Hiking/Camping

[tobefirst ⚽️]

I am currently in the process of acquiring camping/hiking gear and I'm really excited about the opportunity to hike into the wilderness, carrying all of my gear, and set up camp in the middle of nowhere. I car-camped all the time when I was younger, and a couple times this year even, but I'm really excited about hike-camping, something I haven't done in many years.

Who else is in to either type of camping? What kind of gear do you have? How often do you go?

 

[iKwick7]

I haven't gone hike camping since I was a little kid- used to go all the time with the parents. I have car camped (camping when you can see your car, for those that may be confused) in recent years, however. So much fun. I'm due for a solid camping trip (of any kind) this summer.

 

[tobefirst ⚽️]

I can't believe that no one else here likes to camp. Or, maybe everyone IS camping, and therefore has no internet access.

 

[MultiM]

My wife and i camp, but not like we used to. used to take the dog and tent it fairly rough camp sites in BC and Rocky Mountains. We are much too old for that so now we take the tent trailer and 2 dogs (winey snivelling spoiled dogs) and "camp" at more civilzed camp grounds. I like not sleeping on the ground.

 

[Lovesong]

My fiancee and I started backpacking about 4 years ago. Since then we try to do it as often as possible (at least once a year). Last year we backpacked up to the top of Half Dome in Yosemite, and camped in Little Yosemite Valley. The best place by far, however, was our trip to Bright Angel campground (at the bottom of Grand Canyon) in 2004.

In terms of gear, I have most of the goods. I have a Kelty internal frame backpack ( a 5750, I believe), an Eureka 2 man backpacking tent, a therma-rest inflatable pad, a marmot sleeping bag, MSR stove, and some Ti cookware. My fiance has Lowe pro backpack, and most of the same other basics as me. I'm pretty content with my gear, though I wish I had more time to use it.

 

[tobefirst ⚽️]

Lovesong, how do you like the MSR stove? I thought about going with one of those, but settled on the Jetboil system instead. I haven't used it yet, though, so I don't have many thoughts on it yet...except that it is SMALL. I love the size. My pack is a 55L, and it'll be nice to have the stove take up so little room.

 

[Lovesong]

Lovesong, how do you like the MSR stove? I thought about going with one of those, but settled on the Jetboil system instead. I haven't used it yet, though, so I don't have many thoughts on it yet...except that it is SMALL. I love the size. My pack is a 55L, and it'll be nice to have the stove take up so little room.

I have the SuperFly, which basically screws onto an MSR isopro bottle. It's compact, and boils water very fast. I looked at the jetboil system, and while I'm sure that it would cook just a bit faster, I figured that after the 18th mile I really wouldn't care about that, and would simply wish that I had a lighter load.

 

[The Mad Kiwi]

Buy a small pack and take as little as possible and buy the lightest stuff you can, after you've walked a 100 miles you start looking in you backpack and going why am I lugging all this heavy crap around.

There's nothing worse that getting to the end of a hike (or Tramp as we kiwi's call them) and finding you've been carrying 3kg of stuff you never used.

 

[oblomow]

Who else is in to either type of camping? What kind of gear do you have? How often do you go?

I used to go several times a year. But since we have kids I only make backpacking trips once a year. In the winter. We do camp a lot with the kids and a larger tent tent though. I use an MSR whisperlite. Very reliable. The only other advice I can give you is don't take to much stuff. People starting backpacking always bring to much stuff, especially clothes. You don't need
a new shirt every day, it's heavy and will probably after one hour walking smells as bad as the shirt you had on yesterday.

Oh, and don't make the mistake a friend of my made when he first came along for a winter backpacking trip: 'shall I take this sigg bottle filled with whisky or a book by Tolstoy?' He ended up lugging the book around for the entire trip, didn't read a word. ( and had nothing decent to drink in the evening after dinner...)

 

[Steradian]

I love Backpacking/Hiking!

Always loved backpacking and hiking, not sure if that love was grown out of the BSA. However at this point I am not sure I could live without it! I have been fortunate enough to find a relatively cool part-time job over the past few years working for Mel Cottons Sporting Goods here in San Jose while going to University.
I *try* to at least get a day hike in once every week or so, a backpacking trip every 2 months. Went out to castle rock Easter weekend with some friends. Weather was wonderful! We have another 2 trips planned, one for Yosemite and another for the Lost Coast.

