Beginner’s Backpacking Guide

Revision date: 10 April 2021

Various folks have asked me how to “get into hiking.” If you’re just wondering how to prevent your miserable butt/nips/etc., from chafing, then skip this post and go and find my homemade anti-chafe recipe here at “How to Prevent Chafing.” I consider chafing a chief enemy, so I wanted its defeat to be up-front.

This post, however, is where I’m taking the time to address basic backpacking tips if you’ve never done a long trip before. I’ll be addressing backpacking in alpine areas, and not areas like the American Southwest—while I’ve hiked so many places down there, as of yet I have not posted on them here.

I’ve created this guide to help people get into hiking, as being in the outdoors is scientifically proven to be great for your mental and emotional health, and if you do it right, it’ll give you an awesome butt, too. My upbringing was odd, and to some, horrifying or off-putting, but it led me to appreciate the outdoors. If you’d like to get into hiking but aren’t sure how, I’d like to help you. It will improve your life.

Please note that I do not advertise on this site or get any kickbacks—these are all just recommendations that you can use or consider, but are not meant for any sort of financial gain for myself. This site is my ugly baby, but it’s not a side hustle. If any of the links are dead, just google yourself a good deal—the links are mostly meant to provide examples and inspiration. I don’t check them more than once per year, which is about as often as I update this post. Additionally, if you don’t need to learn about being safe in the mountains and just want to know what to take with you, skip to part III.

In This Post:

Safety Intro: Trapped!
I: My Philosophy and Style
II: Notes on Mountain Safety and My Backpacking
⇢Cold, hammocks, and shocking misery
III: My Gear and Links
⇢Clothing
⇢Cooking and Drinking
⇢Shelter (Tents, hammocks, etc.)
⇢Bedding
⤷Pillows
⤷Sleeping bags, quilts, and liners
⇢Backpacks
⇢Small Items: Maps, trowels, medicine, etc.
IV: Where to Find Deals

Safety Intro: Trapped!

Before you read this guide, please read this incredible, true story. I think you’ll really enjoy it. It’s an old article, but they’ve updated it from the old, 2002 link since I originally posted this. I’ve kept a digital backup in case it vanishes; let me know if the following link doesn’t work. Until such a time, please click through to Trapped! The Mike Turner Story.

I: My Philosophy and Style

Backpacking is something that I dream of, literally. When my emotions are at their lowest, thinking of hiking helps me sleep; being in the woods removes maladaptive ruminations.

Thanks to my parents, I grew up without the amenities of modern life, including, for some time at least, not having running water, electricity, or telephone. Living in the mountains far from civilization, I became very comfortable as a mostly feral individual. In fact, I am more relaxed 80 miles from a paved road than I am in a city. I truly love the outdoors and have some of my best prayer and meditation in them, regardless of season.

When I backpack, I don’t really want to see too many other folks. Places likes Estes Park are, in my mind, not a true escape. In general, if I have company, I want the party size to be small and, with any luck, spiritually and emotionally encouraging. Again, the wilds are a source of replenishment.

These factors impact my style of backpacking, but they are just the beginning—after all, there are super-runners (who run trails, bag a peak, and run out on the same day), there are ultra-lighters who have gear costing thousands of dollars and who want to crank out the miles, and there are those who want to simply amble along and enjoy what the scenery has to offer, though they want to put some miles on, too.

For my enjoyment of the outdoors, I want several things to be true about a backpacking trip:

This gives you an overview of the sort of hikes that will appeal to me. For example, the Appalachian Trail is the opposite of what I’d consider a fun hike. If you hike with me, you can expect to cover 6-12 miles a day of straight-hiking, with excursions for dayhikes or exploration. Time is always allocated for photography and fishing.

II: Notes on Mountain Safety and My Backpacking

If you’re coming from lowlands, acclimating really is pretty important if you want to fully enjoy yourself. By the time you reach 12,000 feet, the available atmospheric oxygen concentration is 65% of what it was at sea level. That really makes it feel pretty grueling for some.

