World Travel Backpacking

r/backpacking•4.4M subscribers•45 active
Welcome to /r/Backpacking!Travel

Welcome to /r/Backpacking. It has now been over 10 years of this subreddit, and we just passed our 1,000,000th subscriber!

By popular demand, this subreddit explores both uses of the word Backpaking: Wilderness and Travel Below are the rules and links to the dozens of related subreddits, many of which focus on more specific aspects of Backpacking of both types, and specific geographic locations.

(The other main reason this post is here is so that the weekly thread works properly. Otherwise there would be two weekly threads showing.)

Rules

  1. All posts must be flaired "Wilderness" or "Travel"

  2. Submissions must include a short paragraph describing your trip. Submitted content should be of high-quality. Low effort posting of very general information is not useful. Posts must include a trip report of at least 150 characters or a short paragraph with trip details.

  3. This is a community of users, not a platform for advertisement, self promotion, surveys, or blogspam. Acceptable Self-Promotion means at least participating in non-commercial/non-self promotional ways more often than not.

  4. Be courteous and civil. Polite, constructive criticism of ideas is acceptable. Unconstructive criticism of individuals and usage of strong profanity is unacceptable.

  5. All photos and videos must be Original Content

  6. Follow Rediquette.

If you have any questions, or are unsure whether something is ok to post, feel free to contact the moderators.

Related Subreddits:

Wilderness Subreddits

Gear and Food Subreddits

Outdoors Activity Subreddits

Destination Subreddits

Pinnedby greenearthbuild
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Weekly /r/backpacking beginner question thread - Ask any and all questions you may have here - May 06, 2024General

If you have any beginner questions, feel free to ask them here, remembering to clarify whether it is a Wilderness or a Travel related question. Please also remember to visit this thread even if you consider yourself very experienced so that you can help others!

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Note that this thread will be posted every Monday of the week and will run throughout the week. If you would like to provide feedback or suggest another idea for a thread, please message the moderators.

Pinnedby AutoModerator
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COSTCO has 8 pack of Mountain House for 49.99Travel
COSTCO has 8 pack of Mountain House for 49.99
by sevans105
613
105
16h
Solo backpacking in a snowstorm at Crater Lake National ParkWilderness
by dickpoop25
125
9
21h
Cowboy Camping SetupWilderness

Hi, I'm lloking to do some overnight hiking trips carrying the least amount of gear possible. I've got a sleeping bag that's rated to 15 degrees celscius, an inflatable sleeping pad, groundcloth, pillow, and an emergency blanket to throw over my sleeping bag if I get cold. I live in Greece and this time of year the nights are pretty warm already. Does this sound like a good plan? Should I change anything about this setup?

by DareiosK
2
1
3h
Realistic new backpacker costs (am I insane or reasonable?) Wilderness

Wanted to share what gear I collected for my first backpacking trip (just an overnight but planning for longer ones).

I realized I spent a fair bit, as I plan to make this a regular thing and wanted to have decent stuff so we (GF and I) can just “up and go” any weekend or off time we want. Considering it an investment and instead of say a 1 week trip with hotels, I’ve got many many trips we can enjoy almost for free from this. Of course this can be done cheaper, or way crazier but this is just my experience buying things I researched heavily and felt confident in and that did prove to work and perform as expected.

Let’s break it down. Items and costs. I had some things already so those costs aren’t included. This includes some essentials and a few clothing items I actually do need in the back country.

$290 pack: Osprey Atmos 65 LT $169 sleeping bag: Marmot Trestles elite 20 $169 sleeping pad: REI Helix $160 tent: Kelty Late Start 2P $80 rain jacket: Columbia $50 freeze dried food and trail snacks etc $40 water filter: sawyer squeeze $40 bear spray: Frontiersman $30 coffee maker: Stanley 32oz French press $20 head lamp: Petzl Actic $20 compass $15 dry stuff sack $10 spork $0 MSR stove and fuel cans (already had) $0 good knife (already had) $0 hydration bladder and bottles (already had) $0 snow peak titanium cook set (already had) $0 flash light stream light already (had) $0 shoes La Sportiva Karacals (already had) $0 basic med kit (already had) $0 bug spray (already had) $0 sunglasses, hat, gloves, appropriate clothes, wool socks etc (had) $0 trekking poles REI (had) $0 basic hygiene kit and poop kit (had)

Total spent $1,093.

