Newbie gear

“I've been asked to go on a backpacking trip with my youth group. I've done a lot of research, but I'm still not sure about a lot of things. If I rent an external backpack, will I have the option of a women's backpack? This could be a big problem... I'm a 15 yr old girl with back problems (but I would really like to still go on the trip). What is the best brand of food to pack (I've looked into backpacker's pantry)? I have camped, hiked, biked, etc., but never backpacked. My trip with be 3 days/2 nights and I will be topping at 10,000 feet with a possibility of snow (Golden Gate Canyon State Park - CO). I'd really appreciate some advice - especially on getting gear and packing it all.”

“I think the secret is renting a pack that feels good to you (womens or not) and packing it light. The Backpackers Pantry and Mountain House food is good, simple and light, but I never get it anymore because of the cost. I go with suff like a pack of Lipton rice or noodles and add a foil pouch of tuna or chicken. I also like bagels, cheese sticks and dried fruit, instant oatmeal for breakfast. If I splurge for food its for Cliff bars.

The big thing is don't bring a bunch of stuff like toiletries and fresh clothing for each day, large books, chairs, cots or other luxuries that newbies sometimes think they must have.”

“why an external pack? Not sure what back problems you have, but if you can...and if you have time...can you do some sort of back exercise to strenghten your back? Now oviously this advice comes from someone without back problems or medical knowledge...sooo..you may want to get medical advice from someone who knows what they are talking about.

The lipton stuff that toejam refered too is pretty good stuff. it's cheap and it's not too heavy.

I would def. find out about the exact weather conditions and temps.

What tent do you have or are you looking at? Remember it should not be a 10lb tent. For example mine weighs 3lbs.

HIking boots? I am sure you got them if you hike. Are they warm enough for colder cnoditions? I had cold feet not too long ago and boy...it was no fun at all. It's already june, so the temps should not be too bad...RIGHT???? ROAM??? I don't know...I have no idea what temps are above 10,0000 ft. Then I heard the weather on the west coast is just as screwed up as here on the east lately, so who knows....

stove...something you'll need.
rain gear...a must.

okay...those are just a few things to think about...i let the others do the rest.

got to go pee...sorry.”

“You will want to try to share some of the gear with others if possible. This will reduse the weight of your pack. Things like tent, stove, fuel,pots, food, water treatment, bug spray sunscreen etc.. If you can share with a buddy you can split up these things. Also, A lot of the meal packages serve 2 people so another reason to share meals. If solo then split the meal into 2 before packing and repackage everything into ziplocks for space saving. Don't forget to cut out and insert the cooking directions from the package.”

“Something no one asked is how much do you weigh? Don't try to carry more than about 25 percent of you body weight. And if you weigh more than 100 lbs. you should still carry no more than say 20-25 lbs, 30 lbs. at most. Let someone at a reputable backpacking outfitter help you fit a pack. It could be internal frame or external frame. Most outfitters will let you try one on and load it with some weight to let you get a feel for how comfortable it is.

Most back problems in a teenager are hereditary (I know) so be careful doing back strengthening exercises. They may do more harm than good.

Like tomjam said those store bought BPing meals will do in a pinch, mainly for dinner but you can do better buying stuff at the grocerers. Starkist shrimp in the pouch and a box of Thai Taste brand noodle soup make a very good meal for dinner. Hot oatmeal or Grape Nuts cereal with dried blueberries and raw walnuts are good. Powdered milk is okay for several days. Beef jerky, dried fruit and veggies, raisens, nuts, chocolate, Jolly Ranchers, powdered Gator Aid, etc are better for lunch. You probably won't be stopping to cook a meal at lunch.

Good luck!
last edited: 6/05/05 9:31:07 AM”

“An external frame pack can swing some as you hike.
I will never carry one of those pigs again!

Find someone's relative or friend who can outfit you.

Hello, Colorado people!!
Uncle Adventurist, dat you?”

“I'm sure they've coached you to carry layers of clothing? The temps at 10,000 can definitely feel like winter time again.

Grab a couple of those little chemical heat packs to throw in your sleepy bag at night OR into the toe box of your boots if your toes get cold.”

“If you'd prefer the ease of a predone meal then look into Enertia meals.

Dinner: pretty much any type of prepackaged noodle meal will do an then add foil pouch chicken or tuna. It's been covered already, but it bears repeating. Don't bother getting fancy your first time out. While everyone else is cussing over a big meal, you'll already be eating.

Dessert: I usually take choc or vanilla pudding.

Lunch: I like easy, no fuss lunches. Tortillas, squeeze peanut butter, and some honey.

Breakfast: Oatmeal has been mentioned. I also like to do pancakes and take syrup packs from McDonalds.

Snakes: trail mix or whatever.

