New to backpacking need someone to help me get started

[brand0n]

Hello guys, My name is Brandon I'm 16, And I'm just getting into backpacking so I kinda need some pointers to get me going in the right direction . With that said I'm starting to set up a 2-3 day pack. I have a pack, I just got a north face Terra 30 on sale I'm not sure if that is the preferred size for a 3 day pack, But I figure it wold be big enough to get me started. I'm looking into knifes, sleeping bags, light tents(I'm 6'4 around 190lb), stoves,water filters, rain gear, and good long term hiking clothing. I have been looking around on REI, Campmor, and my local sporting goods store(Ralphie's Red Ryder) for gear and advice and there isn't much help there for backpackers/hikers which really blows but anyone with any help wold be a blessing for me.
thanks
-Brandon
P.S. my mom doesn't like the fact that I'm 16 and want to go backpacking, So if there is any groups or young people that could accompany me on a few trips that wold be great just to give my mom some piece of mind.

[Canyonram]

Great to see a young person voice interest in backpacking. My hope for you is that it develops into a life-long hobby. Investing in a few pieces of equipment and learning about the outdoors will pay for itself many times over when you are there for the special moments when you know you belong in Nature and all is right with the world. I sleep better on dirt and rocks than I do on my bed. LOL.

One of the classic books that is still relevant is Colin Fletcher's "The Complete Walker" that has recently been updated by a second writer after Fletcher's death (I think it is now up to Version IV). He reviews gear and offers suggestions based on his own life-time of hiking. Another book by Fletcher is "The Man Who Walked Through Time" about his hike within the Grand Canyon---this book is not a book about gear and you would be hard-pressed to follow his route. Instead, this is a book about the inner revelations that occur when hiking. Together, they make a good pair to introduce someone to backpacking.

You don't need to become a Techno-geek gearhead to enjoy backpacking and go overboard with the checkbook. No need for a Rambo knife unless you anticipate having to gut two dozen bad guys. A good pair of boots, sleeping bag that matches the temp, a pack suitable for the gear, water, etc. and you're set; another name you will hear is Harvey Butchart who hiked 12,000+ miles through Grand Canyon. He didn't really get started hiking in the Canyon until late in life. His hiking gear is in a dusty display case in the Park Service storage museum---a $10 backpack with a length of rope for a waist belt, a canteen (the kind you used to have when playing cowboy), and a pair of K-Mart blue light special work boots. He did OK in his hiking career.

[big_load]

One of the classic books that is still relevant is Colin Fletcher's "The Complete Walker" that has recently been updated by a second writer after Fletcher's death (I think it is now up to Version IV).

That's close: the final version was written with Chip Rawlins while Fletcher was still alive. I like that version because it contains much discussion between them that adds interesting perspective. Some of the gear advice is dated now, but the specific brands and models are less important than the relative merits of different basic options. Fletcher intended for Rawlins to do the next edition by himself, but it hasn't happened yet. It's a good read.

[Canyonram]

Thanks for the correction on my Colin Fletcher reference (I stopped at Version III).

I guess the key questions regarding gear when getting into backpacking is "Where do you want to go and for how long?" If you're going to spend money on gear, buy to the longest trip and most severe conditions that you will encounter. My first big purchase was to buy a mummy sleeping bag that was rated for climbing Mt. Everest ---bought this when my hiking was going to be in the Southwest desert and in the mid-west during summer heat and humidity. Needless to say, wrong gear for where I was going to hike----it did come in handy when I climbed the San Fran peaks and spent the night at the top. Even in July I needed that winter mummy bag.

Another book suggestion would be "The Backpacker's Field Manual" by Rick Curtis. It is also dated but like the Fletcher classic it reveiws a lot of gear in generic terms. And, despite the many reasons not to like Backpacker Magazine, they still have their gear reviews for window shopping.

[azbackpackr]

I quit subscribing because I found I had not been reading it. But for a newbie, yes, I would say, start reading Backpacker. The library is full of all those outdated books, and more. Fletcher's Complete Walker is such a classic partly because of his sense of humor.

