Herschel Supply Co. Backpacks and the best shoe holder today: Set yourself up for success by taking steps to be sure you’re physically, mentally and logistically prepared for your trip. To get ready for backpacking, follow these tips: Get physically ready: You’re not training for a marathon, but even a short trip can be physically demanding. At a minimum do plenty of day hikes and be able to comfortably handle trails with a similar distance and elevation gain as your planned trip. Do at least a few pre-trip hikes of similar difficulty wearing a backpack loaded with 30-plus pounds. You can also read our article on Backpacking Training Tips and Exercises for workout ideas, though you don’t need anything this comprehensive for your first trip. See more details at cleat holder for backpack.
This is another all-around awesome baby carrier that has been at this #2 spot for 2 years now. The Ergobaby 360 all-position carrier is the newest addition to the already great Ergobaby carrier line up; a few years ago, their Ergo Original 3-position carrier was rated #1 on our list, so they have a great history of making excellent carriers. The Ergobaby 4-position carrier is definitely the most comfortable carrier on our list. In our testing, we found it to be super lightweight, comfortable, soft, and easily adjusted to nicely fit nearly any body shape. We wore it for several hours around town and along some trails, and our backs and shoulders felt completely fine. Definitely more comfortable than the LILLEBaby, and we also thought it was a bit easier to breastfeed while wearing the Ergobaby versus the LILLEBaby. We also found it easy to put on, take off, and adjust, even when carrying the baby. However, the shoulder strap adjustment needed to be done by someone else while carrying a baby. It also has a small hood to protect baby from the elements, or give a little shading for a nap. However, it just isn’t as versatile as the LILLEBaby.
Reducing backpack weight advice : Ultralight pillow. Inflate one of your Ziploc bags and wrap it in your extra clothes and stuff sacks. The Ziploc bag will give it some loft and the clothes, some cushion. See more ultralight pillow ideas. Multi-use bandana. A bandana (yes, cotton) can be used for: Head wear or sun blocking neck tie. Hanging food or other delicate items off your pack. A slow drip coffee filter. Dish cleaner and sponge. Hot hand for your pot. Ultralight fire starter. Cotton balls (or lent from your dryer) plus the aforementioned Vaseline make an easy-to-light fire starter. It will burn slowly and can be stuck to anything. The slow burn can be crucial to getting wet sticks to catch. Find extra information at https://ilouxnei.com/.
Don’t hike in winter conditions unless you have experience doing so. Every year I see dozens of preventable hiker deaths in the winter. Hikers attempt a trail that’s straightforward in the summer, but in the winter becomes a mountaineering exercise. Don’t push yourself past your limits. Build your strength and distance in a gradual way. Stay hydrated and fed, even if you aren’t hungry or thirsty. Heed signs and warnings. Sometimes they seem very basic and aimed at beginners, but they’re there for a reason. Stay on the trail, avoid shortcuts, and always know where you are and where you’re going. Check out my “hiking for beginners” post to make sure you haven’t missed anything important. Leave your hiking plans with a friend or family member, along with a time that you will be back by. If you’re not back by that time, let them know that they should call 911 and alert the authorities of your situation. Usually this is as simple as forwarding a link to a hike web page in an email. Worth the 2 minutes it takes. Practice camping overnight with your emergency gear in your backyard (or a nearby park). Learn some primitive skills to help you survive in the outdoors. You can watch videos on Youtube, or even attend classes all over the country. I’ve gone to the Tom Brown Tracker school and it was pretty awesome. And even though I know primitive survival skills, I still bring all of the emergency gear that I mentioned earlier. It’s better to have as many options as possible.
