Starting Out

Backpacking gear is crazy expensive.

How to save when the budget is tight?

Make your list and see what you already have on hand.

Any clothes you are thinking of taking do this:
Don't even bother with cotton.

Wash your options and then lay them around the house or on a line to dry.  Anything not dry in 2 hours in the sun or overnight in the house, leave at home.  Anything that feels exceedingly heavy wet, leave at home. You will be hauling it around wet at some point.

You WILL break and lose things while backpacking.  Especially when you are first starting out and before you get your packing routine down, so I recommend everyone, including folks not on a tight budget, go the budget route to some extent. Losing a $12 headlamp isn't as bad a hit as the $60 one!

Bras and underwear are a big deal, if you wear them.  Some women forgo both while backpacking. I have the letter E in my bra size.  Bra non-optional!  Sports bras in full-figured sizes are around $50. So, off to Dollar General where they have very lightweight polyester sports bras for $7 that last through 6 months of steady use and dry in minutes and hold the girls steady enough to avoid discomfort. They DO get soaked through with sweat, so I carry a couple extra in case I need to change midday for personal comfort. Quick rinse, clip it to the pack, keep on walking.  Same with underwear, I get the seamless undies from DG and they also rinse and dry quickly.  If I am going to be gone a few days, I wear bamboo.  They are antimicrobial and fairly cheap if you get them online ahead of time.

Socks-wool.  Find them however you can and be SURE they fit well and are not baggy.  I buy boys socks, even with a size 7-8 foot, to ensure they are snug because a sock for size 7 to 9 is made to fit someone size 9. Keep your toenails short all the time but especially ahead of a backpacking trip.  It will save your socks and could save your toenails.  3 pairs.  One to wear, one to have clean and dry and one to be drying on your pack, I usually whack the used socks on a tree or rock a few times, turn it inside out and do the same, then let it air out really well.  If they are filthy, I will wash them out with some water and a couple drops of camp soap.  Otherwise, I good whack-n-air will have them back in hiking shape.

Liner socks with toes work like magic to keep blisters from forming when you have overlapping toes. These are worth the expense, your feet will make or break your hike and the best socks you can afford are what you should go with.  Look for sales.  Inijini, Darn Tough, Thorlo and nearly any merino wool and merino wool and silk blends are good socks.  The wool socks in bundles from Sams Club or Costco will work for a whole hiking season.  They are the only socks I have walked holes in, though.

I also have a pair of fuzzy house socks for sleeping in.  Most people just use their clean pair to sleep in, but I like a loose cozy sock for sleep.  If you do, too, bring it.  It's your hike.  Most of your 'luxury' weight (optional things you decide are worth carrying) will probably be related to getting decent rest. It's more vital than decent food on the trail.

Good rain gear.  The basic rain set from Frogg Toggs is around $20 and is light, packs smallish and works.  It's also HOT to hike in and every time I have used mine, I end up with a sweat soaked shirt. So, I just use the pants and use a poncho to cover my upper half and pack.  Some ladies hike in a rain kilt or skirt.  I have yet to find one that keeps my lower legs dry and I really dislike a wet sock and shoe and mud splashes up on my lower legs-no fun!  If you are not hiking in heavy cover, an umbrella can be a good alternate piece of rain gear to combine with rain pants.  It will keep the sun off as well.

To keep your pack contents dry, line your pack with a COMPACTOR (not contractor) bag. You can add a pack cover to the outside as well, or use your poncho to cover it.  Think about the doodads you will have in the outer pockets not in the body of the pack-map, light, first aid, snacks, camera/phone...plan ahead so you have those items in a Ziploc at the very least.

Sun hat, sock hat, easy enough.  Just use your favorite mowing hat or the hat you wear at the beach. Make a knit hat or buy one at Wal-Mart.  These are not items that need to be pricey.  If you make your own, you can make it match your pack, a truly dorky move that I encourage.  I had a mental 'thing' a couple years ago and made about 30 hats, it's not even remotely difficult.

You can use your regular sunscreen, bug spray, chapstick and first aid supplies.  You'll want to add moleskin to your first aid kit.  Look for them in travel sizes.  For staying clean, use baby wipes from home, just lay them out to dry out, pack them up and then wet to use at camp.  You can then re-dry them out to pack back out.  Anything wet is heavier than anything dry-every single time.  Do not leave wipes in the woods!  Even in a hole.

Flashlight-go for the lightest LED headlamp with the most lumens that you can afford.  There are some good options for $12 out there.

Backpacking towels-go to Dollar Tree and get a microfiber car wash towel for $1.  Or get several and use one for a washcloth and the other to dry with.  Some folks just use a bandanna, but I like the softy-soft towel.

