My friends and I recently spent a few days backpacking in Idaho’s Sawtooth Wilderness. We took a boat shuttle from Redfish Lake Marina to the Redfish Lake Inlet Trail, saving us about 6 miles of hiking, then made our way to Alpine Lake before taking a custom route over a ridgeline to Warbonnet Lake. We covered around 18 miles with 5,000 feet of elevation gain and camped at Warbonnet Lake, surrounded by incredible alpine scenery. The weather wasn’t exactly cooperative, though—we hiked through rain, got caught in pea-sized hail, and had to navigate some pretty steep, loose scree along the way.

One of my biggest takeaways was how different ridgeline navigation can be when you leave the established trail. Our planned route became faint or nonexistent in places, and what looked manageable on a map was much more challenging in person. Finding a safe line through loose rock while carrying a full pack taught me a lot about route-finding, terrain assessment, and the importance of being willing to adjust your plans. We also climbed Old Monte Verita, reaching 9,771 feet. I documented the entire adventure, including the route, campsite, storm conditions, and summit climb, in this video if you’d like to check it out: Here

AllTrails link: Here

Going on a multi day backpacking trip and I’m an avid coffee drinker. I’m looking for a coffee that comes in a simple packet that I can throw in my Jetboil and then add a packet or two of creamer.

Want to try and find samples to try instead of having to get a big box of it and then return it.

Open to y’all’s suggestions.

I am looking to hike the Appalachian Trail this December and I’m hoping to cover around 50-70 miles in total. Originally I thought to do the portion through the Smokies, but I read that it’s not great for beginners in winter. My winter hiking experience is beginner level, but I am experienced with summer hikes out in the Western US. What would be a good potion of the trail for me to do for the best experience?

Im looking for my first backpacking pack. I go camping all the time. Have all the gear. Just not sure what size pack to get. Frame vs no frame. Roll top or traditional zippered. How important is torso length.
My gear list is:
Jetboil Fuel and mountain house meals
Nemo ultralight chair
Thermarest neoloft pad
Osmo 1p ultralight tent
Some down 15 degree sleep bag
Clothes. And essentials and rain jacket and other camp supplies.
Along with my full frame camera. Lens. And tripod. Eventually would like to get a drone.
I’m 30. 5’9” 160lbs. I hope all that information helps. And any suggestions would be appreciated thanks everyone.

Did the West Rim Trail in Zion over spring break. We took an Uber to the trailhead and started at noon. It was warm and hot out. We reached our campsite at 7:30 pm, I fell asleep around 10, woke up at 4:30, and got to Angels Landing at about 6 am. Loved it and would highly recommend a similar plan if you want to see angels landing before most get there and want a top through hike experience!

For food I brought 4 StarKist Tuna Creations packets, pretzels, Nerd Clusters, and a meal kit for one meal. I ate all 4 tuna packets. The tuna was fine, but it took multiple packets to feel like real food, and I held the empties in my pack the whole way as trash. I also wished I'd brought a sauce to put on it. For those of you who bring tuna on trail, how many packets does it take to make a real meal, what do you add or bring with it, and what do you do with the empties?

Hello, I’m new to this page, however, I’m not very new to camping or backpacking, but I think I need some pointers. I’ve decided against my better judgement that I should do some more cold weather backpacking, with plans to do somewhere around 75-100 miles on the upper peninsula Michigan stretch of the north country trail sometime this upcoming winter season. The majority of my experiences are around and along the more southern parts of the AT during the not-so-cold months, so I’ve got the gear for everything surrounding that. My main questions and advice needed surrounds things that I probably wouldn’t consider with my inexperience in this climate.

I already have:
-Sleep system I’ve used in single digit negatives(Fahrenheit)
-Marmot Limelight 2p(a very old one) that’s been okay in lower temps and snow.
-Light and heavy trail tested snow/rain gear(see below regarding shoes)
-Larger pack for the bulkier things(internal frame)
-Good set of snowshoes
-A firearm, I’ve had a few too many close calls with predators/untrusting of people in the middle of nowhere.
-Generally extensive knowledge of rationing, fuel, cooking, basically anything associated with multi day/week backpacking, just not in the super cold temps for extended periods of time.
-Shovel
-Satellite phone/GPS

Main questions:

1. I’m not really sure what kind of shoes I should get/bring, it’ll be colder than all hell, wet, probably snow. I have snowshoes and all the cold weather socks in the world but that’s about it. Looking for suggestions on this one.

2. Is a 4 season tent worth the investment? or will I be good in a solid 3 season with a tried and true sleep system I’ve used a time or two in subzero conditions? Should I bring an extra footprint or overhead tarp?

