My First Backpacking Trip: Three Big Mistakes & What I Learned
I made a lot of mistakes on my first backpacking trip but I also learned a lot from those mistakes. On each subsequent trip, I grew a little more confident and a little smarter with gear and clothing choices and these days I’m far more comfortable preparing for each trip and knowing what to bring along to make the best of it. Here are the three biggest takeaways from my first weekend backpacking trip.
Function Over Fashion
This was a big one. I wanted to hike in one of my favorite checkered button up shirts and if I’m being honest, it was because I thought I looked cute in it and that it would look good in photos. It was for these reasons I also picked out a couple pairs of cotton shorts, a couple of t-shirts, and hiking boots that weren’t the best choice for backpacking but I that I had liked the look of.
Cotton is probably one of the worst materials to wear when hiking (especially somewhere with high humidity) since cotton doesn’t wick moisture meaning once wet, it will stay damp since it’s a material that takes much longer than others to dry out. On trail, this can lead to chafing and discomfort. Inevitably, you’ll sweat a fair amount when backpacking and hiking so choosing clothing that will wick moisture well, including clothing made of synthetic materials or natural fibers such as wool, will make a big difference in how comfortable you are for the duration of the trip.
Natural fibers like merino wool are great for socks, shirts, and even underwear no matter the temperature, or for base layers on colder trips. Merino wool is naturally moisture wicking, temperature regulating, and odor resistant, making it a great material to wear for outdoor recreation. Synthetic materials that wick moisture are also great options on warmer hikes, and heavier weight synthetic clothing can also be used as a base layer for recreating in colder temperatures. Another thing to consider is choosing clothing with varying levels of UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) built in, as it’s a great option for dry, sunny areas. UPF clothing is always going to be more effective than any sunblock so consider wearing UPF clothing in areas with a lot of exposure (think mountain peaks and deserts).
Take Care of Your Feet!
Because I wanted to keep moving and complete as many miles as possible each day, I didn’t stop to take care of my feet the way I should have. As soon as you feel a hot spot, the best thing to do is to stop and address it before it turns into a blister. I opted to ignore my hot spots and before I knew it, it was too late and I was dealing with large, painful blisters which hurt a lot more and are more difficult to deal with. My last day and a half of hiking with a heavy pack was pretty brutal with blister coated heels and toes. As a result, I now use toe socks like the ones here, and a product called Foot Glide to prevent hot spots and blisters and keep my feet comfortable on the trail. It makes a world of difference! It’s also handy to carry first aid items for your feet like moleskin or other types skin friendly tape to prevent friction blisters. Your feet are doing a lot of work on hikes and backpacking trips so taking care of them is extremely important. Find out what works best for you and don’t overlook foot care!
When shopping footwear for hiking and backpacking, go somewhere you’ll have several options to choose from and try on, and somewhere the staff are well trained so they’ll be able to provide some guidance and answer questions. Try on a few different options such as trail runners, low (below the ankle) boots, and mid-height (above the ankle) boots to find out which feel most comfortable to you after having your feet measured. I recommend measuring both feet as it’s fairly common for people to have a half size difference between their two feet. Mid-height boots will offer more ankle support and are generally more rigid, requiring a bit more time to break in although there are several mid boots offered now that require very little break-in time and are pretty comfortable right out of the box. Low boots will offer the same feel as their mid boot counterparts but with less support around the ankle. Trail runners are generally the lightest option for hiking/backpacking footwear and will feel like a tennis shoe and usually have little to virtually no break-in time. What sets trail runners apart from a typical tennis shoe is their aggressive tread pattern with deep lugs made for going over varied terrain and they will sometimes include a rock plate to further protect your feet from rougher terrain and from rock bruising.
Consider things like the terrain you’ll be hiking or backpacking in, the weather you’ll hike or backpack in most regularly, and learn about the pros and cons of waterproof versus non-waterproof footwear. Lastly, know that even in the most comfortable and best-fitting hiking shoe you might still experience hot spots and some soreness. Feet swell when hiking long distances and your feet will also move around quite a bit in a shoe when hiking up and down hills and over varied terrain. This is where knowing how to take care of your feet comes into play.
Don’t Overstuff Your Pack
I’m fairly certain every beginner backpacker ends up bringing way too much stuff with them. There’s a pretty big learning curve when it comes to backpacking, and knowing what you will and won’t need on a multi-day trip to stay safe and comfortable will take time and experience.
On my first backpacking trip, each category of items (clothes, food, utensils, cooking gear, etc.) had its own stuff sack and I brought a lot of things along that I didn't even touch for the entire duration of the trip. I had been so proud of my organizational skills I didn’t even consider how annoying it would be if I forgot which stuff sack carried what items (which I did….several times).
The best way to learn what you’ll really need for backpacking is just to get out on some trips and try different things. These are often referred to as “shakedown trips”. Know that your first few trips (and really every trip for that matter) will be opportunities to try out gear and/or different gear combinations and see what really works for you. Keep note of the items you take that you never really use and try backpacking without those things the next time around.
There are some essentials (The Ten Essentials) I recommend bringing on every trip, no matter what, including a form of shelter, water/water filtration, food, illumination, first aid, sunblock, and a few others that are all listed here. Some of the items on the Ten Essentials list might not see use on every trip, but safety is extremely important when recreating outdoors and these are items I recommend carrying each time you head out in order to keep yourself and potentially others safe.
I learned so much from my first backpacking trip but these are the take-aways that stood out most for me. All in all, the best way to learn is to get out and try it for yourself!
If you’re new to backpacking and want to learn more before planning a trip, check the events page to see which classes are coming up on the calendar. You can also reach out to me directly with questions or to get access to guides and other backpacking resources.
If you found this helpful or if you think something should be added to it, let me know! If you’re a fellow backpacker, what were some mistakes you made in the beginning that you learned from?