Silverware: Just grab 2-4 plastic spoons from Wendy's and you'll be fine.


Misc:
Lighting: Pickup a $12 everready headlamp from Wal-Mart.

Seating: Take a plastic Wal-Mart bag and keep it in your pocket. Put it on the ground before you sit. You'll be the only one with dry buns.

Water bottles: Buy (2) 1L gatorade bottles. Drink the 1st bottle your first day and use it as your water bottle the next day. Day 2 you'll have a 2nd bottle of gatorade for supper.

Try to visualize each step you'll take to setup camp, prepare a meal, clean, etc. It helps me not to forget items. Cleaning brings up something else. The other advantage of these boil type meals is that there isn't any cleanup. This is important at the end of a long tiring day. I never feel like washing dishes.

PS - do searches this site with words like new, gear, or help and you'll find tons of threads with advice that's been given out over the years.

Bottom line: Have fun and good luck.”

“dayhiker gives great advice! Especially the wal mart bag/seat.

Also, carry some sort of quick energy snack for when you arrive in camp. Something like a snickers bar, or the like. It really helps pep you up after hiking and climbing to get camp set up and all that work done before you stop to relax for the evening.”

“Good advice Roam Around. Good advice from a lot of people. There are a lot of ways to do your food. As far as brands go, I like the "Mountain House" brand. My wife, who is notoriously finicky, even likes most of them. Plus they're easy to make and clean up. You just need boiling water. If you are going in a group, you can get fancier by dividing up the ingredients for your grub.

Don't worry too much about women's vs. men's backpacks. More important is torso length and overall fit.

Solitary hiker is right about not carrying too much. A good way to cut down on non-essentials for newbies is clothing. Not everyone can afford lightweight technical clothing, but for 2-3 days, but you also don't need clothes for every day. Try to reuse clothes when possible, especially pants, and don't take separate sleeping clothes.

Good luck. Don't push yourself too hard and you'll have a blast!”

“cboo,

If you can't do without deoderant, What my hubby and I do is to get a liquid deoderant (that is UNSCENTED) and a few of those small cotton pads you use for make-up... Soak a few drops of the deoderant on a couple of pads, put it in a "snack sized" plastic baggie and "voila" , you'll have some with you and it will be very light weight...

Hand sanitizer is also very useful (and helpful when having to go potty on the trail). You don't want to get sick from yucky hands touching your food. My brother gave me a small bottle of "spray sanitizer" (It was a doctor's sample) but the tiny bottles of gel sanitizer work well, too.)

Don't forget a small plastic trowel and some baggies for used toilet paper...(you can sometimes get the tiny rolls of "emergency toilet paper (charmin makes a pack that comes conveniently in it's own tiny plastic holder.

We also carry a few babywipes (and face wipes if you want something to do a quick facial clean-up at the end of the day.) As a woman, you'll find that if you don't have access to water (or if it's too cold outside) a babywipe does well to keep your sensitive areas from getting icky. (Make sure you try it before you go on the trail, so that you don't have to worry about an allergic reaction to the wipes.)

Food Ideas:

Breakfast:
Of course, Instant oatmeal - just add boiling water to the pack-- buy the Quaker brand and you won't worry about it leaking everywhere. :-)

Some people like to bring coffee or tea, (you can get litte "1-cup servings" of coffee in bags that look like tea bags) or bring a little instant coffee or cocoa... :-)

Snacks--
Triscuits and wheat thing are great and don't get too mangled.

I like to carry pringles in the can-- they don't get smashed that way, and after you're done eating, you can use the can to store your trash.

If you like cheese, the babybels make nice little single-serve packs that should be okay as long as you keep it deep in your pack, away from heat. :-)
Squeeze tubes of peanut butter.

Instant Hummus or black beans, etc. can be very good-- find the kind where you just add water, and you'll be able to have a quick snack that tastes good as well.

I like bringing soft granola bars (i.e. the kind that are sort of mush, vs. the crunchy kinds) They tend not to be so impossible to eat if the weather gets cold.

I also like Little Debbie Nutty bars as a snack... ;-)
(Try them on a stick over a campfire sometime... Roasting them is really awesome!)

Trail mix can be made up at home, or bought pre-packaged... Costco tends to have some really good pre-packaged trail mix. (Nuts, M & Ms, and Raisins)... We like to supplement ours with other dried berries (you can buy pre-mixed dried strawberries and blueberries at Costco too.) and it tastes awesome....

Dinner foods:
Have you hear about the "ziploc baggie" meals? i.e. those that only take hot water to make? You dump the ingredients into a ziploc baggie with boiling water and then when you're done eating, the only thing you need to "clean" is your spoon... :-) Make sure that you use the FREEZER bags, though-- they hold up better to the heat... (Search the site and you'll find plenty of info about freezer bag meals.)

