The Ultimate Guide to Backpacking for Beginners

If you’re like me, backpacking is the ultimate way to experience the wilderness. You get to leave behind the stress of your job and everyday life and step into a world that’s untouched and refreshing. As a beginner, however, it can be a little bit confusing to know where to even start. Don’t worry; this guide is full of helpful “backpacking for beginners” tips and tricks you’d rather not learn the hard way. Learn how to get the right gear, pick the perfect trail, and have a successful first backpacking trip.

Learn as much as you can before you hike

If you’re here, reading this guide about backpacking for beginners, you’re already on the right track! However, don’t stop here. Keep reading through this website to learn more about gear and backpacking tips. Do you know what trail you want to hike? Talk to people who’ve hiked it before to get their advice. Do you know how to treat cuts, scrapes, bug or snake bites? Take a class and learn how to treat yourself or your fellow hikers in case of injury.

It’s also important to know what wildlife and plant life you’re going to be hiking with. Will there be bears? Venomous snakes? Poisonous plants? Know what there will be and the best ways to handle it. For instance, the way you interact with a black bear on the trail is entirely different from a brown bear or grizzly bear.

Read books about hiking or follow YouTubers to see how they set up their camps, pack their backpacks, and what tricks they’ve learned. Even after you’ve done a couple of hikes, keep learning! Learn from other people’s mistakes so you don’t have to make the same errors. The more you learn, the more you’ll be prepared for whatever you may come across when you’re the one hiking.

Hiking for beginners

Before you start backpacking, you need to start hiking. Backpacking is usually characterized by spending multiple nights on the trail as you carry your gear in your backpack, while hiking is spending a day or less on the trail.

Hiking prepares you for backpacking by:

• Preparing you mentally for long days of hiking
• Giving you confidence on your feet
• Introducing you to the physical act of long-distance walking
• Lets you “test drive” backpacking before committing
• Helps you get in shape

When you start hiking and training for a backpacking trip, start slow. Find out what your body can handle and gently push it towards where you want it to be. Take advantage of trails that have rolling hills or elevation changes.

Wear a pack when you hike. This will help you test out your pack, plus get used to carrying your gear. Start off with only a couple of pounds and work your way up to your full pack weight. As you feel confident with your current milage, keep adding more distance until you’re hiking the same distance you want to be on the trail.

Get the right gear

When you start backpacking, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the amount and the cost of backpacking and camping gear. However, let’s break it down into manageable bites to keep it simple and attainable.

• Don’t overspend. It’s possible to start backpacking for under $500. There is a balance to find between affordability and quality, but as you’re beginning, make sure you aren’t getting overcharged.
• Talk to professionals. It’s fantastic that the internet exists, and that online shops have so much great gear. However, nothing’s quite as helpful as going to a backpacking shop, talking with professionals, and having help as you size up and try out your first backpack.
• Make a list. Research what gear you need for the environment you’re hiking in and make a list of all you need. Then, stick to the list. Don’t add unnecessary things. That only adds extra weight and hassle to your pack.
• Make sure your gear works well for you. There’s nothing worse than a backpacking pack that fits wrong or a sleeping bag that doesn’t keep you warm. Buy gear that works well for you.
• Know how to pack your backpack. Once you have the gear, it’s no good if you can’t get it into your pack! Learn how to pack your backpack correctly to prevent injuries and have a smooth experience in camp.

Backpacking gear checklist

It’s important to have the right gear when you go backpacking and to have all the gear you need. It’s not going to be a good trip if you have a great tent but forget a water filter.

Here is a basic backpacking gear list, starting, of course, with your backpack:

• Backpack. It’s important that you try the backpack out and verify it fits you well! Looking for the best backpack for you? Try this list of the 10 Best Lightweight Backpacks to get you started.
• Trekking poles. The Black Diamond Trail Pro Shock Trekking Pole is lightweight and durable. There’s nothing better than that!

Sleep system

• Tent. Depending on what tent you purchase, you may need to buy a footprint separately. Make sure the tent you buy fits everyone you need it to. The Eureka Suma Backpacking Tent or the Featherstone Outdoor Gear UL Granite 2P Backpacking Tent are perfect if you don’t want to break the bank. (See our full review of the Granite here.) For a lighter weight option, try the Big Agnes Copper Spur Tent.
• Sleeping bag. Everyone sleeps comfortably at a different temperature. Make sure your sleeping bag will keep you warm in the temperature you’ll be hiking in.
• Sleeping pad. For both warmth and comfort, try the Therm-a-rest NeoAir XLite Regular Unisex sleeping pad. Plus, it’s only 8 ounces.
• Pillow. Some people opt to go without a pillow or use a filled stuff sack as a pillow. After too many lumpy nights, I’ve learned I prefer lightweight camping pillows. The Cocoon Ultralite AirCore Pillow is a great option; or if you’re crafty, you can cut a regular pillow in half, stuff it to your comfort level, and sew it closed.

