For those of you who camp or go backpacking a lot...what do you always bring along, how much of it, and what do think people forget most often?
Backpacking Essentials
For those of you who camp or go backpacking a lot...what do you always bring along, how much of it, and what do think people forget most often?
I always bring my gun.
I made a list like this once for a friend, it ended up taking me like an hour. I'll whip something up, but it would help if I knew what you already had, how long your trips gonna be, budget, and how far your going. It all changes what my recommendations would be. I've gone on quite a few 60mile+ backpack trips over the past ten years though, so I'd be happy to help.
For just a day trip a backpack, a few knives, pocket flashlight, space blanket, paracord, water, jerky, nuts, first aid kit, dry socks and undies, firearm, lighter, compass, and a watch.
For overnight add a tent, poncho, tarp, rubber bitch, blanket, big flashlight with extra batteries, change of clothes, food, kindling, hatchet, ammo, whiskey, and folding saw.
Green is the new Red.
I'll try to remember everything. I generally just gather it up the night before and do my best to remember everything I need before I leave.
SAK, flashlight, fleshlight, water, a few bags of trail mix/banana chips, socks, lighter, a box of matches, compass, a few large garbage bags, weed, tent, sleeping bag and a roll of fishing line.
Originally Posted by Toki
I'm more curious of the things that people tend to forget or don't think of when it comes to backpacking,.
Toilet paper. Many people often forget it, in my experience. It's a waste of pack space to bring a whole roll, but take enough to last you however many days you'll be out, take it off the roll, and roll it around a length of dowel or something like that.
Also, a little bit of salt and pepper and spices can be nice to have on hand, especially if you are eating certain brands of freeze-dried meals that are rather bland. Especially if you are going to be out for more than a few days, food monotony can get to be a real downer. I have a little plastic container-gizmo with six little compartments that I usually use to carry salt, black pepper, chili powder, cumin, mustard powder, and garlic powder, and I usually end up sharing with friends who didn't think to bring anything like that.
Moleskin for your feet is something people sometimes forget, much to their dismay if they start blistering.
A good Kukri (such as the KA-BAR model) is far more useful than a hatchet, in my opinion. It does the hatchet's job (chopping) just as well as, or better than, a hatchet and also has many other uses.
Unless you are specifically going to hunt, why the hell would you bring a gun? They're fucking heavy, and your chances of getting mugged in the woods are relatively low.
Well I feel safer with a gun, there are plenty of Coyotes and other angry creatures out in the woods in this area.
I've encountered everything from bears to coyotes to wolves in the backcountry, and I can honestly say, not once would a gun have helped me. Mostly because if you know how to deal with those animals, you don't need the gun. I just think of that as overkill and I know that I damn well wouldn't want to carry a rifle with me, when I pack, I pack the absolute least amount of weight possible. Besides, 99% of animals won't fuck with a human, especially if you know how to avoid confrontations with animals.
It is not the 4 legged critters that you need to worry about it is the 2 legged ones that are the real problem.
Around here we have a real bad meth problem and labs out in the woods and finding yourself close to one of these is a bad thing.
Neither have I, but I still feel a lot better if I have one. I mean if I need it for that 1/1000 chance that the animal is feeling a bit frisky, it's there.
Your chances of getting mugged in any given place are relatively low, unless you make a habit of wandering through really bad neighborhoods. But that's beside the point when it comes to the question of why people carry guns. It doesn't make sense to only carry a gun when you think you're likely to get mugged; that's not how self-defense works. If you know that your odds of getting mugged in a certain place are high, you don't go there in the first place. The point of carrying a gun for self-defense is that even in places where your chances of being attacked are relatively low (i.e., most places you go), you'll be prepared in the unlikely event that something does happen. Because while the probability of getting attacked in any given place at any given point may be low, you're in those places every day, 365 days a year, year in and year out. So the overall probability of ever being attacked, in someplace at some time, isn't as negligible as the probability of being attacked in one specific place at one specific time. It's like wearing your seat belt every time you drive even though there's a low probability of being involved in an accident on any specific day; you can't say "I only wear my seat belt on days when I'm likely to get in an accident". It might well happen eventually even though the odds of it happening on any given day are small.
For the record, most people who carry guns for non-hunting purposes (that is, self defense) while camping and hiking carry a pistol, not a rifle, because as you say, rifles are heavier and they're also obviously much larger. I do agree that it's silly to carry a gun "in case a coyote attacks" or something like that. But as magking says, it's other people you have to worry about. That said, even when I don't plan on hunting, I do often bring a .22 revolver when I camp or hike. It's certainly not heavy, and it lets me do a little opportunistic hunting (where legal) of snake, squirrel, etc. even if I didn't plan to originally.
Last edited by Syme; 02-15-2009 at 06:49 PM.
I guess I understand what you mean, but to me that is borderline paranoia. I'm not saying it's impossible, I just think maybe some of you have watched Deliverance one too many times. Most of the times I've gone backpacking, I've gone days without seeing another person. It really just isn't something that I worry about.
Edit: And also, if I want to do some hunting while I'm backpacking, I just make and set a few snares. It's pretty simple, and it attracts far less attention than gunshots. Also, I primarily hike on trails in national and state parks, where most hunting is illegal.