If I didn’t have any items to start with, it would have come out to closer to $1,700 My gross pack weight came in at 26lbs including a total of 2.5L of water (location had abundant nearby) and 2 days of food for 2 people. Includes bag itself obviously.

This also doesn’t account what we spent for my GF (she carries less but still has basics bag, pack, pad etc).

We had a great time on our first trip last week and are definitely looking forward to more!

by Ok-Boot2017
3
6
6h
Good 2P tent for backpacking under $450-500Wilderness

Hi all. I’m fairly new to backpacking and am thinking I’d like to start spending nights out in the great outdoors. I have a Stratos 24 (a little small, I know, but it seemed like a good starting point for a day pack), a sleeping bag and a bit of other small gear, but I need a tent. Any suggestions? I’d prefer something lighter, I’m not quite ultralight at the moment but I understand the appeal and wouldn’t mind that sort of option. I want a 2P tent because I will be out with my wife or a friend sometimes. I also am open to other suggestions for useful gear! Thanks a lot in advance.

For weather-related considerations I currently live in the Mid-Atlantic US but am soon moving to the Mountain West US.

by PartyGuidance4725
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14h
Pindari Glacier Trek : Unforgettable JourneyTravel
Pindari Glacier Trek : Unforgettable Journey
by danuadventure
6
1
12h
7-8 Days trip idea in Europe Travel

as the title suggested, I'm looking for idea to do some multiday backpacking/fastpacking in Europe (arriving London and leaving via Frankfort) in mid September. I currently live in Asia, have done EBC / UTMB / Trolltunga and Dolomite (lavaredo ultra)...some Tour de Mount Rosa. Not planning to drive, so, it would be great if I can get to the trail head using public transportation or some uber. I'm thinking do the Lysefjord, complete the TMR, or do the West Highland Way. Any other suggestions ?? Thanks!

by Queasy-Head4516
2
2
7h
How do people camp in the middle of nowhere?Wilderness

I was watching a vid about a 17 y.o. Biking from Alaska to Argentina, and he camped 50m from the highway he was travelling on. But before he started camping, he saw bears that I estimate were 80 to 200 meters from the highway (large difference, but hard to tell with a camera). I’ve always thought that random camping would have a lot more precautions. How do you stop random people from stealing/attacking you( i know the chances are low, but…), or be able to safely avoid bears, mountain lions, and worst of all caribou. How do you guarantee a bear won’t tear down your tent. I’ve heard that you need to leave your food and supplies at least 50 m away from you so the bear won’t get close, but it’s still getting very close. Any answers are appreciated as I am very new to all this.

by No_Location8757
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Not my post but bumping this post I saw on a Facebook group in any hopes to avoid tragedyTravel
1/2
by SnooChipmunks1129
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Osprey Fairview 55L as a carry-on with Ryanair?Travel
Osprey Fairview 55L as a carry-on with Ryanair?
by lemonleavestheground
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Looking for critiques and suggestions for my rough Peru pathTravel
Looking for critiques and suggestions for my rough Peru path
by hebsbbejakbdjw
9
3
18h
Real-life experiences of recovering from hypothermia?Wilderness

I’m wondering if anyone has recovered from severe above-freezing (no frostbite) hypothermia. What did you feel like hour-by-hour as you reheated? What did you feel like in the following days and weeks? Were there any long-term effects?

by Party_Guidance7572
3
14
13h
Couple questionsWilderness

Hello everyone I'm new to backpacking and hoping to get a couple answers. Wondering if any using a bidet in the wild, do you use filtered water? Like can you just fill from a silt free source, or should you filter it first? Also wondering if anyone uses the bear vault food container is it raccoon proof?

by Successful-Ad7163
2
4
14h
What 3 months of backpacking South East Asia cost (Feb-May) Travel

I just came home from my backpacking trip to South East Asia on Sunday. I visited Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and the Philippines with two friends.  We recorded EVERY. SINGLE. expense that we had and I have decided to compile my expenses for all of you to see :)

Please feel free to ask any questions, (unrelated ones as well), if you're wondering about what a specific thing cost I'm more than happy to check :)

Observe:

  1. We travelled quite fast, which you might have been able to deduce from the number of countries we visited in just 3 months.

