Hiking 101: Backpacking

This article is a continuation of Hiking 101: Day Hikes

For me backpacking was the natural progression from day hiking. As my day hikes got longer and more technical I couldn't fit all the places I wanted to go in one day, so I had to start backpacking. Since I already day hiked quite a bit, I had a lot of what I needed. The rest I bought in stages at REI, Craigslist, and Ebay so I could keep my costs low while still remaining lightweight.

When I first looked into backpacking I was overwhelmed by suggestions I had seen about $500 tents, $400 sleeping bags, and other expensive gear that was "essential." I couldn't pay that much for a hobby, so I had to start on Craigslist. I was able to find a set of gear including a Kelty Tioga backpack, 0 degree sleeping bag, 1-person tent, MSR Whisperlite stove, and a few other items. From there I was able to slowly upgrade my gear as I saw fit. This is the order I would recommend buying your gear in and what to look for when buying.

The Big 3

Often referred to as the Big 3, your sleeping system, backpack, and shelter are the three most important and usually heaviest items you'll need to buy.

Backpack

When I bought the majority of my gear it came with a huge 85L Kelty Tioga external frame pack that's design has remained relatively unchanged since its introduction in the 70s. It's big enough to fit all my gear, even when I first got started and it wasn't very compact. Older external frame packs are easy to find, and often much cheaper than new packs. They're easily adjustable and can carry heavy loads with much more stability than internal frames. But who really wants to carry more weight? After a few seasons I upgraded to the Z-Packs Arc Haul and I highly recommend it if you're going the UL route. The important thing when buying a pack is to find one that fits you and is comfortable not when empty, but when it's at full weight. Keeping it under 3 lbs is ideal, but as long as it isn't over 5 you should be fine.

Sleeping System

Sleeping Pad

When sleeping out on the cold hard ground it's important to have a warm sleeping bag and a comfy sleeping pad. The pad isn't just to make you comfortable, it helps keep you warm and insulates from the ground. An inflatable pad is often most comfortable and offers good insulation and packability, but they're expensive; they sometimes can cost upwards of $200. They also can pop in harsh conditions and tend to be noisy when sleeping on them. The best choice for beginning backpackers are often foam pads. Foam pads are light, cheap and work pretty well. They usually aren't as comfortable as inflatable pads, but are much more durable; it's pretty much impossible to destroy a foam pad. Foam pads also aren't as compact and are usually strapped to the outside of the pack. But if you're fine with the cumbersome size, they're the cheapest option, often costing only $10. I use a Thermarest Z-Lite Sol for it's folding size and low cost. I would like to upgrade to an inflatable pad sometime, but the cost is a major deterrent to me.

Sleeping Bag

A sleeping bag is one of those investments that you'll have to make early on. When buying, remember that you'll never regret getting a better bag, even at a higher price. There are two main fill types, down and synthetic. Synthetic is usually cheaper, but heavier than down and not as compact. They also don't tend to last as long as a good down bag will. But synthetic bags are unique in that they keep their insulation properties even when wet. Down fails at that, although newer dri-down systems have a waterproof coating to help this. Down is classified by its fill, or how much volume an ounce of down occupies. 900 fill is the highest quality and very expensive, but can be worth it if you're looking for the most efficient bag you can get. For your first couple trips you may be happy with a cheaper synthetic from Big5, Cabela's or Sportsman's Warehouse, but soon the weight and size will convince you of the need for a better bag.

Stoves

Camping and backpacking conjure up images of sleeping under the stars and cooking over a fire. Sleeping under the stars is still recommended, but cooking on a fire has been replaced with the hiss of a stove. Fire is unsustainable and not approved in many locations, so we have to go with the next best thing. There are 3 basic stove fuels, liquid white gas, butane/propane gas mixes, and alcohol/other fuel types.

White Gas

White gas is the oldest style stove but remain a classic today. They're heavier overall, but much more efficient in cold weather where gas stoves flounder and sputter. They also use white gas or similar fuels in a refillable bottle, not those half-full gas canisters that tend to accumulate in your closet at home. White gas stoves are dependable, great for simmering or real cooking, and boiling large amounts of water for groups or melting snow.

Butane/Propane

Butane/propane blends are the most popular stoves for their ease of use, low price, low weight, and packability. They light easily and offer quick boiling times, especially when used with a heat exchanger pot system like the MSR Windburner or JetBoil systems. As hinted at earlier, gas stoves are problematic when it comes to the fuel canisters. When you only use half or three-quarters of the canisters the rest seem to sit around and collect. And when going on longer or thru-hikes the question of canister disposal comes into play. They also don't simmer as well as white gas stoves do.