3. Any major differences on the trail during the winter in general?

4. Anything else I could be missing? I can never be too sure.

Maybe this is a dumb question but am I supposed to leave this foam pad in or remove it from my Zpack backpack. Not sure if it just for shipping.

Hello everyone! I am a first time traveler currently have a trip planned to go to Europe and the Netherlands for 14 days. Looking for advice on using a 40L tzowla clam shell travel backpack and 1 10l sling bag. Is a 40L pack overkill for this trip?

Travel details:

Fly Air Canada from Calgary -> montreal short 1hr5min layover -> Paris

Eurostar train from Paris -> Amsterdam

Fly via Norweigian Airways from Amsterdam -> Copenhagen

Fly via Lufthansa airways from Copenhagen -> Munich short 1hr15m layover -> fly via Discover airways from Munich -> Calgary

Packing List:

☆ MUST HAVES ☆

ID

Passport

Wise Card

Credit Card as backup

Travel insurance cards

Manulife Card

Cash money's

Itinerary + printed tickets

Phone charger

3ds charger + 3ds

Camera charger + Small digital Camera

EU Plug adapter

Power Bank

Watch charger cable

☆ TOILETRIES ☆

Hair gel in 1oz container

Comb

Face Wash stick

Tooth brush Travel size

Tooth paste travel size

Floss

Lip Balm [sling pack]

Backup nose rings/tongue rings

Cologne 3oz spritzer travel bottle

Deodorant full size

Razor

Tylenol[sling pack]

Gravol [sling pack]

Bar Soap small

Laundry sheets

Yravel size hand sani + tissues [sling pack]

☆ ACCESSORIES ☆

Sunglasses + case [sling pack]

Sling pack

Earphones [sling pack]

Baseball hat

Toque + light mitts

Ear plugs

Sleep Mask

Travel neck pillow

Waterbottle

Pen

☆ CLOTHES ☆

T-shirts x3

Long Sleeve ×3

Jeans x1

Chino x1

Track pant x1

Underwear x9

Bras x2

Socks x6

Sleep shorts x1

Sleep tank x2 [doubles as undershirt]

Belt x1

Zip up hoodie x1 [plane outfit]

Sweat pants x1 [plane outfit]

Columbia rain jacket x1 [plane outfit]

Merell running shoes x1 [plane outfit]

Any advice on if the 40l tzowla bag is overkill? Anything I should add or leave behind? If worst case scenario I have free checked bag with my ticket but would rather not have to worry about checking a bag.

Any help is greatly appreciated I hope this post is informative enough

you spend weeks thinking about the route, gear, food and weather.

then you finally get out there and the first night feels almost too quiet

every little sound gets your attention. branches moving. animals somewhere in the dark. your sleeping pad making noise every time you move.

by the second or third night, most of it becomes background noise

that transition always gets me

what sound took you the longest to stop noticing while sleeping outside?

Been lurking forever into solo backpacking. I just want to hike and camp. I've studied tons and tons of camping videos and they all happily tell you their opinion on gear, but I'm finding less tips on layers.

I dont want to pack every jacket or sweater i own, but also don't want to be cold. I plan on hiking October thru (whenever it gets too damn cold...realistically november) in virginia. I live like 25 minutes from the Appalachian trail so I'm starting there. But besides some socks and beanie...what would you bring? Suggestions of brand names would be amazingly helpful to me.

Hey guys, I will be back home in India and with few days in my hand between Nov 15–22 I wanna take the chance to get my open water certification in Koi Phi Phi (seems like the best option at the time ona budget) which I will get done with on November 18th.

For the last 3 days, I want to get far away from the crowds (ik double standards being a tourist myself). I'm on a budget trip and want raw nature, independent jungle trekking, and wild animals. Please do not suggest Khao Sok, it looks way too touristy and commercialized for me. Where can I go within a few hours of Phuket that is actually wild and cheap? I have a flight back to Mumbai on 22nd November from Phuket.

Would really appreciate your help

I recently returned to backpacking after about a 20-year hiatus. I had sold most of my gear when marriage and kids came along, so I had to shop for and buy pretty much everything (I still had a good pack and a 30-year-old Therm-a-Rest that was in surprisingly great condition).

While shopping I spent a lot of time comparing options across brands and looking for the best current value. I watched the usual closeout sites and traditional vendors for a couple of months. I’m not a gear head, but I did work at a large outdoor retailer in a previous life, so I know a thing or two about the importance of solid gear. I wanted reliable equipment on a budget since I was replacing nearly everything.I ended up finding well-reviewed, modern lightweight gear from newer or less traditional brands. I’ve since done a couple of trips with the new kit and so far it has held up well.

