The Ultimate Backpacking Guide for Beginners

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From early 2019 to the pre-pandemic 2020, the buzz on travel trends was all about sustainability, off-the-beaten-path, green tourism, and experiential tours. Everyone had access to traveling that, for most people, the main priority was whether or not the trip will add value to them as individuals. Then the next thing we know, because of social distancing and travel restrictions, the limelight shifted to backpacking.

Most people prefer backpacking because not only it is budget-friendly, it also allows us to experience the day-to-day lives of the locals. They pave the way to off-the-beaten-path destinations that capitalize more on holistic travel experiences. Indeed, backpacking shows us what we have been taking for granted, thus make us more eager to protect the sustainability of our surroundings for the future generation.

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Photo by Austin Ban from StockSnap[/caption]

What is backpacking and what to expect from it?

Backpacking is a very broad concept that often confuses a lot of non-backpackers with hiking. Perhaps this is because there are people who hike with huge backpacks equipped with sleeping bags or pop-up tents that people assume that all hikers are backpackers. But actually, they are different concepts.

When you say hiking, it just means that a person is committing to a long walk probably towards the peak of a mountain and then down again. Sometimes, especially those who are not going to camp in the mountains, hikers don’t even bring anything aside from their water jug and towel.

On the other hand, backpacking is when a person is traveling, bringing with them a huge bag equipped with their toiletries, camping gear, sleeping bags, first aid, and other backpacking items that they might probably need in the span of their long travel. Unlike other vacation travelers, they don’t only stay on a beach or a hotel for a week. Usually, they take several weeks to months traveling from one country to another and fully experiencing each place they visit, often living like a local. Most of them book hostels, eat in local restaurants, meet locals, and hitchhike to another country.

In short, backpacking is bringing your big bags to travel either to a mountain to hike or travel from one city to another. There are 50 states in the U.S. that you can choose from, each state has a different climate and terrain. Ultralight backpackers often only bring backpacks that weigh significantly less than traditional packs. The base weight (without the water and food) is kept as low as possible.

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Image from Adobe Stock[/caption]

Ultralight Backpacking

Ultralight backpacking is another loose concept that was shaped out of arbitrary decisions. In the 1960s, it was a thing when backpackers would bring more than 50 pounds of weight on their back. At the start of the 1990s, however, a lot of backpackers were introduced to the comfort of lightweight gears.

This type of backpacking may be challenging for beginners because they have to solely rely on themselves for their safety and comfort during the span of their travel. Besides, the more lightweight the gears are, the more expensive they may be. This may be uncomfortable at the beginning but after a few backpacking activities and backaches, you will understand why this was conceptualized.

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Photo by Andre Furtado from Pexels[/caption]

Flashpacking

The idea of backpacking connotes traveling on a budget. Budget backpackers often opt for a ten-person hostel over a four-person one to save money for food and transportation.

As a Flashpacker, you would choose a private room in a three-star hotel for comfort. You might also prefer a US$50 two-hour flight over an uncomfortable 21-hour bus ride worth US$20.

Flashpackers are the median between a backpacker and a non-backpacker: budget conscious but not restrictive about comfort. You have a larger budget to book a decent hotel and engage in tours that make your trip more authentic.

While backpackers commonly bring gadgets, flashpackers are more tech-savvy, carrying high-tech cameras (including multi-lens DSLRs and pricey drones), the latest laptop, and smartphone.

How to Plan a Backpacking trip?

Planning a backpacking trip starts with when and where, and with considerations to your purpose and preferences. For beginners, before planning to backpack to the other side of the world, you may opt to backpack around the U.S. first. There are many national parks and recreation sites in the U.S. that can jump-start your backpacking escapade.

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Photo by Piviso from Pixabay[/caption]

1. Choose and Decide on a Backpacking Destination

At this point, you already have an idea of how long you’re willing to travel. If you get easily cold, you may opt for desert campsites in Arizona. Or, if you prefer all-year-round winter weather, you may opt for the campsites in the northern part of the U.S.

