Comments on: 12 Beginner Backpacking Blunders

By: Amanda O'Connor

Amanda O'Connor — Wed, 12 Feb 2020 03:05:26 +0000

In reply to Brent Mills.

??? I had to watch it. That's a pretty good way to wake up I guess!

By: Dave Collins

Dave Collins — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 15:55:18 +0000

In reply to Michael Pattison.

Thanks!

By: Michael Pattison

Michael Pattison — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 09:20:27 +0000

Very informative for beginner travellers.

By: Shawn Hill

Shawn Hill — Mon, 14 Jan 2019 15:02:17 +0000

In reply to Nicole Garde.

... Love the newbies who bring too much food. I knew one who brought a big new 32oz jar of peanut butter for his lunchtime sandwiches for a 2 day trip. He also had a new ketchup and mustard jars for our meal of hot dogs on the first night. Needless to say, he didn't want to carry them out so he burned all 3 jars in our campfire the second night.

By: Dave Collins

Dave Collins — Wed, 25 Apr 2018 16:28:55 +0000

In reply to Sue Dougherty.

Good tips Sue, thanks!

By: Sue Dougherty

Sue Dougherty — Sat, 21 Apr 2018 08:10:22 +0000

My tip to everyone is to use a ground cloth beneath your tent. It will keep your tent bottom clean and add protection from damage by rocks and twigs and roots that aren't visible when you are setting up your tent. A piece of plastic about the thickness of a contractor trash bag is ideal. Just be sure it is smaller than the bottom area. Water running off the tent would run under the tent if the ground cloth is too big..

The second tip I have is to put everything in plastic zip lock bags. Your pack will leak in the rain and having things organized in bags makes getting food or clothing items easy and neat.

Thirdly, save up the ends of toilet paper rolls. It will save the day when you drop a roll in a puddle in the rain. Better to hike with smaller rolls so you have dry in reserve.

I hope this is helpful.

By: Nicole Garde

Nicole Garde — Wed, 07 Feb 2018 20:58:06 +0000

Bringing too much food. Another mistake I constantly make simply because I introduce friends to backpacking and they are afraid we haven't brought enough food to last the entire trip. One friend brought a 2 lb bag of rice for the both of us and 10 packs of tuna for 2 days!

By: Don Odom

Don Odom — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 20:00:00 +0000

In reply to Lynn Stewart.

Thanks for giving your age! I've just moved to Cheyenne at the age of 55 and have fallen in love with hiking out here. Not nearly as fun to me in my native Alabama sure to the humidity, bugs, and snakes! I'm still a beginner but nice to know that I have some good years still at my age.

By: Grease Spot

Grease Spot — Sun, 24 Dec 2017 19:32:45 +0000

My two blunders: coming off a shelter/campsite side trail and going the wrong way on the main trail and 2) turning to talk to someone while walking fast down the trail almost at the trailhead (yay! Zero!). Tripped, broke my nose, got lots of stitches on my face, off the trail for 10 days. Remedy: pay attention, don’t let your guard down!

By: TJ

TJ — Tue, 14 Nov 2017 19:44:00 +0000

In reply to TJ.

(Didn't even notice the original posting date or that I'd already commented. Lesson learned. Always check. This is the article that just keeps on giving!)