Basic Equipment Backpacking requires proper equipment just as any other outdoor sport. Without suitable equipment, you will face unnecessary hardships. Take only what you need. After several overnight camps you should be able to conduct your own shakedown to eliminate items that you didn t need. Remember, the key to successful backpacking is to travel lightly. Check your equipment against the list of recommended equipment in your Boy Scout Book, or other handouts. This is the maximum. Some backpackers can reduce this list considerably and still be comfortable and clean. Pack On the trail, a pack serves as your storeroom, attic, garage, and basement. It contains and protects all your gear, so you ll want to find one that won t let you down. A good pack is sturdy, roomy, and comfortable. Most made for the backcountry have convenient outside pockets and padded shoulder straps. Many are mounted on aluminum frames, while others incorporate special designs that need no frames at all. A hip belt lets you support most of a pack s weight with the strength of your hips and legs rather than the weaker muscles in your shoulders and back. All packs basically fall into one of four categories: the knapsack, the framed rucksack, the rigid container, and the pack frame. Knapsacks are rectangular, soft bags suitable for carrying light loads. Framed rucksacks are similar to knapsacks but are constructed around an enclosed frame. Both of these types of packs are suitable for short treks. Rigid containers, or pack baskets, are suitable for storage at camp but are too heavy to be comfortable on long treks. Pack frames are the most useful and comfortable for long treks when carrying a medium or heavy pack. A soft pack bag can be lashed to the cleats on the pack frame, and some pack frames come with a pack bag that slips on and off the frame. Before you invest in a pack of your own, get a good idea of which ones best fit your body and suit your needs. Some stores rent packs at reasonable rates, and Scouts in your troop may let you borrow theirs so you can compare brands. When you try on packs, put some weight in them. You can judge their comfort better. And be sure to check the official BSA backpacks; they re made and tested for all kinds of rugged use. Many older packs still have plenty of miles left in them, too. You can update one by adding foam padding to the straps and a waist belt to the frame. Loading a Pack Once you ve determined what to carry, the next step is to pack it for the trail. Small, frequently used items go in your pockets: your knife, compass, whistle, bandanna, some matches, protection for blisters, and perhaps paper and a pencil. Equipment you won t need until you make camp can go deep in the pack, but rain gear, the first aid kit, a sweater, clean socks, and your lunch should ride just under the main flap. Carry your map, water bottle, sun and insect protection, and trail snacks in the pack s outside pockets. Reserve one pocket for your fuel bottle or cylinders so they ll be isolated from the rest of your supplies. Always return each small item to a specific pocket of your pack so you can locate it quickly. For trail hiking, arrange the contents of your pack so that its center of gravity is high and close to your back. For cross-country skiing, snow-shoeing, and mountaineering treks, you can trade a little comfort for a lot of stability by placing heavy gear at the bottom of the pack, thus lowering the center of gravity. In either case, pad the front of the pack s interior with a layer of clothing to provide cushioning against your back.
Typical Pack Layout Upper Left Pocket Water bottle or canteen Rain gear Lower Left Pocket Protection from sun Protection from insects Flashlight with spare bulb and batteries Upper Compartment Cook kit and utensils Stove Water bag Tent or tarp Tent stakes Ground cloth Food and condiments in bags Flap Pocket Camping permit Maps Pencil and paper Compass Back Pocket Cup Bowl Matches and fire starters Whistle Cord Bear bag and rope Emergency coins Soap Toilet paper Metal mirror Comb Toothbrush Toothpaste Small towel Upper Right Pocket Stove fuel Stove wind screen Lower Right Pocket First aid kit Lower Compartment Hat or cap Clothing appropriate for the season Sweater or jacket Parka or coat Moccasins, running shoes, or booties Bandanna Stuff Bag Sleeping bag Foam pad
Weight of a Pack How much your pack will weigh depends on the length of the adventure you ve planned, the amount of food and equipment you must carry, and your personal preferences. Traveling with a group allows you to divide up tents, food packs, cooking gear, and other group gear. If you can keep the weight of your pack down to about a fifth of your total body weight, you ll be able to carry it fairly well. Pack Maintenance Before every trek, inspect your pack. Look for cracks in the frame, especially around welded joints. Does the stitching need reinforcement? Are the straps frayed? Do the grommets seem secure? Correct any weaknesses before you leave home. Notice how the straps, hip belt, and pack are attached to each other, or to a frame. There is probably an arrangement of clips or metal pins held in place with wire rings, It s wise to include a few spare pins, clips, and rings in your repair kit. Learn how to make repairs. Empty the pack after an outing, shake out any debris, and store it in a clean, dry place. Take care of your pack and it will give you years of reliable service. Pack Shake Down Get together with your crew or team a day or two before you depart on a trek and conduct a shakedown. Spread all your equipment, clothing, and provisions on the floor or on a ground cloth outdoors. Consider each