Backpacking Camping Gear Guide and Tips

Backpacking camping gear guide; providing useful backpacking gear tips and advice.

Those searching for ultralight backpacking gear and backpacking camping equipment know spending a little time researching will pay dividends.

Backpacking camping gear will need to be specific equipment that meets the requirements for the type of trip planned, whilst pleasing personal preferences and needs .

We hope to provide you with useful ideas for the types of backpacking gear needed for preparing your incredible journey.

Essential Backpacking Camping Gear

Camping or backpacking equipment will need to be lightweight, compact and very good quality.

Also, choosing the gear that you do and don't need to take will be essential for a successful trip.

In, other words, maybe some stuff will be better left at home and some would make you much happier whilst residing in your pack.

Backpacking tents: You may or may not need a backpack tent! If planning a trek in the Backcountry or hiking the Scottish Highlands off the beaten path the right tent is essential. If backpacking the Himalayas or Nepal then you will be seeking the best guest house, hostel or home stay. It is so cheap you will not need the extra bulk or weight of a tent.

Some choose a Tarp Shelter to become ultralight, whilst others choose the best tent available based on budget and quality. The bivvy sack(bivouac sack)option is for mountaineers and minimalist hiking and camping; not for the recreational outdoor person. For more general info about tents visit the Backpack tents for camping guide.

Sleeping bags: Choosing a backpacking sleeping bag is not a problem. The guide for temperature ratings and types is quite straight forward. If you know the weather conditions for the planned trip all you will need to decide is the ratings, weight suitability, and what your budget expenditure allows.

Camping sleeping pads: Even the best of sleeping bags will not provide enough comfort to sleep well without a decent sleeping pad. The various types available include a self-inflating pad, open-cell foam, closed cell foam or a backpacking inflatable mattress. They vary in weight, comfort and suitability for the planned trip. The most comfortable option will be a mattress; not for the minimalist's.

Backpack stoves: MSR Camp Stoves are well known within the backpackers and hiking community as one the best stoves available. They tick all the boxes for weight and quality whilst using very little room in the backpack.

The MSR whisperlite liquid-fuel stove has been heating camp food for a fair few years now, without many complaints, around the midrange price in comparison to others.

A budget option may be something like the Brunton raptor propane fueled camp stove. Dependant on how long you plan a trip for? This could be a good option. Camping for a couple of nights would be fine with the Brunton. However if your trip will be more than a few days, the fuel supplies may prove to use more room and add unwanted weight when using a cannister fuel stove. The other best backpacking stove option is the Jetboil stove that is very hard to beat. The efficency and speed to boil water is fantastic. Perfectly designed for the backpacker in my experience. Rapid boiling does not get any better than the Jetboil cooking system .

Backpacking Tips For Gear

I find it very useful to use a backpacking list of items needed. This helps to ensure you have the essential items needed and exclude unnecessary items.

Items, such as a camping towel (travel towel) and camping first aid kit are very essential. A camping towel is not to be under estimated for it's uses and many other positives; if you like being clean and dry.

You may find a victorinox swiss army knife is essential, for the useful tools and many uses the knife offers. There are many other useful army knives and tools on the market to choose from that will prove essential once needed and used.

Mountain house foods are ideal for the best freeze dried food needed to reduce weight. They offer many variations to make eating freeze dried food a little less boring.

Reducing weight: You will find using backpacking tips for reducing weight for your backpack useful. Similar to stripping a sports car to reduce weight for performance and handling.

We do the same to improve our performance when hiking and moving from place to place with our backpack, we are the vehicle. Many minimalist's will drill holes in backpacking camping gear, or remove tags to reduce as much weight as possible. Choosing ultralight backpacking gear or lightweight camping gear along with reducing weight will improve your vehicles performance considerably.

Backpacking for beginners: Backpacking can be daunting the first time. It is very wise to prepare for the right gear to take and gain as much knowledge about the trip planned.

Backpacking is one of the most helpful communities to be involved with! Why? The reason is most of us, including me, backpack alone or enjoy solo-camping but need people for more enjoyment, support and advice.

There is a great kinship between travellers that you will soon realise if your new to backpacking.

Prepare the backpacking camping gear needed and essentials without too much worrying then take the bull by the horns. You will more than likely start a healthy lifelong obsession, as i did. Always planning and setting goals for the next trip!

If we can help; feel free to contact us for advice about backpacking camping gear or other advice needed for your trip.

Other Related Resources

Backpacking stove reviews: For our choice of the best backpacking stoves available.

Ultralight Backpacking Gear: is the way we first begin to change the packing load (based weight) for gear we use to provide comfort and ease for our adventures.

GPS for Hiking: Information and guide for a GPS to be used alongside map reading skills.

Backpack Tents: guide.

Best Backpacking Tents: Review.

MSR Camp Stoves: Best backpacking stoves by Mountain Safety Research (MSR).

Ultralight Backpacks: Info for our choice of the best lightweight backpacks.