What to Pack

1. What to Pack Equipment for carrying things, cooking, shelter, sleeping, and other things

2. What Do I Really Need? • Determine • What you need • For the trip at hand • For the trips you plan to take • What would be nice to have • Don’t buy everything at once

3. New Gear • Shopping For Gear -Needs v Wants -Expectation v Functionality -Price v Price • Breaking it in

4. Carrying your Equipment • A major part of hiking/camping is carrying things around • Backpacks • Size • Frames & Types • Straps • Choosing a backpack

5. How Big? • Short Answer: Depends on the trip • Long Answer: Consider litres • Daypacks (15-35L) • Weekend Packs (35-55L) • Backpacking Packs (55-75) • Expedition Packs (75+)

6. Frames and Types • Types • Zipper • Top Loading • Frames (needed for heavy loads) • Help keep load on the hips • External • Rare • Internal • More common • Conforms to back

7. Straps • Hipbelt • Transfers weight to hips • Shoulder straps • Keeps load on back • Load-Lifter straps • Keeps backpack centered • Centre strap • Prevents straps from falling • Compression strap • Squishes load

8. Choosing a Backpack • Decide on your needs • Cost • Types of trips you will do • What to look for • Comfort • Compartments • Ease of access to items • Weight • Other features (hydration pack, ice axe loops, etc.)

9. Footwear • Plan your footwear • Heading out on a big trip and need some boots? Break them in around town and on smaller day hikes first. • Consider the weather– light hikers or trail runners might do for a short trip in dry conditions, but won’t do for a muddy trail • Consider the terrain– trails are marked by difficulty; research the type of terrain you’ll be hiking on (hilly, loose rocks..a marine trail) and choose your footwear accordingly

10. Footwear • All the shoes you’ll need • Your everyday old runners– good backup shoes for times when your hikers may get wet (sandals will serve this purpose too). Often adequate for day hiking. • Trail runners or ‘trail shoes’– like runners but with a little extra support. You can hike in these, but watch your ankles. • Hiking boots– try on lots of pairs, consider: • Climate (do you need breathability or water-proofing), weight of the boot, fit & comfort, and price

11. Footwear • The shoes you don’t want to hike in: • Anything that doesn’t breathe (no Doc Martins) • Sandals and open-toed shoes • Sneakers with no support (Pumas? Street shoes) • Anything ‘breaking down and shaking down’ • Anything not yet thoroughly broken in • Socks Matter • Well-fitting, weather appropriate, wicking socks will help prevent blisters and serious discomfort on the trail.

12. Clothing • Layers: • Base • Very important, especially in the winter • It’s all about ‘wicking’ • Choose a material and weight appropriate to the weather and activity (silk or synthetics) • Mid • The everyday stuff– nothing special required here, just be comfortable • Insulating • Fleece (lightweight, dries quickly) • Wool (very warm; heavy, smelly, cold and slow to dry when wet) • Outer • Wind and Water-proofing • Keep these layers handy & don’t leave them behind

13. Clothing • General Rules: • Plan carefully– plan to wear the same item of clothing more than once • Bring extra socks and underwear; bring nothing else ‘extra’ • Keep bugs & sunburn in mind– lightweight pants and long-sleeved shirts are often preferable to shorts and t-shirts • Technical fabrics are excellent for base layers, insulation and outwear– invest in a few technical, lightweight items and packing becomes a lot simpler • No jeans! • The trouble with cotton… • What to sleep in? This is really a matter of personal choice, but warm base layers work and can do double duty during the day. A toque is nice during cold nights.

14. Clothing • Somebody else’s useful packing list: • Boots • Fleece Jacket (winter) • Gaiters (if rough weather is expected or if you are travelling through snow) • Hat Jacket (light in the summer, heavy in the winter) • 1 Pants (shorts for the summer) • 2 Socks (don't skip out on the socks) • 2 T-Shirts (undershirts work great) • 2 Underwear (long underwear for the winter) • Rain Gear (Rain pants are very valuable in bad weather) • Toque (do not buy Cotton) and/or brimmed hat

15. Cooking • If doing trips overnight cooking is often needed or wanted • Fires • Not always allowed • Stoves • Allowed, but extra cost • Cookset

16. Fire • You need • Matches, Lighter, or Magnesium Block • Something to burn • To make sure fires are allowed

17. Stoves • Alcohol • Pro: Safe, easy to use • Con: Not hot • Propane • Pro: Hot, easy to use, easy to cook with • Con: Heavy, cannot easily refill • White Gas/Multifuel Stoves • Pro: Very hot • Con: Difficult to use and cook with

18. Cookset • Cookset: Consider • Types of pots/pans needed • Volume • Weight • Things to eat with: • Decide what you really need • Cup • Bowl • Utensils • Kitchen Sink