  2. Our daily budget was approximately 30 USD a day (333 sek) where we were looking to spend a maximum of 10$ on hostels, 10$ on food and the remaining 10$ was saved for travel expenses.

  3. We also had an activity budget of 500$.

Yes. We were strict with our budget. Was it hard to stick to it? No. Well. Except for the Philippines.

COSTS BEFORE THE START OF THE TRIP: 2269$

  • Direct flight round trip ticket: 1154$  - (1 Checked in bag and 1 carry on)
  • Insurance: 112$
  • Vaccinations: 565$ (Hep A+B (2 doses), Tyfoid, Meningitis ACWY, Kolera)
  • Equipment: 438$

Explanation of all categories:

  • Food: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and non alcoholic drinks.
  • Accomodation: Hostel cost.
  • Transportation: Long and short form transport not related to any activity, Visas.
  • Activities: Entrance fees, hired drivers, tours.
  • Souvenirs: Post cards, paintings, clothes etc.
  • Alcohol: Alcohol
  • Misc: Anything not included in the categories above, laundry, toilet fees, bank fees.

Northern Thailand: 11 Days = 226.77$

  • Food: 53$ (4.18$/day)
  • Accomodation: 50$ (4.54$/night)
  • Transportation: 40$ (Bus to Chiang Mai & Chiang Rai + buses and trains in BKK)
  • Activities: 43.42$ (Temple Hopping and Cooking Class)
  • Souvenirs: 16$
  • Alcohol: 20.4$
  • Misc: 3.95$

Laos: 10 Days = 332.93$

  • Food: 54.14$ (5.4$/day)
  • Accomodation: 52.65$ (5.2$/day)
  • Transportation: 140$ (EVISA, 2 day boat to LP, bus to Vang Vieng, van to Vinetiane)
  • Activities: 37.48$ (Lagoons, kayaking, tuktuk for a day, entrance fees)
  • Souvenirs: 36.37$
  • Alcohol: 10.70$
  • Misc: 1.59$

Cambodia: 11 Days = 450.27$

  • Food: 104.8$ (9.45$/day)
  • Accomodation: 51.83$ (5.1$/night)
  • Transportation: 196.36$ (VISA (big cost) 30h to Siem Reap, bus to Koh Rong, Phnom Penh)
  • Activities: 64.76$ (Angkor Wat, killing fields, Tuol)
  • Souvenirs: 22.61$
  • Alcohol: 7.75$
  • Misc: 2.16$

Vietnam:  21 Days = 643.1$

  • Food: 134.21$ (6.1$/day)
  • Accomodation: 76.81$ (3.5$/night)
  • Transportation: 96.08$ (Van to HCMC, bus to Hoi An, Hanoi, Cat Ba, Hanoi)
  • Activities: 281.53$ (Cooking class, food tour, Ha Giang, Ha Long Bay)
  • Souvenirs: 28.3$
  • Alcohol: 12.51$
  • Misc: 13.96$

Philippines: 15 Days = 1002$

  • Food: 98.67$ (6.57$/day)
  • Accomodation: 123.73$ (8.2$/night)
  • Transportation: 577.62$ (flights ;-; and the boats were expensive too)
  • Activities: 164.62$ (3 scuba dives, snorkeling tours and island hopping)
  • Souvenirs: 29.3$
  • Alcohol: 0$ (did not feel safe enough to drink)
  • Misc: 8.71$

Southern Thailand: 18 Days = 612.37

  • Food: 146.7$ (8.15$/day)
  • Accomodation: 142.68$ (7.92$/night)
  • Transportation: 131.96$ (4 boats, 1 bus, vans, tuktuks n bolt)
  • Activities: 49.69$ (ziplining, snorkeling tour, yoga)
  • Souvenirs: 135$
  • Alcohol: 4.07$ (150 b bucket)
  • Misc: 2.27$

I also freaked the fuck out after a close encounter with a dog on Koh Rong and decided to get the rabies vaccine = +148$ (3 doses+doctors visit).