Instant rice Vermicell noodles cook up a lot faster and taste a lot better than Ramen...(FInd them at an Asian Grocery Store)... My hubby and I add "Just Veggies" (freeze-dried veggies) to give it some bulk, as well as foil packs of shrimp, chicken or tuna or ham.

Plain or flavored cous cous usually only requires boiling water (no real "cooking") Again, you can add the Just veggies and the foil packs of meats.

Instant Miso Soup is available at Trader Joe's and some other markets in the Asian section... Also Lipton and some other brands have foil packs of instant soups as well.. Just make sure that they do not require cooking, but just boiling water and you'll be fine.

Get some small packets of condiments at a fast food place (ketchup, mustard, salt and pepper, jelly, etc.--some places even have sauerkraut and relish!) They are great for adding flavor without having to carry too much stuff... :-) Mrs. Dash makes a few seasonings that are very flavorful and can add to your "instant" dinners...

Make sure you bring some tablets to purify water-- the minimal added weight could be very helpful if you need it! (Bring some powdered drink mix with you to mask the flavor once the water's been purified!)

A small first-Aid kit, with moleskin, bandaids, little packs of antiseptic is also good to have...

I'm sure you'll be getting lots more lists of things to bring!”

“pinkbubelz isn't anal...



sputter...lol!


There's some great stuff there, although I have no idea where I'd find squeeze tubes of peanut butter, instant hummus, or an Asian grocery store. You should flesh out the details of the above post and have it published. I'd like to go on a trip with you - bring enough food for two and I'll carry it all. ;)”

“I'd advice you to pack the bag early (at least a week) and try a short (couple miles at least) hike with it. It will give you an opportunity to make adjustments to your gear and footwear before you're out in the wilderness. The more practice runs you can make beforehand, the better prepared you'll be. If you're new at packing a backpack, it takes longer than you'd think, especially for a 3 day-er.”

“That Charmin To Go stuff is a Godsend. Before I found that, I tried packing a whole roll of TP, and it always got nasty and smooshed in my pack...even if I tried packing it in a ziploc. Look for it in the travel section of the store...places like Wal-Mart (I've found 'em in 3-packs here), Target, et al have them cheaper, but you can usually still get them at larger supermarket chains.

Don't skimp on the waterproof gear (boots, pants, jacket, hat). If it rains, you'll be glad you had it. If you get the right shell clothing (any waterproof/breathable material...NOT PU coated), it can pull double duty as a shell/windbreaker layer.

Be careful about the pants/underwear/belt you wear. On my first trip, I had the WRONG combination and it CHAFED me horribly. Make sure any belts you wear are very thin, and make sure the pants have a very thin waistband. This is a big deal if you wear pants that ride on your hips...not so big if you wear your pants around your waist. My wife didn't have any troubles in this dept. because the pants she wore rode higher. My waistband was directly underneath my pack's hipbelt. I have shorts that are very comfy worn that way...but the pants I wore were horrible.

Bring a camera and take lots of pictures!”

“Here is another Idea for food.
http://www.freewebs.com/freezerbagcooking/

You dont have to actualy "freezerbag" cook those recipes either it is just less messy, but getting or making your own cozy in time might come into play. Just pack the ingredients as suggested then boil them in the pot instead of in the bag in a cozy.

I also like the Lipton sides noodles and rice type meals as previously suggested.

Good luck and have fun!!”

“Toejam--

I'll take you up on the offer if we ever meet in person! (Thinkbubelz will certainly be glad not to have to carry the food! LOL)

Skippy peanut butter comes in tubes at your local grocery store. :-) It's called "Skippy Squeez' It". :-)

REI and other camping places have empty tubes that you can buy and pack your own-- I haven't done that myself, since it's much easier just to buy the skippy! :-)

I'm surprised...you must live in a small town where there aren't any Asian groceries. Most big cities have them. (Chinese, Korean or Japanese Grocery stores...?)

The Instant Rice Vermicelli look just like the Ramen Packages... Some places also carry other types of vermicelli noodles: "Mung Bean Vermicelli", "Sweet potato Vermicelli", and "Corn Vermicelli" as well... They don't hydrate nearly as quickly as the rice ones, though...

I think there's also a brand that you can get in regular grocery stores called "A Taste of Thai". Their instant rice noodles are a bit wider, so it takes a little longer for them to rehydrate-- They also come with quite a bit of packaging (plastic tray, fork, cardboard and the little oil and flavoring packets). So if you don't want to bring so much potential "garbage" (the tray), then it's better to re-pack the noodles in a ziploc baggie... :-)

If you prefer SPICY ramen, and have access to an Indian Grocery Store, there is a brand called "Smoodles" that has a VERY spicy curry flavor.... Much better than regular ramen IMHO... :-)

Another thing I've made that only requires a small container for water and little foil muffin cups to put the muffin mix in and a ziploc baggie to blend the muffin mix are the "Bisquick" instant muffins (just add water) The Garlic and Cheese ones are yummy... They end up being "steamed" vs. "baked", but a hot muffin on a cool evening is hard to beat!

