Were to get started Hiking, Backpacking, etc.?

Making this a sticky.

Depends on your age. You in college? Lots of colleges have backpacking and camping clubs that you can enjoy. If youre still young i can recommend boyscouts, but that may be too much BS for what you just want to learn.

Backpacking magazine has an excellent 101 list thats worth a look...http://www.backpacker.com/backpacking101

Here's a little of what to expect on a trip: http://www.journeywest.com/WB/pages/gettingstarted1.html

And another one: http://www.backpacking.net/beginner.html

Theres a lot more out there if you spend some time to surf google.


Main things to keep in mind are to stay in shape, use common sense(which is a rarity these days), and be prepared. You dont need all that super featherweight gear like all those bigtime hikers have. Just a good tent, boots, sleeping bag,knife and pack. Everything else you can pretty much make or slowly acquire. Gonna warn you though, most backpacking gear is $$$$ unless you go the milsurp route.

I think most importantly you should get a good sturdy pair of boots that fit you well. This is absolutely essential and can make/break a trip. A well-fitting pack is also pretty important.

If you spend the money on these two things, you can go cheaper (heavier) on the other stuff and still be comfortable.

This exactly. When i led my group at philmont, there were several kids that bitched about their feet hurting, either because they never came to prehikes and broke in their boots with us, or just used an old worn out pair.

Like chicken said, boots are your #1 piece of gear to not skimp on.

Ok so I've been looking at the info you posted, and I know that I should go actually see an outfitter to get the best pack for my needs, but if anyone has a pack that they use and really like let me know about it. Im thinking a "week end" type pack best suits what I want to use it for, 3 day trips, figuring Ill probably not buy the most expensive lightweight gear, or get a few key pieces in the light weight category and the rest just normal-ish, Im thinking like a 60-65 liter pack? Any recommendations? Or would that be over/under kill? I'm also figuring that if I just want to do an over night type thing I can still use the larger pack, or would that be dumb?

Still need to do more research and go try a bunch on

Im also hoping that when I go see an outfitter they'll help me out with boots cause Ive got flat feet and would really like it if some just could guide me through a whole fitting or something.

and sorry for triple post but Im going to school down in salt lake, which is pretty much a desert, but my home town is in the mountains of northern Idaho so I'm in a bit of a predicament with the whole water proofing vs ventilation thing

I'm sure someone will help you out there. Fortunately hiking boots are not as much of a "science" as ski boots are. Of course there are different boots that fit different feet better. For flat feet likely all you will need is a good pair of insoles.

My problem with my first pair of hiking boots was I got to small of a size. I was used to cramming my foot into ski boots and figured that a tighter fitting hiking boot meant better performance. For hiking boots you want your foot to be able to slide very slightly in the boot. This reduces the friction on your foot which can lead to blisters. You never want your toes to hit the front of the boot, which can happen if your boot is too big or small, so really find that balance. Also remember that your socks will be a lot thicker than a ski sock. Don't take your thickest pair to get fitted though as boots do stretch out a bit.

Basically try on the boots and go to one of those angle platforms. You should be able to stand with your toes pointed down and not have your toes slide far enough forward that they touch the front of your boot. You should also point your toes up and make sure there is no discomfort on your instep and heel as you flex forward. You also want to point you toes sideways and not slide laterally in the boot.

oh and the most important thing. wear your boots a lot before you go backpacking. almost all boots have a break in period. Sometimes though a boot just will not work for you. Trust me it's better to know this and take them back before you go.

I've got flat feet as well so PM me if you want some boot recommendations.

As far as packs go you have internal, external, or hybrid frame packs. So you would have to consider those and what you would like when looking for one.


What you seem to want is a day pack, which is good for weekend overnights or short outings. Pretty much any "tactical" style backpack will fit those needs ( most will be similiar to the STRIKE MOLLE packs the military now uses) . Just make sure it has appropriate straps for gear.

Breaking your boots in BEFORE a trip is very important. Your feet will thank you for it!

dude! i fucking love philmont! want to go back and do the 21 day trek sooo bad

It really depends on what kind of stuff you'll be doing and how big of a person you are to determine how much space you'll need. For example, a tall person like me will need a bigger frame and more space to store stuff, so I have bigger packs than most people. That being said, I would definitely recommend packs from Osprey. You should also look around on backcountry.com for gear since there are very comprehensible and helpful reviews on there and you should go to a local gear shop like other people have said. Also, a bigger pack can be used for overnights but it can be more manageable to have something smaller.

Most of the key points have been hit on here-but yes, getting a pack that fits you well is very important-go to a store with knowledgeable backpackers working there and try some on. The size of the pack depends on how big you are and how long you are going out.
The boot thing is a bit debatable-while I agree that whatever boot you do get make sure that it fits well and it's broken in, the kind of boot and how heavy/sturdy it is, I believe, a personal choice. I'm a bit more minimalist and I have had no problems with carrying gear and hiking in pretty much a glorified slightly stronger trail running shoe (just more comfortable/natural to me. I would probably only get a heavy duty boot for something more serious-example that comes to mind is my friend hiked the Annapurna trek in Nepal). For trail running or long day hikes where i just have a light pack I wear Vibrams. So I guess it's all what you are into.

So I went down to REI, and after trying on every boot in the store, The ones that felt the most comfortable and fit the best were the Vasque Wasatch GTX and the Zamberlan Vioz GT. But after reading reviews on the Vasques I found out they have a problem with the sole cracking and only lasting about a year. But, I was also able to find them for $122 in my size. The Zamberlans are $280, and a probably over kill for my needs right now.

So my question Is do I buy the Vasques and use them until they break down, find more boots to try on, or buy the Zamberlans and most likely never have to buy boots for a very long time.

thanks

Look at Vasques warranty and customer service and see if they will replace them. Boot companies like Danner will usually replace issues like that no problem. Even if they dont, I imagine you can send them in to get them resoled for a small fee.

See what theyll do and then pull the trigger on them. Unless youre using them hard everyday i dont think youll have a problem.

If the boot fits you and is designed for what you are doing it is almost always a good decision. That being said, I have never heard anyone who wishes they had bought a cheaper boot.

I have a pair of Zamberlans and I could not be more happy with them. They cost me 400+100 to have them resoled. Some of the best money I ever spent.