However, for beginners, we recommend that you opt for a state that has a more tolerable climate such as California. California has a Mediterranean climate. It’s neither too hot nor too cold. During summer, the weather is usually dry and warm. While during winter, the weather is usually wet but clement. Moreover, although the mountainous region of Sierra Nevada receives a copious amount of snow, it doesn’t snow in entire California.

So as a beginner, you may opt for California’s campsites during summer to get a feel of how backpacking works without worrying too much about the weather.

Let’s say that you will be having your first backpacking at the UNESCO heritage site, the Yosemite National Park, during summer. The park offers 13 campgrounds that will allow you to wake up to these majestic gigantic mountains, spectacular waterfalls, and countless trees. As of September 2020, the only opened campsite is the Upper Pines at Yosemite Valley.

The Upper Pines campsite has 238 sites that can accommodate tents, RVs, and trailers. It’s near a toilet with drinking fountains and showers (Curry Village and Housekeeping Camp), near a Grocery (Yosemite Village and Curry Village), and has a fire ring, picnic tables, trash receptacles, and food lockers.

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2. Plan your Essential Backpacking Gears

There are many things that you can do while backpacking. Aside from camping and socializing with other campers, you can also hike the mountains, raft in the river, and sign up for tours.

Here is your essential backpacking gear list:

Lodging

• Tent. You may get your own tent at Amazon, but you may also rent a cabin at Housekeeping Camp or other campsites.
• Sleeping bag. You may also get your own sleeping bag at Amazon or rent one. But we recommend that you buy one for your own instead of renting to save more than 60%.
• Repair Kit. In case your tent gets ripped, or your headlamp runs out of battery, you should have the means to fix them. So, some of the items in your repair kit are duct tapes, 50-feet nylon cord, stretch cords with hooks, safety pins, a sewing kit, extra batteries, and extra buckles.

Gears

• Hiking Backpack. The most important gear because it carries all your things. You don’t need the most expensive one, but buy a durable pack.

• Hiking Boots. Hiking boots give maximum support to your feet and ankles, keeping you comfortable during fast-paced long walks.

• Weather-appropriate clothes. In summer, you don’t need ultra-warm jackets, but since night temperatures can drop to 10°C, bring sweaters. For hikes, pack light windbreakers.

• Headlamp. Wear a headlamp to navigate at night safely and keep your hands free.

• Smartphone. Useful for emergency calls, photography, and navigation. Bring a premier quality MAH power bank.

Kits

• Matches or Lighter. Either you want to light the fire ring near your tent or your stove needs a little push, make sure to bring a match or a lighter with you.
• First Aid Kit. This includes relief for the usual headaches, allergies, colds, coughs, and stomachaches. Band-aids, alcohol, betadine, and other wound remedies are also necessary.
• Toiletries. Whether you are going hiking or you just plan to stay in your tent the whole day reading a book, you will need toiletries during your stay.
• Sunscreen & Sunglasses. Make sure to bring these to protect you from sunburn or to avoid any accident from squinting your eyes.

Food

• Kitchen Supplies. This can range from your meal utensils and containers to a multi-purpose knife that can help you open your cans or slice fruits.
• Plenty of Pre-packed Food. If you are only going to stay for three days and two nights, bring food good for five days and four nights just to give you an allowance. There should be grocery stores near campsites, but just in case they don’t have the food that you want, at least you have food. Also, make sure to bring healthy food.
• Water Jug. Bring at least a gallon of water jug so you can just refill them at nearby drinking fountains.

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Photo by Ekaterina Bolovtsova from Pexels[/caption]

3. Plan Your Backpacking Food and Meals

There is no list of food that is perfect for backpacking, but the best way to plan them is by starting with the rough draft of what are the activities that you will do.

