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Offlinedodgem
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Planning my first backpacking trip
    #16825726 - 09/10/12 08:50 PM (11 years, 6 months ago)

The past couple weeks I have been surfing the web looking at info and things I need to purchase so I can go on a 3 day/2night back packing trip by myself in the next few weeks.  I hope to keep my pack as light as possible and after this trip get some knowledge and increase the duration of my hikes.  I have been trying to find the least expensive equipment and checking the weights along the way as well to try and keep my overall weight down.

I have some standard camping gear so I don't have to purchase many of those types of things, but am lacking on the hiking equipment so that is mostly what I need. 

I am getting a hennessy hammock to sleep in, these things look sweet http://hennessyhammock.com/catalog/specs/expedition_asym_classic/ , a decent 25F sleeping bag http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___85248?cm_vc=PDPZ1, and then this pack http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___60984

Then there are just a few other smaller items like water treatment kit, compass/whistle/thermometer combo, hatchet, etc. 

Anyone with experience backpacking have suggestions for food?  I have jerky, trail mix, tuna in a bag, pasta, bagel, chips, granola, cereal, and a snickers.  What am I missing?  Should I leave anything at home?

I am also debating on bringing my dog with.  She is a great dog, 35lb australian shepherd who loves to go hiking with me.  Anyone have any experience with taking a dog with?  It may be nice though to be totally alone in the middle of the wilderness.

Any other tips would be greatly appreciated and/or personal stories of backpacking.


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InvisibleNewfoundFreedom
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Re: Planning my first backpacking trip [Re: dodgem]
    #16825841 - 09/10/12 09:16 PM (11 years, 6 months ago)

I hear good things about those hammocks. A bit expensive IMO given the fact you can make one for cheap with not much effort. I've got a hammock in my bedroom in place of a bed. Best sleep ever.

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Offlinedodgem
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Re: Planning my first backpacking trip [Re: NewfoundFreedom]
    #16828004 - 09/11/12 09:29 AM (11 years, 6 months ago)

Yea, they are not the cheapest thing in the world, but I feel if I take decent care every time it will last a while and be worth it.


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OfflinebreezyB
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Re: Planning my first backpacking trip [Re: dodgem]
    #16840121 - 09/13/12 09:25 AM (11 years, 6 months ago)

Hello. I am a wilderness field instructor in the mountains of western north carolina. Here are my questions, thoughts, and experiences.
First, Where are you planning this trip? Is it national forest lands? State forest lands or private lands?
I recommend national lands because (at least around here) they are public and free to camp in.
The REI web site has great advice for camping!
What is the night time temp going to be in your area? A hammock allows for air flow underneith you which can make it a cold night! I learned this the hard way even wearing sweat pants, hoodie and a 30 degree bag. At 55 degrees it was too cold for me.
As far as food. It seems like you are taking way too much food for 3 days. If you're going to take candy (chocolate) take penut m&m's they dont melt and can be a continuous snack. I LOVE mountain house freeze dried food. they are extremely light and you can get them at walmart sometimes for 5 bucks! You just need to be able to boil water. I usually take a jet boil. they are light and great way to cook. If you are planning on boiling water make sure to take fire starter sticks. A small luxury when in the wild.
I would not take pasta, cereal or chips... chips will crumble pasta is heavier and cereal is low in energy. Take 3 cliff bars for snacks.
That pack is not going to be comfortable! The lowest on the totem pole is going to be rough. The lowest i'd go (and the pack i still use) is the Kelty coyote 80. Its a great pack and you can find them cheap. You get what you pay for.
My advice to everyone is simple and effective. When packing your sleeping bag, DO NOT put it in a compression sack! Stuff it into the bottom of your back pack. All the gear you pack on top of it will compress it into the bottom of your pack! It's simple and saves a ton of space!
Now onto your dog... what are you going to do with it at night? leaving it tied to a tree is like leaving bait for preditory animals. I have a trail dog and i love her but camping with dogs without a tent with a tough floor can simply be a pain in the ass! Also it owuld have to carry it's own food and water so you'd need a dog pack. Those are more expensive than that jansport you're looking at lol.
Lastly. Are there bears neat you? You'll want to hang your food in a tree if there is. Critters will come out at night in search of food and mice can chew through just about anything to get to it.
Make sure to let people know where you are going, your route as specific as possible and when they can expect you home so they can have a search party out if you are not back on time. Hiking alone can be dangerous. Take a pistol if you have one!
Thats all i can think of. I am a wealth of information, i teach this stuff for a living. PM me if you have any more questions!

