What To Wear

Dressing for a backpacking trip is a little different than dressing to go to the mall. For backpacking, you want to dress in layers and use lightweight fabrics that dry quickly.

How many outfits should you bring for a two day backpacking trip? How about a two week trip or a four week trip? The answer would be pretty much the same. Since you are carrying everything on your back backpackers are very weight conscious. I would say you only NEED one shirt and one pair of pants. You would also need two to three pairs of socks, two to three pairs of underwear, and two to three nylon t-shirts. Two if you are really trying to go light. Three if you don't want to have to wash them out every day.

Footwear - Today, recommended footwear depends on a number of factors. What terrain will you be hiking on and how much weight will you be carrying are two big ones. If you will be backpacking over large uneven boulders and carrying lots of weight, you will need very stiff, high boots to give you lots of support. On the other hand, if you are backpacking on a level hard packed earth surface and traveling light for a weekend trip, then a good pair of tennis shoes might be best. Most of us will be somewhere in between. A light pair of ankle height hiking boots will probably fit most peoples needs. Here are the things we are looking for in footwear:

Socks - We have to start here because we want our footwear to fit while we are wearing the proper socks for backpacking. We actually want to wear two pairs of socks, nylon liner socks and proper outer hiking socks. The liner socks serve a few purposes. They reduce the risk of blisters by lessening friction. The nylon socks cling to your feet. Any movement of your shoe or outer sock rubs on the nylon instead of your skin. Less friction causes less hot spots resulting in fewer blisters. The nylon liner socks also help to wick moisture away from your foot. This makes your foot more comfortable and healthy. On multi-day backpacking trips, the nylon liner socks also help keep your outer socks cleaner. Cleaner socks are easier to wash out and will wear less. Outer socks need to be wool or synthetic. Cotton is a big no-no for any clothing items while backpacking. Cotton holds moisture and draws heat away from your body. Both of these are very bad while surviving in the woods. Wool keeps some warmth while wet and wicks moisture away but offers little support. Synthetics are the best way to go. They provide moisture wicking, support, and warmth while wet. You will want them to cover your lower shin to protect you from insects and low brush. You want some padding ( thick socks ) to cushion your foot and to cut down on your shoe rubbing on your foot. You want a seamless toe. A seam in the toe area can cause rubbing which leads to blisters.

Proper Fit - We are back to your footwear. A proper fit is the MOST important thing in backpacking footwear. They must fit snug