BACKPACKER GEAR SCHOOL

By Anonymous

Proquest LLC

Make an ultralight repair kit. Plan the perfect weekend menu. Choose the right tent. Pack for all-day comfort. Prevent blisters. Start with the 57 tips on the following pages, then go to backpacker.com/gearschool to get more expert advice in our new video series.

GEAR UP

CHOOSE THE RIGHT TENT

Don't simply buy the lightest or cheapest or biggest or best-looking. Ask yourself these questions before shopping:

1. HOW BIG? Climb In and get a feel for your space preferences. Consider the conditions you expect. Live In Oregon? You'll want extra room for storm lounging and storing wet gear.

2. HOW STRONG? For most hikers, threeseason tents afford an attractive compromise between weight and protection. If you're going high in the Rockies or other windy places, lean into the pitched tent to gauge stability.

3. HOW EASY? Freestanding tents are fast and simple to pitch (and move), especially on difficultto-stake surfaces like snow or sand. Nonfreestanding designs save weight, but often take practice to set up.

4. WHAT FEATURES MATTER? Determine your must-haves-from vestibule space to organizing pocketsand be picky. Don't let ounce-counting tempt you into a tent you won't be happy with in camp.

GET BOOTS THAT FIT

If there's one thing hikers can agree on, it's this: Blisters suck. And the best defense starts with boots that fit.

GET MEASURED

In the store, have a sales associate measure your foot's length, width, and arch length with a Brannock device. Use the numbers as a guide to home in on the right size, but try on a variety of boot models, as they all fit slightly differently.

ASSESS FIT

Boots should be snug enough to lock your heel and instep into place, eliminating slip, but still have wiggle room in the toebox, ensuring your toes won't jam against the front of the boot.

MAKE IT REAL

Try your boots on with a loaded pack, and with the socks you plan to wear. If you use after-market insoles, bring them along, too. Save your boot-fitting for later in the day when your feet are swollen, like they will be on the trail. Finally, use an incline ramp to help mimic the ups and downs you'll experience while hiking.

DON'T SETTLE

Rubbing or pinching in the store? Keep looking. Yes, some boots will take breaking in, but they should start comfortable and continue to get even more so.

-»PICK THE RIGHT SLEEPING BAG

A better night's sleep starts with the right bag. To ensure you choose the best one, ask yourself these five questions:

1.

HOW WARM?

Determine the lowest temperature you expect to encounter-then subtract 10 degrees for insurance. Are you often the coldest one in the room? You may need even more warmth.

2.

WHAT TYPE OF FILL?

Two choices: down or synthetic. Down offers superior compressibility, warmthto-weight ratio, and long-term loft. Traditionally, moisture was its weakness, but new water-repellent down improves wet-weather performance. Synthetic bags are cheaper and still the best for extended soggy conditions.

3.

WHAT SHAPE?

Mummy bags reduce weight and bulk because they're the most efficient (there's less dead space to heat). But some people find the narrow cut confining. Semi-rectangular bags offer more rollaround space, but for a weight penalty.

4.

WHAT FEATURES?

Zippers vary from full-length (great for venting) to none (great for cutting weight). Do you need a stash pocket for an iPod? Waterproof fabric on the feet?

5.

IS IT COMFORTABLE?

Crawl in to find out. Cinch the hood around your face to check for scratchy fabrics. Can you operate the drawcords? Get in and out easily?

BOOST PACK COMFORT

MEASURE YOUR TORSO

Packs are like shoes: Comfortfollowsfit. Here's how to measure your torso so you get the right size.

-Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart, and tuck your chin.

-Find the C7 vertebra, which should be sticking out at the base of your neck.

- Place your hands on the top of your hips, with thumbs extending around your back.

-Have a friend use a soft measuring tape to measure straight down from the C7 to right between your two thumbs.

-This number is your torso length; use it to find the correct size pack.

CARRY IT RIGHT

Once you have the proper size pack, dial in comfort.

-HIPBELT Load the pack with 20 pounds (most stores have weighted beanbags you can use). Put it on, lean slightly forward, fasten the hipbelt so it rests on your hips, and tighten.

-SHOULDER STRAPS Stand up straight and crank down on the shoulder straps until they wrap around your shoulders with no gap.

-LOAD LIFTERS Tighten these stabilizing straps on the tops of the shoulders. They should form 45-degree angles from shoulders to pack. (Angle wrong? Check pack size.)

-STERNUM STRAP Clip this so it's a little below the collarbone; don't overtighten.

-LOAD IT RIGHT You want the heaviest items close to your spine, in the middle of your back (improves balance). Tighten compression straps.

WHAT TO PACK FOR A WEEKEND

GEAR LIST

Organizing supplies for you first overnight can seem daunting. But you really don't need that much stuff for a warm-weather trip. We've laid out the basics so you can see exactly what you need. Add and subtract items depending on the conditions you expect.