As far as gear I am pretty decked at this point, freebies from Vendors and Amazing discounts have been wonderful.
Backpack: Bora 65
Stove: MSR Whisperlite International
Bag: Summerlite from Western Mountaineering
Tent: Baku 2 Sierra Designs
Cookset: the Ti 900 from Snowpeak
Water: Katadyn Hiker
Shoes: Lowa Jannu's (free! )
Boots: Asolo tps 353

I also recently snagged one of the jetboil's with the coffee press for my girlfriend and I. Wonderful at boiling water, not so great for cooking. The stove only really heats up a narrow portion of the pan/pot so it's easy to burn items if you don't keep them moving in the pot.

Also the MSR reactor is awesome, we recently had the rep come in and show us the thing, it boils wicked fast.

 

[The Mad Kiwi]

Oh, and don't make the mistake a friend of my made when he first came along for a winter backpacking trip: 'shall I take this sigg bottle filled with whisky or a book by Tolstoy?' He ended up lugging the book around for the entire trip, didn't read a word. ( and had nothing decent to drink in the evening after dinner...)

Whiskey is better drunk cold so instead I'd like to recommend a bottle of half Tequila, half Baileys Irish Cream, it's surprisingly palatable warm and has a good alcohol to weight ratio, and is much tastier than it sounds (my wife agrees). Cognac is good too.

 

[oblomow]

Whiskey is better drunk cold so instead I'd like to recommend a bottle of half Tequila, half Baileys Irish Cream, it's surprisingly palatable warm and has a good alcohol to weight ratio, and is much tastier than it sounds (my wife agrees). Cognac is good too.

Not cold, you mean. That's why during camping in the winter I do the cooking while he tries to warm the bottle in his armpits, groin, shoes. Be sure to bring an Islay to cover up the smell...

 

[juanster]

i hmmm when i do it it's not about the camping, we go fishing, and we camp because we have to, but we dont actually go for the purpose of camping or hiking

 

[liketom]

i like to bike and camp - and plan to during the summer months if i can get the time away from work

other then that i camp all the time in COD3

 

[erickkoch]

I guess I'm a wuss. I "car-camp" on ocasion. I went on a backpack camping trip many years ago with some freinds only once. I was fun until a freak snowstorm blew in. We had no winter gear (it was Spring) and nearly froze. We hiked out after one night.

 

[wordmunger]

I like backpacking. I've got several reports about it on my blog:

Mount Rogers
Smokeys 1 2 3 4 5 6
North Cascades
Kings Canyon
Smokeys

 

[tobefirst ⚽️]

The only other advice I can give you is don't take to much stuff. People starting backpacking always bring to much stuff, especially clothes. You don't need a new shirt every day, it's heavy and will probably after one hour walking smells as bad as the shirt you had on yesterday.

I may bring too much of something when I go, but it won't be clothes. I'm with you on that one. I don't pack much and don't change everyday. (;

I guess I'm a wuss. I "car-camp" on ocasion. I went on a backpack camping trip many years ago with some freinds only once. I was fun until a freak snowstorm blew in. We had no winter gear (it was Spring) and nearly froze. We hiked out after one night.

I think it's great that you car-camp. I went with some of my friends a few weeks ago and it was a blast. There's no way I'd get most of them to go hike-camping. Car-camping is a ton of fun, too!

...list of gear...

Very nice! Even more impressive, I'm sure, were the discounts you got! Here's mine:

Weekend pack: The North Face Skareb 55

Daypack: The North Face Blacktail

Tent: REI Taj 3

Bag: REI Polar Pod

Stove: Jetboil PCS

other then that i camp all the time in COD3

Hahaha...nice!

 

[Dukecitydawg]

Wow, where to start? How long of a hike, what kind of terrain, what weather do you expect, and what about a water source near your camp site? A starting list (with some obvious stuff in it...):

Light free-standing tent, tent ground cloth, tarp (light one, like Noah's Tarp), one 6' tarp pole, about 2x20ft of paracord, 3ft duct tape wrapped around one of your water bottles, a water purifier (pump type), wool socks, non-cotton clothes, matches, dryer lint (for starting fires), baggies (for keeping things like tinder, matches and electronics dry), a backpack w/rain cover, sleeping pad, down sleeping bag (keep it in a garbage bag in case of rain), clothing layers, bug spray, hat, sunscreen, walking stick, first aid kit, mole skin (or use duct tape), Mountain House food, coffee/tea, portable stove w/small pot/cup that comes with it, spork, fuel, 4L water (depending on water source, etc.), power bars, rain gear (pants, coat, boots), water-proofed paper map, compass, GPS (not your phone), whistle, signaling mirror.

I'm sure I have missed something, but that is a quick list. And don't skimp on equipment. Junky, cheap equipment will just need to be replaced wit better stuff sooner rather than later.