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InvisibleRedSnapper
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Re: Planning my first backpacking trip [Re: breezyB]
    #16841121 - 09/13/12 01:34 PM (11 years, 6 months ago)

I personally don't sleep well in a hammock. They sleep cold, they're not flat for sleeping on a side, and not very supportive. Sleeping on the ground in a tent gains you some insulation, say with a therm-a-rest or some kind of pad. To each their own.

Water filtration, match it to the amount of use the area you are planning on going to gets.
Boiling water uses a lot of energy and tastes like shit.

With backpacking gear , you get what you pay for. I may have paid 300$ for a backpack, but it has withstood over 15 years of bushwhacking and the worst I can dish out. Cheaper materials are going to be prone to ripping on branches and rocks.

If you're really into it, get your dog a backpack also. Or you'll be carrying the extra weight of his/her food. They usually love carrying their own weight too. Your wilderness experience with your dog will be determined by how the dog is preconditioned. I see way MORE wildlife because of my dog, he notices every little thing. And i've taken him to the tops of mountains with me.

No rhyme or reason, just :2cents:

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Offlinedodgem
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Re: Planning my first backpacking trip [Re: RedSnapper]
    #16842168 - 09/13/12 05:16 PM (11 years, 6 months ago)

Thanks for the responses guys.  As for the hammock, I sleep on my back, so it shouldn't be a problem.  And I have a flimsy pad plus a 20 F sleeping bag.  I will try it out in my backyard one night before I go just to see how it works/feels.  Will most likely be in the low 50's at night in a couple weeks. 

I am on somewhat of a budget now that I am out of undergrad and have to pay for everything myself.  Probably going to end up with a cheaper pack, and then upgrade when I can and use my old one for friends that want to join some time in the future. 

Thanks breezy for the info on food. And no bears around, and not too many other dangerous animals in southern IL that I will have to worry about. 

Thanks again guys.


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InvisibleNewfoundFreedom
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Re: Planning my first backpacking trip [Re: dodgem]
    #16842948 - 09/13/12 07:58 PM (11 years, 6 months ago)

I'd just like to add, as someone who sleeps in a hammock every day, that you can sleep in many different positions in a hammock. I often sleep on my side in my hammock because I fall asleep watching movies. I do kind of prefer sleeping on my side to sleeping on my back but can sleep on my back fine. You can also sit in them like a chair and if you sit low enough the material in the back gives you neck and head support.

As far as being cold, they have insulated liners you can use. Check out hammockforums.net It's to hammocks what shroomery is to mushrooms.

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Offlinejammin
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Re: Planning my first backpacking trip [Re: NewfoundFreedom]
    #16842990 - 09/13/12 08:03 PM (11 years, 6 months ago)

Quote:

NewfoundFreedom said:
I hear good things about those hammocks. A bit expensive IMO given the fact you can make one for cheap with not much effort. I've got a hammock in my bedroom in place of a bed. Best sleep ever.



I feel like not too much magic happens in your hammock...
I don't know if too many ladies would want to get laid in a hammock, there's to many variables in that situation


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    And when I see you coming down the line
    With eyes wide open
    Somewhere in between the past and future
    Where you drift in time
    And you can see a different point of view


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InvisibleNewfoundFreedom
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Re: Planning my first backpacking trip [Re: jammin]
    #16843153 - 09/13/12 08:28 PM (11 years, 6 months ago)

Quote:

jammin said:
Quote:

NewfoundFreedom said:
I hear good things about those hammocks. A bit expensive IMO given the fact you can make one for cheap with not much effort. I've got a hammock in my bedroom in place of a bed. Best sleep ever.



I feel like not too much magic happens in your hammock...
I don't know if too many ladies would want to get laid in a hammock, there's to many variables in that situation




They do make hammocks large enough to sleep more than one person but they aren't very comfortable.

Even before I sold my bed I usually opted for sex on the floor so sleeping in a hammock all the time isn't really a hassle. No sweat, no mess.