[Canyonram]

Looks like my reference books are 'old school' and a little dated. LOL. And it probably seems strange to send someone to the library or used book store when they pose a question about how to get outdoors and start backpacking. Consider it gathering the knowledge to carry along on a hike, hopefully there for retrieval when you need it. Backpackers fall in love with their gear---especially when it has taken them out and back again. But, like a pair of boots, not all equipment will fit every hiker. It requires some window shopping and product reviews over single-user advice, hence the books. Check around your neighborhood and see if there is an outdoor supply store that rents equipment---if they do you can do an overnighter or dayhike and check out a backpack, tent, etc. See if they will apply your rental fee to the purchase should you decide. It's OK to gear test in the backyard---as already suggested if that tent leaks or the sleeping pad is not as comfortable as advertised, you can get back into the house, have a late night snack, then crawl in your own bed.

Plenty of gear review sites on the Internet:
http://www.thebackpacker.com/gear/
https://www.youtube.com has backpackers showing off their gear.

Some of the questions brandOn has asked sound as if he is interested in the Wilderness Survival aspect, how to build a fire, what knife to carry, etc.

Please don't go overboard and do some of the things that you see on the cable TV shows about survival---some of the antics there are downright insane and will get you killed. Of course, a show about someone slowly making their way back to safety is not as dramatic as blind jumping off a cliff into a rapid and biting the head off a snake for supper then torching the forest to build a fire---all before commercial break. Here's some titles about Survirval (not as moldy as my other suggestions):

"98.6 The Art of Keeping Your pumpkin Alive - by Cody Lundin." Cody runs a survival training school out of Prescott and has gained some national fame after being on one of the cable TV shows "Dual Survivors" where he and his partner illustrate survival techniques. His book offers up suggestions on how to deal with survival situations with advice on the type of knife to carry, how to start fire, etc. A lot of his training videos available on the Net:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALUTDJlh ... re=related

"Deep Survival--Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why" Laurence Gonzales.
"Over the Edge: Death in the Grand Canyon" by Ghiglieri and Myers.

I'm not sure what your reading level is or your desire to sit and read a book but if the three listed don't interest you, some of the other more technical books won't either.

Also, find something to connect with while out on your hike besides going from point A to point B. Geology, wildlife, photography, how to find water, etc. One of my favorites is "The Science and Art of Tracking" by Tom Brown, JR. He explains how to read tracks and what the animal (or person) is doing. (That's me on the trail with his nose in the dirt looking for tracks).

[SuperstitionGuy]

Your best reading material on hiking and backpacking are right hear on HAZ and it never gets outdated!

Just be sure to donate at least yearly so Joe B. can keep it going and at the bottom of this link is how you do it!

http://www.hikearizona.com/dex2/index.php

[michaelg]

do yourself favor and read Tom Browns wilderness survival book. And learn to do without. If the object you bring can not be used for at least 3 things then ditch it. Forget the bowie knife. I used a swiss knife for 22 years and I lived in the woods half my adult life and never needed anything else. Get a cabella's XXL Bivy bag, its blue and light weight and you can sleep in it without a tent in a river and still be dry. Summer I use a sleeping bag liner with it, and winter a simple 1.5lb snugpak sleepbag, along with good columbia lightweight breatheable rain gear. I made a gasified wood stove out of cans, look on Utube and you will never need a stove or fuel at all. Sawyer water filter and bottle. at walmart is betterthan my katadyn wate filter and said to have up to 500 gallon for only 39 dollars. get a Cambel back water bag that fits in your backpack. its better than bottle. NEVER WEAR BLUEJEANS, or cotton cloths, it can be a death sentence. Columbia fishing wear is super lightweright and strong as can be. for one pair of jeans I can pack 2 pants and 2 shirts, with socks for the same weight as bluejeans. but seriously forget all the junk they sell at stores, and focus on what really matters. Bumble bee makes great chicken breast and tuna steaks and salmon in vaccum bags. add cheese and flatbread and you got a great meal without cooking. I bring stuff because I want to bring stuff, but when you learn to live without everything, then you never have to carry anything. SO get TOM BROWN JR BOOKS.

