By Katie Sotack
Need a mental health break? Backpacking through the wilderness, Europe, or even a campsite nearby is an affordable way to explore outside of your usual day hiking. Greenbelly suggests it’s best to decrease your pack’s weight before traveling. If you’ve decided to hike out with your living space, food, drink, and survival gear on your back, (check GearWeAre for more), make it ultralight.
Reward your thirst for adventure and your wallet by backpacking at the next beautiful vacation spot with our travel tips for lightweight, low stakes gear carting.
As far as low-cost ways to travel go, backpacking is brilliant and versatile. The packer can commit to a quest by themselves, take arms with a group of travelers, or go off on a romantic getaway with their lover, a tent, and the stars above to a beautiful vacation spot. Whatever way the packer decides to travel the number one rule is pack light.
1. Weigh out your gear: By weighing each item before it goes in the pack you’ll be able to see if said item is worth its weight. Some things will naturally be heavier, but don’t throw them away for that reason alone. Your jug of water? That’ll take a toll on your shoulders, but you’d be worse off dehydrating out on the trail.
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2. Sharing is caring: After weighing and packing each item, weight all the trip’s backpacks. If yours is too heavy, for example, but someone else is willing to carry more, give it to them. Another tip for sharing essentials is that there doesn’t need to be two of everything. Coordinate with your team to know who’s bringing what. This will save the group from carrying more pocket knives than necessary. It may sound like a small, nearly weightless decision, but when you’re walking all day with a ton on your back, you’ll be grateful for the lessened weight.
3. Synthetic materials: When backpacking, both cotton and denim are a no go. Not only do they weigh more than synthetic materials, but they also retain water. Cotton absorbs water from the environment and your skin so those white socks will be soaking wet for a while once you accidentally step into the trail’s puddle. Alternatively, synthetic materials that can be found in certain workout brands keep away sweat to keep you cool and dry.
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4. Say goodbye to technology: It might be hard to step away from the internet, but disconnecting from the world wide web too many benefits to count. While the phone detox might take a day or two, the weight you’ll save is worth it. Phones, GPS-s, iPods, and tablets require chargers and cases, all of which will add up. Putting down the tech, for now, will help you build your relationship with your travel companions, too!
5. Factor in the weight of your bag: We’re talking about what you’ll be carry in the bag, but the actual pack is just as important. This is the area to splurge. Buy a bag that’s lightweight and has hip and shoulder straps. Speak to the workers at your local camping store, but be aware that backpacking bares weight on your hips. To alleviate pressure your pack should fit securely around your hips and arms with and without the weight in.
Where would you backpack? Share in the comments below!
