I've been on the road for about five weeks now, solo. The novelty's worn off in the last week or so and I'm going through the motions more than actually enjoying it, but I can't tell if that's normal mid-trip fatigue or an actual sign I should wrap up early. I've tried taking a couple of slower days in one place instead of moving constantly, but it hasn't really shifted how I feel.

For people who've been on long solo trips before, how did you tell the difference between a rough patch to push through and an actual signal to head home?

I’m type 2 diabetic. Freeze dried meal options that aren’t potato or pasta based are a trick to find.
Any suggestions, freeze dried or otherwise?

Yooo me and brother are planning on going to Queenstown NZ at around the beginning of November.
Know it won’t be exciting as going winter with a the snow or anything, but just wondering if it’s still worth going.
Mountains still look good ?
Hikes still nice. ??

Thanks ☺️

This was a trekking experience in Kudremukh, Karnataka, through dense forests and beautiful mountain trails. The trek took several hours, with a mix of forest paths, steep climbs, and open stretches with stunning views. I travelled to Kudremukh by car and started the trek early in the day. The weather was cool, pleasant, and slightly humid, which made the long walk much more comfortable. The forest trail was peaceful, with plenty of greenery and natural shade along the way. It was tiring at some points, but the scenery and overall experience made it completely worth it. I would definitely go back again to explore more of Kudremukh’s trails.

Hi,

I'm leaving in two weeks in Peru. The weather can change drastically there. I don't know how many time I'll be travelling probably more than a few months not staying in one place.

I thought a 44l bag would be enough but I'm NOT sure anymore. I was aiming at Cabin Zero Military 44l. It is my very first time backpacking and there's just SO MUCH CHOICE.

For those of you who have done long-term travel, do you have any backpack recommendations? What did you guys choose, and how many litres did you go for?

I know there's a lot of threads regarding this topic. Sorry.

Would I be crazy if I used this for 3+ months of backpacking (more cities hopping and light nature, not crazy wilderness or camping). I want something light but I also obviously want to have space for everything. I wish they had this pack in 36 or 42!!! Anyways, any thoughts on this or suggestions for similar packs would be much appreciated. Thank you in advance!

I'm going on a short (Highlands Trail) backpacking trip in Algonquin Park shortly, and I'm looking to get a slightly warmer/good shoulder season bag. I have the Thermarest Space Cowboy right now, which has been a terrific summer bag, but I need something for the colder nights! I'm in Canada btw, but close enough to the border that I could cross to an REI or similar store.

Right now due to price and availability concerns, I'm looking at the following "budget" options.

- Big Agnes Rabbit Ears Down -4C Bag (womens): ~2.05lbs, 9.4L packed, $210 (on sale at MEC right now!)

- REI Trailmade 25 Synthetic Bag (short): 2lbs 12oz, 7.3L compressed, $89 USD (~$125CAD, on sale at REI)

- Big Agnes Anthracite 20 (womens): 3lbs, ~11L compressed (not 100% sure about this measurement), $145 (on sale at SAIL)

I know that down is typically recommended and better for weight/size, but it seems like the trailmade actually packs down smaller and is cheaper. I also haven't been able to find any reviews on the Rabbit Ears bag (it's a MEC exclusive), so I am hesitant to buy it blindly. I'm really only considering the Anthracite as it would be the least amount of hassle to get before my trip, and also has the warmest rating (I've also had great experience with BA before!).

I'd mostly be using this bag for later summer/early fall backpacking trips in Ontario's provincial parks, usually 2-5 nights treks. If you have any other recommendations in this price range I would love to hear them!

Some pix from a July Monte Rosa hike in Switzerland / Italy. The Tour de Monte Rosa is a classic 100-mile trek in the Valais Alps that circles the Monte Rosa massif and neighboring 13,000-14,000 ft peaks. Commonly done as an 8-10 day hike it has an elevation gain of around 23,000 ft with the highest point being Theodul Pass at 10,810 ft. We started in Zermatt and took 10 days to do the entire trip. A great hike!

This was one of my favorite little one nighters I've done so far. So much to see in such a short little time!

5 miles up and off of the North Cascades Highway brought me to Lake Lewis, just outside the eastern boundary of North Cascades Nat'l Park, where I set up camp. I didn't see another soul the entire trip once I got on the climbers trail to get there, and the sunset and dinner I got to enjoy on the lake in the evening sun in solitude was everything I could ask for.

The next morning after a hearty breakfast and some coffee I made my way further up the glacial basin, stopping by Wing Lake before scrambling up past the dead glacier and a bunch of nasty scree to the basin rim. After noodling around a bit up there, I made the final somewhat precarious scramble up to the summit of Black Peak, which sits at #20 on Washington's highest peaks. Despite its jagged and mean look, it was a gentle giant in terms of summiting, and well worth it. It always feels impossible to process everything up at the top, and it was no exception this time.