forget axe - use two trees to break wood or burn down log log by moving them as they burn down -
forget compass - learn shadows of the sun, and moon. learn to find the north star. rainy days use the knife and fingernail method to find direction. all planets and sun and moon rise in east set in the west. so early morning shadows point west'; 10 am point northwest; high noon shadow points north; 3 pm point northeast, and 6pm point east - Moon does the same thing.
forget tent - bivy bag and a rain fly is more real - or just build a simple lean to; debris hut.
dont bring lots of food, you will never eat it all
dont cook - no need for stove or fuel , pots or pans - eat ready cooked foods, breads cheese, instant breakfast mixes, protein bars etc. fruit.
rain gear adds warmth will sleeping, so you dont have to carry heavy sleeping bags or extra clothes
Polarflece hats, and light jacket with raingear is better than a heavy coat.
Smart wool socks - a must
gortex shoes for dry feet - wet feet is misery and can be seriously bad fr you in the wild.
a backpack that fits. no matter if its 15 dollars or 400, make sure it fits.
undies that can be used as a swimsuit
buy extra battery for your cell phone, and tell always tell someone your route and plan.
a whistle
tie your knife with a 550 cord to your belt loop. the roe should be as long as your out reached arm, so you never have to untie it. Just yesterday boy was crying that he lost his knife. if it is tied to you, you wil never lose it.

[nonot]

Wow, some really bad apples mixed in with the above advice:

A compass is one of the 10 essentials, and mandatory for 10AM to 2 PM. There are no trees in the desert to gauge shadows. Saguaros maybe. Understand how to navigate without it, but bring one for when you get confused at mid day.

Tents are comfort items. And if it rains a tent is better than rain gear. Debris huts and lean tos are incredible destructive to the environment in high traffic areas, and in the desert you can't find enough material to build one anyway.

Cooking is optional, but good for morale on long trips. You can only get so far on dry protein bars.

rain gear won't add much warmth if you are wet and trying to crawl in a sleeping bag.

cell phones are useless in most places I like to go

[michaelg]

dude seriously dont buy a stove. make a gasfied wood stove from paint can, or food cans. it is super light, and simple small wood branches will cook almost everything with just a small handful of wood chips. the cost can be free or the cost of the food in the can. look it up on u-tube how to make them. it is a smaller can placed in a bigger can with holes. it gets so hot but the gas pressure the air flow creates. if you make this, you will never carry heavy gasy stoves or fuel which can be dangerous. you are young and adventurous, so you can easily make one, for almost nothing.

[michaelg]

nonot knows not anything. He just showed how little he really knows. remind me to never pack with him. Simple rules can be had anywhere. your own body creates a shadow, I see you dont think outside of the REI box. funny he says all that, I been living in the wild almost half my life literally, and a omni-tech columbia jacket and pants while sleeping does create warmth. ever heard of slapping your jacket to remove the water. wow. if you going to start attacking people, you better KNOW what you are talking about NONOT a thing. plus I said use a BIVY BAG it is just a sleeping bag tent, slipping under a fir tree or a spruce tree will add more warmth and does no damage to the enivorment at all. plus sleeping on a bed of leaves is better than any matteress I ever slept on. the 10 essentials is not a compass.
1. additude - bad moods and depression is a killer
2. Air - you got to breathe - clear your breathing - you cant live long without air
3. medical attention - if your health issue are causing problems then your chances are low in the woods, so learn medical knowledge
4. shelter of some sort - you cant survive without it - so get the best clothes that will keep you dry and warm, or cool. good clothes is better than a tent.
5. water - and some way to get it and purify it - 3 days without water though I done 5 days before just to test myself, I will never do that again
6. fire - you dont really need it, if you know what you are doing, Apache scouts never used a fire. it was against everything they were about. they lived as close to an animal lifestyle than any indian, and did it will grace. but it is a essential for primitive living and can bring good additude and the fear levels down. - so a way to start a fire either primtive or just a plain lighter. Bear Grylls learned most of the raw diet from the apache scouts, which the SAS taught him. the greatest outdoors man honor is the one who can live as close as an animal and still live healthy. REI junkies are lost in their own enviroment.
6. knowledge and wisdom- if you dont know how to use the skills you need then you are not going to have a good time in the woods. experenice is more important than a compass - man has survived in the woods thousands of years without one, and the earth population didnt seem to die off without it. But wisdom made man grow and get smarter.
7. Food - without food you can live 40 days or more, but within 3 days your mental ability will be lower which can lead to your death
8. to live without - this is an essentials. we are creatures or comforts lust and wants, and thats whats makes a pack heavy, and a person to have a bad spirit in the woods. learn to minimal the pack and you will have a better time in the woods.
9. primitive skills - the more you know in this, the better you will be - that includes everything even wild edibles, wild meds, wildcraft, etc. even if you never use it, you will have a better peace of mind being 20 miles from the nearest store.
10. Common Sense - you can know everything and be book smart and know all the rules of the game of backpacking but with no common sense you can be dumb as rocks in the woods. how many times have I seen people freak out, because they cant find a toliet only to leave a trip, to find a restroom. somethings you take for granted seems people are so lost in the woods, they have to ask how to use the bathroom.


