Backpackers are constantly questing after lighter gear to lessen the burden on their backs.  They will go to great lengths to remove ounces such as cutting off the handle on tooth brushes and trimming off excess length of pack straps.  The sport requires endurance and a willingness to do with minimal comforts.  On average the typical backpack weighs about 40 pounds including the weight of the pack.  After a few hours, that 40 pounds can seem like the weight of the world.  In a world where you carry your house on your back, even a couple of additional ounces can turn a potential great hike into a weary journey.

What you need to carry in your pack has to be judged by the context of the hike including: how long you intend to be on the trail, season of the year, level of trail difficulty and trail remoteness in terms of seeing other hikers.  What you take with you should reflect these four elements.  If you’re only going out for a simple one overnight camp at high summer on an easy hiking trail, then you would not need to take extra clothing.  In fact you might consider sleeping under the stars and leaving the tent at home.  The point is that your daily habits often control the weight of the pack and therefore will always prompt you into taking everything but the kitchen sink.  Any one of those elements can and should determine the size of your pack.  The following example is a suggested approach for gauging what to carry.  It is not foolproof against encountering disaster because of lack of preparation, but it does help in making some crucial decisions the night you load up your pack for that great hike with a few friends. (If you hike alone, you have left you’re brains at home.)

Example: These are only suggested categories, you might have a few of your own that you want to add such as need for insulin.  This type of health condition is a liability not only for you but also you’re hiker companions.  Emergency contact should be solidly in place prior to going on the hike.  You may not think it is necessary, but it is the ethical thing to do when dealing with others who may ultimately have total responsibility for your life.

Trail Difficult rating:   Easy  1  2  3  4  5  Extreme
Remoteness  rating”   Lots of hikers on the trail  1  2  3  4  5  No other hikers in the area
Hiker Stamina and Health:  Poor 1  2  3  4  5  Outstanding 
Survival Readiness:  Minimal 1  2  3  4  5 On you’re own and prepared for the end of the world

Back in the mid 1950s Emma Gatewood backpacked, a grandmother in her mid 60s, hiked the entire Appalachian trail (over 2000 miles) with not much more equipment then what you would carry in a day pack.  Which raises the question of how necessary is all that modern backpacking gear and how much should you spend.  Assuming that there are no special health needs and your stamina and health are average (3) then purchasing high end equipment begins and ends with the pack: every thing else is open to debate including high end tents.  When it comes to cost, the only non-negotiable item is the pack itself.  It is does not have to be extremely high end but anything less than 130 dollars is probably not going to last very long and if the straps come apart on the trail you will be carrying out your equipment in your arms.  You can purchase a “Deuter Guide 45+” for less than 170 dollars.  It has excellent reviews and is built to last.

Tents designed for backpackers are usually costly.  Do you really need a 200 dollar tent?  If you’re planning on a two week sojourn into the mountains it might be useful, but the simple fact is that you can survive quite well with a simple nylon shelter and a low profile 40 dollar tent.  Some hikers are now using the Tarp tent which is nothing more than a simple floorless tent.  My own personal preference is to have a tent floor: I really don’t like the thought of tossing my ground cloth over an ant hill without some additional barriers between me and the ants.  A simple 9 x 9 coated nylon tarp will protect you and your pack from the elements, and eliminates the need for a rain fly.

Tie one end ( tarp is tied end to end) of the tarp to a tree, run the rope under the center and tie to a four foot post.  Anchor the post in the opposite direction with a ground stake, stake the end corners and you have a simple shelter.  This is quick and easy to put up and will keep you dry.  Toss a ground cloth down and you and your pack can sit out a rain storm. 

There are many alternatives to camp gear such as switching from the mini camp stove which requires carrying fuel to using a backpacking grill you can make yourself.  If you’re a novice consider purchasing Colin Fletcher’s book “The Complete Walker”.   Backing packing is a great recreational activity for the whole family.  Get out there and enjoy the wonders of nature!