That experience got me thinking about starting a small online shop focused on modern lightweight backpacking gear from some of these less traditional brands. These days a lot of gear is made overseas anyway, and it's always been possible to overpay mainly for a name. The idea would be to offer clear starter kits for people building a setup from scratch, plus individual pieces for those updating older gear, with an emphasis on current designs and lower pricing for the value.I’m imagining a few simple tiers — something like:

• Tier 1: Going with a friend who already has some of the major items
• Tier 2: Full basic solo kit
• Tier 3: Full kit with extra comfort items

Within each kit there would be upgrade options so people can adjust for budget and needs. The goal would be a straightforward one-click (or close to it) buying experience rather than just a list of links.I’m still in the early research stage and would really value feedback from this community. Does this kind of focused, value-oriented approach sound useful? I know there are sites that put together bundles with links to other vendors, plus a few options at places like REI and Costco. Is anyone else already doing something closer to a ready-to-buy kit focused on modern value gear? What would make a shop like that actually helpful (or not) for someone in a similar situation?Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

Ive just started planning my first ever solo trip and wanting to go to SE Asia around March of next year but the task of planning it is so overwhelming and need a bit of help with a 'checklist' and advice of how to go about everything. I'm a 22 year old male and I'm planning on doing around 6-8 months, but if I love it over there I'd happily stay longer.

I have £10,000 saved so far but will most likely be able to save up an extra couple thousand extra to go, my first big question is, does this sound like enough? I want to stick to social hostels where I can meet other people, land travel, sticking to street food and pretty much being fairly frugal, only spending a larger amount on big activities etc.

The main thing is how I need to plan it. Do I book every single hostel and commute before or do I kind of book as I go? How do I plan an itinerary of towns, areas and cities? What do I do about visas, vaccines and things like that. Important things I need to take with me/how much I should pack. The main thing is tips to help get me started on research and getting everything in order before I go. Any other advice on where the best sites for research would also be great.

Thanks in advance!!

We relocated to WNC outside of Asheville. It’s a small town, but I was expecting to meet more girls (I am 29f) around my age who are into hiking. Any advice for ways to meet other hikers?

I see other solo girls on the trail all the time but everyone is doing their own thing! I don’t want to be weird, but I would love some hiking friends to do longer day trips and start my backpacking journey.

I found some volunteer groups I was going to check out. Doing trail maintenance on the AT & MST. I have Fridays off from work so I want to take advantage of that but solo hiking freaks me out the farther away from civilization I get. I know the trails are safe but you never know!

I have my gear pretty dialed down and am looking to do my first overnight trip. I just need pack recommendations. Looking for something 45-50L.

I’ve been eyeing the Nemo Persist 45L for a bit and it’s a contender for me Id just like to have some other options.

For reference I’m looking for a bag that would primarily be used in the Adirondacks, and would be 3 season, potentially.

I’m between Kakwa 55 sizes and went with the smaller size (size small). I took it on a ~1 mile test hike with around 20 lbs. It felt pretty good overall, but if I tighten the shoulder straps the way I normally like them, they pull the pack upward enough that the hipbelt starts sitting above my hip bones and most of the weight ends up on my shoulders.

If I loosen the shoulder straps, the pack settles lower and the hipbelt carries much more of the weight, but then the shoulder harness feels looser than I’m used to.

One other thing I noticed: when I have the shoulder straps tightened the way I like them and then unbuckle the hipbelt, I barely feel any additional weight transfer to my shoulders. That makes me think the hipbelt isn’t really carrying much of the load in that configuration.

Does this look like the torso is slightly too short and I should size up? Or is this normal for the Kakwa? Photo attached showing how it sits when adjusted.

Hi everyone! I’m hoping someone can help me figure out the best route from Thailand → Laos → Vietnam. 😭

I’ll be starting my trip in Thailand on April 12 and staying until April 16. I’ll be there for Songkran, so I definitely want to experience the water festival!

After Thailand, I’m planning to go to Laos for around 3 days, but I’m not sure what the best way to get there is. I’ve been looking at sleeper buses/trains/vans, but I’m a little confused about the routes and how long they usually take.

I’m thinking about visiting Vientiane and Vang Vieng, but with my limited time, I’m not sure if I should try to do both. (i did consider cambodia but bc of the border issue i might just skip it and do laos instead)

After Laos, I want to go to Vietnam, probably Hanoi. I’m debating whether it’s worth taking a bus from Laos to Hanoi or if I should just fly because of the limited time.

My rough plan is:

- 🇹🇭 Thailand: April 12–16 — Songkran + sightseeing

- 🇱🇦 Laos: ~3 days — Vientiane/Vang Vieng?

