Backpacking is the outdoor recreation of carrying gear on one's back whilehiking for more than a day. It is often an extended journey[1] and may involvecamping outdoors. In North America, tenting is common, where simple shelters andmountain huts, widely found in Europe, are rare. In New Zealand, hiking is calledtramping, and tents are used alongside a nationwide network of huts.[2]Hill walking is equivalent in Britain (but this can also refer to a day walk), though backpackers make use of a variety of accommodation, in addition to camping. Backpackers use simple huts in South Africa.[3]Trekking andbushwalking are other words used to describe such multi-day trips. The termswalking tour orlong distance hike are also used.
Backpackingas a method of travel is a different activity, which mainly usespublic transport during a journey that can last months. It is, however, similar tobikepacking,bicycle touring,canoe andkayak camping, andtrail riding, withsaddlebags.
Backpacking is anoutdoor recreation where gear is carried in abackpack. This can include food, water, bedding, shelter, clothing, stove, and cooking kit. Given that backpackers must carry their gear, the total weight of their bag and its contents is a primary concern of backpackers. Backpacking trips range from one night to weeks or months, sometimes aided by planned resupply points, drops, or caches.
Carrying loads appears to have differentiated humans from other animals.[4]
A weighted carry from backpacking taxes muscles.[4] A weighted load stresses the shoulders, deltoids, back, abdominals, obliques, hips, quadriceps, hamstrings and the knees.[4] Humans can carry weight under 50 pounds (23 kg) in a safe manner,[4] and a weighted carry is as beneficial for the cardiovascular system as a light run,[4] and for exercise, a weighted carry helps avoid injuries.[4]
A differential exists between a man running in comparison to a man walking while carrying a backpack.[4] A 175-pound (79 kg) man running, without a backpack, loads his knees with 1,400 pounds (640 kg) of stress per stride.[4] The same person, carrying a 30-pound (14 kg) pack, loads his knees with 555 pounds (252 kg) of stress per step.[4]
Backpacking camps are usually more spartan than campsites where gear is transported by car or boat. In areas with heavy backpacker traffic, a hike-incampsite might have afire ring (where permissible), anouthouse, a wooden bulletin board with amap and information about the trail and area. Many hike-in camps are no more than level patches of ground free of underbrush. In remotewilderness areas hikers must choose their own site. Established camps are rare and theethos is to "leave no trace" when gone.
In some regions, varying forms of accommodation exist, from simple log lean-to's to staffed facilities offering escalating degrees of service. Beds, meals, and even drinks may be had atAlpinehuts scattered among well-traveled European mountains. Backpackers there can walk from hut-to-hut without leaving the mountains, while in places like theLake District orYorkshire Dales in England hill-walkers descend to stay inyouth hostels, farmhouses orguest houses. Reservations can usually be made in advance and are recommended in the high season.
In the more remote parts of Great Britain, especially Scotland,bothies exist to provide simple (free) accommodation for backpackers. On the French system oflong distance trails,Grande Randonnées, backpackers can stay ingîtes d'étapes, which are simple hostels provided for walkers and cyclists. There are some simple shelters and occasional mountain hut also provided in North America, including on theAppalachian Trail. Another example is theHigh Sierra Camps in theYosemite National Park. Long-distance backpacking trails with huts also exist in South Africa, including the 100 km plusAmatola Trail, in theEastern Cape Province.[3] Backpacking is also popular in theHimalayas (often called trekking there), whereporters andpack animals are often used.[5]
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Backpacking gear depends on the terrain and climate, and on a hiker's plans for shelter (refuges, huts, gites, camping, etc.). It may include:
Properhydration is critical to successful backpacking. Depending on conditions - which include weather, terrain, load, and the hiker's age and fitness - a backpacker may drink 2 to 8 litres (1/2 to 2 gallons), or more, per day. At 1 kilogram (2.2 lb) per 1 litre (1.1 US qt)[6] water is exceptionally heavy. It is impossible to carry more than a few days' supply. Therefore, hikers often drink natural water supplies, sometimes after filtering or purifying.
Some hikers will treat water before drinking to protect againstwaterborne diseases carried bybacteria andprotozoa. The chief treatment methods include:
Water may be stored in bottles or collapsible plastic bladders.Hydration bladders are increasingly popular.