According to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP), moderately active people who do a daily physical activity equivalent to walking 1.5 to 3 miles per day at 3 to 4 miles per hour can have a daily calorie intake of 2,400-2,800 (men ages 20 to 50) and 2,000-2,200 (women ages 20-50).

To illustrate, let’s say you’re going to hike Olmsted Point or the Lower Yosemite Falls which is only around 0.25 miles per way, you may only go for 2,200 calories (for women) and 2,800 calories (for men) per day. But if you’re going for a quite strenuous hike, at least for beginners, to Tenaya Lake which is around a 2.5 miles loop, you would probably double the calories. In short, planning your food is dependent on your activities and how much food your body needs.

When you already have a rough draft of the activities that you will do, you can now have a rough draft of the food that you will bring. Here is a sample of meal preparation for three-day backpacking at Yosemite National Park. You may add more portions or more variants that are good for a five-day backpacking trip.

Sample of Meal Prep

Pre-packed/Easy to reheat backpacking food:

1. Canned food

2. Pre-packed meals

3. Packed individual bread or loaf of bread

4. Snacks (chips, biscuits, or Granola bars)

5. Carton drinks (coffee, juice, or milk)

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Photo by Bich Tran from Pexels[/caption]

Backpacking Essentials

Weather Check

One of the things that should top your backpacking checklist is the weather check. The weather check will pretty much dictate the things that you can and can’t do. There are reliable websites such as the National Weather Service and Mountain Forecast where you can pin the nearest location for your next backpacking trip and show you the lowest and highest weather temperature as well as the wind speed. The National Weather Service can also show you the weather for the next seven days, so you can make a more confident choice on the date of your backpacking.

Most parks, like Yosemite National Park, may close when the National Weather Service forecasts winds of more than 30 mph or more than one foot of snowfall over 24 hours. However, there might be an instance when you will find yourself in a taxing situation. But don’t worry—there are backpacking training programs that will help you not only to be in shape but also to be confident to rely on yourself when a formidable experience arises.

Backpacking Training

Despite ticking every item in your backpacking checklist, weather changes are still inevitable. Most backpacking training revolves around training your body physically. Specifically, they alternate strength and cardio training to build a stronger endurance within the standards of backpacking. But it is more important to be holistically healthy, which means that your physical, mental, and emotional health are all in green light.

Aside from physical health, you also have to be mentally prepared during the backpacking. If your tent gets ripped by a falling branch of a tree, do you know how to sew them properly? Or, if you suddenly fall into quicksand, do you know how to get off of it? If the bathroom is not within your standard of clean, would you still take a bath? Backpacking sometimes pushes you out of your comfort zone. If you are not mentally prepared for the inevitables, you will have a hard time.

Lastly, backpacking is good for emotional health. Let’s be real, sometimes people don’t go backpacking for vacation. Sometimes, they just want to reconnect with nature to emotionally heal from their suffocating everyday lives. But although this happens a lot of times, emotional health is also about being patient when you’re in a queue to get a train ticket or trying your best to get along with the people you meet by engaging in a small conversation or not being utterly rude to anyone. There may be cultural differences between the group, but being kind is always the universal language.

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Photo by Kelly Sikkema from Unsplash[/caption]

Estimated budget to spend for backpacking

The following sample budget is based on a three-day backpacking trip to Yosemite National Park for two adults. The entrance fee starts from US$20, but if you have America the Beautiful Pass, you will be exempted from paying the entrance fee and standard amenity fee!

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A photo from the Autocamp website[/caption]

Luxury

Estimated Price: US$1,184 per person

Accommodation: This is Vista Suite Accessible (US$414 per night for two adults) from AutoCamp Yosemite. This fully-furnished luxury container house has a bedroom, private bathroom, kitchen, living room, and a small patio with tables and chairs. The bathroom is filled with premium Ursa Major organic products for a spa-like feel. Other options like the Airstream Suites are available; prices vary per day.