19. Sleeping • If you are doing an overnight trip you need… • Tarps • Tents • Sleeping Pads • Sleeping Bags

20. Tarps • Tarp • Pro: Light, Simple, Cheap • Con: Not the greatest shelter

21. Tents • Tent Considerations • Winter vs. Three season • Winter tent is stronger, thicker, but heavier • Size (they’re all small) • Weight • Stability • Color • Groundsheet/Footprint • Not usually needed unless very cold or very wet

22. Sleeping Pads • The Ground • Pro: Light • Con: Cold/Uncomfortable • Air Mattress • Pro: Warm and Comfortable • Con: Huge and heavy • Foam Pad • Pro: Warm and Comfortable • Con: Bulky • Self Inflating Foam Pad • Pro: Warm and Comfortable • Con: Not cheap

23. Sleeping Bags • Synthetic versus Down • Synthetic • Warm when wet • Easier to clean • Heavier and bulkier • Down • Warmer when not wet • Hard to clean • Lighter and more compressible

24. Sleeping Bags • Things to consider: • Temperature Rating • Design (mummy bag or not) • Mummy warmer, barrel roomier • Space inside • Weight and bulk • Liners

25. Other Equipment • Water Container • Nalgenes • Flasks • Water bottles • Hydration Packs • Food container • Stuff sacks • Odorproof bags • Bear Canisters/Bags (don’t work) • Compass/GPS • Use to navigate with maps

26. Other Equipment • Headlamp/Flashlight • Batteries • Headlamp more convenient • Soap • Biodegradable camp soap • Trowel & Toilet Paper • Not all places have toilets

27. Other Equipment • Sunscreen • First Aid Kit • One Day • Multiday • Bandages • Medications • Personal • Antihistamines • Ibuprofen • Knife • Folding Knife • Swiss Army Knife • Multitool • Stuff Sacks • Compression Sacks

28. Water • How much to carry? • Can vary greatly depending on • person, temperature and level of activity • At least 2 litres a day to drink • Consider cooking • Carry only as much as you need • Are there water sources along the way? • Is it safe? • Unless very certain or brave its best to assume water should be treated

29. Water • Treating water • Boiling • Pros • Kills all bugs (at least 5 minutes) • Cons • Water tastes different • takes time and energy • doesn’t remove dirt • Filtration • Pros • removes dirt and some microorganisms • Cons • Complicated, heavy • Doesn’t remove all microorganisms • Chemical • Ie: Chlorine Dioxide, Chlorine, Iodine… • Pros • kills most micro-organisms (chlorine dioxide does) • Cons • Water may taste strange (chlorine dioxide doesn’t)

30. Food • What to eat? • Cooked foods are usually best reserved for dinners on multi-day hikes, but instant pancake mixes and hot cereals can also be a good option for breakfasts, depending on the trip. • Snacks! Trail mix, nuts, energy bars, dried fruit, jerkey (meat or veggie) etc. are excellent choices both for convenience and nutrition • Salt + carbs + calories are important considerations while hiking • Stopping to prepare a lunch can consume time on the trail you may not have. It can also be a major hassle.

31. Food • Weight Matters • Unless you’re car camping or going on a weekend trip consider leaving the fresh foods at home. • Canned & ‘space’ (boil in a bag) foods pack well but add weight and garbage you must carry out. • Alternatives: • freeze dried prepared backpacking foods (available at outfitters like MEC) • Dehydrated foods like oatmeal & other cereals, dried fruit, instant milk & beverages, instant rice, pasta, instant soups, dried beans etc. • Dense breads like bagels or rice cakes • Energy bars & gels

32. Food • Consider Bulk: • Repackage foods to reduce their bulk & weight • For example, Cooking spices can be mixed and stored in a small ziplock bag, an empty film canister, or a drinking straw with its ends taped shut. • Avoid excessive packaging; aim for re-sealable or single-serving options. • For example, single serving envelopes of hot chocolate or drink crystals make for an excellent morale booster

33. Food

34. Food • Meal Prep & Planning • Organize & store your meals by type (breakfast, lunch & dinner) • Keep your snacks (especially for day one) accessible • Ration & label your foods by day– ration generously, but be sure to make calculations so that you’re not carrying excess weight • Dividing foods into individual meal containers is a good idea (i.e. you may be eating oatmeal twice, but two ziplocks full of oatmeal labelled “day one” and “day two” will help you not to run out) • Do your prep at home • Ex. chop, dehydrate & combine dehydrated ingredients for an instant chilli at home

35. Food • Meal Prep & Planning– Useful Ingredients You Can Find in the Grocery Store • Dried milk • Egg replacer (baking only) or instant eggs • Spices! • Dried grains and beans and vegetables (mm, potato flakes!) • TVP • Instant sauces & gravies • Canned foods (depending on the trip) • Juice crystals, tea, coffee, hot chocolate

36. Food • Meal Prep & Planning– Fancy Style • Consider dehydrating you own foods • Oven method vs. buying a dehydrator • Where to find recipes • Backpacking magazines, the internet • Cook stove add-ons • impractical?