1 STUFFSACK

2 SLEEPING BAG

3 SLEEPING PAD

4 SUN HAT

5 HEADLAMP (WITH EXTRA BATTERIES)

6 HIKING BOOTS

7 HAT AND GLOVES

8 TENT

9 WARM LAYERS

10 CAMP SHOES

11 MAP AND COMPASS

12 TROWEL, TOILET PAPER, TRASH BAG

13 HIKING CLOTHES AND SOCKS

14 HYDRATION RESERVOIR (OR A WATER BOTTLE)

15 PACK

16 FOOD (SEE BELOW)

17 WATER FILTER

18 RAINSHELL

19 EATING UTENSILS

2( SUNGLASSES

21 STOVE AND FUEL

22 BEAR BAG AND ROPE

23 TOILETRIES AND SUNSCREEN

24 FIRST-AID/REPAIR/SURVIVAL KIT WITH LIGHTER AND KNIFE (SEE NEXT PAGE FOR DIY PLANS)

-»FOOD PLANNING

Don't settle for tasteless fare just because you're going camping. On your first trip, keep it simple with easyprep meals:

-» Bagels and cream cheese

-* Salami or hummus and cheese sandwiches

-» Trait mix. jerky, energy bars

-*Just-add-water dehydrated meals

-*Plan on carrying about 2 pounds of food per person per day.

-*See page 130 for the year's tasty new picks in every category.

Mastered the easy stuff? Now go gourmet. Tune into backpacker xom/gearschool for a video primer on how to plan a delicious weekend menu with eggs and bacon, smoked salmon pasta, and chocolate fondue.

DIY KITS

SAVE MONEY AND WEIGHT WITH THESE EASY-TO-GATHER TOOLS.

FIRST AID

Yes, accidents happen. But that doesn't mean you need a heavy, expensive first-aid kit. Here's how to make a cheap kit for a weekend trip with a partner (make adjustments, of course, according to your destination, trip length, and group size).

-?Container-it could be as simple as a ziptop bag oras burly as a drybag or nylon case.

-*A pair of nonlatex medical gloves (stored in an old pill bottle)

-?Gauze pads or rolls and tape. A few Band-Aids

-?Moleskin or a gel wound covering like

GlacierGel -*Tweezers, nail scissors, and a few safety pins

-?Antimicrobial wipes or cleanser and a way to clean wounds out, like a plastic syringe

-?ACE bandage (you can improvise this in the field, but having one does make life easier)

-?Ibuprofen, antihistamines, anti-diarrheals, prescription meds

REPAIR

We should all hope to have gear that requires regular TLC. It means we're hiking a lotbecause even the very best stuff gets worn with hard use. Solution: Take care of your gear and it will take care of you.

-?Lightweight multitool (see page 27)

-?Tent pole repair sleeve

-?Tenacious Tape patches (mcnett.com)

-* Replacement bucki les (that fit your pack) ]

-*Fishing line and a needte

-?Seam Grip

-?Duct tape

-»SURVIVAL

Yes, this list is endlessly debatable. Consider this a happy medium between way too much and way too little, and make adjustments to suit your needs.

-?Backup water treatment (such as iodine tablets)

-* Heavy-duty space blanket

-*One gallon-size and one quart-size zip-top bags for holding water

-*Dental floss (100 feet)

-?Duct tape (3 feet)

-* Firestarter (three kinds: magnesium block with striking insert; butane lighter; and strike-anywhere matches dipped in paraffin)

-?Tinder (such as cotton balls saturated

with petroleum jelly)

-?Glasssignal mirror

-?Whistle

-?Three heavy-duty, plastic leaf bags

-?Military parachute cord (50 feet)

-* Knife

-» Brightly colored bandanna (for signaling, and multitasking as a potholder, hat, water filter, and more (see p. 102, and the video at backpacker .com/gearschool)

HOW TO PREVENT

KNEE PAIN

START BY STRENGTHENING KEY MUSCLES. Before you hit the trail, spend at least four to six weeks (the more the better) building leg strength. Three times a week, incorporate squats, lunges, and leg extensions into your workouts. These exercises target your hamstrings and quadriceps, the larger, supportive muscles around your knees.

LIGHTEN UP. The less weight you carry in your pack, the less weight on your knees and other joints. Keep pack weight for weekend trips under 35 pounds.

USE TREKKING POLES. This one's a no-brainer. Poles significantly reduce impact on joints, especially on upand downhills.

TREAT PAIN IN THE FIELD. Still sore after all of the above? Pack ibuprofen to reduce inflammation and stretch at the end of each day, targeting your quadriceps and hamstrings. Your joints will thank you in the morning-and for years to come.

BLISTERS

î

j! START WITH THE f RIGHT SOCKS.

j Socks should be sized for your feet and ' made with a blend j of materials such as j wool and synthetics | that work together j to pull moisture from i your feet and dry l quickly.

; NEXT, MAKE SURE ; YOUR SHOES FIT. 5 See page 98. I

PREVENT HOT i SPOTS from becom; ; blisters. If you feel a hot spot com; ; on, stop and treat j it right away. Use a ; product like Blist-OBan or GlacierGel (or duct tape). These create a second layer that protects the irritated area.

TREAT A BLISTER. Got one anyway? It happens. Here's the plan: Cut a hole in a small piece of moleskin, just larger than the blister, place the moleskin donut so the hole creates a pressure-free pocket around the blister, then secure the moleskin with medical or duct tape. Blister really painful? Lancing it may be helpful: Our first-aid expert weighs in at backpacker.com/ lanceornot.

Copyright:	(c) 2014 Active Interest Media
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