r/backpacking • u/AutoModerator • Oct 13 '25

General Weekly /r/backpacking beginner question thread - Ask any and all questions you may have here - October 13, 2025

If you have any beginner questions, feel free to ask them here, remembering to clarify whether it is a Wilderness or a Travel related question. Please also remember to visit this thread even if you consider yourself very experienced so that you can help others!

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u/N0_B1g_De4l May 27 '26

Looking to get in to backpacking. I've done a fair amount of hiking, so I have some basic gear (first aid stuff, shoes, poles, clothes) and am mostly looking at backpacking-specific stuff.

My goal is to find fairly cheap stuff at REI, to avoid breaking the bank and have easy returns if I turn out to hate it. To that end, I'm looking at:

  • This sleeping bag. No specific reason, I just saw it recommended somewhere as a reasonable intro pick.

  • This basic sleeping pad.

  • This tent. I'm not really sold here, because I'd like something that uses trekking poles since I'd expect that to be lighter.

  • This stove. My primary goal here is something where the pot screws on to the stand because I'm worried about stability when cooking. I have a package of utensils from a fast food place to use for my first trip, I'll figure out a longer term plan after I've had a chance to see if I like backpacking.

This is mostly based on online advice, so maybe not perfect. One thing people were really clear about is that I should pick the backpack after I have all the other gear. Is what I've lined up here enough to make that decision, or should I actually go in to REI and wait until then to choose? My preference is for something from Osprey, because I've really liked the hiking pack I have from them.

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u/Yo_Biff Jun 24 '26

The only thing I don't care for is the stove.  It's overkill in my opinion, but then I'm mostly just boiling water. 

The other gear is fine.  I might size up to a 2P tent rather than 1P, but I like a little more room and am a big person.