For Beginners

A lot of SectionHiker readers contact me asking for advice about which ultralight shelter they should buy. These purchases are almost always driven by weight reduction desires, but often in the absence of any considerations about the environmental conditions they need the tents or shelters to perform in, interior size, …

Day hikes don’t always go as planned and it pays to equip yourself with extra survival and emergency gear whenever you take a hike in a National Park, State Park, or National Forest. Help can take a surprisingly long time to arrive the minute you leave a trailhead or paved …

Knorr’s Rice Sides are a favorite backpacking food for thru-hikers, section hikers, and weekend warriors because they include all of the nutritional food groups important to backpackers: salt, carbohydrates, and easy. If you add a little protein like a can of tuna fish or chicken, sausage, or pepperoni slices, they …

After hiking hundreds of miles in New Mexico, Arizona, and California, I have a good understanding of how to take care of feet in desert conditions. My main goal is to keep my feet dry, cool, and debris free. I accomplish this with a good pair of trail runners, gaiters, …

Many backpackers carry camp shoes for greater comfort in camp that can serve double duty as stream crossing shoes, so they don’t have to get their hiking boots or trail shoes wet. Sandals, water shoes, slides, clogs, and minimalist footwear are all popular choices but it’s worth giving some thought …

Leukotape Sports Tape is a sticky blister prevention tape with a strong zinc oxide adhesive that won’t come off, even in very wet conditions. It’s also highly breathable, so it can be safely worn by runners and backpackers for several days at a time. It’s best used as a preventative …

Ultraviolet Water Purification Systems are a popular choice for backpackers because they’re easy to use, fast, lightweight, and don’t leave any aftertaste in your water like chemical treatments. They are not subject to freezing which destroys most water filters and can be used in below-freezing temperatures to purify cold water. …

One of the most important skills that you’ll want to develop for backpacking is a consistent camp routine so you don’t misplace important gear and you have plenty of time to get cleaned up at the end of the day, eat, and get a good night’s sleep. When the only …

One of the most important backpacking skills is learning how to take care of yourself if you have to hike in sustained rain. Foot care, campsite selection, thermoregulation, pacing, layering, cooking, hydration, packing, and gear selection are all factors in learning how to stay happy and healthy when you get …

What should you pack for a 3 day backpacking trip? The answer is that you need everything you’d bring on a 1 day backpacking trip, except for a little more food, fuel, toilet paper, to stay out an additional 2 days. It doesn’t matter if you go on a 24 hour …

Backpacking woods stoves are a great weight saving option for boiling water on backpacking trips because they eliminate the need to carry fuel and a fuel container, such as an isobutane canister or alcohol bottle. As long as you can find dry wood to burn, and it doesn’t take much, …

Bear bags are intended to protect your food on backpacking trips and to prevent bears from becoming accustomed to eating human food. “A fed bear is a dead bear”, as the saying goes, and no one wants to see a bear killed because someone was careless and didn’t hang their …

Have you ever wondered why people say, Cotton Kills? Do you understand exactly why? Here’s an in-depth explanation as well as a list of other fabrics that you should avoid when shopping for hiking clothes. Insulation Clothing keeps you warm by trapping warm air near your skin. When cotton gets …

I carry a 6-ounce personal first aid kit when I go day hiking and backpacking. It contains more bandages and medications than I might need on a trip so I only have to replenish it periodically. It’s also closely “aligned” to the locale where I do most of my trips, …