You live in Nevada. If you never have gone backpacking you’ve gotta try it.
A lot of people shy away from it because they think you have to go on a 100-mile Bataan Death March.
You don’t, especially the first time just go on a 1-2-mile trip. This will allow you to test out your gear, see what other gear you need and tweak your gear list to your individual preferences.
Backpackers have two enemies: Weight and Bulk.
A filtered water bottle allows you to dip and drink water out of the river like my daughter Kolby is doing here.
First you have to decide why you want to backpack. Do you want to backpack in to hunt? Fish?
Climb a peak or just to see cool scenery? Anymore I only backpack so I can hunt or flyfish. So that will be the angle that I’m coming from.
I usually teach 1-3 Backpacking seminars every summer. In my regular seminars I’ll talk for 45-50 minutes and then field questions.
In backpacking seminars though everyone only wants me to talk for 10 minutes and then cover what gear they’ll need and what gear works best.
So, with that said, let’s list out what gear I recommend, what gear has worked for me and what gear I’m currently testing.
• Backpacks. I’m old school and still use my Kelty frame pack that Katy bought me 36 years ago.
But all of the young yuppies will tell you I’m nuts and to use an internal frame pack.
It makes it a 100-times more comfortable if you have a backpacking chair.
They do fit snugger around your body and don’t sway which is a big deal when you’re walking on tight trails with steep drop-offs.
I also throw on a light day pack to do my day hikes out of camp. I don’t want a heavy daypack.
Cut off the waist belt. Throw it on top of your pack by putting the straps around the ends of your fly rod.
• Boots-I hike in wearing some ankle high hiking boots. I throw in some Chaco sandals so I can wade in rivers when fly fishing.
Don’t take cheap sandals. I’ve had at least two pairs of cheapos blow-out in the backcountry. Not good.
• Clothing-I’ll take three pairs of good Browning hiking socks. I wear one in and then wash/dry them for the hike out and one to sleep in since it gets cool.
I’ll wear 5.11 nylon type of zip-off pants. I’ll wade all day fishing in the shorts.
Take a set of 5.11 base layers to sleep in. I usually wear an old t-shirt and take an extra one in case one gets wet.
Take a Gore-Tex below the waist raincoat. You don’t want rain running down into your pockets! I always wear a cap.
• Sleeping gear-I just met a company named SEA TO SUMMIT and am testing out their gear.
They make some nice, lightweight gear. Here is what I’m testing.
1. ASCENT Sleeping bag 30 degree
2. IKOS Lightweight Tent 2-person
3. ETHER Light XT insulated Air Sleeping Mat
4. AEROS Ultralight Deluxe Pillow
You have to decide which type of tent you desire (I have probably 10-15 tents for various uses).
Super small tents are compact and lightweight but you can barely roll over in them. Larger ones are nice but more bulky and heavier.
You’ll for sure want a sleeping mat. I used to roll up clothes for a pillow but a real pillow is sweet!
• Cooking Gear-A small aluminum coffee pot to heat water for coffee, cook your MRE’s and to sterilize water.
Army mess kit to cook/eat with. Backpacking spoon and fork. Lightweight plastic cup. If there’s a fire ban, I take a Camp Chef backpacking stove.
• Aquimira Filtered bottles. Water is heavy and you’ll be drinking a lot so I use Aquimira water bottles and water filter straws.
• Food-I take instant oatmeal for breakfast and pick wild huckleberries to add to it. Ok, kinda ghetto but I take motel coffee packs. For lunch I do peanut butter sandwiches and Cheetos.
Snacks-take according to what you favor. For dinner I splurge and take some good backpacking meals.
There are getting to be more options but the best that I’ve found are made by Mountain House.
• Lights-Big deal. I found a company named HybidLight which makes solar charged lights so no need to carry extra batteries plus they can also charge your phone, camera etc. Head lamp. A little light for the tent is also nice.
• Knife-When backpacking you’ll abuse your knife so you’ll want a stout knife. I’m about to test the Smith’s Consumer Products Bush Knife.
• Fire gear-Smith’s makes a Pack Pal which is an ingenious little gizmo that lets you shred a limb for kindling. Waterproof matches.
I take a couple of Bic lighters. Take some fire-starting material in case everything is wet. Test it before you go, all fire-starting material is not equal!
• Tarp to lay inside your tent so your bag doesn’t get wet.
• Maps-contact MyTopoMaps and get Paige to make a map for the area that you’re hitting.
That should be enough to get you started. Have fun!
Tom Claycomb is a hunting enthusiast that writes a bi-monthly column for Great Basin Sun.