Tour: White Wolf Private Tours offers Yosemite tours in a black car. The Yosemite One-day Tour (US$1,200) includes a Wilderness First Responder or EMT certified guide for a 17-hour trip. You can opt for a private guided hike to a peak or sightsee in a Mercedes GL. They also offer three- to four-night guided camping (US$2,000 per person, minimum three persons) on a Yosemite peak, including tent, sleeping bag, equipment, and food.

Meal: Around US$50 per person per day for freshly cooked or restaurant meals.

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Photo by Christian Mack from Unsplash[/caption]

Average

Estimated Price: US$214 per person

Accommodation: Heated Canvas Tents (US$105) in Curry Village inside Yosemite National Park. These upscale tents have wooden frames, doors, double or twin beds, electrical lighting, and wool blankets.

Tour: Rafting on the Merced River near Curry Village costs US$57 per raft, with two people allowed per raft (an adult and a child over 50lbs). No professional experience is needed; life vests are provided, and the river is calm and safe.

Meal: Around US$20 per person per day, typically a mix of pre-cooked meals, canned goods, and fresh food.

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A photo by Nathan Dumlao from Unsplash[/caption]

Budget

Estimate Price: US$134.15 for the first time and can go down to US$80 on your next visit.

Accommodation: You can either buy a tent from Amazon (US$57.58), so that the next time you go backpacking, you will no longer need to pay for a tent. Or you can also buy a sleeping bag (US$26.57). This will be more affordable because sleeping bag rental costs US$25 per day, and for a 3-day and 2-night trip, that would total to US$75. Whereas, if you buy one time, you’ll be able to save more than 60%.

Tour: To save on getting tours, you may opt for the non-guided tour and hike the mountains by yourself or with our group. Or you can sightsee at the rivers, lakes, and other natural wonders in Yosemite National Park.

Meal: Around US$10 per person per day. This will include pre-packed food and canned goods.

Do's and Don't When Backpacking

1. Don’t bring any unnecessary stuff.

If you are just going to backpack for three days, only bring clothes enough for three days. Skip the ten-product skincare routine, or at least put them in smaller travel-size containers or lessen them to five-products only. If you also know that you’re not going to cook and you’ve prepared pre-cooked meals, don’t bring stove and butane gas. Just bring the things that you know you will need.

2. Do bring your water jug, utensils, and containers.

This will help avoid single-use plastics and will prevent you from contributing to more trash in the park.

3. Don’t bring many photography apparatus.

Aside from bringing multiple DSLRs will make your bags heavy, you’re also there to live in the moment. Take enough photos for your souvenirs, but remember to take the time to look into these natural wonders and appreciate their beauty. But if you’re seriously into photography, there are also newer cameras that are lightweight and mirrorless that can be used instead of the bulky DSLRs.

4. Do your research on weather-appropriate clothes, recommended shoes, and durable gears.

A 20°C weather can be bearable to some, while intolerable to others. Some places can be 30°C but windy, making it feel chillier. That’s why it is essential to research the weather so you bring adequate clothes. The same goes for durable gear: not all expensive gear is better—research what works for your needs and budget. For shoes, prioritize fit and traction over brand names.

5. Don’t overplan.

Just like any other holiday, treat your backpacking as flexible as possible. It is good to have plans because they will let you get a bigger picture of what you’re going to do and the places that you want to visit. But don’t stress yourself too much. Be flexible and go with the flow. Accept the suggestions of the group, and allow yourself to explore things you didn’t think you can do.

Final Reminders

Backpacking is a liberating activity that lets you rely on your skills and explore places you'd otherwise skip on a usual holiday. A perfect backpacking experience is subjective, so plan with people you’ll backpack with. Having a rough itinerary and meal plan gives you the freedom to adjust your budget and trip duration.

Whether you are a luxury or budget backpacker, planning lets you lay out the kind of trip you’ll enjoy next.