What to Pack

1
What to Pack

• Equipment for carrying things, cooking, shelter,
  sleeping, and other things

2
What Do I Really Need?

• Determine
• What you need
• For the trip at hand
• For the trips you plan to take
• What would be nice to have
• Dont buy everything at once

3
New Gear

• Shopping For Gear
• -Needs v Wants
• -Expectation v Functionality
• -Price v Price
• Breaking it in

4
Carrying your Equipment

• A major part of hiking/camping is carrying things
  around
• Backpacks
• Size
• Frames Types
• Straps
• Choosing a backpack

5
How Big?

• Short Answer Depends on the trip
• Long Answer Consider litres
• Daypacks (15-35L)
• Weekend Packs (35-55L)
• Backpacking Packs (55-75)
• Expedition Packs (75)

6
Frames and Types

• Types
• Zipper
• Top Loading
• Frames (needed for heavy loads)
• Help keep load on the hips
• External
• Rare
• Internal
• More common
• Conforms to back

7
Straps

• Hipbelt
• Transfers weight to hips
• Shoulder straps
• Keeps load on back
• Load-Lifter straps
• Keeps backpack centered
• Centre strap
• Prevents straps from falling
• Compression strap
• Squishes load

8
Choosing a Backpack

• Decide on your needs
• Cost
• Types of trips you will do
• What to look for
• Comfort
• Compartments
• Ease of access to items
• Weight
• Other features (hydration pack, ice axe loops,
  etc.)

9
Footwear

• Plan your footwear
• Heading out on a big trip and need some boots?
  Break them in around town and on smaller day
  hikes first.
• Consider the weather light hikers or trail
  runners might do for a short trip in dry
  conditions, but wont do for a muddy trail
• Consider the terrain trails are marked by
  difficulty research the type of terrain youll
  be hiking on (hilly, loose rocks..a marine trail)
  and choose your footwear accordingly

10
Footwear

• All the shoes youll need
• Your everyday old runners good backup shoes for
  times when your hikers may get wet (sandals will
  serve this purpose too). Often adequate for day
  hiking.
• Trail runners or trail shoes like runners but
  with a little extra support. You can hike in
  these, but watch your ankles.
• Hiking boots try on lots of pairs, consider
• Climate (do you need breathability or
  water-proofing), weight of the boot, fit
  comfort, and price

11
Footwear

• The shoes you dont want to hike in
• Anything that doesnt breathe (no Doc Martins)
• Sandals and open-toed shoes
• Sneakers with no support (Pumas? Street shoes)
• Anything breaking down and shaking down
• Anything not yet thoroughly broken in
• Socks Matter
• Well-fitting, weather appropriate, wicking socks
  will help prevent blisters and serious discomfort
  on the trail.

12
Clothing

• Layers
• Base
• Very important, especially in the winter
• Its all about wicking
• Choose a material and weight appropriate to the
  weather and activity (silk or synthetics)
• Mid
• The everyday stuff nothing special required
  here, just be comfortable
• Insulating
• Fleece (lightweight, dries quickly)
• Wool (very warm heavy, smelly, cold and slow to
  dry when wet)
• Outer
• Wind and Water-proofing
• Keep these layers handy dont leave them behind

13
Clothing

• General Rules
• Plan carefully plan to wear the same item of
  clothing more than once
• Bring extra socks and underwear bring nothing
  else extra
• Keep bugs sunburn in mind lightweight pants
  and long-sleeved shirts are often preferable to
  shorts and t-shirts
• Technical fabrics are excellent for base layers,
  insulation and outwear invest in a few
  technical, lightweight items and packing becomes
  a lot simpler
• No jeans!
• The trouble with cotton
• What to sleep in? This is really a matter of
  personal choice, but warm base layers work and
  can do double duty during the day. A toque is
  nice during cold nights.

14
Clothing

• Somebody elses useful packing list
• Boots
• Fleece Jacket (winter)
• Gaiters (if rough weather is expected or if you
  are travelling through snow)
• Hat Jacket (light in the summer, heavy in the
  winter)
• 1 Pants (shorts for the summer)
• 2 Socks (don't skip out on the socks)
• 2 T-Shirts (undershirts work great)
• 2 Underwear (long underwear for the winter)
• Rain Gear (Rain pants are very valuable in bad
  weather)
• Toque (do not buy Cotton) and/or brimmed hat

15
Cooking

• If doing trips overnight cooking is often needed
  or wanted
• Fires
• Not always allowed
• Stoves
• Allowed, but extra cost
• Cookset

16
Fire

• You need
• Matches, Lighter, or Magnesium Block
• Something to burn
• To make sure fires are allowed

17
Stoves

• Alcohol
• Pro Safe, easy to use
• Con Not hot
• Propane
• Pro Hot, easy to use, easy to cook with
• Con Heavy, cannot easily refill
• White Gas/Multifuel Stoves
• Pro Very hot
• Con Difficult to use and cook with

18
Cookset

• Cookset Consider
• Types of pots/pans needed
• Volume
• Weight
• Things to eat with
• Decide what you really need
• Cup
• Bowl
• Utensils
• Kitchen Sink

19
Sleeping

• If you are doing an overnight trip you need
• Tarps
• Tents
• Sleeping Pads
• Sleeping Bags