Last edited by Shinysides; 02-15-2009 at 06:53 PM.
Yeah, I have generally had the same experiences while backpacking. I've certainly never been in a situation that could have been dangerous. But let me reiterate that people don't generally carry while hiking because they are specifically worried about being mugged while hiking; they generally carry while hiking because they're the kind of person who carries when they're NOT camping too, and they see no particular reason to deliberately discard their ability to defend themselves under certain circumstances (such as when going into the woods). It's not about whether you think you're in particular danger in the woods, it's about whether you are the type of person who is just always cautious about that kind of thing no matter where you are, woods or otherwise.
I would respectfully disagree with your assessment of it as "borderline paranoia". I think that's an example of the double standards and emotional thinking that many people use when it comes to guns. People often view other safety precautions (like wearing your seat belt in a car, keeping a fire extinguisher and smoke alarms in the house, etc.) as normal, but keeping a gun around is "paranoia" and gets met with suggestions that the person has been watching certain movies (Dirty Harry and Die Hard are common examples) "a few too many times". I'm not accusing you of having some kind of anti-gun bias, but the things you said do suggest to me that your view of carrying a gun has been influenced, consciously or no, by the unreasonable attitudes towards guns that exist in our society. I think a wholly objective assessment of the issue would lead to the conclusion that there is absolutely nothing paranoid about carrying a gun for self-defense (or at least, that it's no more paranoid than any other safety precaution that people commonly take). It is certainly true, for instance, that violent crime is far more common than house fires in America; yet no-one gets called paranoid for having smoke alarms in their house.
EDIT: I do also sometimes set snares (though I particularly like snake, which obviously has to be shot rather than snared). I wouldn't worry too much about "attracting attention" with gunshots; I don't think that the occasional "pop" of a .22-caliber round attracts a lot of attention in the woods, especially in Virginia where I live and am usually camping or hiking. I'm also usually somewhere down in the GW or TJ National Forests; unlike National Parks, you can hunt in National Forests.
Last edited by Syme; 02-15-2009 at 07:21 PM.
Don't get me wrong, I am completely for CCW's and carrying for self defense. I just don't want to be bothered with it when I'm backpacking around, it would just be an extra hassle to me, but to each his own. I wasn't trying to call you borderline paranoid, I was just saying that I don't really think it's necessary, obviously you do, and thats why you carry one. I have no problem with that, I am in no way anti-guns. I just wouldn't carry one myself in the situation.
Actually, I generally don't carry for self-defense when I hike or camp. As I said earlier, I do sometimes carry a .22 revolver for taking small game, but other times I don't, and in any case I don't think of it as defensive weapon (though I suppose it would be better than nothing I needed it). I do have a CCP and, in general, I carry fairly often, but I usually don't bother when I go camping or hiking. I just understand the reason why some people do carry while hiking/camping, because I understand why people carry in general.
This thread lost it's tracks far too many posts ago. In conclusion, if it's a solo hike then take some porn. If it's not, take rohypnol/something to tie the other person up with. Failing that, a circle jerk always has it's merits.
To get in some target practice while away from civilization, and for protection from wild animals and toothless hillbillys who think you have a purdy mouth
Green is the new Red.
Alot of people will forget to pack light. Now, my schedule has never permitted me to do much backpacking, only to hump 25 miles to a patrol base, stand watch half the night and get a couple hours of sleep before caching the 60 pound ruck and moving to the objective. Many people over pack. Years ago, I would take a big knife, little knife, tarp, poncho and liner, change of socks, firestarter and matches and maybe an extra layer of clothing.
As for the whole gun thing, when I go into the woods I have one. Not out of paranoia or anything else. I just carry a gun when permitted. Ideally, should I ever find time to go backpacking out of uniform, I would carry one of my takedown .22s. Each weighs less than four pounds, floats, and would make a great little survival rifle. I'm not a Boy Scout but I believe in being prepared. Some ask why carry a gun, I ask why not?
I always take way too much stuff when I go on a serious camping trip. It weighs me down a lot, but it's worth it once we make camp.
I like to do a final breakdown at the trailhead and I always end up leaving about 15lbs of extra shit in the car.
I put in 15 lbs of extra shit from the car.
They taught me in Boy Scouts to do a full assessment of the conditions versus your gear once you get to the actual trailhead. After a while it just became habit. I just try to cut off as much weight as possible. Especially if I'm having to pack water for dry campsites too.
I just eat MREs so I've got 15 lbs of extra shit in my intestines.
You think MREs are something you should try one of these: http://www.rei.com/product/519135
hahhahah...
Honestly though, I don't really hike all that much, so when I go, I take heavy stuff
Last edited by bacon ops; 02-21-2009 at 09:15 PM.
I bet those things have the texture of a starter log.
Yep, going in and coming out.
E-tool(or some sort of compact shovel type apparatus), wire saw, poncho, poncho liner, bunchie cords and 550 cord, extra socks(lots of those), hydration source, light source, lighter, lensatic compass, grid map, pen pencil, and your weapon. Can't forget that.
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