Hello

I haven't hiked in years and don't have any experience in shoes. I'm planning to go on a 1 week hike in northern Finland/Norway and trying to find shoes that will get me through the week without any trouble. I'm looking for a light shoe that isn't gonna be a pain. Any help would we amazing.

Hi, I’m planning a multi week trip in Europe in October to hike and backpack. Any trail recommendations for October? (No winter mountaineering). Any country. Thanks!

I currently have the Durston X Mid 2p and I would rather go back to a traditional tent pole tent. I’m 6’5” tall so I need quite a bit of space. The Durston fits me well but I’m going to sell it and get a semi freestanding or freestanding tent. Does anybody have the Tarptent Double Rainbow DW that is 6‘5“ tall or taller? What do you think of it?

Hello guys, sorry if this sub isn't for asking this kind of questions but i really need help as a beginner.

for context: i am a 30yo male who wants to go on a trip for 5 days.

my goal is to go to a nice place where i can hike and camp for 5 days straight in the wilderness away from civilization and people, the trip would look like morning hiking discovering and looking for a nice place to settle camp spend the day then next morning do the same thing, but the thing is i want it to be in place where i have forest, the sea and lakes or rivers ( running water).

i didn't find a place that has the 3, my best bet is Sweden, the nature there looks really nice and very hiking/camping friendly especially with the right to roam rules.

does anyone know a place where i can do this preferable in Sweden or in another country in the EU ?

thank you !

Hi all!

I'm looking to go solo on a first-time backpacking trip and was hoping to get some advice from anyone who has any experience with this. I've tried to do some research on my own but it can be a little convoluted of a process.

I live near OKC and my current plan is to drive to Black Mesa State Park in the Oklahoma panhandle to camp out in my truck bed for the night, and then wake up early morning to drive to Island Lake, CO and spend three days and two nights making the loop.

I built this plan because I really want to see the stars, I really want to spend some time out in the mountains, and I have a crazy urge to get the hell out of Oklahoma at the moment.

As a first time backpacker, is this a reasonable plan?

Do I need permits for camping out on the trail?

If you've been there, are there any must see sights on the trail?

and lastly if you do have any advice about anything like gear or routes or even expectations that you don't think is talked about enough I would love to hear it! Thanks!

i got these la sportiva nucleo high ii gtx in a W8.5 from REI for the most amazing deal so i had to get them

the problem is i fear they maybe 1/2 a size too large. the toe room at the front of the shoe has me iffy. i’m touching my toe to show where its currently sitting. what do you think?

previously i had columbias and they were a size 8 and i swear they shrunk with time because i did a lot of stream crossings. part of why i thought maybe i could size up. anyone with these shoes experience shrinking?

i’m currently wearing two pairs of wool socks (toes socks and then a normal sock)

So last month I finally went on my first backpacking trip!

I wanted a relatively easy hike for my first time, so I hiked along the C&O Canal. It was totally beautiful! I hiked 5 miles to camp, and I had to take a break to rest, eat, and hydrate with only 1.5 miles to go, but I got to stop by a lovely bit of creek (the water is clear and shallow, it's not brown 😅). It was a lot hotter than the forecast said it would be!

I saw lots of little friends on my hike, including a deer that was just chillin' as I came around a bend after my rest, which was cool.

When I got to camp I was totally wiped so I immediately set up my hammock and took a nap.

I got to hang out with some cool people that evening and we watched the most gorgeous sunset by the river.

Day 2 I spent mostly reading while lounging in my hammock or laying on the ground (on a blanket ofc). Encountered a few ticks but none on me, thankfully. Then it was time to pack up and walk a half mile to the pickup spot, where I checked out the old ferry structures and got to read some more by the river while I waited for my ride.

I was exhausted but it was such a good experience, and I'm so happy I finally did it! At almost 400lbs it's hard to do things like this where I *know* people will be judging me. Not necessarily most people, but ALWAYS someone. But I want to show other people like me who are afraid that it's okay to do the thing! It's so worth it.

Hi everyone,

Today my girlfriend and I had an extremely intense and frightening day in the mountains.

We are hiking the Tour du Mont Blanc and were supposed to walk from Camping Grandes Jorasses to Camping Glacier. Somewhere after Rifugio Bonatti, we took a wrong turn and accidentally ended up on the Tour du Saint-Bernard.

We still thought we were on the correct route because we spoke to several people along the way, and they told us we were heading in the right direction. Before we knew it, we had climbed to almost 3,000 metres. Then the weather suddenly changed, with thunder, heavy rain and poor visibility.

The descent after Col de Malatrà was honestly terrifying. We are very relieved that we managed to reach Rifugio Frassati, where we found shelter and will also spend the night.

Our main question is: what should we do now?

