanium spork.

I find sporks to be useless... Long handled Ti spoon >>>>>> Ti Spork. Amazing for eating out of freeze dried bags.

Get a sleeping pad, if you end up backpacking in the higher mountains, it will just as valuable to keeping you warm as your sleeping bag.

 

[crashtestdummy]

Many to most people will not need boots. Boots are heavy and clunky - total overkill unless you are packing 50+ pounds in talus.

I backpack exclusively in trail runners. Super light and breathable so your feet don't get hot, and if they get wet, they will dry seemingly immediately.

I think that depends on who you are and where you're hiking. I have bad ankles and need the support, and even if I didn't the stiffer soles greatly reduce wear on my feet. I'm in the northeast, where trails are mostly loose talus and protruding roots, unlike the near roads out west. Also, light shoes will dry quickly if it's hot and dry, but will stay soaked if it's cool and wet, as it is most of the year here (the last of the snow isn't gone from the whites until May).

My main point still stands though, that no matter the shoe type you get, make sure it fits really well, and that comfort should greatly outweigh price as a concern.

 

[tenthumbs]

I think that depends on who you are and where you're hiking. I have bad ankles and need the support, and even if I didn't the stiffer soles greatly reduce wear on my feet. I'm in the northeast, where trails are mostly loose talus and protruding roots, unlike the near roads out west. Also, light shoes will dry quickly if it's hot and dry, but will stay soaked if it's cool and wet, as it is most of the year here (the last of the snow isn't gone from the whites until May).

My main point still stands though, that no matter the shoe type you get, make sure it fits really well, and that comfort should greatly outweigh price as a concern.

I've used both. Trail runners for me are good for weekend hikes and smaller packs. But, again for me, they suck for rocky terrain and heavier packs. Trail runners on a two week hike equal massively sore feet and swollen ankles. I have a simple pair of water proof Keen hiking boots that are fantastic for longer rocky hikes. They take the punishment but aren't too heavy.

 

[GoSharks]

Also, light shoes will dry quickly if it's hot and dry, but will stay soaked if it's cool and wet, as it is most of the year here (the last of the snow isn't gone from the whites until May).

I would dispute that.

Hiking in trail runners is a total different philosophy than hiking in boots, somewhat like technique versus brute force.

 

[The_Dude8]

i forgot, get a pair of trekking poles.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Heh, might be the same bag...the one I linked is mine and it's a Marmot 15.

I think it is the same bag.

:thumbsup: Great bag too.

 

[KillerCharlie]

Welcome to the area! In my opinion the Northern and Central Cascades are the most beautiful mountains in the 48 states. I've been in Seattle about 5 years and have been on 60 different trails in the area. I'm actually in the middle of a 3 month long intensive mountaineering class.

All the tips on gear are pretty good, but I would absolutely not wear tennis shoes in the mountains. There's too much loose rock and tree roots on the trails. I did an 18 mile dayhike in trail runners once... bad idea. However I have done 3 day trips in lightweight Keen mid-height boots without much problem.

You have to be pretty careful about when and where you go. In my opinion, the mountains here are more rugged and unforgiving than say, Colorado. Many trails have snow on them up until late July - this is the snowiest place in the world after all.

The book you MUST buy is 100 Classic Hikes in Washington. About 2/3 of the trails in there are dayhike trails (which I love doing) but there are a lot of backpacking trips. All of the other Manning/Spring 100 hikes books are great as well.

It'll be a few months before you can head out to the mountains. Mt Baker has still been getting several feet of snow a week. Typically it's at least June until you can backpack in the mountains. There are some lowland hikes you can do, though they might be a bit rainy. Backpacking along the Olympic coast (perhaps the most untouched coast in the 48 states) is amazing.

Let me know if you have any questions or need someone to go with.

 

[goobernoodles]

Welcome to the area! In my opinion the Northern and Central Cascades are the most beautiful mountains in the 48 states. I've been in Seattle about 5 years and have been on 60 different trails in the area. I'm actually in the middle of a 3 month long intensive mountaineering class.

All the tips on gear are pretty good, but I would absolutely not wear tennis shoes in the mountains. There's too much loose rock and tree roots on the trails. I did an 18 mile dayhike in trail runners once... bad idea. However I have done 3 day trips in lightweight Keen mid-height boots without much problem.

You have to be pretty careful about when and where you go. In my opinion, the mountains here are more rugged and unforgiving than say, Colorado. Many trails have snow on them up until late July - this is the snowiest place in the world after all.

The book you MUST buy is 100 Classic Hikes in Washington. About 2/3 of the trails in there are dayhike trails (which I love doing) but there are a lot of backpacking trips. All of the other Manning/Spring 100 hikes books are great as well.