Somewhere on TT and in several hiking books, I got a great tip: Bring food that will taste good and that you'd eat... Might as well enjoy the experience in all dimensions!

Maps had a good tip about underwear!.

Walmart has great women's underwear at reasonable prices.... I bought the ones that are synthetic material and "no show" underwear...They are very lightweight and dry quickly if you get wet. (I think Jockey and some other brands make the "microfiber" bras and panties that is very comfortable!

Again, stay away from cotton as, it can lead to chafing... :-)

And Yes, "Charmin to go" is awesome! :-)”

“Great Advice all. My sugestion is to remember to layer your clothing. A good poly set of long underwear and top make a great base layer. A fleece middle layer and an anorak. I've found that the Village thrift store is an outstanding source of middle and outer layers. Check one out, lou'll be surprised. Also go with your folks to the Mega grocery store and you will find tons of ideas. I like instant grits for breakfast with fruit bites (Kinda like roll ups. For dinner. Flavored couscous (Near the rice section. and a tuna steak.

As far as the rest of the equipment, investing a little more for good stuff is worth it in the long run. You dont want to be turned off to backpacking cause subpar gear failure. If you enjoy it it could last a lifetime.


a usefull link: http://www.backpackgeartest.org/”

“All great advise!
Where are you renting your equipment from?
Take everything you plan on packing with you to try on packs, walk and move around (bend and twist) with the pack on, the people at the store should be able to advise you. I've never rented but I've had good luck with the folks at REI giving me advice and helping me pick out gear. I trust them because twice now they've down sold items to me... "you don't need all that, this costs $50 less and will do just as well". Not too many stores willing to do that!
Get with the other people in your group and figure out who's bringing what. Surely some people in the group can share tents, water filters, food and if you're sharing food, cookware, stoves etc.
Definately check out Sarbar's freezer bag site, she's got some great ideas for meals, most with products you can get at the grocery store. We use a lot of the Lipton Sides items and the little pouches of instant mashed potatoes... and ramen of course (drain and load with parmesean...yum)Cliff Bars make a good breakfast or snack
I used to go overboard on the clothes. Now I'd just take one set and an extra pair of socks, rain pants (I have Walmart cheapies) my coat (one of those convertable fleece/waterproof shell jobbies, mines from Lands End... check them out for good prices) and sandals for camp and stream crossings. Convertable pants are the best thing to come along since sliced bread. Panty liners instead of fresh undies save space. Those toothbrushes that hold toothpaste are nice to have. Try to take the smallest amount of everything possible, trial/travel sizes of bug spray, sunscreen etc or repackage into film canisters or travel bottles, wipes go in ziplocks. I can't use baby wipes on my face, Clearasil makes a facial cleasing cloth that I like
Will you be taking a camera? I have a Kodak Advantix, it was cheap (under $30) and I like that you can take panoramic and closeup shots with it too.”

“Actually, the microfiber panties are really minimal in weight and dry in a flash-- I think they'd be easier (and maybe less weight) than having to carry in and out pantiliners... :-) (You can always hang 'em from your pack to dry them out while hiking, too.)

i agree-- babywipes may not be good on the face, but there are plenty of companies that do the facial wipes now, Olay, Clearisal, etc... :-)

Oh, and I found the packaging from the "shower wipes"... Coleman "Swash Cloths".. .They are thicker than a baby wipe, and have enough moisture to wipe off your whole body so that you can freshen up after a hot day of hiking. :-)

Oooh... Instant mashed potatoes! I forgot about that! :-) How about the powdered "Mac & Cheese" cheese"? I think you can get the Kraft powdered cheese in a little can now... Add that to the potatoes and a little foil pack of chicken or something like that... That sounds yummy... :-)

I can understand what you're saying about clothing-- it is really easy to over-pack!

For socks, I like the wool socks with the thin synthetic liner socks... My hubby & I have learned to get "leaner" on the clothing, but I always make sure to have extra pairs of socks because it's worth it to me to not have to worry about what is on my feet and whether it will be dry in time for the next day of walking... :-)

Actually, there are a lot of "point and shoots" (if you want a film camera) that are pretty decent... Same goes for digital cameras...

Personally, the throw-away film cameras end up being more costly because the quality of the photos are not as good and if you dont' have decent lighting, your pictures won't come out very well... (it's cheaper in the long run to carry a better quality small point and shoot camera and extra film vs. a couple of throw-aways.)

If you have a small digital camera, that might be even better, but make sure you have an extra memory card in case you need it. :-)”