In total I spent approximately 3365$ in the 3 months we were travelling and 5634$ including all costs before the trip. This number would've been a LOT lower if we had skipped the Philippines, but you live and you learn. We were still mostly within our budget.

Again, please feel free to ask any questions :)

by Emclich
8
2
22h
I NEED YOUR HELP! 🍉 #shortsSpoilerTravel
I NEED YOUR HELP! 🍉 #shorts
by Laren12332
0
2
3h
Share your “one way ticket” experience.Travel

I’m graduating a semester early and taking a gap year before going off to graduate school and need to get away. I’ve been backpacking before but I have always planned months before hand. If you have literally just booked a one way ticket somewhere not knowing when or if you would come back, please share your story.

What did you spend? Where did you go? How long were you there? Difficulties?

Thank you. :)

by Overall_Support6065
1
1
12h
Question about a specific mountain hardwear light jacket.Travel

Hello everyone, just curious if anyone's owned this specific color of this specific half-zip light jacket:

https://www.mountainhardwear.ca/en/p/mens-mountain-stretch-1%2F2-zip-1942331.html?dwvar_1942331_color=056

I wanna get this "foil grey" color but I'm curious how visible sweat stains are haha.

For reference I have the black crewneck version from the same company which is nice. I like the quality. My only concern really is this light grey color showing sweat stains. Thanks

by redcarda
1
0
13h
Camera AdviceWilderness

I’m looking for a camera to take on a 6 day backpacking trip. I normally just take photos on my phone but I really don’t want to pack around a bunch of heavy battery backups for my phone when I won’t have service.

I was looking at the Sony a6000 but it looks like the battery life is not great, doesn’t really solve my problem if I have to pack a bunch of batteries for it. Does anyone have any suggestions on a lightweight/small camera that won’t die on day 2 or 3 of my hike? If it takes better pictures than a new cell phone that’s great but my skill with photography is very minimal, I took one class so I need something beginner friendly.

by pibble801
2
16
17h
Thru-hike food planning help needed.Wilderness

I'm doing the Colorado Trail this summer and need a bit of assistance planning enough protein and caloric intake. I'm not ultralighting so the pack will be between 30-40 pounds total loadout depending on section water scarcity so of course weight is somewhat of a concern.

Ive got the route logistics chopped up into 7 day chunks (basically I will get to resupply every 7).

Breakfast / Dinner is going to be a mix of Pinnacle and Peak refuel freeze dried meals. Approximatly 800 calories and 45g protein each meal. 1600/90 calories per day base.

Quite frankly this is not enough food for me and would be miserable to ruck on all day long for a month. I eat 3000 calories/200 gr protein normally in a day but I realize having a ribeye for breakfast just isn't happening on trail. I'm looking to bolster caloric intake/protein possibly without doing 3 freeze dried meals a day. Long as I could prepare/package ahead of time then 7x units don't equal a massive amount of weight, I'd consider it. If that's not feasible due to weight or caloric/protein density, what are some options? Please don't say pemmican...it's pretty nasty.

Thanks!!

by The-J-Oven
1
7
14h
New to backpackingWilderness

I’m from the Salem area and trying to get into backpacking in not sure totally what I would need or anything I’ve been on many hikes but not backpacking if anyone could give me some tips of what I’d need or places around the Salem Oregon area that would be great thank you

by Few-Resolution-2933
3
2
21h
Vietman or the Philippines for solo trekkingTravel

Hi reddit community!