Clothing

• Rain jacket. I use the Colombia Arcadia II rain jacket. While it doesn’t have pit vents for breathability, it is affordable and can be folded into it’s own pocket for easy carrying.
• Top. You’ll need two: one for hiking and one for camp. Make sure your shirts are quick-drying and moisture-wicking!
• Bottom. Again, you’ll want two. One for the trail and one for around the camp. Depending on your location and temperature, you might want shorts to hike in for the day but then leggings or pants to wear around the campsite when it cools off. Again, make sure they are quick-drying and moisture-wicking. Your body will thank you!
• Hiking socks. The Darn Tough Vermont Women’s Merino Wool Micro Crew Cushion Socks are the best.
• Sleeping socks. Let your hiking socks dry during the night so you don’t get blisters as you hike. If you tend to get cold feet at night, make these warmer than your hiking socks. The Smartwool Women’s Hiking Medium Crew are perfect sleeping socks.
• Shoes. The debate is ever ongoing about whether to hike in boots or trail runners. Again, the answer comes down to you: do you want the extra support of the boot or do you prefer the lightweight maneuverability of the trail runners? For boots, I love my Lowa Innox Pro GTX Mid Hiking Boots. For trail runners, the Salomon Women’s X-Mission 3 CS Trail Running Shoes are a fantastic choice.

Cooking and hydration

• Cooking pot. The TOAKS Titanium Cooking Pots are the perfect mixture of lightweight and durable.
• Stove. I love my alcohol stove, since it’s lightweight, packs inside my TOAKS pot, and can burn Heet ($3.99 at the gas station). If you want more control over your flame, the MSR PocketRocket Stove is a perfect choice.
• Fuel. Don’t forget this. You’ll regret it.
• Spork. Having one spork means you don’t have to carry multiple utensils. The Snow Peak Titanium Spork is awesome.
• Lighter or matches.
• Pack towel.
• Water filtration system. Sawyer Mini Water Filter is an excellent choice: it’s small, durable, and lightweight.
• Water bottle or water bladder. The Smartwater, 1 Liter water bottles fit perfectly with the Sawyer filter. Make sure you carry enough water storage to hold you between water sources.
• Food bag. Make sure it’s big enough to hold all of your food and all of your scented items. The Sea To Summit Ultra-Sil Nano Dry Sack is a great choice.
• Bear rope or a bear canister. Don’t make the mistake of losing your food to the local wildlife! And ThreeBulls 1.8mm Fluorescent Reflective Paracord will make sure you can always find your food at night.

Toiletries, first aid kit, and other gear

• Sunscreen.
• Bug repellent.
• Toothbrush and toothpaste.
• Soap/cleaner.
• First aid kit. Make sure it’s stocked with any prescription medications you personally take. Each time before you go hiking, double-check that you don’t have any expired medication and that it’s fully stocked.
• Waterproof stuff sacks. Not only does it help with organization in your backpack, but it helps keep your gear dry in case of rain as well. I love the Outdoor Research Dry Ditty Sacks.
• Knife.
• Headlamp. The Petzl – TIKKINA Headlamp, 150 Lumens is very bright, and will keep you on the trail however dark it may be.
• Maps. Always make sure you have hard copies of a map. It’s no good if your phone or electronics dies and leaves you stranded.
• Duct tape. Because the one time you think you won’t need it, your boot soles will fall off. True story. S.O.L Duct Tape comes in small rolls perfect for backpacking.

Depending on the season or location you’re hiking, you might need some additional gear. Here is a complete hiking and backpacking gear list that has everything you need, including links to the best gear!

Backpacking tips for beginners

Here are some tips that will set your first backpacking trip up for success:

• Start with an easy first backpacking trip. Keep your daily mileage low and elevation change to the minimum. Give yourself grace to experience trail life and don’t bite off more than you can chew. As you get more experience, keep upping how hard, remote, and long your trails are until you’ve found your sweet spot.
• Start with a summer trip. Summer is an easier season to hike in, without the added complexities of finding winter gear and keeping warm in freezing temperatures.
• Put all of your food and scented items in the bear bag and hang it up away from camp. One of the first times I went backpacking, I thought it would be nice to leave a little bit of trail mix down with me in case I got snackish during the night. Guess who else got snackish that night? The mice.
• Verify water sources before hiking. Usually, trail books will tell you where water sources are and how reliable they are. Make sure that there is at least one reliable source each day of hiking or that you have the capacity to carry as much water as you need.
• Leave your backpacking plan with a friend or family member. Let them know where you plan on being each day and when you intend to arrive home. If you don’t show up, they’ll have a better idea of where to start the search!
• Take a SPOT or Garmin InReach so you can call for help. Always be able to reach out for help with satellite communication that can alert emergency services to your need for help and give them your direct location.
• Test all your gear beforehand. Make sure nothing was damaged during storage and that you’re comfortable with each thing. The best time to find something wrong is at home–not in the middle of your trip.

Backpacking travel is with your reach

Before you know it, you’ll be the one explaining the tips and tricks. So what are you waiting for? Get out there, and start exploring!