Backpacking is the combination of hiking and camping, in which a hiker will carry a shelter, food, and other supplies in a backpack in order to make a camp in the wilderness overnight. Backpacking can span from a single night of recreational activity to a long expedition spanning thousands of miles.
Thru-Hiking
An increasingly popular form is called thru-hiking in which a hiker will tackle a long distance trail in its entirety. In the United States, there are three main trails that constitute the major thru-hikes. The Appalachian Trail (AT) runs from Georgia to Maine along the Appalachian Mountains in the East, the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) runs along the ridge of the same name from the Mexican Border to the Canadian Border, and the Continental Divide Trail (CDT) runs from Mexico to Canada along the Great Continental Divide of the United States. A thru-hiker who completes all three of these is known as a Triple Crowner. There are other long distance trails in the United States including the 11 National Scenic Trails, as well as many others. There is some semantical debate as to what distance constitutes a definable Thru-HIke, some using the term to only define a longer trail (above a few hundred miles) with some using it more liberal to define any trail that can be hiked from beginning to end.
Section Hiking
A derivative of Thru-HIking is called Section Hiking in which a hiker or backpacker splits a longer Thru-Hike into many smaller sections and tackles them individually over the course of many months, years, or even decades. These sections can be done as day-hikes or multi-day stretches of backpacking.
Weight
Most backpackers pay close attention to their pack weight, as the weight on their backs affects how far and how comfortably they can hike. When planning a backpacking trip, hikers often make a trade off of comforts vs. their pack weight, opting to either bring many comforts to make their camp as comfortable as possible, or traveling with the bare minimum to make the hiking itself more comfortable, and easier on their bodies. Backpackers who pay special attention to their weight and travel with as little weight as possible are referred to as Ultralighters, though some people define an Ultralighter as someone who has a base weight of 10 lbs or less.
Base Weight
Base weight is the terminology for the sum total of the weight of your equipment, minus food, water, and other consumables like canister fuel. Backpackers who are especially weight conscious will pay close attention to this number to prevent their packs from becoming too bloated with unnecessary weight, making their hike more challenging and less likely to succeed.
Gear and Equipment
With the increase in logistical considerations comes more gear and equipment. A standardized list that many hikers reference is The Ten Essentials, which include Navigation, Sun Protection, Insulation, Illumination, First-Aid, Fire, Repair Kit, Nutrition, Hydration, and Shelter. Many believe that this list should also be considered for Day-Hikes as well. Some of the most common pieces of gear needed for backpacking are listed below.
- Backpack
- Shelter
- Sleeping Insulation
- Sleeping Pad
- Cooking Stove & Pot
- Rain gear
Shelter
Backpacking shelters come in a wide variety, with the main types being tents, hammocks, tarps, and bivies. It is also possible to backpack using pre-established shelters in the wilderness. These vary greatly depending on the region, for example, on the Appalachian trail there is an extensive system of lean-to shelters for thru-hikers to enjoy, whereas in Nepal a hiker can take advantage of tea-houses which are manned lodges with food and sleeping accommodations.
Sleeping Insulation
The two most common types of sleeping insulations are sleeping bags and quilts, often made of goose down or synthetic down. Goose down is lighter, but loses much of it’s insulation when it becomes wet, while synthetic down is heavier, takes up more space, but will not suffer the same performance loss when wet.
Backpacks
There are many types of backpacking packs depending on the type of trip that is needed. The carrying capacity is measured in Liters, with the most common range of packs going from about 15L up to 90L or more. The most common materials used in backpacking are DCF (Dyneema Cuben Fibre, formerly known as simply Cuben Fibre) and Nylon. DCF is highly water-resistant and lightweight, while Nylon is generally more inexpensive and durable. External Frame Packs are no longer common, with the two major types of framing being Internal Frame, or Frameless.
The Big Three
The Big Three is a grouping of gear that includes your tent, sleep system (which includes sleeping bag or quilt and sleeping pad), and backpack. These three items make up the majority of a hiker’s base weight.
Cooking Stove & Pot
Commonly, backpackers will bring a small stove that attaches to an isobutane fuel canister. There are also other stove types available such as alcohol and wood. Many backpackers will choose to forego a stove altogether and simply eat foods that do not require heat to save the extra weight and hassle while on the trail. Cold soaking is a common technique used by thru-hikers to deal with nutrition and avoid needing a stove.
Nutrition
Being out for longer in the wilderness requires different nutrition solutions than you would need when dayhiking. Pre-made dehydrated or freeze-dried meals are available for purchase for a convenient and easy meal in the backcountry, while some will opt to dehydrate their own food at home to save money. Others bring heavy cooking equipment and cook over fires to create a heartier of a higher quality, similar to one that could be made at home.
Rules and Regulations
Rules and regulations vary greatly depending on where the backpacking is taking place. A prospective backpacker should always research the rules of the area they are planning to travel through. While the United States has a culture of allowing camping in wilderness areas, in Europe there are generally much stricter rules about where camping is and is not allowed. Some areas require permits, some do not allow campfires, and some will have different procedures for dealing with human waste. Wildlife creates another variable as there are many different ways to deal with storing food and scented items. The most common consideration is bears, with common solutions being bear hangs, bear canisters, and bear lockers.
