Here is the scenario. Your friends have invited you on a weekend backpacking trip to the great Grand Canyon. You are psyched to spend a weekend with your friends, but you realize you have no idea what to pack and where to start. That's where I come in. Mr. Backpack. I will tell you what you need to get started, and cover a few extras along way.Obviously, the first thing you will need to go backpacking, yes, a backpack! Whether you buy or rent, a good quality backpack mean the difference between life and death. OK, maybe not dead, but it will make a difference in your life on your trip. There is no right or wrong backpack, but it's a good idea to try a few and make sure you like how it feels. Most internal frame backpacks have adjustable straps to ensure a snug fit and friendly. I will not cover all the details on how to fit it just right, which takes patience and a personal touch to get it just right. What I will say is where to start. Head down to your local sports retailer and ask someone to help you try some on. Tip: For a weekend trip, you probably want to one presentation somewhere in 3600 cubic inches to 4500 cubic inch range. And do not be overwhelmed at the many choices and select one that is the most expensive. More expensive packs are just more features such as waterproofing or a rotating belt. You're looking for simplicity here to get started. Go to REI and check out some packages. They also have many good tutorials on there to show you how to properly fit a pack.The second necessity you will probably need to be out there is water. But how do you store it? Well my friend, you need a blow. I personally use a Camelbak Omega, which holds only about 3 liters of water. And do not worry, your pack have a place for safe storage of the bladder. So what happens when you run out of water? This is where a water purifier comes in. There are two small differences between a water purifier and water filter. A water filter will remove most bacteria and sediment from the water you are about to receive. A water purifier will rid the water in nearly every organism, you can sick from the parasites. A filter can not catch these buggers because they are smaller than bacteria. You want it easy and cheap? Get a Katadyn Hiker Pro Water Filter and buy some water purification tablets to kill the left over bugs. Take it from me, it's better to be safe than sorry. Just make sure to read the instructions on the tablets first, since it usually takes about four hours before the water is "safe" to drink.The next thing I will tell you about a First Aid Kit. This is such a need to think of it as your "survival" kits, too. If you think you are John Rambo, you're kidding yourself. The small patch and the game stopped your knife simply will not do. You can make a home, but I recommend buying a ready to go. Campmor offers a great kit to get started called Ultralight 0.7 First Aid Kit. If you do not have time to wait for it in the mail, check out the essence of it and make sure you buy a comparable. And one more thing, do not be afraid to add your own touch. I have a fishing hook and line in the middle. This is one of the items in my pack I do not care how much it weighs. With regard to survival, would you be able to make it out alive.Now on the sleeping arrangements. Sure, you can sleep on the ground. I prefer not to have spiders and ants, or even bears, crawling all over me while I sleep. So you need a tent. Look into a light "Made for backpacking" tent. There are many different styles to come in here, just make sure it is easy and pleasant. I use a Kelty Teton 2, which is designed for two people and comes in and just under 5 pounds. Sure, the brighter, but this tent is warm and has plenty of room inside for me and my bag. Some tents have so-called apses. A vestibule is hanging out of your tent, usually in front of the opening and protect your equipment from the elements. I do not see my gear in the vestibule, because I'd rather not have errors creeping into my boots and my pack during the night. My advice, you do not absolutely need a tent that has one. All in all, just make sure you find a tent, you will be pleased with. When you sleep in a tent, it will be nice to be cozy and warm. That's where the sleeping bag comes in. I use a 0 degree bag all year. If your not going to be backpacking through the Everglades, and sleeping bag at 0 degrees will do. Some people think I'm crazy in the summer, but all you need to do if you get warm is to give it a bit to unpack and you're good to go. It can also be a good idea to get a sleeping bag. These come in various shapes, sizes and weights. Some self-inflate and some you have to deplete your body of oxygen completely before it is filled. They are an extra weight and cost of the trip, but they are good for two reasons. The first reason is that you will most likely sleep like a baby all night because you do not have branches and rocks poking you in the back. The second reason is they keep you off the ground, providing insulation to keep you warm.So we have the key, but I'm hungry, what about you? There are a lot of magazines out there that will show you the exotic recipes that you can take a back-country with you. You may think you will need thousands of Ziploc baggies to store all your food in. I'm here to tell you there is a simple and easy alternative to packaging your own food for hiking. It is called ready-dried food. Now you might think freeze-dried ice cream from the early 70th century, but this is much better! They have a variety of foods, from scrambled eggs, chili to Mac with beef, the blueberry cobbler. There are two brands that make these delicious meal replacements, Backpackers Pantry and Mountain House. Both are excellent taste calorie food that keeps you Truckin 'with the track. I am not a doctor or nutrition instructor, so I can not tell you how much you need. It is up to your belly! Be sure to pack some of your favorite extras like coffees, sugar, Tabasco and salt. But Dave, what I cook it in? You need a good cooking to get you off and eat. There are different brands and types of cookware out there, but your main focus should be on weight and durability. For this I recommend to go Titanium. MSR and Snow Peak Titanium is excellent. Be sure to look through their large selection and choose the one that best suits your needs. And when you have all that mess figured out, you need fire. Some minimalists will only flint and steel, a striker with them to create fire. They will go all 'hunter-gatherer "in nature and find wood, sticks and tinder. I prefer to pack in a few extra ounces with my little stove. Yes, there are heaters out there that can fit in your palm. I recommend the Snow Peak Giga stove. It weighs almost nothing and pumps out an impressive 10 000 BTU's of furry. But as I said many times in this article, take a look around and choose the one you like.The last thing you need during the trek's clothes. Funny how it will last. But seriously, buy yourself some nice cotton / nylon blend pants to hike in. There are many different brands to choose from, but I have found Columbia Titanium pants to be the most perfect for almost any occasion. They keep the wind from chilling your bones, and when you get them wet, they dry super fast. Please, for the love of all that is holy, do not find yourself hiking in jeans. Jeans are not good at wicking moisture, so you will soon find yourself wet and chaffing in the area you do not really want to be crude. They also restricts your movement to ensure that you work twice as hard to climb the big switch-backs. Also get yourself a nice wicking jersey. Polyester / nylon blend works well to keep moisture off your back. Cotton shirts absorb sweat, and does not dry so quickly, so you are sure to be unhappy if you wear one. The final and most important item of clothing you need is shoes. Some backpackers choose to buy both medium and heavy boots so they have a pair for every occasion. With the media, I mean boots that are very easy and usually do not offer some form of ankle support. They often look like shoes are not waterproof, and does not offer any kind of load baring support. When I first started walking, I bought a pair of heavy boots that lace up above the ankle. They have Gor-Tex liners, which is a material that keeps your feet dry and warm. They add a bit more to the poundage, but hey, when it comes to protecting your ankles, it is worth it. My philosophy is that if I can deal with a small day hike with heavy boots, then I know they will be good for me with a £ 45 pack strapped to his back. If you can not handle a little hiking mileage days with a nice pair of boots, you will not be able to backpack. Period.Remember the beginning, I gave the scenario at the Grand Canyon? All this is still true to it. However, there are a few things that can change depending on your location. Like, if you are hiking rough terrain, you might want to have a nice walking stick. Or if you are hiking in Yosemite, you need a bear box to keep your food. You will also want to look at other things such as GPS, gloves, a hat, a compass and maps. There are many different options and styles for your gear possibilities, for it will require some research on your part. I have described the essentials you need while backpacking, now it's up to you to make it happen. Have fun shopping for your equipment and as always, enjoy the walk.
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