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Offlinejammin
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Re: Planning my first backpacking trip [Re: NewfoundFreedom]
    #16843225 - 09/13/12 08:36 PM (11 years, 6 months ago)

I can only imagine the carpet/wood burn that the girls get when they have sex at your place hahaha


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    And when I see you coming down the line
    With eyes wide open
    Somewhere in between the past and future
    Where you drift in time
    And you can see a different point of view


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InvisibleNewfoundFreedom
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Re: Planning my first backpacking trip [Re: jammin]
    #16843279 - 09/13/12 08:45 PM (11 years, 6 months ago)

I can only imagine the kind of sex you think I'm having that would result in carpet burn. I haven't plowed anyone slowly across the floor or anything.

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OfflineGuruBushHippie
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Re: Planning my first backpacking trip [Re: dodgem]
    #16843282 - 09/13/12 08:46 PM (11 years, 6 months ago)

The hammock you have is top notch :thumbup: slept in one all summer. Your food plan sounds good to me unless you're taking weed, in which case you may want some peanuts or maybe a summer sausage to curb the munchies. I take my dog with me every time I go backpacking and I highly recommend it. If you have any canned dogfood I suggest that because the dog is more likely to finish it as opposed to dry food. That's my experience anyway. Do you have a stove? You can gamble and hope to cook over an open fire, but if you cant get one going or can't keep one going then you will want a backup. When it's just me eating I prefer the MSR Pocket Rocket. It burns hot, but is very small. It'll run you $40 or so If I remember correctly. I assume you're carrying a pot or something to boil water in too? Speaking of water, do you have a means of purification? I've had giardia and I can tell you it's not at all worth the risk of not purifying your water. Don't forget a trash bag. Leave no trace!!!


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Two roads diverged in a wood, and I cut straight through the forest, and that has made all the difference.

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Offlinejammin
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Re: Planning my first backpacking trip [Re: GuruBushHippie]
    #16843300 - 09/13/12 08:49 PM (11 years, 6 months ago)

Quote:

GuruBushHippie said:
The hammock you have is top notch :thumbup: slept in one all summer. Your food plan sounds good to me unless you're taking weed, in which case you may want some peanuts or maybe a summer sausage to curb the munchies. I take my dog with me every time I go backpacking and I highly recommend it. If you have any canned dogfood I suggest that because the dog is more likely to finish it as opposed to dry food. That's my experience anyway. Do you have a stove? You can gamble and hope to cook over an open fire, but if you cant get one going or can't keep one going then you will want a backup. When it's just me eating I prefer the MSR Pocket Rocket. It burns hot, but is very small. It'll run you $40 or so If I remember correctly. I assume you're carrying a pot or something to boil water in too? Speaking of water, do you have a means of purification? I've had giardia and I can tell you it's not at all worth the risk of not purifying your water. Don't forget a trash bag. Leave no trace!!!



would you mind checking out my thread. I've go a question about purchasing a tent that I could use your help on

http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/16842965


--------------------

    And when I see you coming down the line
    With eyes wide open
    Somewhere in between the past and future
    Where you drift in time
    And you can see a different point of view


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Offlinedodgem
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Re: Planning my first backpacking trip [Re: GuruBushHippie]
    #16843587 - 09/13/12 09:27 PM (11 years, 6 months ago)

Good call on the canned dog food, I will check that out and introduce it to her before we go so she is used it to. 

and to answer two of your questions, when I made my list of stuff in excel I did item/weight/cost and had these two next to each other.

pot 5 oz  free
pot 1/8 oz  $50

I plan on bringing a few fire starters and just cooking over an open flame.  And I am panning on purchasing this http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___53038

and of course I will have some trash bags with me.


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Walk where you like your steps

Edited by dodgem (09/13/12 09:28 PM)

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OfflineGuruBushHippie
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Re: Planning my first backpacking trip [Re: dodgem]
    #16844163 - 09/13/12 11:05 PM (11 years, 6 months ago)

Quote:

dodgem said:
Good call on the canned dog food, I will check that out and introduce it to her before we go so she is used it to. 

and to answer two of your questions, when I made my list of stuff in excel I did item/weight/cost and had these two next to each other.

pot 5 oz  free
pot 1/8 oz  $50

I plan on bringing a few fire starters and just cooking over an open flame.  And I am panning on purchasing this http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___53038

and of course I will have some trash bags with me.



looks good to me. as long as you can keep wood burning you should be fine


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Two roads diverged in a wood, and I cut straight through the forest, and that has made all the difference.

