2015 Gear List – First Time Backpacker

[Lane E.]

Hi Guys,

I am brand new to backpacking, however not new to camping or the great out doors as a whole. I have been car camping, fishing, day hiking and the like for well over a decade which hopefully will serve me well as I branch out into backpacking.

I have my semi-revised gear list together and would love to get some feedback on where-all I am going wrong and what all I can do to improve.

Link (Please note there is more than one tab) – https://goo.gl/vRo5yI

A few notes –

– I am looking to backpacking as a way to motivate myself to exercise a lot more. I am way overweight (6' 2", 300lbs) and need to take that into consideration for my pack – need it to fit around my fat butt.

– I will be primarily hiking in PA & NY to get started. I do believe I will be primarily backpacking in spring, fall and winter (Winter is an MAYBE) and likely avoiding the humid summers for now.

– Osprey is my brand of choice for the pack at the moment. They have walked me through everything already to ensure the pack and harness will fit around me.

– I chose the Osprey Xenith 105 as I will need to carry gear for another member. I will be primarily backpacking alone (at least in the beginning), however my sister will be joining for some of the trips for which I will need to carry a large portion of her gear in addition my own (She has health issues which drastically limits how much she can carry).

– I would like to have the bear keg fit inside my pack.

– I am not looking to go ultralight at this stage, looking to take a little comfort with me for now and then re-evaluate after I have some miles and nights under me.

– Do the solar panels work worth a damn? I will be mainly hiking in PA & NY to get started so tree cover will be abundant.

– Rain Gear & Warmth, I am considering using my Columbia Bugaboo since it can be a light waterproof jacket, fleece jacket or full blown water proof winter coat. Its heavy though..

– I am on a budget (recently lost my job, 8 years…), however I am willing to spend the money when I know the gear is worth it and will last me for a good 10 years.

—

Thanks in advance everyone, I really appreciate the guidance.

[Andrew U]

Welcome to BPL!

For someone who is brand new to backpacking, getting started with the right information is the most important. 2 books you absolutely need to read are Andrew Skurka's Ultimate Gear Guide

http://andrewskurka.com/product/ultimate-hikers-gear-guide/

and Allen and Mike's Really Cool Backpackin' Book

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/405140.Allen_Mike_s_Really_Cool_Backpackin_Book

Both have a ton of really practical and easy to understand information. Two of the best resources for beginning trekkers. And they are probably available for free at your local library!

You will be infinitely better prepared to buy and use whatever gear you get by first reading at least one of those two books. And you will save potentially THOUSANDS of dollars in the long run if you can avoid buying sub-par gear that you replace over and over again over the next few years.

[Lane E.]

Thanks, however I am looking for feedback on my actual list.

[Andrew U]

Okay, gear feedback as requested. All the following are just opinions.

Don't take a bear can unless it is required in the specific area you are packing. It is far more effective and lighter to practice proper food handing. Never cook where you camp.

The MSR Hubba Hubba is ridiculously heavy. If you would like an enclosed tent, go look at TarpTents by Henry Shires. You won't find a better product for the money. I'd recommend the Double Rainbow as a good starting off point, but there isn't a single bad model on that website. Also, tent footprints are unnecessary.

Hydration reservoirs are a waste of money and overly complicated. A couple SmartWater or Gatorade bottles and Platypus collapsible bottles are all you need.

EE Rev Quilt is an amazing product, good choice.

Because of your current weight, I would contact Therm-a-Rest and ask what the max weight limit is for the X-Lite. You may need something sturdier.

ALPS pillow is crazy heavy. I use a 5L stuff sack filled with partially inflated sandwich bags. Weighs 1 oz and very comfy.

Most don't take many, if any, electronics. That is an extremely heavy setup you have listed. You won't need battery packs or rechargers if only out for a day or two.

Stove system is overkill. A Super Cat alcohol stove is virtually free and wont ever fail on you.

Bear spray is a psychological crutch. If you can get over your fears and practice smart food handling, you will never need it.

Compass is overkill. A simple Brunton compass is all you need, shouldn't weigh more than 1.5 ounces.

Is that a giant Leatherman in your pocket or just glad to seem me? Victorinox Classic has all essential tools and weighs 0.75 ounces. Many get by with just a razor blade.

You don't have weights listed for a potential First Aid Kit/Survival Kit. Be careful here; I've seen kits weighing over 3 pounds, it gets a little silly. My First Aid/Gear Repair/Emergency Survival Kit, including things like medicines, petroleum jelly, and water purification tabs weighs under 7 ounces for a 5 day trip.

Don't take a trowel, use a stick or rock to dig holes.

Much of going lighter is simply taking less stuff.

[Ben C]

I will give you my thoughts
That is a heavy pack, but if it fits well, fine.
Use a trash bag liner inside the pack instead of a pack cover; the big hole in the back of the pack cover prevents it from working well.
I would not take a bear can unless required where you are hiking.
Lighten you water system; a 2 liter bladder, a sawyer squeeze, and a reused water bottle from the gas station will be plenty for most eastern hiking; other systems are fine too, but you can simplify and be lighter and spend less money.
Footprint is not needed.
I might consider a 20 degree quilt; remember, its often colder at elevation.
I would definitely leave the GPS, sat comm, and solar charger out; GPS is overkill and you can download an app on your phone to do that; sat com not needed for most of us; chargers in the shade are not great; plus, you have another battery pack, but its too heavy too, carry an extra battery; how long will you be out?
No bearspray.
No multitool
You need maps in a ziplock.
Don't carry a lot of the stuff you have listed. Do a short trip first leaving most of that little stuff behind, and then decide if you really need to add all that stuff. If you walk much distance, you'll be really glad not to be carrying all that weight.

