I am thinking about going on a week long hike and am unsure what to bring. I don't want to over or under pack, as I know a lot of people complain about that. I was just wondering if anyone had any general advice.
Thanks!
Sidenote, I can totally get down with #outdoorski. Kudos to whoever thought of that.
YES!!
10 basic essentials - map, compass, knife, headlamp, first aid kit, water purification tablets/filter, firestarter, rain gear, sun protection, extra (non-cotton!) clothes. These are your survival tools! Also, bandanas can be really helpful - it's everything from a napkin to a towel to a bandage to a head scarf. •sleep stuff: sleeping bag, sleeping pad (I'm a huge fan of the egg-carton type ones - they're light and warm), shelter of choice (tent, tarp, hammock, etc.) •Food that's easy to cook over a camp stove (rice & beans, instant oatmeal, pasta, etc.) Cheese actually keeps surprisingly well without refrigeration - as long as you don't mind sweaty cheese. Tortillas keep forever, too. Bring along your favorite hot sauce to make things a little more interesting. You can bring veggies, but eat them within the first couple of days so they don't fester. Peanut butter & jelly. Whatever you do, don't pay $10 for one of those single-serving dehydrated meals. Make sure you're familiar with whatever camp stove you choose to bring, whether it's a JetBoil or a basic camp stove. Bring an extra fuel canister in case you drop one off a cliff. As for clothing - remember the golden rule that cotton kills! It keeps wetness on your body and makes you cold. Stick with wool, polypro, etc. Even for t-shirts. On that note, don't bring as many as you think you should. For a week, I'd suggest two. Have an extra layer or two...or three, including a hat. When you're packing, think about what you can leave behind - you don't need a plate and a bowl, and you don't need a fork and a spoon. Every ounce counts. And of course, remember to practice LNT camping!! https://lnt.org/learn/7-principles Have fun!! Sorry this was suuuuper long but hopefully it was helpful! Let me know if I can be of any more help. :) Edited because today I learned that paragraphs are a good thing. Shoutout to demure for enlightening me.
That was incredibly helpful. Would you recommend packing an entire weeks worth of food, or resupplying halfway? And if resupplying, mail or buy? That's one of my big concerns.
It depends on how many people you'll be traveling with. The fewer people there are to divide up food, the more difficult it is to carry a whole week's worth + pot and stove, etc. If you'll be crossing a road or going through a town, a resupply would make your pack lighter. If you buy it in town, you can have somewhat fresh food halfway through (yay vegetables!) but you also have to rely on whatever is available. Mailing food guarantees that you'll get exactly what you want. If you have a friend that would be willing to drive to a road that you'll cross, that's a way to get the best of both worlds! PS I dig #outdoorski hahaha
I want to get my dog a hiking pack so that he can carry water and his food when/if I take him backwoods camping in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan with me, but I want to talk to somebody who actually uses them first, to find out how much weight a big dog can comfortably tolerate carrying. Also those goats are fantastic, and are more suited to backpacking than the pack llama
Haha that is fantastic. Not sure it would be in my budget though.
You can't have a post about a week long hike and not reference this epic AnSionnachRua post: This was a pretty kick ass hike of mine:
I'm not sure I can add more than what birchbarkcanoe has said - that's some sound advice. -this may go without saying - but please let some one you know where you're going specifically and what your rough schedule is. Search and rescue sucks... it sucks worse when some one "went hiking up the canyon over there". -bring something to do. Are you going alone? with a friend? with a group? A deck of cards can be a sanity saver. A harmonica maybe? a good book? all are light weight and can really help salve the lonely mind. but not a kindle or a iPod or a smartphone... -Toilet Paper. Dude... I've forgotten this before... and it makes for a miserable time. -Can't stress enough the advice you've already gotten on cotton. Gotta keep dry. gotta. polypro stuff can be had CHEAP at places like marshals and TJ maxX. It's not the high end REI stuff - but some cheap reebok or nike reject workout shirt that is 100% poly will be like $8. So, so, so important - especially back east. I've not hiked the apple-atchas, but you're gonna get wet - even if just sweaty - and you're going to want to wick that away. Socks too - do what you can to get your hands on some good socks. buy the cheap, ugly shirt... buy the AWESOME SOCKS. -bug spray. DEET is your friend. look for the small bottle of 100% deet. It's usually a bit more money - but it goes a long way and isn't watered down. It's light weight and does the job. You might also consider a bug net hat. Nothing bugs me more than mosquitos on my face/neck. -food: as previously mentioned - dried stuff is your friend. My method: put each serving in a ziplock bag. You can boil the water on your stove and then just poor it in. the bag makes for no cleanup (other than rolling it up and putting it in your garbage bag). No dishes to do! One of my favorites is dried mashed potatoes and a cut up, pre-cooked hotdog or sausage. Add some seasoning, and boom - you get a flavorful, carb and protein packed meal that weighs almost nothing - and depending on the choice of meat - will last several days. Heck - you could probably even do some tofu. -Cheap-ish work gloves. They come in SO handy for handling hot stuff or unpleasant stuff. You may want to ditch them in favor of weight or space - but I love having them. For me - they're worth the ounces. -Sandals or other lightweight camp shoes. When you roll in to camp at night - it's great to give your feet a break. be safe though. -Paracord or rope. Unless you're climbing, you won't need a ton - but 50' of cord is super handy to have around for a makeshift shelters, hanging your bag, drying clothes, tent repair, etc. if any or all of this is too "preachy" or "yah, yah - I've heard this all before" I apologize. I'm jealous. Just thinking about this stuff makes me giddy for you. I hope you'll give us a trip report.
yes... more later... but start here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Essentials I love this stuff... family and career have kinda robbed me of solid weeks of wilderness survival time... but I love it. More later.
solid callout! birchbarkcanoe's recommendations above are pretty spot on!
Food, a way to purify water if you're not going to be somewhere with lots of fresh, drinkable agua, a comfortable pair of shoes, good socks, a bedroll or travel hammock, and a first aid kit, especially stuff to take care of your feet. All of this of course depending on where and when you're going, but i'd consider those the essentials.
I've been looking for first aid kits. Any advice on one for two people?
You could probably put your own together, or find one online. The kit I keep in my car has gauze, self adhesive bandage wrap, antibiotic ointment, a pair of scissors, tweezers, duct tape, super glue, bandaids in varying sizes and a few nonprescription pain meds (Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Acetaminophen). Combine that with a few big sticks and you can treat a lot of injuries all the way up to a bone break, or at least stabilize someone enough to get them more appropriate care.