plus I dont eat just protien bars in the woods. I eat very well in the woods, and never cook, and when i do cook, it is at my choice. NONOT you really got some nerve. Its people like him that made me get into the outdoors to get as far away from people like him, and darn it, now they are invading the woods as well.


to the other person - the schultz fire happened in june because people didnt manage the forest right. hippies want to save everything and dont realize it is bad for the enivorment. clearing the woods, and managing the forest resources keeps a forest in balance. God gave mankind the right to rule over it, and to manage it. it is our duty as humans. The indians were aware of this as well. taking from the forest is not a bad thing, it is a MUST. talk to any forester and they will tell you this is a fact. pruning live trees makes the tree grow more healtier; weeding out the herds of animals reduces huge losses to animals when winter comes and causes diesases which can wipe out all the animals. that is why hunting occurs is because man has killed off the natural animals that would kill the weak animals. Killing weak animals makes sure the DNA line from good animals keeps the future herds stronger. If people are going to attack people on here, then get your facts straight, and stop being a hippy trying to save everything outthere, it is not healthy at all for the enivorment. selective harvest in the right way is extremely good for the forest.

[nonot]

I would not advise anyone to listen to this troller's insane rantings.

Disregarding nearly all the 10 essentials - like not bringing a shelter, or a compass, or advising people to take advice from Bear Grylls, is about as idiotic a move as you can make.

Everyone will have their own style, and people and the industry will push you to buy more gear. The key is to find what works for you and gives you a comfortable safety margin. As far as comfort items go, I assume you are out there to enjoy yourself, so what you want to bring and what you can do without, will be discovered with experience.

A bivy is a practical option rather than the "build a shelter out of desert trees" spiel. A bivy is a shelter that's low on comfort but light on weight. However lighter choices exist than bivy's that you may want to look at such as hammocks, ultralight tents, and tarps. They all have their good and bad characteristics.

Bring a compass, whether you have a cloudy day, hike during the middle of the day, or simply hike in heavily wooded areas, having this cheap and light tool (good ones can be had for 10 bucks) will help you out immensely.

Have a way to get dry at the end of the day when you stop moving. Getting wet and cold is only bad if you have to stop. When you're moving you will generate enough body heat for it not to matter too much (except in your fingers and toes.)

Oh, and don't make plans to hike with the guy giving you bad advice!

[Tough_Boots]

@michaelg

I don't think what nonot wrote counts as anything near an attack. We all have different ideas of what is necessary. For example, I would NEVER tell a 15 year old to enter the wildnerness without a compass and if someone told them to I would tell them to please ignore that advice. Disagreeing is not attacking. We are also trying to help someone new to backpacking which I would label as something a bit different than the hardcore type of wilderness lifestyle you seem to be talking about. Let him take the first steps and learn instead of jumping straight into being the grizzly old man sleeping in caves

[Tough_Boots]

I would not advise anyone to listen to this troller's insane rantings.

@michaelg
OK... maybe now its an attack but you started it!