[Nathan F]

At the weight of your current setup, "comfort" will be best achieved by leaving behind many of the things you are carrying, as has been recommended. From what I can tell, you are going to be carrying at least 50 pounds when you factor in water, items not weighed, and some of your partners gear. This kind of weight can be truly miserable. On this forum, you will find no one who carries these weights outside of expedition length trips with infrequent resupply. The advice you receive will reflect a lightweight philosophy on backpacking, which may or may not be for you.

[Bean]

Hi Lane,

"- Do the solar panels work worth a damn? I will be mainly hiking in PA & NY to get started so tree cover will be abundant."

Most likely for the kind of trips that you laid out, I'd think you'll get more bang for your buck focusing on power packs rather than solar. Power packs or replacement batteries will usually end up being lighter and more reliable if you find yourself in situations without much sunshine.

"I am on a budget….gear is worth it and will last me for a good 10 years"

I'd recommend buying from a place like REI with a very generous return policy. There isn't one piece of equipment that I bought when I first got into backpacking that I actively used a year later for backpacking. Almost every purchase I made, I realized after a couple trips it wasn't the right for me, or for the conditions I was backpacking in. Easily I was carrying 10 extra pounds I didn't need at all, just in having bigger pack, bigger tent, ridiculous cooking system. Most my original backpacking gear is now my car camping gear.

Your list doesn't look too bad. I'm not an expert though, but figured I'd throw in my 2 cents because I'm avoiding work.

*First thing, I'd look at going with a lower volume of a pack. You likely won't want to lug around 3 extra pounds or more in pack weight when you're solo, just because you may carry somebody else's stuff on a rare occasion. Better to look awkward when you do take that person, and strap more stuff to the outside.

*Pack rain covers usually fail in heavy rain and do nothing if you fall in a creek, use waterproof bags inside the pack or use a trash compactor bag as a pack liner.

*For the water filter, I'd consider something with a little more lifespan and cheaper. Like a Sawyer Mini and maybe some drops if you're worried about viruses. This would be lighter too.

*Don't bother with the 'U-Dig-It', as a GSI plastic trowel is lighter , more ergonomical and like 5 bucks. If you want to spend 20 bucks on a trowel, get a titanium 'Deuce Scoop' or the aluminum 'Deuce of Spades' (these don't even weigh an ounce).

[Bob Moulder]

Required Reading: http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=104021&skip_to_post=879046#879046

Link (annapurna) put together the post above with some of the most useful compilations of books, threads and videos. I would recommend going through all of this to establish a frame of reference for UL concepts, then work from there. It's a lot to swallow all at once, but it will save a lot of time in the long run compared to getting info in bits and snippets, quite often with conflicting viewpoints.

That said, the posts above offered some really good tips already.

Only thing I disagree with is the suggestion for Mike & Allen's Cool Backpackin' Tips, which is really dated and heavily leaning toward trad (HEAVY) backpacking, although there is some info that relates to UL. Much better IMO is Clelland's Ultralight Backpackin' Tips, which is geared exclusively for UL.

[Lane E.]

Thank you everyone for the feedback, much appreciated!

I completely failed to mention that the trips I am planning on tackling will last between 5 and 10 days during which I won't be resupplying other than for water.

Presently I do believe I will be avoiding overnight (single night) trips as personally I think it would be waste in time and energy for limited reward. The plan will be do to day hikes or longer backpacking trips that would likely be at least 3 days.

I lost my job recently and as such I am not limited to weekend hikes at the moment. Looking to do longer trips which I likely won't be able to do accomplish in my lifetime once I get my career back on track.

Thanks again!

[Bean]

"trips I am planning on tackling will last between 5 and 10 days".

Do you think you'll want to hike to a destination and stay put for a couple days? Or hike to a new destination every day?

[Bean]

If you're locked on getting a 2 person double walled 3 season tent. Check out the 'Big Agnes Copper Spur UL 2' over the 'MSR Hubba Hubba NX'… same price, but the Copper Spur UL 2 is at least 11oz lighter and it has bigger floor dimensions.

[Lane E.]

Hi Stu,

Most of the trips will only be at any single location for one night.

I will check it out, thank you!

—

I created a new thread for locating a better tent here: http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=105550

[NJ Drew]

If your new to backpacking I would encourage day hikes and even over night hikes. As you said your weight is of concern to you, so slowly acclimating your body to hiking would serve you better in the long run. Overnights would give you an opportunity to test your gear before setting out on a week long hike with no means of fixing a gear issue should it arise.

Regarding bear spray for a hike in and around PA, NY I would say research where your hiking and decide if you need it or not. If your not in a common bear area then you probably don't need it, but if you are then I would personally carry it. My .02

[Lane E.]

@Drew – Thanks! I will certainly be starting with a several days hikes carrying all my gear and then dive into a couple one or two night hikes. To that end, the trails I have in mind to get started will allow me to "jump ship" on a fairly regular basis should something go poorly.

Thank you for the advise on the bear spray!

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