“In a normal, healthy individual, sea level pressure is sufficient to cause the blood leaving the lungs to be almost totally (97%) saturated with oxygen. At 10,000 feet the saturation has dropped to almost 90% — still sufficient for nearly all usual life functions. An oxygen saturation of 93% is considered by medical folks to be the low limit of normal functioning. On top of Pike’s Peak (about 14,500 feet and 438 mm Hg atmospheric pressure) the oxygen saturation has dropped to about 80%. Many people, if left in this rarefied air for some period, will develop mountain or altitude sickness: vertigo, nausea, weakness, hyperpnea (increased breathing), incoordination, slowed thinking, dimmed vision and increased heart rate.”

I think that the above might be a bit melodramatic, but hey, just take it slow. No need to ruin your adventure.

⇢Cold, hammocks, and shocking misery

Now let’s get on to the fun parts! Because I camp higher than most people, and because of the mountain-mass effect in areas I camp, I am often above the treeline. Being above the treeline introduces more caveats. Some of them are as follows:

Don’t be the idiot who gets caught and needs an emergency blanket.

Lightning can occur, along with snow, and sometimes concomitantly, even in summer. For that reason, my trips are planned with “bailout points.” If you’re in the lowlands, hiking through the trees and to the occasional peak, this is not important for you.

A snowstorm in late July. By the time shelter was reached, 2 inches of snow were on the ground.

Talus and glaciers slow travel and can be hazardous.

By now you should be getting a feel for the sorts of hikes that I go on. I do this sort of recreation in the winter, too, so quite often I’ll be equipped with crampons, microspikes, and other equipment which let me enjoy the outdoors in a safe, responsible manner.

The following gear recommendations should be taken in light of all of the above knowledge. Each hike, especially distance hikes, should be planned with diligence on your part, as well as respect for the environment that you’ll be in. Done correctly, it’s the most freeing experience ever. Done poorly and flippantly, it can be fatal.

So let’s get on to my recommended gear list!

III: My Gear and Links

Good gear makes or breaks a trip. Make a checklist and check it twice. Setting up camp 60 miles from the nearest paved road is not the time to realize that you have nothing to start a fire with. Ok, let’s get to some gear. I’ll throw in some of my reasoning. This link is to a mostly-full list, though this changes per-hike; sometimes the pack is 50% as heavy.

The table below is 5 years of out date. I need to update it.

⇢Clothing

Clothing is incredibly important. Let’s start from the bottom up!

Gloves: During the summer, if you decide they are important to you, thermal liners will most likely be adequate. I use sun gloves such as this to protect my skin.

Hat, Standard: 2024 update: I use the Sunday Afternoons hat with brim and sunglass catch. Any light-colored, light hat with brim and neckguard. Treated with permetherin, this prevents bugs, sunburn, hooking yourself in the head, etc. They are also good to wet for rapid cooling, and offer longer cooling than just dunking your head. You will not look sexy. That’s ok. You’re probably not going to be looking to attract a mate on the trail, anyway, and will not be very sexy in general given your dopey, utilitarian outfit. Below are some hats I wear, including the “Buff.”
- Hat, Cold Weather: 2024 update: I mostly use a Kuhl merino skullcap. Jessie, bless her soul, has knitted me a wool-blend beanie with inbuilt felt for the cold and the wind. You’re on your own for this one, but let’s be serious…it’s not that hard to find a good beanie.

Jacket: Any 600-800 fill dridown jacket will be good. Make sure that it is not just down, but dridown. You can use these jackets for extra padding in many pillows, such as the Nemo Fillo. You should bargain shop for these puffer jackets. I use the REI Magma 850 hoodie now.
- Rainjacket: If weather conditions will be very harsh, a neoprene overjacket is recommended. I carry these for waterproofing and insulation any time the weather will get into the negatives, along with, of course, a lot more gear. Due to weight, I do not carry these in 3-season conditions. Instead, a $.99 rain poncho can suffice from the dollar store, or a waterproof, lightweight, wind-breaker style jacket from any of the more major manufacturers. My current choice is from Columbia. Be sure to shop around to get a good deal. A poncho can possibly go over your backpack as well as your body.
  - Note: If conditions get wretched, there’s no shame in improvising. Plastic bags over one’s feet, cutouts in an emergency thermal blanket to supplement the jacket, etc.

