For those who have dreamed of outdoor backpacking, but don’t know where to start, this beginner’s guide to backpacking is for you.

What is Backpacking?

Backpacking is when you carry all that you need in a backpack, including your water, food, shelter, and gear when hiking. It means that you set out to travel and commune with nature in a way that is self-contained and will leave no trace. Your gear should include all that you require to get to your destination (and back), all the things that you use to prepare your food, and all that you need to live somewhat comfortably, including your bedding for the night.

Before you set out backpacking, you have to do a little bit of research on what backpacking gears will suit you and your budget. Take into consideration that if you want your gear to last for years, you may want to invest in backpacking essentials that are of high quality with good reviews. You also need to have a target beginner’s destination and know the logistics of getting there, and finally, to prepare your body in carrying that backpack.

Prepare Your Backpacking Gear Essentials

These are what you need to get started:

• Boots
• Backpack
• Tent
• Headlamp
• Multi-purpose tool with knife
• Windproof lighter/Waterproof matches
• Stove
• Cook set and dining utensils
• Sleeping Bag
• Sleeping Pad

You might find that it is quite expensive when you first start backpacking because you have to buy stuff that you won’t ordinarily have, like a backpacking stove or a lightweight cook set. What you’ll find, though, is that once you’ve accumulated your gear, you’ll only be spending for your food, permits, and travel expenses for your succeeding trips.

If you are to be truly self-contained when backpacking, prepare the backpacking gear essentials listed above. We’ll briefly discuss below what they are and what you should look for.

Boots. Not all shoes are created equal. You want a backpacking pair of shoes that gives you support for when you are tired and your ankles have a tendency to give out. You want good traction where you can trust your shoes to hold your ground and not slip at the slightest hint of scree or moss. You want your backpacking boots to protect your feet and let you enjoy your day out. Make sure to choose boots that are at least half a size larger to allow for more room at the toe. And don’t forget to break it in – walk around them for a day or two a week before you set out backcountry camping. Take a look at our recommended hiking boots here.

Backpack. Your backpack is your best bud in the wilderness. It should be lightweight but tough, with pockets that make it easy to get what you need even while you’re carrying it on your back. Choose an expandable backpack that can accommodate all your gear, but can be collapsed when the extra room is not needed. See our review of backpacks out in the market here.

Tent. A tent is an essential gear for backcountry hiking. Things to consider are the tent size, capacity, and weight. Take a look at features like a full rainfly, tub floors, the make of the poles, and if it has a vestibule. You should also take into consideration the conditions that you would use the tent in, whether you’ll need a four-season tent, or if you can make do with a three-season one. Check out our favorite backpacking tents here.

Headlamp. A headlamp is something that you didn’t know you needed when backpacking, but it’s a gear that you’ll be thankful for when you’re using it. It’s not just for walking around the campsite at night, but also when you’re caught out still walking after dusk (it happens). You also need it if you’re the designated cook and you can’t decide if that blackish tar at the bottom of the pot is just shadow or if your food really is burnt. Take a look at our recommended headlamps here.

Multi-purpose tool with knife. If you’ve ever heard of Macgyver, you’ll know what this is and why everyone needs it. When you’re just beginning backpacking, a multi-purpose tool is one of the very first gear that you need to invest in, whether it’s an original Swiss Army Knife, a Leatherman, or a generic multi-tool knife. Our favorite multi-tool knives can be seen here.

Windproof lighter/Waterproof matches. A generic lighter may not be of much use when the wind is swirling around the campsite or when conditions are too wet for an ordinary match. Make sure to check weather conditions and bring the most appropriate fire starter kit.

Stove. You need a stove that will not add a lot of pounds and bulk to your pack but can withstand the sometimes harsh conditions of backcountry camping. If you want a stove that gives you all of this and more, I recommend getting a backpacking wood stove. This eliminates the need for you to separately bring fuel canisters that are heavy and bulky, or liquid fuel that may leak and contaminate your other gear. Another advantage for camping wood stoves is that it is TSA-friendly if you’re taking a cross-country backpacking trip.