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InvisibleShroomismM
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Re: Planning my first backpacking trip [Re: dodgem]
    #16844549 - 09/14/12 12:59 AM (11 years, 6 months ago)

I have that same Hennessy hammock, top fucking notch :thumbup:
~5 years of use out of it and still in prime condition. It's quality craftsmanship and materials.

The ONLY major downsides to a hammock IMO are that they sleep cold.. definitely the main concern if you don't live in the tropics.
Free air moving under you.. you have to figure your temp in the hammock (where the air is hitting you) is going to be about 20 degrees (F) colder than the actual air temp.
I've actually had a major issue once when I wasn't prepared. Had a down bag rated to 0 and slept in my hammock in 40 degree weather.
Down has zero loft/insulation on the side your weight is on.
I didn't sleep well and I woke up in the middle of the night with the weirdest feeling.
The top half of my body was way too hot and overheating/sweating profusely. The entire back side of my body was frozen. Was not cool.
In cold temps it will literally suck the heat right out of you with a constant persistence without some insulation.

If you have a closed cell foam pad, that will do the trick for the most part on every part it's covering. All you need is some insulation between you and the air.
If you have a synthetic sleeping bag, this helps as well. Down is completely worthless as insulation on the side your weight is on.
I used to be a down sleeping bag maniac and they ARE great as long as you don't get them wet. They are lighter and pack smaller.
But synthetic IS superior for hammocks specifically, just for the insulation value alone, they retain insulation the side your weight is on.
They also maintain insulation if they get wet, which down does not.

The downside to the foam pad is that they make sleeping in the hammock not as comfortable as without one. But it's better than a frozen backside.
The luxury insulation options is called underquilts - underquilts 2, which is basically a down bag you strap underneath the hammock.
They are hella expensive, about as much as a hammock itself. But with those and a good bag you can easily hammock in freezing or even sub-zero temps.
I make do with a closed cell foam pad because I'm not rich enough to shell out $150 for some insulation and I don't really live in a cold climate.  Some people make their own underquilts.
In a ghetto-rig situation you can just layer extra clothes under you, but that sucks. I have seen crafty people sew little pouches all over the hammock and then stuff it with leaves. Whatever works.

I sleep 10x times better in my hammock than I do sleeping in my tent... on the ground or on an air mattress.
I've never had problems not feeling supported, I sleep amazing in them.. you do have to set it up it properly, which means nice and taut.
I just wake up feeling refreshed every time, no back pains, muscles and pressure points relieved.. such comfortable sleep. I freaking love it.
Not so great for couples though, too cramped unless you get the giant hammock.

Solo, it's the best possible camping sleep you can get imo.
AS LONG as you take the necessary precautions to adjust for your climate.
For example, also in severe thunderstorms etc you need to learn how to pitch the rainfly properly for maximum effectiveness,
I also recommend getting the extended silnylon fly if you want to get serious about it (more coverage / less weight)

Also make sure your sleeping bag is rated for the general temps you will be experiencing.
A bag rated for much colder temps than you are in, and you will wake up drenched in sweat.. never good.
Too light of a bag for cold temps and you will be freezing, also not good.
If you camp a lot, I find it's best to have 2 bags, one for cold winter temps (~20) and a lighter one for general 3 season use (rated to ~50).
Or a liner you can add to your 50 degree bag if it gets colder.

Also OP I highly recommend a blastmatch or a swedish firesteel, always have at least 3 reliable ways to make fire.

Also, dogs freaking LOVE camping.  Definitely bring your dog if he's cool. You will bond and he will be your little protector.


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OfflineGuruBushHippie
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Re: Planning my first backpacking trip [Re: Shroomism]
    #16844980 - 09/14/12 06:02 AM (11 years, 6 months ago)

:whathesaid: you'll definitely want something under you if you are going to be in a cooler environment.


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Two roads diverged in a wood, and I cut straight through the forest, and that has made all the difference.

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