PUD-grab a small angled oil change funnel for a buck while you are getting your towel.  A hard sided funnel won't warp or collapse.  Just cut the end off to personal length preference with a serrated knife and go.  A pee funnel keeps you from having to take off your pack and your pants down to pee. Some trails lack underbrush and big rocks to give you any privacy.  A hiking skirt would be good in this situation

If you have a wicking shirt that needs to be retired, cut it into big squares and use those as pee rags. A pee rag clips to your pack and that's what you use to wipe with, then hang it back up to dry.  No TP to deal with packing out!  It dries fast, can be rinsed at camp and does not hold odor.  Some folks swear the sun hitting them kills all the germs, but I just know that they work really well and means there's less trash in your pack or if you are a total asshat, litter in the woods.

Footwear:

You'll need 2 kinds of footwear-hiking shoes and camp shoes.  Camp shoes can be any lightweight shoe that you put on while in camp, Crocs are very popular and knock-off Crocs are pretty cheap, too. Flipflops will work, but in general, a shoe that covers the toes is better-one of the reasons you wear a camp shoe (other than to give your feet a break and air out your boots) is to protect your toes from stubbing and to slip on for that middle of the night potty run.  Some folks use a river sandal for their camp shoe and this is a good option if you will be crossing lots of creeks and need to wade.  Crocs would be useless as water shoes, going barefoot is dangerous and wearing wet boots all day is misery. River sandals can also weigh as much as a pound each, so plan accordingly.  It may be worth it for safety on some trips.  Lightweight trail runners are also a good option, they make them out of what feels like hollow foam these days that just weigh ounces each. You can often find them on sale for under $30 if you are not picky about color.

Hiking shoes-Chances are you are a hiker heading into being a backpacker, so start off with what you already hike in unless you know you need the ankle support of a boot to carry a load.  Anything that feels good and has good support is a perfect choice.  After a few trips, you will have a much better idea what type footwear you will need and you can start looking then.  Don't go buy brand new boots with hiking the entire AT in mind, use what you have or what you can buy to also use in your every day and see how far that gets you.


Food:

You can go a long, long way on Ramen and Snickers and jerky.  Don't worry about $$$ backpacking meals if you aren't going to be out for a week or more with no way to resupply.  Which is RARE, I will just go ahead and say it:  There are few long trails a beginner would tackle that don't pass near towns, so don't sweat backpacking meals.  Lipton cup of soup, ramen, hot chocolate, candy bars, protein bars, dried fruit, foil packs of tuna, chicken and salmon, pasta sides in pouches, instant potatoes-all of these you can find at even the smallest of grocery stores and they are all easy to pack, cook and consume.  On a 3-4 day hike, you are not going to run short of nutrients of drop dead from scurvy if you don't have prepackaged meals.  Cheese, boiled eggs and avocado all pack well, if heavy.  Don't limit yourself to just what's freeze dried, try out lots options!  You can dehydrate foods in your oven if you think you want to try it yourself before you buy a special dehydrator that you may decide is not worth the space.  Vegan, Paleo and gluten free diets can all be accommodated with regular grocery store food even for several days of hiking, get some goodie to look forward to and slog through with the staples.

Hiking Poles

To pole or not to pole.  That is an oft-asked question!

Poles really do help, they take some of the weight off by distributing it through your arms.  They help keep you steady going down steep hills, they help keep you upright when crossing water and they are great for poking into holes and knocking webs out of the trail.

Downside includes: takes up both hands and they are with you the WHOLE time.  And you have to shorten and lengthen them to accommodate various terrain.  You want your arm at a 90 degree angle, so shorter on the uphills and longer on the downhills.  They can collapse if you lean too hard on them.

This does not bother most folks, but I feel panicked/trapped if I have both hands full.  It's not entirely logical, but it's true.  For many years, I would not take poles because I don't like that feeling.  Then, I started falling. A LOT.  Slips, falls, butt busters, so I started carrying poles again.  And had the worst fall of my life resulting in a badly injured ankle with one pole going this way and the other going that.  Back to no poles, and a reinjury.

I hit upon the perfect solution, one I have tried out on several trails and am quite happy with.  I use one long wooden pole with a brass pointy end, it comes to my chin, it's just shy of 5 feet tall.  I can move my grip up or down instead of fiddling with the height, I don't worry about putting my weight on it because there's no way to collapse it.  To go up hills, if I need both hands to help haul me up, I plant it sideways across the trail and push off with both hands.  It's light so when I don't want to poke the ground every step, I just hold it in one hand parallel with the ground.  It has enough heft that if I needed to whack a dog in the head, I think it would do the job. Sorry, dog lovers. I have been attacked before, so it's always in the back of my mind.  I have 4 of my own and would never strike an animal unprovoked.  But if you are out in the woods, you need to be aware of your limits.  Mine include fending off dogs barehanded.

I like the security of a single pole, though I do wish it had the following: a PEZ dispenser with caffeine tablets, a gnat zapper, a level to see if my head will be going downhill in the tent that seems to be on level ground until I lay down and a camera mount!  Those are all the modifications I have daydreamed about, though to be honest, I'd take just the zapper and be happy.