Backpacking is energy-intensive: long-distance hikers require up to 4,500calories of food energy per day.[7] This is the equivalent of 0.68 to 1.13 kilograms (1.5 to 2.5 lb) of food.[8]
There are several choices for backpacking food. Many hikers usefreeze-dried precooked entrees for hot meals, quickly reconstituted by adding boiling water.[8] Popular snacks includetrail mix, nuts,energy bars, and chocolate.[8] Some backpackers consume dried foods, includingbeef jerky,dried fruit,instant oatmeal, and powderedhummus.[9]
There are three common ways to prepare food while backpacking: cold soaking, cooking on acamp stove, and cooking over acampfire. Cold soaking consists of rehydrating dried food with cold water, generally used to avoid carrying the weight of a stove.[10] For stove cooking, small liquid or gas-fueled stoves[11] and lightweight cooking pots are common.
When campfires are not prohibited,[12] it is possible to cook food directly over a campfire.[13] Campfires can be used to boil, bake, roast, or fry food.[13]
For long-distance backpacking trips, it is sometimes not possible to carry all of the food required from the beginning. In this situation, backpackers need to resupply with food. This resupply can be done by either buying new food in towns along the route, or mailing themselves boxes of food.[14][15]
Ultralight backpacking is a style of lightweightbackpacking that emphasizes carrying the lightest and least amount of gear.[16] While no technical standards exist, some hikers consider "ultralight" to mean an initial base weight of less than 4.5 kg (10 lb).[17] Base weight is the weight of a fully loadedbackpack at the start of a trip, excluding worn weight and consumables such as food, water, and fuel (which vary depending on the duration and style of trip). Base weight can be lowered by reducing the weight of individual items of gear, or by choosing not to carry that gear. Ultralight backpacking is popular amongthru-hikers.[18]
Ultralight backpacking was popularized by Americanrock climberRay Jardine, whose 1992 bookPCT Hiker's Handbook[19] laid the foundations for many techniques that ultralight backpackers use today. Jardine claimed his firstPacific Crest Trail thru-hike was with a base weight of 5.7 kg (13 lb), and by his third PCT thru-hike it was below 4.5 kg (10 lb)[20]
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Backpacking has been a historically white male-dominated outdoor recreational activity. With official backpacks for the sport being patented since 1878, it is indicative of the demographics that the first backpack designed for and marketed towards women wasn't invented until 1979,[22] over 100 years later.
Backpacking was popularized in the 1960s after the passing ofThe Wilderness Act.[23] Since then, the majority of backpackers have been young, white, men.[24] Studies surrounding the outdoor activity have reflected this. The effects on backpacking (hiking) on women wasn't studied until around 2004,[25] and research is still lacking.
Winter backpacking requires a higher level of skill and generally more specialized gear than in other seasons.Skis orsnowshoes may be required to traverse deep snow, orcrampons and anice axe where needed. Winter sleeping bags and tents are essential, as are waterproof, water-repellent, and moisture dissipating materials. Cotton clothing retains moisture and chills the body, both particularly dangerous in cold weather. Winter backpackers stick to wool or synthetic fabric like nylon or polypropylene, which hold less moisture and often have specialized wicking properties to dissipate sweat generated during aerobic activities. Layering is essential, as wet clothes quickly sap body heat and can lead tofrostbite orhypothermia.
A winter bivouac can also be made in asnow cave. It has thermal properties similar to anigloo and is effective both at providing protection from wind and low temperatures. A properly made snow cave can be 0 °C (32 °F) or warmer inside, even when outside temperatures are −40 °C (−40 °F).[26][27]It is constructed by excavating snow so that its entrance tunnel is below the main space in order to retain warm air. Construction is simplified by building on a steep slope and digging slightly upwards and horizontally into the snow. The roof is domed to prevent dripping on the occupants. Adequate snow depth, free of rocks and ice, is needed — generally 4 to 5 ft (1.2 to 1.5 m) is sufficient. Aquinzhee is similar, but constructed by tunneling into mounded snow rather than by digging into a natural snow formation.
Fastpacking is a recreational activity that combinesultralight backpacking withrunning, and, on steep slopes,hiking. It is a multi-day adventure that usually takes places alonglong distance trails.[28][29] A sleeping bag is carried and other essential backpacking items, and often a tent or similar shelter, if places to stay are not available.[30][31]
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