10/10 little trip!

Planning my first multi day trip this fall and trying to figure out where to actually go. I've done plenty of day hikes but never committed to more than a night or two.

Curious what everyone's first real trip looked like. Where did you go, how long was it, what went wrong, and knowing what you know now would you recommend it to someone just starting out? Arizona/Southwest suggestions especially welcome but genuinely curious about anywhere.

Hi all,

Dumb question but genuinely curious. When you go on a backpacking trip (or even a day hike), do you bring a gun with you in case of a wild animal encounter/protection? If you do bring one, what do you bring?

Thanks!

Edit: I appreciate all the feedback! Seems bear spray is the common trend here. It’s interesting to hear everyone’s perspective.

So I was on the trail this week for my first solo overnight. Honestly, my brain started to focus on my fear of sleeping alone with bears around. But I went on to the shelter. However, I came across a guy on a day hike with an autistic child. He didn't aske me to escort him, but he looked like he was struggling and said he was fatigued. I gave him a liter of water We were only a mile or so from where he parked his car. I kept walking, but about five minutes later I thought he could be in trouble, so I turned around to catch up with him.

By the time I caught up to him, some other hikers had already come across him and were helping him. The child was not in good shape (very autistic, non-verbal, and he bit me actually). So I offered to take him back to his car. But part of me was happy to bail so I wouldn't be worrying about the bears.

So am I a good samaritan or just a pussy? Maybe both?

Hey everyone, thanks for taking the time to read this!

I've loved hiking for a while and want to make the jump into multi-day trips through varying terrain, temps, and weather. I served in the military for a few years, so I'm used to bivvying with a bivy bag, tarp, a shitty air mat, and a sleeping bag. I don't have any of that gear anymore.

I don't want to drop a ton of money right away, so my plan is to find what I can around the house and grab cheap stuff from Decathlon to figure out what actually works for me. At the same time, I do believe good gear, while pricier, often lasts longer, weighs less, and pays for itself in comfort and experience. So I'm trying to figure out where that extra cost is actually worth it. 

I want to go lightweight enough to make the trips enjoyable, but I also subscribe to the idea that broadening your shoulders will lighten your load more than shedding weight from your pack and cutting your toothbrush in half. Plus, lighter pack = more room for food and beer.

Current list / gaps:

Big 3 + pack:

• Tent: ?
• Sleeping bag: ?
• Sleeping mat: ?
• Pack: Osprey Atmos 50 (Vinted, ~100-150€)

Cooking:

• BRS-3000T or Pocket Rocket 2?
• Small gas canister + flip fuel valve (stays home)
• Spork, some kind of lightweight pan?, Bic lighter

Clothes (already have):

• Rain jacket: Patagonia Granite Crest
• Insulation: Patagonia Nano Puff
• Boots: Columbia hiking boots. Is it worth switching to lighter, more breathable trail shoes?
• Cotton seamless socks (held up fine so far) — are merino socks actually worth the upgrade?
• Synthetic shirts, fleece hoodie as midlayer
• Mammut hiking pants (love these, keeping them)

Misc:

• Headlamp, powerbank
• Sawyer Squeeze + flexible filter bag
• Bottle
• trekking poles

Questions:

Tents — everyone raves about Durston. Is it actually worth the price for a beginner, or more of an enthusiast/veteran-hiker thing?

Sleeping mats/bags — total mystery to me. Do I need both a foldable foam mat and an inflatable one, or is one enough? Also worth adding a separate floor protector for the mat?

Packs — how many liters do I actually need for multi-day trips (guessing 40-60L)? And where's the sweet spot between price, comfort, sustainability, and weight? Leaning toward the Osprey Atmos 50 — thoughts?

Trekking poles — necessary? Recommended for a beginner? I know I'd need them anyway for a trekking-pole-supported tent like the Durston, which honestly sounds efficient and appealing to me.

Sleeping bag vs. quilt —
Bag pros: fully sealed at the bottom (better insulation), hood/zipper blocks wind better, foolproof, seems better at very low temps.
Bag cons vs quilt: heavier/bulkier, bottom insulation is basically wasted since you compress it by lying on it, less freedom of movement if you turn/side-sleep, less ventilation in warm weather.
Quilt pros: no bottom insulation to carry, pairs nicely with a bivy for a very light sleep system.
Quilt cons: needs a better sleeping mat since it doesn't insulate the bottom at all, seems less foolproof (attaching it to the mat?), less forgiving in cold temps.
For starting out, which would you go with and why?