These are two of my recommended backpacking stoves:

• kampMATE WoodFlame Ultra Lightweight Portable Wood Burning Camping Stove. Made by the OG designers of the WoodFlame Stove, this pure stainless steel backpacking stove can fold fully flat and is budget-friendly. This little fella can easily bear several quarts of boiling water, and can keep a small camp warm and toasty. And because it is wood burning, you don’t need to account whether you have enough fuel for that cup of coffee in the morning because you used all the canisters up the night before.
• Kuvik Titanium Wood Stove. If you want an ultra-lightweight backpacking woodstove that doesn’t compromise on its features, get this. It weighs just 7.2 ounces but can do the job of a heavy backpacking stove. You can place heavy pots on the Kuvik Titanium Wood Stove and it won’t crumble under pressure, at the same time, it can handle smaller cook sets because it has diagonal crossmembers on top. It also folds flat and can be assembled in no time.

Cook set and dining utensils. If you’re bringing a stove, you need to also bring a portable cook set with you. There are specialized cookware for backpacking that are lightweight but durable. Some even come with non-stick surfaces!

Sleeping Bag. Choose a sleeping bag with the weather conditions in mind and the type of sleeper you are. Some people might feel too constricted with a mummy-type sleeping bag, while some would prefer the added warmth that it gives. A down sleeping bag will give the best warmth-to-weight ratio, but a synthetic one performs best in wet weather conditions. See our sleeping bags review here.

Sleeping Pad. If you’re just beginning backpacking, you might want to be kind to your back and invest in a sleeping pad. Even if the weather in your state remains hot year-round, having a sleeping pad between you and the cold hard ground means that you don’t feel that tree root jutting right below your shoulders that you didn’t see when setting up your tent. Just make sure that you choose a non-slip one because you don’t want to wake up on the tent floor and off of the pad. Here are the sleeping pads that we like.

Getting Ready for Your Backpacking Trip

There are a lot of things that you need to know, consider, and prepare before setting out on your very first backpacking trip. Here’s an overview:

• Physical training
• Buy maps
• Get required permits
• Check weather conditions
• Let friends and family know your itinerary
• Test your gears and pack early

Physical training. You might think that your body is in good physical condition, but trust me, I’ve had a friend who wanted me to leave her on the trail because she couldn’t go on any longer (the drama!). As my professional mountaineering friends say, don’t underestimate the mountain. Train and train hard. Pack your backpack with at least 3-5 gallons of water and climb stairs. Go on day hikes with a full backpack to see how your conditioning goes.

Buy Maps. Buying a physical map might sound a bit too much when you can download offline maps, but what if something happens to your phone or GPS? You can tell that I’m a bit old-school, but when you’re backcountry hiking, you have to prepare with the worst conditions in mind. Familiarize the main and alternative routes for your trip, and give your family and friends a copy of your planned itinerary.

Get required permits. National parks often require a permit before you can even visit, let alone camp on the grounds. Some locations like The Wave in Coyote Buttes require you to enter a lottery just to get a permit to hike there. If you have a destination in mind, research online if you need to apply for a permit and how you can get it.

Check weather conditions. Weather forecasting is more dependable now than ever. Check the weather conditions for your destination before you pack your gear and your clothes. That being said, prepare for the weather to change and pack accordingly.

Let friends and family know your itinerary. Don’t just leave a copy of your planned route with your friends and family. Let them know when you’ll set out and when they should expect you to be back. Let them also know who you’ll be coming with, and if they’re not acquainted with your hiking buddy, give them his or her contact details.

Test your gears and pack early. If you have just bought your gear, test them out at home before using them during your backpacking trip. For example, after you’ve waterproofed your tent, pitch them on your backyard and hose it down to see if there are any leaks. You get to see how easy or hard it is to set up your tent, and test whether there are any missing or damaged parts from the package. Try to cook with your stove to check if you can handle cooking outdoors, walk around with your boots to see if it gives you blisters, and find out if your headlamp runs through batteries like there’s no tomorrow.

Make a list of the items you’re bringing, and check it off once it’s inside your bag. This ensures that you don’t forget to bring along necessary gear and only find out after you’ve set out.

You’ve got your gear, you’ve planned your trip, and now you’re ready to go backpacking!