List: 04 How to Load Your Pack

You have all your stuff and are ready to pack. How should you put it in the pack?

The best plan is to put lighter, bulkier stuff at the bottom. Your sleeping bag, extra clothes, repair kit and sleeping pad all go at the bottom of your pack. Put the heaviest stuff on top of that and against your back.

Cookware, the stove, tent poles, heavier food and so on should be against your back with lighter items like your towel, rain gear and tent (or hammock) between that and the front of your pack to keep it from shifting at all. The weight against your back keeps the load from pulling your shoulders more. On top of that layer goes the rest of the food, your fleece/puffy and rain gear and your first aid kit. Keep your map, compass, camera, snacks, notepad and water bottle in your outside pockets or a fanny pack turned around to your front. You can clip your hat and bandanna to the outside when not in use.

Always have several big trash bags along, you can put wet gear in them either in your backpack in the case of a soaked tent or in your tent in the case of soaked clothing and shoes.

Use a tiny flashlight as the zipper pull on your pack and you will always have a quick way to see what you are digging around for.

Get a system in place for stuff sacks and gear/food. Keep your food packed together either by day or by meal, keep all toiletries in one colored bag, first aid in another, rain gear in a third and so on. This will make organization simple once you have learned your system and will ensure you don't forget anything if you load your gear the same way each time, it will be obvious immediately that your small red first aid sack slipped behind the log you were sitting on the night before.

Do not head out without knowing how to use your gear, even if you upgraded to a newer version of what you already had. Read the troubleshooter tips for filters, stoves and so on and make sure you know how to deal with possible common problems. Set up your tent or hammock several times to get a really good feel for how everything goes. It may be dark or raining when you arrive at your site. If it's raining and your tent is mesh with a rain fly, practice putting it together upside down so the bottom gets wet instead of the inside floor and then flip and slap on the fly super fast.

Look at your gear and decide what can do double duty. 

Unless you are going for just one night or it's otherwise a relaxed trip, don't take anything you think, "Just In Case" about.

a properly loaded pack is the key to a comfortable hike

List:03 What to Bring

My Packing List:
Not everything goes on every trip, this is what I have taken that I will take again.

Backpack with rain cover
Fanny Pack
Stuff Sacks

Shelter:
tent with poles and stakes and fly
tarp/ground cloth

or hammock, net and rain fly

Sleeping bag and liner
Sleeping pad
inflatable pillow

Kitchen:
stove
Fuel

lighter/matches
Kettle or pot

cooking pouches
extra baggies
long spoon
sporks
toaster fork/foil
water bottles
mug
water purification system

Clothing:
weather reliant layers
always bring a knit hat and extra wool socks
camp shoes
sunglasses and sun hat
bug net for your head
poncho or rain gear
light fleece jacket or puffy
You can use extra clothes in a stuff sack as a pillow or find room for one.
sleeping clothes

Lighting:
headlamp and tiny flashlight that I clip to my pack zipper so I can see inside it
Luminaid lantern

Repair kit:
Tenacious tape
2 small zip ties
small multitool
ripstop nylon patches
3-4 large sturdy safety pins
2 sewing needles and a length of dental floss
extra buckle
air mattress repair patch
tent pole repair sleeve

First Aid:

Small packet of wet wipes
tiny tube of hand sanitizer
self-sticking wrap
6-8 bandaids in a couple sizes
butterfly closure strips
tooth cement (a tiny plastic container of numbing agent to pack into a cracked or broken tooth)
Saline misting spray if anyone is prone to nosebleeds
Tylenol
Benedryl
antibiotic ointment
tweezers
Pepto tablets
2 gauze pads
extra tampons
moleskin
tiny nail scissors

sunscreen

lip balm

bug dope

stick-on forehead thermometer
foam ear plugs

Also:
Map of trail
compass
trail guide if possible

2-3 clips (mainly to attach wet clothing to dry on your pack, you will find many other uses)

trash bags (compactor bags are good for this)

small umbrella (light rain or hot sun protection, just tuck the handle in your pack strap)

hiking poles or stick

towel/chamois

paracord

toilet paper and trowel
toothbrush and paste
comb/hair holders

notebook and pen

camera/battery
bandanna (more than one)

It looks like a TON of stuff, but everything on the list adds up to a little over 20 pounds!  Most of it is tiny.

Ultralight gear is awesome AND it's $$$ AND it is very often made with fragile materials to keep the weight down, making it something you have to really care for every step of the way to keep from getting shredded. I advise going for the lightest you can afford that still has good durability, so 20 to 25 pounds is a very attainable goal. Your Big Four are pack, shelter, sleeping bag, sleeping pad. Get the weight down on these-even if you have to swap out as the money is there to do it-and each upgrade will improve your situation.