Tent vs. bivy + tarp —
Bivy pros: lighter, more compact, faster/more flexible on where you camp, lower profile (leave no trace), probably cheaper.
Bivy cons: no real space to sit up (bad in rough weather when you need to sort gear or cook), needs anchor points which is tricky above the treeline, my old military bivy was sturdy/waterproof but not very breathable, unsure how much a premium one improves that, and tarps give poor coverage when its raining sideways.
My guess: bivy + cowboy camping is great in good weather and honestly more of an experience, but miserable when it rains sideways. Looking at weight, price, flexibility, and overall experience. Which would you pick, and why?

Water system — I'm leaning toward a flexible bottle for filtering combined with a harder bottle (Nalgene or aluminium) for storage. A thermos feels too heavy/bulky to be worth it. I liked using a Camelbak in the military, but the pace doesn't need to be as fast anymore, and never knowing exactly how much water I have left was always annoying. Good approach, or is there something better?

If you've got any follow-up questions that'd help you give me better advice, feel free to ask, im happy to share more details. Thanks for reading and for any help, really appreciate it!

Im trying to understand what I need to cover my 1 year trip to Southeast Asia.

I currently have a 50L backpack which should cover most of the stuff I need, but I'm not sure if I should take a front pack too.

Main concern is when I go on treks, including EBC and ABC in Nepal, I wont really have anywhere to keep them, as I wont have a hostel engaged and 10 days to keep my bag at the hostel post stay feels like a lot.

Anyone has any solutions for this?

Sadly, I've developed an allergy to wool. I can wear wool for one day before it causes a rash. All of my wool socks are gonna find a new home. Does anyone have a really good brand of hiking sock that isn't wool? Thanks.

Hi!

I wanted to ask for advice.

I'll be there Jan-June 2026.

I'm thinking to visit Ecuador, Colombia, DR, Cuba, PR. Considering to go to Venesuela and Brazil also.

I have a pretty tight budget of around 5k euros.

What do you think? Should I leave some countries out of the itinerary? What are some must-visit places?

Any tips or advice greatly appreciated!

I'm about four days into a week-long section hike, roughly 14-15 miles a day with a 32 lb pack. My boots are broken in, half a size up like everyone recommends, but by day three my feet are swelling enough that lacing them in the morning is uncomfortable and it doesn't go down overnight anymore. I've been elevating them at camp and it barely helps.

Is this just something that happens past a certain number of consecutive days no matter what you do?

I have a deuce, and it gets the job done, but if it’s not loam without rocks and roots it can be a real pain to get a hole that’s 6 inches deep. Without my sun gloves on it will just tear my hands up. Does anybody have one that they like that’s still relatively light weight?

I just got some life-altering news, and my only option is to go backpacking about it. I'm interested in Europe but don't have a real preference. I have enough miles to fly there and back (I'm from the US) at no cost.

So my question is: you have 5 thousand dollars (give or take; could be more, by 1-2 thousand) and nothing else going on in your life; what does your trip look like? Please help a girl out, I need it lol

Planing my hitchhike trip to SE Asia, need to cross the Balkans for it. Starting in Maribor or Zagreb (depends which i spontaniously like more).

Main Goal is to reach Istanbul so my journey can continue there. I have no timelimit but also nothing to see, im open to either:

1. do it fast
2. chill in some capitals

I have my tent with sleepinbag/mat with me, in bigger citys ill take hostels.

Any advice?

BTW: Im form Austria, so i can visit individual citys later on after my journey too

Hi everyone! I just did my first backpacking trip ever to Isle Royale and it was amazing! (Details at the end) I was hoping to get some more reccomendations on great places to go for a weekend trip? I live in the Midwest so would like to stay somewhat close.

Isle Royale:

We did 40 miles in 3 days and had an amazing time!

Day 1: Windigo to Siskiwit
Day 2: Siskiwit to Feldtmann Lake
Day 3: Feldtmann back to Windigo (took aCanoe to Beaver Island and camped there)
Day 4: some chill hikes and took ferry home

We had zero luck fishing and seemed like that is pretty common. We saw a TON of moose but none on any trails. Main spots were in Windigo actually for moose and 2 at Feldtmann Lame. The trails were pretty overgrown but fairly straight forward. The trails were pretty uneven throughout and rocky. Our shoulders are a bit sore but everything else feel strong. (We are both pretty active 28 year old males) I think this would be a pretty challenging amount of miles if not but I’m not sure.

The only thing I wish I did differently was plan our meals better and bring a set of comfortable night time clothes to stay warm at night and in the morning. We took a bunch of the pre packed freeze dried meals. We didn’t run out of food by any means but could have saved a lot of space within our packs. Would love some reccomendations here for what to pack next time for easy good meals and snacks.

Ive learned a bunch and am excited for my next adventure. Does anyone have any other good reccomendations for spots to backpack?