[imike]

You might want to take the very simple approach to checking out your gear by simulating an "away" experience... hiking a short distance in from your car... spending 2-3 days camping and playing in the same area to experience the practical aspects of what you are carrying on your back. Group outings will make the most sense getting started, there are safety in numbers. The skills and mindset needed to prevail solo off and away are something that will come over time... or not. For each person it will be a bit different. I have trouble getting lost, always seem to know where I am relative to where I need to be... yet, I have a friend that is instantly lost after a couple of turns. They need more gear oriented to helping them stay located. Take your time and enjoy the process of discovering what is going to be right for you.

If you want a very interesting introduction, find a nice river route and float it in a canoe... can't get lost (well... it's harder) and you can carry an excess of gear to play with. That's where I started... drifting all the drainages in Texas.

[joebartels]

nonot knows not anything

I would not advise anyone to listen to this troller's insane rantings.

If you have an opinion then state it. Supporting your opinion with facts is best. Responding to members you disagree with is permitted if courteous.

Please keep it in check. It would be nice to read both of your opinions.

[nonot]

You might want to take the very simple approach to checking out your gear by simulating an "away" experience... hiking a short distance in from your car... spending 2-3 days camping and playing in the same area to experience the practical aspects of what you are carrying on your back.... Take your time and enjoy the process of discovering what is going to be right for you.

This is a great beginner strategy, particularly if there's a group of beginners. Only going a short distance may help convince a few more friends to join you (as opposed to telling them it's an 8-20 mile day.) When you have to shlep your stuff you will likely stress certain muscles you don't otherwise use as well, so longer backpacks take some building up. (For me it was the small muscles around my hips that I didn't even know I had, but it only took about 5 trips before that went away.)

Some people have jumped right into 10 milers their first time and been fine too, but the key is to get into the "fun" zone, which falls between the "too easy" zone and "too hard" zone, and will be different for everyone. In a group with people lugging all their stuff for the first time, they'll generally let you know once they start getting close to leaving that fun zone ;). My experience is that point will likely be before the 6 mile mark for a mixed group of beginners on any type of mixed terrain.

[SuperstitionGuy]

We have currently four men who apparently never exited from the Superstitions Wilderness.
I wonder if it was because someone advised them that a compass is not really necessary?

[azbackpackr]

Point well taken, but I actually think it is because they never listened when they were told to stay out of old mine shafts.

[SuperstitionGuy]

Actually there are very few mine shafts left in the Superstitions, many having caved in by themselves and others filled in by the USFS.

The last three men that went missing probably were attacked by a swarm of bee's or simply ran out of water.

[michaelg]

you know what, I will stop this silly fight over a compass. You can bring what you like. But at the end of the day in a trouble time, I will come out ahead, especially when your compass breaks or you lose the darn thing. But sooner or later, the wisdom I am talking about will shine on you, like a lightbulb. surely this guy never went into survival skill training in the army. Ever basic thing I said is used for training every army troop for wilderness survival in harsh enivorments. Go read the FM-21 manuel!!! end of case, but dude do what you like, as for the others they have their opinions and heavier backpacks. Never needed a compass and I been doing this all my life.
yeah maybe i did come on too strong, but it is like a dad teaching a child the right way to shoot a gun, if the child learns bad habits, they will be hard to correct later on. But if the kid is never allow to stray with bad habits, the kid will learn faster and with better results. You got to learn to feel good in the woods without anything, then simple tools like a compass can be fun, if you are looking for a needle in a hay stack. but maps today are so good, you really dont need it, useless you are looking for something in a small area, like a spring, but common sense tells you with a map, if you walk up the water source you will naturally find the spring anways.

I dont live like a bear, but even if I did, it is way more fun in the woods, which brings you closer to the earth, and God in Spirit. Something different about sleeping in a shelter you made verses a tent, but thats my opinion I guess. there are several different types of reason why people go to the woods, and you need to find the reason you are going/ is it to excerise? disappear from reality? for wildlife viewing? to be a macho man to prove to the ladies you are a man? whatever the reason it is, then you should start from there. If you are Oreinteering then yes bring a compass. Its all in what you really want to do, so dont listen to anyone on here, expreince it yourself.
I am getting to old to fight with people, especially on here. so forgive me people for my snappy remarks, and lets move on.