What is backpacking? The usual definition sights backpacking as hiking, camping or traveling in some manner withall of your gear in a pack that you carry on your back. Yet, it is so much more than that! There is the thrill of the adventure of your trip, the independence of relying totally on yourself, and the fact that you technically will need nothing more than what you carry on your back to make your trip, wherever it may be.
Backpacking can be a day trip or weekend away hiking in a beautiful scenic spot alone or with friends. Or it can be traveling half way around the world to see your way around Europe with nothing more than the gear you are carrying on your back. Whether you are camping in the wilderness or sleeping at a hostel in Europe one thing you'll need for both trips is a good sleeping bag. It is needed for curling up inside your tent or to act as covers when staying at a hostel. Like a good backpack, a good sleeping bag is an essential part of your traveling equipment. Either way backpacking will open the doors to some of the most interesting adventures of your life.
If you are taking a hiking trip for the weekend then you need pack your backpack with everything you will need. This will include clothes, food, cooking utensils, a flashlight, perhaps a book, your tent and sleeping bag. You may carry other thing depending on what you plan to do and where you plan to camp. A small ax, with a good cover to protect your equipment from getting damaged would be useful if you think you'll have to chop your own wood for a fire. Most camping areas will allow fires, unless there are warnings out, so that you may cook, have warmth and some light at night.
Before you take your first backpack trip its essential to be sure you buy a good backpack. You should not plan to buy another one for years and so you will want this purchase to be the right one. It must fit exactly right with the weight evenly distributed. It must have good foam shoulder padding to offset the weight and be big enough to hold everything without being too big to carry. Then its time to fill it and again you must make these purchases carefully.
If you are buying a tent then you will want to be sure that it will be either waterproof or has a fly, which is a special cover, to keep the rain from flooding your tent. You will need a good sleeping bag that will keep you warm to at least ten degrees below zero. Then, depending on if you are traveling afar or camping out, you will need to fill your backpack with appropriate clothing, toiletries, cooking gear, maps etc. so that this backpacking experience will be an adventure that you will not soon forget.
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