1. I got that Sierra Designs 800 fill puffer jacket for under $40. I no longer use it (ancient picture), but shop around. I used to patch my jackets up with NoSo Patches, but stopped when they went in the direction of “chop the penises off of little boys and reac.”
2. This heavyweight jacket can be used in fall and winter and offers unparalleled protection at the cost of moisture retention and possible overheating.
3. A simple rain jacket. Check on the protection rating. Some aren’t really rainproof.

Pants: I only bring one pair of pants, and I wear them every day. I would do the same around Jennifer Lawrence, even if caused her to spit on me. Pants weigh too much, in my opinion, to be carrying around multiple pairs. I prefer an ultralight, convertible pant. I exclusively wear Kuhl Pants.
- I don’t like that these pants are not stretchy, though. Pants which don’t stretch tend to bind when you really need that extra couple of inches in a jump or in a Class 3 scramble. I also really hate pants that clamp my buns together. As noted elsewhere, chafing of any body part is about as fun to me as a case of ebola. For other options, look at this list.
- Stormpants: Any ultralight stormcell, waterproof pant will do. Don’t spend lots of money on these, and realize that you may be able to leave them out of most summer trips if you have a bailout, fire, blanket, or can SIP. These pants are mostly for spring and later summer hikes, when drizzle for an extended period of time may occur, and you do not want to spend time laying-over somewhere.

Typical garb and equipment of the thru-hiker in Wyoming.

Sandals: Bring the lightest sandals that you can find. Nothing fancy. Just for ambling about the camp to get your feet out of your dirty, rotten shoes, and for peeing at night. I clip mine with a titanium carabiner.

Shirt, hiking: My upper is always a long-sleeve, ultralight, quick drying shirt. I burn easily, and where I hike the mosquitoes will carry you away, so I appreciate the ability to treat a thin shirt with permethrin so that mosquitoes won’t land on my clothes. In turn, this means less sunburn, less need for picardin/deet, and a generally happier me. This is a very personal preference. Contact me if you’re interested. There is a reason, however, that most serious through hikers that one sees will be dressed as in the picture below. Also, these light colors prevent heating and do not attract insects as much as darker colors.
- You may also want to bring a “camp” shirt if you want to be pampered or…whatever.
- A hiking shirt in 2017. As of 2020, I am still using the shirt below:

Shoes, trail: Some people like high-top, classic hiking boots. I find these to be too heavy and cumbersome. Others use extra-cushioned ones to ease the strain on the feet, such as the Hoka One One Vanquish. I find those to offer very little tactile feedback, and the proprioception in my joints tends to trip out, leading me to miscalculate balance needs.

Still, either of those could be right for you. If you’re doing a long, flat hike in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, a Hoka might be right up your alley. Since I’m climbing peaks, talus fields, and walking across glacial ice, the lack of feedback and grip puts me at risk.

2024 Update:, I am wearing Altra Olympus 5s to help with foot pain. So with that in mind, my go-to, 3-season shoe is the Montrail TransAlp. As of 2021, I am using their TransAlp F.K.T. II and III. After a bad slip on some Merrell’s that weren’t grippy enough, one of my hiking partners has also switched to the FKT series. These shoes feature a rockplate (and I love a good rockplate), mutli-direction gryptonite base, and quick-dry upper. This means that I can make the scary hops across wet talus fields with confidence, and I know that I’ll be dry quickly if I do get wet. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of a good-gripping base if you’re above the treeline.

The Hoka One One offers incredible cushioning, but is detrimental to proprioception. Proprioception (/ˌproʊprioʊˈsɛpʃən, -priə-/ PRO-pree-o-SEP-shən), is from the Latin proprius, meaning “one’s own”, “individual”, and capio, capere, to take or grasp, is the sense of the relative position of one’s own parts of the body and strength of effort being employed in movement.

Socks: padded smart-wool socks are my favorite. Be certain to get socks that have a bit of padding so that your feet will take the extra weight with more grace and less swelling and bruising. Although it sounds silly, normal socks will ruin a long trip. The type of sock should vary by the season.
- My current, favorite socks for summer hiking are the Zealwood Merino Wool Anti-blister Socks.
- During the fall, I really like Danish Endurance’s Merino Wool Hiking Socks. They are a little warm for summer hikes, though, or at least I seem to sweat more in them.
- I do not recommend wearing socks for more than 3 days at a time unless you wash them.

Zealwood socks. I have never had blisters or foot fatigue with them.

