My first time backpacking required several gear purchases. I'd never backpack before so I tried to keep my purchase price moderate. Here is what i liked and what I'll keep looking for!
Colored Storage Bags
SunYear Camp Chair
Frogg Toggs Rain Poncho
REI Passage 2 Person Tent
REI Stratus Air Mattress
High Stream Gear Hiking Poles
LifeStraw Water Filtration System
Big Zip Evo Platypus
Mountain House Freeze Dried Food
JetBoil/Coffee Press
Osprey Aura AG 50 Backpack
Merrell Hiking Boots
Outdoor Research Puff Coat
Wildness Pass
Great Investment! My first trip I used gallon storage bags. They worked find but I did find it hard to keep my things organized. I bought these before my second time out and they were great! I could just look for the color I needed and pull that one bag out.
Sitting on the hard ground may have been easy 20 years ago, but now it's not!
I got the smaller of the two available and it was perfect for me. This one does not have a back which would be nice, but it is compact and lighter. A must for me!
It rained, It rained a lot! I was not thrilled with this product. It is recommended for backpacking, but I found it did not cover my pack or me as much as I'd hoped. I ended up putting a garbage sack around the bottom portion of my pack on the rainy hike out. I like to stay dry!
My kids bought this for me when they heard I was going backpacking. The double will be perfect for me. I can go alone, take my dog Cooper or even go with my Husband. Alone it gave me plenty of space to relax in as well as store all my gear. Thank you kids. You did good!
It is an air mattress. It worked fine. My complaints are more of a me problem than a product problem. I didn't feel any rocks or bumps, it is light weight and easy to inflate. I give it a green light but may look into something else when it's time to replace this one.
I loved my Hiking Poles. How good these are compared to other I really don't know. But they fit into my budget, they are adjustable and they made the steep uphills and downhills doable. Without them I pretty sure my Adventure would not have been as successful!
My Husband bought this for me after our first trip. This is a must have. Instead of filtering thru small individual systems you simply fill the bag, hang it from a tree or other elevated area and let gravity do the work. I was able to filter water and set up camp at the same time!
My first trip out I just took water bottles. The bottles were hard to reach and I didn't just as much as I should have. This did allow me to drink more often, however I'm not a platypus fan. I'll use it for now but I will look for different options.
This on torn on. They are light and easy to prepare. The biscuits and gravy were good, I do not recommend Beef Stroganoff! My big complaint is the high sodium content and the overly large servings.. I'm going to investigate other brands as well as looking into creating my own camp meals.
The jetboil is a must have. It is easy to use, heats up quickly and is easy to clean and store.
The Coffee Press worked and my coffee was much better than the instant I had the first time out, however the clean up and storage are a little awkward. I'm not convinced my "good" coffee needs are enough to deal with this extra.
My Pack! My guess is this is a pretty good entry level backpack, But I loved it. It could be because I spent time with a delightful gentleman named Trevor at REI who took the time to fit and size it for me. I was worried carrying a pack on my back for a long period of time was something I would not be able to do. I was beyond pleasantly surprised with the ease I carried this pack. Trevor at REI showed me how to adjust the weight the weight as I hiked as well as when I would most likely need to adjust.
If Backpacking is something you are thinking of starting I highly recommend going into your local hiking store or local REI and have one of their very helpful associated help you find and fit your first pack. It's well worth the time!
I am really liking my Merrell Boots. They are light weight, breathable and did a good job keeping my feet dry. I did get a blister on my first trip out and worried they were not going to work. I quickly figured out that my blister was caused by me not taking time to adjust my socks properly. Bad Me! and lesson learned. I'm not sure how long they will hold up but they were great beginner boots.
This was a last-minute buy. I actually got the afternoon before I headed out! Both my boys own and swear by theirs, and I now know why. It is light, warm and stuffs into itself, which makes it easy to store and carry. It has a deep hood which came in handy when the temperature dropped. It is light enough that when I got cold at night, I was able to put it on and still sleep comfortably. The only draw back is that it is not great in water. It kept me dry, however it took more than a day to dry out once I got home. Best to use a rain cover over your puffy if it's raining. Again lesson learned!
Remember to get your wildness pass/passes before heading out. Buying a year pass is the best way to go. If you only go 3 times a year it will pay for itself!
My First Time Backpacking Adventure was not only a success, but also something new I have discovered. I hope to continue backpacking for many more years to come. At 54 The gear options to look into are endless!
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