Your list for your trips; what do you pa ck?

“I'm curious what gear different people consider to be essential for backpacking or camping. I've seen lists that seem like a lot, like it couldn't possibly fit into or on a pack. You can leave out the really personal stuff; I don't need to know THAT much about you all.”

“Look at past threads; they have all the info you need. As far as your comment, "I've seen lists that seem like a lot, like it couldn't possibly fit into or on a pack" - 'seems' is the key word here ... you would be amazed at what you can fit into your pack. Don't forget the Ten Essentials + Four & you'll be fine.”

“Where is the 10 essentials list? I never heard of that one.”

“My list has evolved and been fined tuned over the years. I've added to it very little. Over the winter I got a backpacking lantern that I will take on short trips”

“How about a list of essential clothing to bring?”

“There are a lot of "ten essentials" or "top ten" list variations, here's a pretty standard one http://www.isu.edu/outdoor/ten.htm.

Pick up a boy scout handbook, or, better yet a boy scout field book. They actually contain a lot of good basic info...lot's of camping lists, etc.”

“All I ever take is the following:
Personal Gear
Set of conversion pants.
short sleeve cool-max shirt
light fleece
rain suit
two pair extra socks.
Pack cover
sleeping bag
pad
sunglasses
hat
lip balm
water containers

Group Gear (divide up among group)
Tent
ground cloth
stove(s)
fuel
cook pot
food
water filter
iodine tablets


All group gear is equally divided by weight and size among the group members. Usually the tents are divided by tenting partners where one takes the poles and groung cloth and the other takes the tent and fly. The clothing list doesn't include the clothes on your back. Those are the same as you pack so you will have two complete sets between you and your pack. I don't pack underwear because I prefer the mesh in the hiking pants (Nice breeze). I learned all of this through scouting, but I wouldn't recomend using the scouting packing list verbatum. I would use it as a guide and remove things that you really don't need. You learn these by experience and by going on hikes with other experienced hikers.”