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RV Camping Preparation :: Backpacking Essentials
Backpacking Essentials:
Basic Essentials for a Backpacking Trip
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Backpacking essentials help cut costs and allow for all the flexibility you could want while you're traveling around different cities or going on a camping trip.
Backpacking is an incredibly easy way to travel, but you really miss the point if you over pack or forget to include some backpacking essentials.
When you are packing your backpack for a trip, you want to make sure that you only bring the essentials. Pack light and don't bring things that you can either buy locally or live without.
Since you need to bring your backpack everywhere you go, you want to make sure that it isn't too heavy to lug around and that it is easy to load into trains, buses and taxis.
Clothing & Footwear
Only bring what you absolutely need when you are backpacking for a vacation.
Backpacking essentials include a light base layer of clothing that wicks away moisture and dries quickly, an extra T-shirt, a long-sleeved shirt to protect from the sun or cold, a pair of jeans or cargo pants, a pair of shorts, a fleece and a few extra pairs of socks and underwear and a wide brimmed hat to protect your face from the sun.
Hiking boots are an absolutely essential if you are going camping or hiking on your trip. Bring one other pair of shoes that fit the terrain of where you are staying.
Sneakers or comfortable flat-soled shoes if you are in the city, and sandals if you are in a hotter climate or desert.
Sleeping Essentials
A good quality sleeping bag is one of your most important backpacking essentials. Look for something lightweight and waterproof, that can be rolled tightly to cut down on bulk.
A waterproof jacket is also a backpacking essential. Again, you will want something lightweight, that is easy to tie around your waist or put in your backpack when it is warmer out.
Keeping a jacket can be a great way to stay warm while you are sleeping, in case the climate where you are staying cools off a lot at night and your sleeping bag does not provide enough warmth.
Toiletries & Extras
You don't want to bring the entire contents of your medicine cabinet with you on a trip, but there are a few essentials you should keep on hand.
You can find travel size toiletries at any drug store, so if you run out can restock while you are on your trip.
You should bring along deodorant, bug spray and a first aid kit, along with the bare essentials of any makeup you might require while traveling.
Bring a towel and a bag to store your dirty laundry between trips to a laundromat, as well.
You should also bring along a reusable water bottle, a flashlight, a Swiss army knife and a plastic or metal bowl with utensils if you are camping.
Non-Essentials
While they aren't necessarily backpacking essentials, you might also want to bring along your camera, a portable MP3 player, batteries or chargers, a calculator and a notepad, so you can stay entertained and keep track of expenses on your trip.
You should avoid bringing any bulky electronics like laptops or hair dryers when you are backpacking. Essentials are things you can live without, not luxuries.
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RV-Camping-Preparation.com :: Backpacking Essentials