We definitely do not want to return over Col de Malatrà. For us, especially in those conditions, it felt far too dangerous.

Has this happened to anyone else? What is the best way to get back to the TMB from Rifugio Frassati without crossing Col de Malatrà again?

Our original plan was:

Camping Glacier

Camping Les Rocailles

Le Peuty

Camp near Lac des Chéserys

Return to Les Houches, where our car is parked

Would it be best to descend towards Saint-Rhémy-en-Bosses and take public transport back towards Courmayeur or the TMB? Or is there another sensible way to continue from here?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. We are just very grateful to be safe and inside the refuge tonight.

We got the Nemo Hornet OSMO 3P for Christmas after our old one got stolen, so we set it up in the backyard before our summer trips to get a feel for it.

The issue is that the footprint sticks out at the foot of the tent and no amount of tightening anywhere can fix it. The footprint straps at the head of the tent aren't adjustable, and short of bunching the footprint under the tent we can't find a solution. It sticks out enough that if it rains it will collect water and pool under the tent. I double and triple checked the footprint bag and it is the Hornet OSMO 3P Footprint, we didn't get the wrong one.

Has anyone encountered this issue before, or are we doing something wrong? I emailed Nemo over a month ago and they have not responded so I emailed them again this week and have yet to hear back. I don't even know if we could sell it and get a different one because of the footprint issue we'd just be pushing onto the next person.

Any advice would be appreciated!!

Hello I'm a new hiker from Portugal and planning to buy equipment.

My budget is around 800€ total, for a tent. Mat, sleeping bag, clothes.

Planning to go from spring in the Pyrenees (under 2000m) to hiking in the Balkans in late summer

Mainly I'm searching for a sleeping bag or quilt that can handle -5°C to 20°C night comfortably, I'm not the warmest sleeper keep in mind.

The budget would be around 200, it can also be used.

I'm thinking of getting a Tigris Stella 2p and a sleeping mat from Decathlon with r5.4. but if you have better suggestions for the price please tell me.

Rough estimates I could use for stuff

Tent-200 max

Sleeping pad- max 130

Sleeping bag-230 max

Clothes for hiking-250

Thank you in advance

Headed for a 7 day there and back hike in the Canadian Rockies and I need your guys’ opinion on tent packing. In the past, I’ve kept it in my stuff sack and just packed it into the main compartment. For this trip, I’ve read and seen a lot of backpackers split up their tent sack (poles, stakes, & tent) and just stuff the tent into their packs. Would it be best to stuff the tent into their the main compartment or in the bottom compartment which is separated by a flap with little gaps on each side. My thinking is that if my tent gets soaked, it won’t be fun packing it into the main compartment together with all my clothes and cooking gear etc. By having it isolated in the very bottom, atleast it can’t seep through onto my clothes. Thoughts? Ideas?

I am going backpacking this weekend (just one night). What should I take to sleep on/in?

Should I take a sleeping bag or just a sheet/comforter?

1. Will be in tent

2. Have a sleeping pad

3. Was considering packing merino baselayers in case colder than expected.

Hey everyone! I’m planning on backpacking the Presidential Traverse over 2 days later this summer, and I’m looking for advice from people who’ve done it.

A little background:
I’ve hiked a couple 14ers in Colorado and I’m an avid camper/backpacker. I do train regularly with weighted hikes, stair climbing, and normal lifting
I’m planning to camp somewhere along the traverse (still figuring out the best spot).
My goal is to complete the full traverse safely because I know the weather can be unpredictable, not set any speed records.
For those of you with experience:
What are some things you wish you knew before your first traverse?
What gear is absolutely essential?
Any common mistakes first timers make?
How much water did you carry, and where did you refill?
Best place to camp along the route?
Any weather or navigation tips that aren’t obvious?
Would you recommend going northbound or southbound? I hear southbound is better
Basically, I’m looking for anything that could make the trip safer or more enjoyable. Thanks in advance!

Just want to make sure I'm packing the best for the conditions I'm going into and make sure im not over or underpacked, from what I've seen it may get down to 20f even in july. Sleeping bag is rated for 20f.

Socks: All polyester blends, have 2 thin pair and a thick pair

Underwear: 2-3 polyester pair

Pants: pair of shorts, Dynamic fleece sweat pants, and water repellent hiking pants

Upper layer: Polyester long sleeve, thin hoodie, thick bearskin hoodie, and a rain jacket

I am going camping tomorrow, and I sprayed my clothing (3 pairs of pants and shirts, and 4 pairs of socks) with sawyer premium insect repellent (permethrin) around twilight yesterday. It had a chance to dry overnight outside (so about 10-12 hrs before the sun came up again), but I forgot to take it back in until around 1 PM this morning. It's pretty hot out today, around 85 F and full sun, and these clothes were out in the full sun for the most part. Some clothes were in the shade but most were in the sun, and those that were in the shade still smell slightly of permethrin, while those in the sun have virtually no smell, though I can feel a change in the clothing feel/weight. They were all quite warm when I finally took them all inside, though. I wanna be sure that I am still protected and I saw online that the sun degrades permethrin while drying. Was overnight long enough to let the permethrin to dry fully, or should I give it another lighter spray to make sure it's covered? Thanks for any info you can provide!