Other Fuels

There are many other fuel sources that can be used including alcohol, esbit, wood, and others. These tend to be more popular with SUL and endurance hikers. Alcohol stoves can be lighter than gas stoves and offer the fuel advantages of white gas, especially on long distance hikes where fuel sourcing can be tricky. Each of these have their specific advantages but won't be discussed in depth here.

How to Choose

When I first got in to backpacking, I had an MSR Whisperlite but it was too bulky and heavy for the kind of hiking I wanted to do. Big5 had a great stove/mess kit combo for $50 that fit my needs perfectly. I'm currently looking more at alcohol stoves for their lightweight and small size as I'm pursuing lighter and faster hiking. Do the research and find what works for you. There's no wrong way to backpack, so  HYOH.

Bear Canisters

Whenever traveling in the Sierra or any other areas where  bears are a frequent problem, it's best to carry a bear canister. In addition to being a good idea, it's also mandatory in high usage areas like Rae Lakes and Whitney Portal. Unlike other gear, the bear can is a relatively easy piece to buy as there are few options to choose from. There are essentially 4 main choices when it comes to bear-proof food storage: Garcia Backpackers' Cache, BearVault, Bearikade, and the Ursack. Calipidder has an amazing article outlining the pros and cons of different designs, and I doubt I can do her any justice. I will say that my first can was a borrowed Garcia before I upgraded to the BearVault BV-500. I really like the see through sides and tool-less lid. I'm starting to look at the Ursack for it's lightweight and compactability, especially on weekend trips. Don't worry about buying right away or if you aren't planning on backpacking that often, the National Parks and Forest Service often rent these canisters at the trailhead for a small fee. Plus, you can also rent canisters online for lower prices than buying.

Clothing

The clothes I take backpacking are dependent on the conditions, trip and location, but mostly consist of my dayhiking gear plus extras if I need them. You can find that list HERE. If I'm just going on an overnighter or for the weekend, I'll check the weather and plan accordingly. Most places I can get to in a day in the Sierra don't get that cold, so I rarely pack more than a light jacket. Along with an underarmour shirt and rain shell I can stand temperatures down to freezing. If it's any colder I'll be in my sleeping bag. Same goes with rain gear, if the forecast looks good, I won't bother with full rain pants or jacket, a shell or plastic poncho is good enough for me. I've hiked in the rain before and it wasn't cold enough for me to want anything else, but YMMV. My sleeping clothes also change trip to trip depending on how I feel when packing. Sometimes I'll take long underwear so I can wear it under my pants if it's really cold; other times I like fleece sweats because they're softer and roomier, even though they're heavier. I wear an underarmour long-sleeve shirt to bed, and it's one of my favorite hiking items. I also wear a beanie and a buff/handkerchief when it gets cold. This isn't a hard set list, and I often leave items at home if I know it's going to be warm or take extras if it's going to be colder, it's my basic wardrobe and what I start out with when packing.

HYOH

This gear is what I like to use, but is no means what you have to. At this point in my backpacking career I'm willing to sacrifice luxury for low weight and price, but this may change in the future. In the short time that I've been doing this I've changed my gear selection on every single hike, and learned something each time. Don't let the fear of wrong gear selection keep you from going out and hiking. I know people that have gone out with nothing more than a water bottle, space blanket, and some fishing line, catching fish and finding wild edibles to eat. The main thing is to be confident in your gear and have a good time.

Hiking 101: Day Hikes

I decided to write this series after a friend of mine expressed interest in becoming more serious about hiking and backpacking. I gave him some help, but soonafter realized how handy it would be if there was a place where all the ideas I've learned over the years could accumulate and help others too. I'll be going over several topics including day hiking, backpacking and what do once you're on the trail. I hope you find them helpful and I appreciate comments and suggestions

Before I started backpacking, I day hiked. Growing up I had always gone on shorter hikes to places like Weaver Lake, Big Baldy, and others in SEKI and the surrounding areas. My first real strenuous day hike was the summer before my senior year of high school to Alta Peak and Pear Lake, and I was immediately hooked. The following year I went on a dozen hikes with half of them over 12 miles, no piece of cake. As I got more adventurous my hikes became longer, off-trail, and generally more extreme, sometimes approaching and topping 20 miles. But you don't have to be that crazy to go hiking. In fact, you probably already have most of these items, but if you do feel like becoming more serious, this is the stuff I would make sure to get.

Footwear

I have covered my opinions on shoes vs. boots on my other blog post My Thoughts on Footwear, so I'll try to keep it brief here. I started out by just wearing regular Nike athletic shoes, and they worked out fine for years. Athletic shoes fit well, are lightweight,broken in, and you (most likely) already have them. Some long distance hikers still hike in Nikes, New Balances or other cheap shoe.