⇢*Cooking and D**rinking*

The best Sawyer filters. Get the Sawyer Squeeze. The others (mini, flow, etc.) are not as good.

For cooking, you will want a jet, propane stove. This one is my stove.

⇢Shelter (Tents, hammocks, etc.)

The basic shelters are as follows:

⇢Bedding

I used to use the now-discontinued Big Agnes Double Z. Such luxury.

Notice the rolled foam mats left and right which free up space in the pack. It also prevents you and the pack from falling over when sitting on the ground.

⤷Pillows

Pillows come in a variety of forms. I sleep with thicker pillows and can’t sleep without a good height. I also like having a pillow to hug and a pillow between my legs. This isn’t possible on the trail, use gallon ziplocks or ultralight drysacks to compress clothes. Wrap those clothes in a soft garment at night for a leg pillow. Use your puffer jacket to adjust pillow ride height for the head, in the built-in stuck sacks, or as a wrapping.

⤷Sleeping bags, quilts, and liners

You want a warm, light sleeping bag, but combining those qualities will cost you many hundreds of dollars, so you’ll probably have to get one that’s heavier than you’d like. DO NOT GET A BAG OVER 3 lbs!

Synthetic material is OK, but dridown is recommended. I once got soaked (don’t ask) and didn’t realize it due to my dridown. These are very imporant, so read this educational piece: http://www.cleverhiker.com/best-sleeping-bags/

I own the Kelty Cosmic 20, and it’s heavy at 2.8 lbs, but also does’t cost $900. It’s my secondary bag, though.

My primary bag is the REI Magma 10. It’s ultralight and ultracomfy. I recommend buying a bag like it. It’s worth the investment.

Sleeping bag liners add an extra 10F on average. You can bring a silk sheet cut to size or buy something like the Bundle Monster:

But better than the Bundle Monster by far is a down quilt. They pack down tiny and weigh nothing. If you have the money, supplement with something my friends all love to steal from me while we’re backpacking…the Wind Hard Quilt/Jacket. It’s wearable, packs down to the size of a can of beans (pretty much), and gets rave reviews from everyone that I let use it.

Beatriz using the quilt in its jacket form.

⇢Backpacks

Wow, this one is personal. You need to try them out in person. For thru-hikes, 65+ liters are recommended. Some people use a 50L for 2-nighters. I don’t see the point in that, and just use my 65 for most everything, except the occasional overnighter where my 50L works, I’m not bringing a stove, etc..

I believe in a good suspension system. The best so far is the Osprey Anti-Grav system. It keeps every part of you ventilated, hugs you like a fine woman, and very importantly, helps you stay balanced. On the other hand, it is slightly heavier than some packs. I have the Osprey Atmos AG 65.

Note: Sexual dimorphism often means that women carry less, since their clothes are not as large, they eat less, etc. If you’re a woman, make certain that you get a woman’s pack. You may get away with a smaller pack.

Always measure your torso and hips when selecting a pack.

Accessibility of items in your pack and weight distribution determine how you should load your pack. You do not want critical gear out of reach at the wrong time. You also do not want to be navigating a talus field when your poorly-packed bag causes you to become off balance and results in a broken leg. Please see this video by the ultra-runner and ultra-athlete Andrew Skurka:

For slot canyons for a day and other such adventures, light-frame packs such as the Thule Capstone 40 are recommended. These can also be used on flights. For women, something akin to the deprecated Osprey Hornet 45 is an excellent choice.

A woman with the Osprey Hornet. Note the light frame. Not her light frame, the backpack’s!

⇢Small Items: Maps, trowels, medicine, etc.

Here’s a guide to packing for long hikes. Not all of the choices are right for me, but notice that the National Outdoor Leadership School lists many of the same items as I do. This second link shows a weight-breakdown that is important to accomplish until you are familiar with distance hiking and your gear.

1.) Leukotape. Leukotape sticks very well and allows body-part to slide over body-part like a greased pig down a slip-and-slide.

2.) Moleskin of varying padding can do the same thing, and also help with blisters.

3.) Make a form of Hydropel for yourself. I accomplish this by combining the ingredients shown. Adjust these ingredients to the ratio that you prefer most. I put them in a sealed bag and take them with me, applying by hand when the need arises.