20
Tarps

• Tarp
• Pro Light, Simple, Cheap
• Con Not the greatest shelter

21
Tents

• Tent Considerations
• Winter vs. Three season
• Winter tent is stronger, thicker, but heavier
• Size (theyre all small)
• Weight
• Stability
• Color
• Groundsheet/Footprint
• Not usually needed unless very cold or very wet

22
Sleeping Pads

• The Ground
• Pro Light
• Con Cold/Uncomfortable
• Air Mattress
• Pro Warm and Comfortable
• Con Huge and heavy
• Foam Pad
• Pro Warm and Comfortable
• Con Bulky
• Self Inflating Foam Pad
• Pro Warm and Comfortable
• Con Not cheap

23
Sleeping Bags

• Synthetic versus Down
• Synthetic
• Warm when wet
• Easier to clean
• Heavier and bulkier
• Down
• Warmer when not wet
• Hard to clean
• Lighter and more compressible

24
Sleeping Bags

• Things to consider
• Temperature Rating
• Design (mummy bag or not)
• Mummy warmer, barrel roomier
• Space inside
• Weight and bulk
• Liners

25
Other Equipment

• Water Container
• Nalgenes
• Flasks
• Water bottles
• Hydration Packs
• Food container
• Stuff sacks
• Odorproof bags
• Bear Canisters/Bags
• (dont work)
• Compass/GPS
• Use to navigate with maps

26
Other Equipment

• Headlamp/Flashlight
• Batteries
• Headlamp more convenient
• Soap
• Biodegradable camp soap
• Trowel Toilet Paper
• Not all places have toilets

27
Other Equipment

• Sunscreen
• First Aid Kit
• One Day
• Multiday
• Bandages
• Medications
• Personal
• Antihistamines
• Ibuprofen
• Knife
• Folding Knife
• Swiss Army Knife
• Multitool
• Stuff Sacks
• Compression Sacks

28
Water

• How much to carry?
• Can vary greatly depending on
• person, temperature and level of activity
• At least 2 litres a day to drink
• Consider cooking
• Carry only as much as you need
• Are there water sources along the way?
• Is it safe?
• Unless very certain or brave its best to assume
  water should be treated

29
Water

• Treating water
• Boiling
• Pros
• Kills all bugs (at least 5 minutes)
• Cons
• Water tastes different
• takes time and energy
• doesnt remove dirt
• Filtration
• Pros
• removes dirt and some microorganisms
• Cons
• Complicated, heavy
• Doesnt remove all microorganisms
• Chemical
• Ie Chlorine Dioxide, Chlorine, Iodine
• Pros
• kills most micro-organisms (chlorine dioxide
  does)
• Cons

30
Food

• What to eat?
• Cooked foods are usually best reserved for
  dinners on multi-day hikes, but instant pancake
  mixes and hot cereals can also be a good option
  for breakfasts, depending on the trip.
• Snacks! Trail mix, nuts, energy bars, dried
  fruit, jerkey (meat or veggie) etc. are excellent
  choices both for convenience and nutrition
• Salt carbs calories are important
  considerations while hiking
• Stopping to prepare a lunch can consume time on
  the trail you may not have. It can also be a
  major hassle.

31
Food

• Weight Matters
• Unless youre car camping or going on a weekend
  trip consider leaving the fresh foods at home.
• Canned space (boil in a bag) foods pack well
  but add weight and garbage you must carry out.
• Alternatives
• freeze dried prepared backpacking foods
  (available at outfitters like MEC)
• Dehydrated foods like oatmeal other cereals,
  dried fruit, instant milk beverages, instant
  rice, pasta, instant soups, dried beans etc.
• Dense breads like bagels or rice cakes
• Energy bars gels

32
Food

• Consider Bulk
• Repackage foods to reduce their bulk weight
• For example, Cooking spices can be mixed and
  stored in a small ziplock bag, an empty film
  canister, or a drinking straw with its ends taped
  shut.
• Avoid excessive packaging aim for re-sealable or
  single-serving options.
• For example, single serving envelopes of hot
  chocolate or drink crystals make for an excellent
  morale booster

33
Food
34
Food

• Meal Prep Planning
• Organize store your meals by type (breakfast,
  lunch dinner)
• Keep your snacks (especially for day one)
  accessible
• Ration label your foods by day ration
  generously, but be sure to make calculations so
  that youre not carrying excess weight
• Dividing foods into individual meal containers is
  a good idea (i.e. you may be eating oatmeal
  twice, but two ziplocks full of oatmeal labelled
  day one and day two will help you not to run
  out)
• Do your prep at home
• Ex. chop, dehydrate combine dehydrated
  ingredients for an instant chilli at home

35
Food

• Meal Prep Planning
• Useful Ingredients You Can Find in the Grocery
  Store
• Dried milk
• Egg replacer (baking only) or instant eggs
• Spices!
• Dried grains and beans and vegetables (mm, potato
  flakes!)
• TVP
• Instant sauces gravies
• Canned foods (depending on the trip)
• Juice crystals, tea, coffee, hot chocolate

36
Food

• Meal Prep Planning Fancy Style
• Consider dehydrating you own foods
• Oven method vs. buying a dehydrator
• Where to find recipes
• Backpacking magazines, the internet
• Cook stove add-ons
• impractical?