item carefully. Is it essential? If so, pile it beside your pack. If not, put it in a separate pile you ll leave at home. After you ve gone through everything, repeat the process. Check off each item on your lists of food and gear, and be sure you have all the basics but nothing more. Finally, take a last look through the pile of nonessentials. Some of the items could make your trip more pleasant, and you ll have to decide whether they are worth the extra weight on your shoulders. In the case of a plant identification book, binoculars, or a camera, the answer may well be yes, but don t forget that ounces add up quickly. The more thorough your shakedown, the lighter the load on your back. Repackaging Food Divide your food supplies into piles, one for each meal you ll prepare during a trek. Beginning with the first meal of the trip, read every recipe aloud, and as you do so, measure the exact amount of each ingredient that recipe calls for and put it into a plastic bag. Write the cooking instructions on a slip of paper. Put the instructions into the second bag, and seal it. On masking tape attached to the outside, write DINNER 1, etc. Use the same technique to repackage the rest of your provisions, and soon you ll have a neat, easy-to-pack row of bags, each containing all the ingredients for a single meal. Dividing Group Gear In addition to safety, one of the greatest advantages of traveling in a group is that your pack will be lighter than if you were alone. Of course, each person must tote personal gear: clothing, eating utensils, etc. But tents, cook kits, stoves, food, stove fuel, and the like can be divided evenly among all the group members. As you gear up, set aside those items that will be used by more than one person, and then divide them up in such a way that everyone has a pack that is light enough to be carried comfortably. To avoid confusion in camp, keep a complete list of your group s gear and note the pack in which each item is being carried.
Boots As a backpacker, your feet are as important to you as a plane is to a pilot, or a ship to a sailor. They transport you from place to place, and as long as they are healthy and content, you will hardly notice them. But if they become irritated, they will make their discomfort known with a vengeance. Keep your feet clean and dry, and trim your toenails straight across. Treat tender spots before they turn into blisters. Proper foot care also includes choosing the right footwear. Most backpackers prefer good hiking boots. The lightest pairs weigh just a few pounds, and are fine for walking well maintained trails. Sturdier boots, at 3 to 5 pounds a pair, provide plenty of ankle support and protect your feet even in boulder fields and on cross-country rambles. Mountaineering boots are heavier still, very rigid, and appropriate only for specialized climbing. A pound of weight on your feet is equal to about five pounds on your back, so it s obvious that keeping your boots light will enhance your enjoyment of a long walk. Look for boots made of top grain leather which breathes, allowing moisture from your feet to escape. Lacing hooks and eyelets should be durable and securely attached. Lug soles provide the most traction, though smoother soles are usually adequate, frequently lighter, and often cause less wear and tear on the trail. Stitched soles are more durable than those which are glued. As with packs, shop around before purchasing boots. Ask experienced hikers and competent clerks to suggest their favorite brands, and then find a pair that fits just right. When you try on boots, wear the same socks you intend to use on the trail. Your toes should have plenty of wiggle room so they won t jam against the front of the boots on downhill hikes, yet the boots should hold your heels so they slip only a little. Carry a lightweight pair of running shoes or sneakers for wearing around the campsite to allow your feet and legs to rest. Breaking in Boots Like new baseball gloves, new boots are usually stiff. They must be broken in before you wear them on an extended trek or you re in for a crop of blisters. Although it takes a little time, the process is simple. First, treat your boots with the dressing recommended by the manufacturer. (Different kinds of boots require different dressings.) Rub it thoroughly into the leather with a rag or your hand. This will protect the boots and help them repel water. You may want to guard the boot seams against moisture and abrasion by applying a commercial seam sealer. Wear the boots around the house and on short hikes until they have loosened up. Gradually extend the length of the walks on which you wear them, and soon they ll feel like a natural part of your feet. Since boot leather usually comes from steer hide, it has much in common with your own skin and deserves special care. Clean your boots after every outing use a stiff brush if they re muddy and apply more dressing. If they become wet, dry them at room temperature. Never expose leather to more heat than you can tolerate on the back of your hand. Drying boots by a campfire is a good way to ruin them. Experienced hikers often wear two pairs of socks; either two pairs of medium-weight wool socks, or a pair of thin cotton ones under a pair of heavier wool socks. Both cotton and wool draw moisture away from your feet and help prevent blisters. You may find that a different combination or weight of socks is more comfortable. In any case, carry several sets in your pack, and change occasionally during a long day s walk. Fresh socks are absolute ecstasy for hot, tired feet. You can hang sweaty socks on the outside of your pack and let them dry in the sun as you hike.