It'll be a few months before you can head out to the mountains. Mt Baker has still been getting several feet of snow a week. Typically it's at least June until you can backpack in the mountains. There are some lowland hikes you can do, though they might be a bit rainy. Backpacking along the Olympic coast (perhaps the most untouched coast in the 48 states) is amazing.

Let me know if you have any questions or need someone to go with.

Thanks, that's a lot of good info.

Are there any places you'd recommend I check out as I get into it?

 

[duragezic]

Set aside a few hours and check out nutnfancy (use the playlists to get past all the gun/knife/etc stuff). He packs really heavy and goes a bit overboard with some stuff if you ask me but you can pare down what you think you don't need.

Really good series on all you would ever need to bring: Extended Stay Backpacking System, Part 1

 

[grohl]

Cool! I do 1-3 trips a year with friends. Heading to North Cascades first week of August this year. Check it out.

 

[SaDiZTiKStyLeZ]

I enjoy hiking but not as much as to get into it like that.
I was getting into geocaching alot last year and had alot of fun romping through forests and such.

 

[Bignate603]

Do that many people really take stoves? I've always just taken food that didn't need prep. Saves weight.

Yes, especially if it will be cool or damp. A warm meal when it's cold and wet can turn a miserable evening into something quite enjoyable. Also, I typically go camping with a few other people and you only need one stove to share between everyone.

Thanks for the tip. Just ordered that book.

Does anyone have any recommendations or opinions on buying used equipment via craigslist or something of the sort?

You might also want to flip through this one. It's a fast read and looks kind of goofy but it's got solid information and will get you familiar with all the basics for most trips.

I HIGHLY recommend getting used equipment. Many people buy good equipment, use it once or twice, and then ditch it. My backpacking weight zero degree bag, backpack, and stove are all gently used stuff I bought off other people. It takes a bit more work because you have to have an idea what you're looking at, if its a fair price, and evaluate the condition of it.

One thing I wouldn't get used is one of those inflatable sleeping pads. It's hard to tell if its got a leak.

 

[Bignate603]

Thanks, good info. I actually drove from Pittsburgh to Seattle last September and Glacier was a stop I wanted to make, but it was pretty far out of the way so I opted not to.

Do you have any experience flying with backpacking equipment? My friend and I are starting to think about potential road trip opportunities and really want to visit Utah, but it might make for a better experience if we were to just fly to the area, rent a car, then backpack.

I've got an Ospery pack that has a panel that zips over the straps to turn it into a giant duffel so the airline can't tear them off. It's built to take a bit more abuse so it won't get to torn up but that unfortunately makes it a bit heavier. You win some, you lose some.

The other option is to find a bag that fits over your pack to protect it. They sell stuff like this that is designed to fit over packs.

 

[SaDiZTiKStyLeZ]

Set aside a few hours and check out nutnfancy (use the playlists to get past all the gun/knife/etc stuff). He packs really heavy and goes a bit overboard with some stuff if you ask me but you can pare down what you think you don't need.

Some good info here. Will be putting it to use in some of my adventures. Now that it's warming up I suppose I should get back to planning all day, or weekend trips. I didn't think about adding this aspect of the hike to my trips until now, though...

I did just recently pick up some machetes to minimize fighting through the brush to reach my destinations.

 

[silverpig]

I'm in Vancouver and have done Baker and Adams in the past few years and am doing one more this summer although I haven't decided which yet.

I actually find I am most comfortable hiking in my vibrams, even with a 45 lb pack. The lack of weight on my feet makes climbing a lot easier, and they dry out in no time. I had a great time with them on Adams up until we hit deep snow at which point I switched to my plastic boots mainly out of fear the vibrams wouldn't cut it. I actually had more trouble with the boots than I did with the vibrams. After camping, I did the summit in plastic boots and crampons of course, but there were plenty of people who went up in these weird studded trail runner type things.

One thing I like to do: wear dress socks underneath wool socks. It cuts down on chafing, feels nice, and is warm.

Dehydrated mashed potatoes = awesomeness if you have a stove and water

I typically just carry water and dry food with me and skip the stove if it's just one night, but that's just me.

It's better to overpack a little bit and have some stuff left over when you get back to the car than it is to underpack and run out of water.

Do some easy stuff first. The summers here are dry and warm and you can easily survive outside at night with nothing if you get stuck/lost. If you do that at high altitudes, in the winter, or when it's wet, you're kinda screwed.

 

[KillerCharlie]

Cool! I do 1-3 trips a year with friends. Heading to North Cascades first week of August this year. Check it out.

I love NCNP! I go camping there at least once a year. If you can try to rent a canoe on Ross Lake.