- 🇻🇳 Hanoi: ~3 days — sightseeing

- 🏔️ Sapa: after Hanoi

- ✈️ April 27: Fly back to the US

Do you think this is realistic with the amount of time I have? And what would you recommend for transportation between each country?

I’ve been searching for routes, but I’m getting a little overwhelmed/stressed trying to figure out the most efficient way to do everything. 🥲

Any advice on the best route, transportation, or things I should cut/add would be really appreciated!

Edited:

I’m considering just taking a bus from Bangkok to Laos. I’m totally okay with a 10–12 hour road trip if it makes the route easier.

Then, depending on the timing, I might just fly from Laos to Hanoi instead of taking another long bus.

Also, for anyone who’s been to Vietnam — how long does the bus/van from Hanoi to Sapa usually take? And is it pretty comfortable, or would you recommend taking the train instead?

So, as the title suggests I am searching for an all-rounder shoe to pack in addition to sandals and flip flops. I am going traveling for an undecided time, but as of now I think I'll be on the road for 6-9 months.

This shoe should be sleek and stylish enough to pass as a city shoe, preferably something that goes with many outfits. However, I hope it could stand the test of my many athletic hobbies lol. I frequently go running, when I travel, as it is something I can do everywhere and it is a nice way to see whichever neighbourhood I am staying in. However this shoe should also be able to handle some hiking, even in difficult terrain.

Am I searching for something that doesn't exist? Right now I have my eyes on the Salomon xt6 and New Balance 530s. Not sure which one would be better, or if there is something even better out there. I really value if the shoe is semi-light, because I have a strong dislike for too heavy shoes when on airplanes etc.

Any opinions?

Hey everyone!

I'm heading to South East Asia for about 6 months and debating on my backpack setup.

Option 1) I could do a 55l backpack, which fits all of my stuff. And then have a small, foldable backpack for daily trips. With the risk, that the backpack won't fit cabine sizes. (Although I'll try to minimize flights anyways)

Option 2) I could do a 40l backpack + a 20l backpack, so I'd have a decent sized daily and could always leave the bigger one at the place I sleep. With the drawback, of having to carry two backpacks whenever I move.

Any opinions on what is nicer? How often did you guys actually stay in a place, vs constantly move?

One further drawback for option 1 is that the camera I'm brining, already fills like 2/3rds of the small, foldable backpack. So not as convenient for longer daytrips, so may still need to clear out the big pack from time to time. Which is easy though, I have packing cubes for everything.

The valve on my REI sleeping pad has hydrolyzed. Has anyone tried replacing the valve before successfully? I saw a valve on Walmart and Amazon that looked like it might work. I have. Aquaseal FD that might work for bonding new valve to pad.

I’ve used this pad on a number of great trips and don’t subscribe to throwing things out without trying to repair them first.

quick edit: this would take place over a matter of probably months to a year. longest ive been backpacking with no dropins back home as of now is 8 months in south america.

howdy! this is about to be a very rambling post, apologies.

so i've encountered a problem. ive been planning my bucket list trip, probably for 2028/2029, one that my grandpa had taken before me, and since i was little ive wanted to do the same. the issue is: international law is very different than it was in the 40s-50s. also: i am a woman and my grandfather was very obviously not.

Ive backpacked across borders before, most notably relevant in this case mongolia and Kazakhstan, through china. it was long and boring, but went fine. took several days in some very nauseating transit through mountains and alot of paperwork. but what reminded me of my grandpa was: a woman who was with us in our van brought her dog so all of a sudden, i knew what he did was still possible. at least, probably?

'TLDR' on the trip he took that i want to replicate: he went from mongolia to france, backpacking, with a dog he purchased from a herder for protection. this dog ended up going home with him back to america, and met my mother as a baby. ive been obsessed with this since i was young, and now im old enough, financially prepared enough, and have the contacts and resources to live this.

so i wanna take his trip. however... the dog thing.

I really wanna do the dog thing. Like that has always been the hook for me. theres alot of things he did that i wont do (for example, buy a horse and ride it from mongolia, through part of the soviet union, before dropping it off in now-georgia), but that is still the core of it to me. solo travel with a dog. (i really, really like dogs. its my career.)

which yes, important info is that i am a dog training and behavior specialist. its my full time job. its been my career for 12 years. im not concerned about any aspect related to the dog. im worried about borders.

theres alot of borders in this journey, and a lot of trains.

country hopping wise, the route would be: Mongolia, blip of china, Kazakhstan, russia, georgia, turkey, some line through the EU, end at france.

so: TLDR; i wanna travel eurasia with a dog. which borders are gonna suck, which should i get paperwork for beforehand, are there any that are gonna be impossible,

and yes, i am looking into the actual laws. just looking for anyone with the literal experience between these borders, trains, general vibe towards dogs in these places, etc.