Socks

In addition to breathable shoes, good quality socks are a must for blister prevention. They help to reduce sweaty feet, which can lead to blisters, in addition to providing cushioning and arch support. Cotton socks are not an option, as cotton holds moisture like none other. Anything synthetic works, but merino wool is the best, and Darn-tough socks are highly ranked by many backpacking blogs. 

Basic Hiking Clothes

For years I wore athletic shorts and a dri-fit shirt when hiking and I see lots of people still doing it. I currently wear an OD green dri-fit shirt I got on sale at Dick's and really like its breathability. I used to wear Army surplus camo pants, because I could get them for $20 at the surplus store. They are heavy duty and don't wear out easily, but they are not the lightest pants out there. While browsing REI I noticed a pair of convertible hiking pants on clearance, and in my size no less! Given this fortuitous event, I upgraded. Hats are also important, especially at 10,000 feet, where there's much less atmosphere to protect from UV rays. I used to use a $10 flat brim hat from Walmart, but upgraded to a nicer hat when I got the chance. I wouldn't recommend a baseball cap unless sunscreen is used, as they don't protect the back of your neck (speaking from an experience I wore for a few days after). I also like to take a light jacket/sweatshirt when hiking, in case it gets cold or windy while hiking. "Cotton kills" as the saying goes, so synthetic is a must to keep you warm when you're wet or sweaty.

Rain/Wind Layer

In the Sierra in summer, there's often no reason to worry about rain or wind, especially when day hiking. If there is rain forecasted it's easy to postpone the trip or hike somewhere not affected by the weather system. That's not to say that I haven't done my fair share of hiking in the rain. At the time I was wearing a thin nylon shell I wore, but after 5 minutes of hiking in the rain I decided that sweating in a jacket was worse than getting soaked in the rain. Since then I've looked at other options including Gore-tex, but the price dissuaded me. After reading a forum thread on WhiteBlaze I found FroggToggs. WhiteBlaze is the Appalachian Trail's forum and so I trusted it in regards to raingear, since it rains quite a bit on the AT. A set of FroggToggs are available at Big5 for ~$25, a pretty good deal for breathable waterproof gear. Panchos are another option, as they allow for lots of airflow while still maintaining a highly waterproof surface. While rain isn't that common in summer Sierra conditions, wind can be at higher elevations and mountain peaks/passes. I mostly take my FroggToggs for the added layer of insulation in these conditions, more so than for rain protection.

Base Layer

Whenever I start a hike early in the morning, I wear a long-sleeve polyester skin tight shirt under my normal hiking shirt. It adds that extra layer of insulation that really helps keep you warm. Plus the polyester wicks away sweat and keeps me dry. When on an overnighter or when it's really cold, I'll take long underwear, but very rarely on a summer day hike.  Again, cotton is highly discouraged, especially for a base layer. It gets drenched in sweat and chills you very quickly, and doesn't dry out at all. Wool would be ideal as it wicks well and has anti-microbial properties to prevent stink.

Hydration/Purification

Water and hydration are very important when hiking, and getting clean water while hiking is equally important. When first starting hiking, carry a couple liters of water and don't worry about filling up on the trail, But as you go on longer and longer hikes, carrying increasingly more water isn't a viable solution. Sooner or later you're going to have to get a water purifier. I had used a camelbak for years because I could drink on the go and not have to worry about water bottles. I had an adapter that plugged into my Katadyn water filter so I could pump fresh water into the bladder without having to take it out of my backpack. After a couple years of hiking, my pump's filter was getting clogged, so I was looking to replace it. $50 for a new filter!!! So I started looking for other options. After reading up on Sawyer Mini I decided that for the price ($20) I couldn't go wrong. I ditched the pump, camelbak and decided to just bring two 1L SmartWater bottles. The Sawyer screws on the top and allows me to filter as I go, and save quite a bit of weight. I know lots of people who use the steripen, as prices have come down and they offer fast, easy purification. They use a UV light to kill bacteria, protozoa, and even viruses. The problem is that they take 4 AA batteries and don't work very well in colder weather, but the ease of use may make up for that. 

First Aid Kit/Ten Essentials

My day hike first aid kit is basic, but sufficient. It also contains many of the Ten Essentials. I have it all in a bag that I can take with me whether I go day hiking or on a week long backpacking trip. It contains a few band-aids of different sizes, cotton wads, some duct tape, superglue, and some pills including Tylenol, Advil, and aspirin. I also keep a space blanket, Swiss army knife, mosquito headnet, a lighter and some parachord. I always try to keep some chapstick and sunscreen with me as well.