I'm looking for a bit of advice. I'm planning a solo backpacking holiday for next year and I'm debating whether to go to Vietnam or the Philippines. I love hiking, exploring mountains and volcanoes, experiencing local culture, adventure activities, learning about history, beaches (although not too much- don't want an exclusively beach - orientated holiday). I love going off the beaten path. Does anyone have any opinions on the two? Or any other countries they would think would be more suitable? I'm open to any suggestions! I'll likely be going for 3 weeks/ 1 month, travelling from the UK. I have a driving licence, but not sure how id fare driving in chaotic traffic.

Let me know please!

by samj13579
8
7
1d
Looking for a new sleeping bagWilderness

I have the Big Agnes Lost Dog 15° long/wide model... I'm 5'11'' and 140 lbs... it's WAAAAY too big for me... I feel like it's really bulky in my pack and I could easily save space and weight getting a different bag... but I really like the bag... the footspace is awesome... the pad cinch design is great (I love that my bag and pad are attached, makes sleeping so much comfier)... I just wished it packed down a little tighter... it's hard to get my water bladder in its sleeve while my sleeping bag is in the bottom compartment... my question is, do I get another lost dog 15° in the regular/regular size (6'' shorter and a lb lighter) or should I just get a new sleeping bag all together?

by SpunKookie
1
0
15h
Backpacker Documentary Series Help.Travel

Hey, my name is Craig and I am an aspiring documentary film maker from the US. I am also a full time traveler/backpacker. I have been on the road basically full time for the last 5 years. I am finally at a point that I am going to be taking on a huge documentary travel series about backpackers (the hostel travel kind not the hikers) that I have been dreaming of for the last few years. My goal is to begin production early next year. Anyway...

Right now, I am going to shoot a few pilot/test episodes and I am looking for a few people that may be interested in being involved. For these pilot/test episodes I want to film a backpacker on a short 3-5 day trip. The actually doc series will be about long term 3-6 month trips but using the short trips as a way to test some gear, continue to gain experience, and continue to develop the style I want the series to be. As I am currently in the US (Southern California), I am only looking for people from the US or Canada because I want to keep the budget for these pilot episodes as low as possible. They will probably be shot in Mexico as that is the closest and cheapest place that has some backpacker culture.

In return for helping me out with the project, I will be covering most of if not all the cost of the trips as I consider that to only be fair and is just part of production cost.

Another option, is if you already have a trip in mexico or central american in the next month or 2 and we could meet up and I could film all or part of it, that would work too. Of course, in that case I wont be paying for all of your trip but of course would buy food, drinks, and pay for some activities as compensation.

Please send me a message if you are possibly interested and I would love to chat a lot more about it to go over the details and the plans. My IG account is CraigArnoldAdventures if you want to see that I am a real person and not some weirdo. Hahahaha

Thanks so much. Cheers!

by Bluegraysky22
0
2
16h
Southern Vermont this weekend 5/11/2024Wilderness

I'm planning on traveling to VT this weekend to do a single overnighter in Green Mountain Forest on the Griffith Lake Loop

It looks like it might be a miserable weekend anyways, but does anyone know what the current trail conditions are for that hike?

I'm not familiar with the area. So any other advice would be much appreciated.

by akinsgre
4
3
1d
Nemo Dagger OSMO 2P vs Mountain Hardwear Aspect 2Wilderness

Planning a 2-3 night trip with my 11 and 13 year old sons later in the summer. I'm seeing a couple lightly used tents at good prices on Facebook Marketplace (200$ for the Nemo Dagger OSMO, brand new, and 250$ for the Mountain Hardwear Aspect 2, used a couple-few nights with footprint) but wanted to see what you opinion was on these.

I definitely hear about the Nemo Dagger OSMO more than the Mountain Hardwear Aspect 2. The Aspect 2 is maybe .75 lbs less, but feature-wise may not be as good? Again, no experience with either. Any thoughts?

https://www.rei.com/product/200550/nemo-dagger-osmo-2p-tent VS https://www.rei.com/product/164698/mountain-hardwear-aspect-2-tent

by Sketchy_UncleUnited States
1
1
19h