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Suggested Backpacking Gear List

for Beginners

Fundamental Items:

Item Example

Backpack Osprey Aether 60 (men) or Osprey Ariel 65 (women) (pack should be no smaller than 60 liters)

Boots Asolo Fugitive (men) Asolo Stynger (women)

Head lamp Princeton Tec Fuel

Knife/multi-tool Gerber Clutch multi-tool

Pack rain cover REI Ducks Back rain cover

Sleeping bag REI Zen 25+ degree

Sleeping pad Therm-a-rest ProLite or RidgeRest

Stove and fuel Snow Peak Giga Power and MSR IsoPro 200g canister

Cooking pot 1 L Aluminum pot

Eating gear Spoon (or spork), bowl, and cup

Tent REI Quarter Dome T1 (one person) REI Quarter Dome T2 (two person)

Water bottle/bladder 2 Nalgene bottles or 2-3 L Camel-bak hydration bladder

Water treatment Portable Aqua Iodine, Portable Aqua Chlorine Dioxide tablets, or Katadyn Hiker Pro water lter

Whistle Fox40

Toilet paper Plain, white, unscented in a plastic bag to protect it from rain

Cat-hole trowel Orange plastic kind

Small First-aid kit Any prescription medications you take, pain-killers (such as Advil or Tylenol), Band-aids and afew small gauze pads, moleskin, blister bandages, hydrocortisone cream, benadryl

This is a suggested list of basic, essential, and fundamental gear for those who are new to backpacking. This list is astarting place. Beginners should do their own research and consult with experienced backpackers as they put together

their backpacking kit. Examples of specic products are for illustrative purposes only and are not a recommendation or

endorsements.

25-50 feet of small diameter cord/rope for bear bag (e.g.REI Braided Nylon Cord)

Stuff sack for a food bag (sea-to-summit sil-nylon dry bag)

Duct Tape (a few feet wrapped around a trekking pole orwater bottle) or a very small roll

Sewing kit: needle, a few feet of nylon thread, and a fewsafety pins

Very Small bottle of biodegradable soap (e.g. campsuds)

Small bottle of hand sanitizer

Feminine hygiene products (if applicable) and plastic bagsto carry out used products.

1 garbage bag, and 1-2 extra zip-lock bags

Sunscreen (SPF 30+) (small bottle)

100% DEET bug repellent (non-DEET tends to beineffective)

Applicable maps for the area (essential on more difculttrips)

Compass (strongly recommended and its important that yknow how to use it)

Small toothbrush and travel sized toothpaste

Matches in waterproof container and/or butane lighter (Bi

Trekking Poles

Other required or strongly recommended items:

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Item Quantity

Bandana 1-2

Fleece or wool sweater 1

Hiking (wool) socks 2

Liner socks (polypropylene, coolmax, or silk) 2

Hiking shirt (short sleeved wicking t-shirt orlong sleeved wicking shirt)

1

Hiking shorts/pants (hiking convertible pants)No Jeans or Cotton!

1

Lightweight long underwear (tops andbottoms)

1

Lightweight stocking cap 1

Lightweight gloves (or liner gloves) 1

Breathable rain coat and rain pants 1

Sun hat 1

Wicking underwear 1-2

Clothing

(including what you are wearing):

Item Quantity

Camp shoes or sandals 1

Down booties 1

Heavy gloves and/or mittens 1

Heavy long underwear (top and bottom) 1

Insulated vest or eece vest 1

Insulated jacket or eece jacket 1

Insulated pants or eece pants 1

Button down shirt with convertible sleeves(e.g. ExOfcio Air Strip)

1

Clothing (optional or according to

weather conditions):

Optional items and luxury items:

Headnet

Camp towel (small sized)

Compact binoculars

Small digital camera

Lightweight camp chair or sitting pad (i.e. Crazy Creek,Therm-a-rest chair kit)

Buff

Sleeping bag liner

Individually wrapped personal wash wipes (used ones mustbe packed out)

Dedicated sleep clothing (e.g. silk camisole, underwear,

t-shirt, long underwear, etc.)

Additional Resources:

Cox, Steven, M. and Kris Fulsaas, eds.Mountaineering:The Freedom of the Hills. 7th ed. Seattle, Wash.: TheMountaineers Books, 2003.

Overview of mountaineering and alpine climbing. Beyondbackpacking, but a good overview of advanced skills

Curtis, Rick. The Backpackers Field Manual: AComprehensive Guide to Mastering Backcountry Skills.Revised. New York: Three Rivers Press, 2005.

Overview of backpacking skills, including group leadershipand planning trips

Fletcher, Colin and Chip Rawlins. Complete Walker IV. 4thed. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2006.

Some call it the backpackers bible. Overview of skills andtechniques. Information on gear is a bit dated

Getchell, Annie and David R. Getchell. The Essential OutdoGear Manual: Equipment Care, Repair, and Selection. 2

ed. Camden, Maine: Ragged Mountain Press, 2005.Information on repairing gear

Jordan, Ryan.Lightweight Backpacking and Camping: A FiGuide to Wilderness Equipment, Technique, and Style.Bozeman, Mont.: Beartooth Mountain Press, 2005.

The bible of lightweight and ultralight backpacking; includinggear and techniques

Townsend, Chris. The Backpackers Handbook. 3d ed.Camden, Maine: Ragged Mountain Press, 2005.

Overview of backpacking skills and gear

Vonhof, John.Fixing Your Feet: Prevention and Treatmentsfor Athletes. 3d ed. Berkeley, Calf.: Wilderness Press,2005.

Information on feet; including tting of footwear, blisterprevention, and foot care

Backpacking Light www.backpackinglight.comOnline magazine, focuses primarily on lightweight andultralight backpacking; features articles on techniques, gearreviews, and general backpacking information

Backpacker Magazine www.backpacker.comPrint magazine; website is starting to have more content.Focus has branched out beyond backpacking as of late

Practical Backpacking: www.practicalbackpacking.comPodcast and forum on backpacking

Backpack Gear Test: www.backpackgeartest.orgReviews on gear

Trailspace: www.trailspace.comReviews on gear

White Blaze: www.whiteblaze.netDiscussion forum related to hiking the Appalachian Trail, alsa good knowledge base for general questions

prepared by James Nelson, Chicago Backpackers, February 2