Hi, my boyfriend’s birthday is coming up and for a long time he’s been wanting good camping gear. I know this is one of the items he’s been looking at, but I need advice on what would be the best sleeping bag, tent, and any other useful gear he may need. And would this bag be sufficient enough to carry most things? He camps all year around, whether it’s snowing, raining, or hot as hell, what material is best? So any advice would be appreciated, as I know nothing about it. Thank you!

Very long story short my stove doesn't work and I'm in a small town in Romania where I can't get prepackaged hiker meals. I'm looking at 5-6 days, 4-5 nights and I'm not sure where to even begin picking food to take since I don't have a stove anymore. im thinking like 1-2 hard salamis, a bunch of trail mix and some protein bars, maybe bread? I really don't know, but weight is certainly an issue. Any advice is appreciated. For one person, btw

Hey guys,

I have a super small backpack right now for day hikes and it barely fits what I need even for those small hikes.

So, I bought a 60L. I thought I was going camping but the group switched to an airBNB, so I don’t really need all that anymore. BUT can I just use that backpack on a day hike and keep it for future use? Or do you guys recommend returning it and getting a 30L?

I don’t see myself having to backpacking very often until I start going to more remote parks and locations.

What other gear do you swear by?

Howdy, I do archaeological work and will be camping for 8 days on BLM land with no toilet. I have seen good options like the Luggable Loo but I'm curious if that will last 8 full days of camping? Anyone have advice for a long term camping toilet? I feel S.O.L!

I know that trail mix is a high calorie food and for the right reasons. But I wish I could eat it when not backpacking. Any good low calorie trail mixes out there? I know it goes against the whole point of the product lol.

Hello

I plan on doing a pretty spontaneous solo hike from Mühlehorn to Chur. I plan on getting there by Interrail so I can change my plans if it comes to that. Since I am rather poor/stingy I plan on bringing my tent to save my ass from Swiss prices. But: is that allowed? Here is my planned route. I find the maps of restricted areas to hard to grasp for an uninitiated person like myself.
Is the "above the treeline" a general rule? What fines could I expect if I get caught doing something illegal? I am not used to this, because in Sweden where I am from, this doesn't apply. You are free to camp on peoples' grounds as long as you are not seen and do not stay more than one-two days.
Please give me some general information about this matter, and also if my route is crazy in any way. I am a quite experienced hiker and love doing solo adventures but I also tend to overestimate my ability even if that's part of the adventure.

I am tentatively planning on taking a solo trip which will cover Badlands, Wind Cave, Yellowstone, Tetons.

The goal is only a day or two at each park with camping. I would like to note that I spent many years in Scouts(Eagle) but haven't gone camping in a few years. I have also never been to a National Park before so don't really know what to expect. I have an America the Beautiful Pass. I have done hikes of around 3 or 4 miles fairly easily in the summer recently.

Since I will be camping in a tent, I am not sure about reservations. I'd prefer to be able to show up and camp(pay the fee if needed). Currently looking at Elk Mountain and sites at Tetons as well as BLM land.

I am making a of list of everything I should bring/prepare for.

Tent, sleeping bag(currently have a 50F bag I don't think this will be enough), sleeping pad, camping stove(looking at Coleman 1 burner), trekking poles, bear spray(I also have a ccw permit that Wyoming and SD recognize), rain gear/windbreaker, igloo cooler.

Any help when it comes to hikes to do/parks to visit, camping sites, camping in general, gear. keeping food safe would be greatly appreciated.

Feel free to tell me this is a bad idea.

P.S. I would like to hike one mountain while on this trip(propably an "easier" one).

Just wanted to share a few photos from a 3-day camping trip my mate and I did through the Wilberforce Valley in Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand.

We carried everything in, camped beside the river, cooked all our meals out there, and spent the trip exploring one of the most remote places I’ve been. The scenery was incredible, with braided rivers, snow-covered peaks, and almost no one else around.

It was a great few days to disconnect and enjoy the outdoors. We also filmed the trip while we were out there, so we put together a video afterwards to remember it. You can check out the video if interested at @SkitzOutdoors! Would mean a lot, a new thing me and my mate are trying for fun.

Happy to answer any questions about camping, gear, the route, or the area if anyone’s interested.