Choosing the Right Backpack Gear

Choosing the wrong backpack gear can turn your hike into an unpleasant ordeal. Much has to do with weight, but there are some other considerations.
To put first things first, you need to think about how much water you will need for the trip. Today’s hiking supplies are designed to be lightweight, but water still weighs the same amount.
How much water you will need to carry with you depends on where you are going. If there are reliable water sources on the trail, you can carry the minimum amount needed to get from one water source to another.
What’s the minimum? That actually depends on the person, the temperature and the time of day. In general, the more water you have available to drink, the more energy you will have and the better you will feel.
You can use the figure of three liters of water per day for planning purposes. Water bottles or canteens should go at the top of the list of backpack gear you will need. The average canteen holds about a half liter of water.
Aluminum bottles are lightweight and very strong. Plastic bottles could spring a leak if you drop them on a sharp rock.
Food storage and preparation should be the next thing on your list of hiking supplies. Dehydrated camp food takes up the least space and weighs practically nothing. Trail bars are another good choice.
Trail mix, on the other hand, does not hike well. Although nourishing, nuts are not a source of quick energy. Dried fruit gives you energy and nourishment, but could send you hunting for an outhouse.
The hiking supplies you’ll need for food preparation depend on the food choices you make. If you plan to use only cold food like trail bars, you won’t need anything. If you want to bring dehydrated food along, you will need a small pot, a spoon, more water and a way to heat the water. You can use cold water, but the taste is not as appealing.
If you look for "back country” backpack gear, you will find a single burner stove fueled by a small propane container that will boil water in just a couple of minutes. The stove is also a good thing to have in areas where the water could be contaminated with germs and boiling is recommended.
Once your needs for food and water are taken care of, you will need to think about hiking supplies like a backpacking tent, a sleeping bag and the pack, itself. For someone who likes to shop, comparing and buying backpack gear is almost as much fun as the hike.
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