Sleeping Bag (bedroll) Old timers carried blankets and at night rolled up in them. In mild weather, you can do that, too. Wool blankets are the warmest, and a few large safety pins will holds the edges together. However, you ll be happier with a good sleeping bag. It will keep you cozy by trapping the warmth your body generates. The bag s thickness, known as its loft, determines how much heat it will retain. The more loft a bag has, the warmer you will sleep. The shell, or outer fabric of a sleeping bag, is often made of nylon. Loft is created by filling the shell with natural, or man-made materials. Partitions sewn inside the shell keep the fill material in place. In less expensive bags, the stitching goes clear through the shell, resulting in cold spots where the loft is thin. In better bags, partition stitching is alternated on each side of the shell, and the cold spots are eliminated. Goose down and synthetic fibers are the most frequently used fill materials. Both also insulate parkas, vests, booties, and caps. In making your equipment choices, weigh the advantages and disadvantages of each material. Goose Down Down refers to the delicate feathers geese grow next to their skins. Ounce for ounce it insulates better than any other fill material, and it lasts for years. It is also expensive. Down requires special laundering, and when it becomes wet, it loses its loft and cannot keep you warm. Synthetic Fibers To match the loft of down, a fiber-filled bag must be heavier and bulkier, but it will keep you warm even when it is soaked. If you do your camping in a soggy climate, it may be just what you need. Fiber-filled bags are easy to clean and often reasonably priced. A good sleeping bag is one filled with either down or fiber and designed to be effective at a temperature of 20 30 F. In warmer weather, you can leave the zipper open. If the night is cold, wear a stocking cap, pull on your long underwear, or add a blanket. Carry your bag in a stuff sack strapped low on the pack frame, or tie it to the top of the pack itself. Some packs, especially those without frames, have special sleeping bag storage compartments. If you expect wet weather or stream crossings, stuff the sleeping bag in a plastic garbage bag inside the stuff bag before attaching it to your pack. Gather the ends of the garbage bag, twist, and form them into a gooseneck that can be tied securely. After a trek, unroll the bag, let it air thoroughly, then hang it in a closet or store it in a large cloth sack such as a laundry bag. Prolong the life of your bag by cleaning it when it becomes soiled, but only according to the manufacturer s instructions. A bag can be tumbled in a dryer on the air cycle without damaging it. But do not use the heat cycle to dry wet or damp bags. Heat impairs the loft and insulating qualities of down and synthetic fibers.
General Clothing Clothing is your first line of defense in the back-country. It keeps you warm in the winter, cool in the summer, dry in storms, and shielded from the attacks of insects. With a few well-chosen layers of clothes, you can meet any weather conditions that arise. To best decide what you need, learn about the fabrics from which clothing is made: Wool The long red underwear of miners and settlers was made of wool, and for good reason. Wool is durable and water resistant, and even when it becomes soaked it can keep a wearer warm. Wool clothing is ideal in cold weather, and a wool shirt or sweater will ward off the chill of summer evenings, too. Wool makes excellent blankets, hiking socks, hats, and mittens. A Scout who finds that wool irritates his skin may be able to wear it over clothing made of other fabrics. Cotton Cotton is a cool, comfortable, sturdy fabric, but unlike wool, it will not keep you warm when it is wet. Of course, in hot weather that may be an advantage. Underwear and liner socks are made of cotton, as are caps, shirts, and bandanas. Synthetics Man-made fabrics have plenty of outdoor uses. Many are waterproof and windproof. Strong, light, and easy to clean, they are used in rain gear, windbreakers, tents, packs, parkas, and sleeping bags. Since synthetics melt at low temperatures, be careful when wearing or using them near an open flame. Blends Blended fabrics combine the advantages of several materials in a single piece of cloth. For example, a blend of synthetics and cotton makes the official Scout uniform neat in appearance, yet tough enough for any wilderness adventure. A mix of synthetics and wool goes into long-wearing socks, shirts that resist shrinking, and warm Scout jackets. The right clothing for a trek depends on where you are going, the time of year, the kind of weather, and your personal preferences. Listed below are the basic clothing needs of a backpacker; one list for a backpacker hiking in average summer weather, and one for a backpacker hiking in average winter weather. When you plan an outing, add or delete items in order to prepare yourself for the worst weather conditions you expect to encounter. A mountaintop in July can be cold and stormy, while January in the desert may be balmy and clear, so choose your clothing with care. Wear clothes that are loose-fitting and easy to change as temperatures vary.
Summer Clothing List Uniform shirt (long sleeves if you expect insects or need protection from the sun) Uniform shorts 1-shirts Long pants Sweater or warm jacket Underwear Moccasins or light running shoes (for wear around camp) Visored cap Bandanas Rain gear Winter Clothing List Uniform shirt Wool shirt Long pants ( wool military surplus pants are fine) Sweater Long underwear Insulated parka or coat with hood Stocking cap Mittens / gloves Insulated booties with waterproof soles (for wear around camp) Bandanas Canteen or Water Bottle To carry a supply of water on the trail, a canteen is essential. A quart of water weighs about 2 pounds, so where water is conveniently available many backpackers choose to carry a canteen partially full of water and fill up just before long, dry stretches. A collapsible 2- to 3-gallon water container is helpful for hauling water a short distance for cooking or washing. Check for leaky tops. Cut a cork or rubber gasket to fit tops that leak.