bromides update

Mr. Haser's Basic Backpacking Bromides

Be comfortable and dry

o Use layers

o Be able to change the layers closest to you, especially, change your socks often

o Use proper foot care (see the Links below)

Less is more better

o Bring only what you really need and bring items with the minimum weight and the minimum space that meet the need

o Share the load (tents, cook gear, food)

o Choose items that are multi-purpose (e.g., a candle can be a lantern, a firestarter and (if you are desperate) a stove or a sweatshirt serves as a jacket and as warm sleeping gear)

Don't fight the law of gravity

o Pack heavy things lower in the pack and towards the back of the pack (closest to the frame or your back)*

o Walk with good posture on level, uphill and downhill grades

o Keep your foot purchase going downhill; step sideways on steep hills

* this is a simplification on packing. See Links below for more information.

What to Bring

Food

Shelter

Clothing

And items for safety

See the Backpacking Merit Badge book and the Links at the bottom for equipment lists. Don't forget trash bags.

What Not To Bring

Stuff you do not absolutely need, like anything that is not!! basic food or shelter or clothing or related to safety.

Food

Try to minimize cooking. Bring foods that are light to carry and do not take up much space. Check the Backpacking Merit Badge book for ideas or just go to your supermarket and look around.

Some quick ideas:

Drinks: water, packets (not boxes) of fruit/sports drink, hot chocolate, tea bags

Breakfast: packets of oatmeal, individual size boxes of cereal, pop-tarts, dried fruit

Lunch: crackers (bread gets crushed!) with cheese, pepperoni, or peanut butter (in a zip-lock bag), or potted ham

Dinner: soup/noodle dinner packages, macaroni and cheese (add tuna fish can and bring can opener), spaghetti sauce in packet

Snack (for on the trail): GORP!!

Granola Oats Raisins and Peanuts (GORP)

2 cups granola cereal (containing oats, brown sugar, etc.)

3/4-1 cup dry roasted peanuts

3 oz raisins (about 2 snack size boxes)

2 cup* chocolate bits (M&Ms work best)

adjust quantities to your taste

* optional for summer but absolutely necessary for cooler weather

Some Basic Backpacking Etiquette (in addition to the Outdoor Code)

Share the load!!

Help your buddy put that heavy pack on!!

Don't let that branch hooked on your pack swing back and hit the person behind you!!

Links

What to bring, how to pack:

http://www.catskillhikes.com/tips.html (I really like this web-site. It has great information and it matches my own experiences. Temper their equipment list with the idea of bringing "clothing to match the season", and see also the Backpacking merit badge book.)

Where to put things in your pack has many answers. Part of it depends on the kind of trail you will be using and also what kind of pack you have. On rugged trails you probably want the weight lower for stability; on more typical trails, you probably want the weight higher for comfort. External frame packs will tend to want weight in the low to middle region to avoid "lever action" (that's the pack moving side-to-side as you walk) and to put weight on the hips. Internal frames will tend to want the weight higher because the pack is tightly connected to your body and has less chance of lever action and puts the weight more on the hips. Some experts say pack heavy things higher, but then they also say that sleeping gear (which the 2^nd heaviest item in my book) is a light item and should be lower. Tents, which are the highest weight in my book, almost always end up high just because of the physical space they take. (Tents are so heavy that alternate approaches such as a hammock and tarp are often considered. These are compact and low weight.) The basic key is to keep the center of mass (or gravity) as close to your spine and your mid-torso as possible, causing as much weight as possible to be on your hips. Bottom line, try different combinations and see what works for you and your pack.

Look also at the outfitter sites like Sunnys, REI, EMS, etc.: http://www.rei.com/online/store/LearnShareArticlesList?storeId=8000&categoryId=Camping or http://www.ems.com or http://www.sunnyssurplus.com/inside/howto.html or http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Falls/9200/backpacking_and_hiking.html or http://gorp.away.com/gorp/activity/hiking.htm or http://www.trailhouse.com are some sites of interest

Foot care:

http://www.catskillhikes.com/firstaid.html or First Aid & Health tips for the Trail / Catskill Hiking Shack See the section on "Blisters". They are pretty anti-cotton and sound like they advocate the 2-sock method. I would change their statement about not wearing cotton socks to "Do not wear normal, everyday cotton socks." There are socks specifically made for hiking that will have cotton in them. The advice about foot care applies to either the 1-sock or 2-sock methods.

Foot gear:

This is another topic that has many answers. There are many kinds of boots to choose from. For general backpacking around our area, just about any comfortable boot that fits will do. Unlike casual hiking where good sneaker-type shoes will often suffice, backpacking tends to require more substantial and supportive footgear. The Appalachian Trail and C&O Canal can get wet and muddy, so proper water-proofing is important. Many sites recommend a water-based water-proofing as opposed to a silicon-based waterproofing. Also, higher-tech boots with Gore-Tex may not be appropriate for all backpacking environments and may need special care when water-proofing. Check with the store where you are going to buy your boots (and maybe prep a bit using the outfitter links first). Don't forget proper socks (typically wool-based and maybe polypropylene liners if you use the 2 sock method) to match your boots.

Miscellaneous:

Check these other links on the troop website http://troop719.com/links.html for related information on gear, health and safety, and techniques: "Wise Winter Ways" and "Hiking How-Tos and Hints".