/out/ - Outdoors » Thread #1483162

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First Time Backpacker

Anonymous Thu 28 Mar 2019 23:48:20 No.1483162 View View Reply Original Report

Quoted By: >>1483168 >>1483224 >>1483261 >>1483852 >>1484276 >>1484277

My birthday is coming up, and I have always wanted to go on a backpacking trip. I have never been backpacking before but I've been on a few camping trips in the past and found myself really enjoying them. So I plan for a simple 3mile hike in, camp for 1 night. 3mile hike out type of situation. Weather is fair. Campground has stoves, water + Latrines.
None of my friends are outdoor types as I live in LA. So I'm thinking of just going on my own. I've been consulting this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BATobrOEK5Q&t=1244s

for getting BP gear on a budget. Does anyone else have any useful tips to share for a noob who wants to get into backpacking.

Anonymous

Anonymous Thu 28 Mar 2019 23:54:01 No.1483167 Report

Quoted By:

Practice lighting a fire. Pack as though you'll fail anyway.

Anonymous

Anonymous Thu 28 Mar 2019 23:55:41 No.1483168 Report

Quoted By: >>1483170

>>1483162
You can rent basic backpacking gear from REI stores or from online sites if you're a total n00b, have no gear and just want to try it out for a weekend. If you do decide you like it, there's a very healthy trade in second hand gear that can save you a lot of money. Plus there are several times a year when all the major retailers put last year's stuff on clearance to make way for new stock.

Anonymous

Anonymous Thu 28 Mar 2019 23:57:50 No.1483170 Report

Quoted By: >>1483217

>>1483168
so stores like Dick's sporting goods or something?

Anonymous

Anonymous Fri 29 Mar 2019 01:16:01 No.1483217 Report

Quoted By:

>>1483170
You mean for clearance sales? Every major store. Dick's, Cabela's, REI, Bass Pro. Typically there's a clearance sale at the end of every season, but sometimes the put stuff on clearance just because they have a lot of it and it's not moving. You just gotta keep an eye open. As for renting gear, REI is the only major chain that rents AFAIK.
Another good option is gear swaps. A lot of /out/ clubs and organizations have yearly fundraisers where members bring in their old gear to sell (this is also a good way to get ski gear, too)

Anonymous

Anonymous Fri 29 Mar 2019 01:24:45 No.1483224 Report

Quoted By: >>1483738

>>1483162
Sounds like a nice easy low bar for a first attempt.

You can't really go wrong. You'll be perfectly safe, and basically the difference between staying 1 night and 7 nights is just how much food you bring so you will learn lots.

Have fun, guy

Anonymous

View Same Google ImgOps iqdb SauceNAO nani.jpg, 214KiB, 711x681

Anonymous Fri 29 Mar 2019 01:51:45 No.1483261 Report

Quoted By: >>1483740

>>1483162
>backpacking
>Campground has stoves, water + Latrines.
>backpacking
???

Anonymous

Anonymous Fri 29 Mar 2019 18:50:55 No.1483738 Report

Quoted By:

>>1483224
>You'll be perfectly safe,
You jinxed it now, bitch. OP will surely be killed by growers, skin walkers, etc.

Anonymous

Anonymous Fri 29 Mar 2019 18:53:05 No.1483740 Report

Quoted By: >>1483848

>>1483261
>I live in LA
Explains everything.

Anonymous

View Same Google ImgOps iqdb SauceNAO CA_FS_SouthCounties_PLIA.gif, 48KiB, 530x323

Anonymous Fri 29 Mar 2019 21:16:46 No.1483848 Report

Quoted By: >>1483868

>>1483740
>oh life is suffering, I cannot find any dispersed camping around the Los Angeles hellhole
Anon if you baby yourself into going /out/ you'll be doing yourself a disservice. Go park at some national forest, walk 1 or 2 miles inside, learn to piss in the woods and filter your own water. with a half hour walk between camp and any facilities, it's far enough you won't be tempted to rely on any developed services, but if things go wrong you're only half an hour away from your car. You'll gain a lot more confidence to go /out/ alone after that--isn't that what you asked for in your OP?

Anonymous

Anonymous Fri 29 Mar 2019 21:20:35 No.1483852 Report

Quoted By:

>>1483162
Are you in college? Join the /out/ing club if they have one. They usually have gear you can rent cheap.

Anonymous

Anonymous Fri 29 Mar 2019 21:31:22 No.1483868 Report

Quoted By: >>1483882 >>1484022

>>1483848
What's so special about pissing in the woods?

Anonymous

Anonymous Fri 29 Mar 2019 21:44:27 No.1483882 Report

Quoted By:

>>1483868
Usually you're looking up for window makers, not paying attention to the wind, so you push all over yourself. Takes a special skill to both spot widow makers, judge wind for piss.

Anonymous

Anonymous Sat 30 Mar 2019 00:21:34 No.1484022 Report

Quoted By:

>>1483868
>he hasn't read the REI field guide to pissing in the woods

Anonymous

Anonymous Sat 30 Mar 2019 13:42:38 No.1484276 Report

Quoted By:

>>1483162
better idea than my first. just came back from a 6 day. supposed to be 7 but we said fuck it after we saw the monsoon coming our way. cold as all fuck (average below freezing, and below zero at night). didn't really bother you when you're on the move cause your generating body heat but as soon as you stopped to make camp ya felt it. rained several times ( torrential downpours). putting on damp, frozen boots on in the morning is a hell of a way to wake up. this was during my spring break when weather here in the east was bass ackwards. I wouldn't have traded that trip for any day hike or fishing over break. I don't regret it at all. go get ya some, OP. mother nature bites, but you can too. protips: in case you don't know, bring one set of clothes (the ones you'll be hiking in, and one sleep set (including what my guide called "sacred socks;" socks you don't put on except for sleeping) and stuff the bottom of your sleeping bag with your hiking clothes (unless they're WET wet) at night. since it's just a weekend I'd only bring one spare set of underwear and hiking socks (you'll be able to get away with the extra weight). the main rule of thumb I learned is that it's, by an inexorable amount, far better to be cold, wet, and miserable all day, and dry and warm at night. like the first anon said, plan on failing at the fire thing. we did. stoves are a must have, but as far as I understand it an expensive one. look into renting I guess. you can hang wet clothes on your bag while moving if it's dry and sunny and they'll dry.

Anonymous

Anonymous Sat 30 Mar 2019 13:43:58 No.1484277 Report

Quoted By:

>>1483162
if your bag has a big compartment at the bottom for a sleeping bag and it's optional to unzip the divider between it and the main compartment, do so. even if your bag is waterproof and has a tarp, get a bag liner (thickass trashbag) and put the stuff you absolutely don't want wet in it (spare clothes, electronics, sleeping bag, etc). my sleeping bags stuff sack was waterproof (and as such I kept my sleep system in my sleeping bag in the stuff sack) and additionally in the pack liner. if you want to you can ditch the sleeping bag stuff sack (assuming it's waterproof) but be warned that pack liners can tear. mine got a small hole in the bottom by the end. I'd bring a rain jacket if I were you. water bladders are great if you can't reach a bottle in the side pocket while your pack is on. if you're using a bladder, Def use the bladder pocket in your pack (keeps the weight close to you and mid to high on your back). and that's the general rule for packing: the heavier the weight, the closer to your mid back as possible.

I'm sure there's more but I can't think of it... bear mace maybe (assuming commifornia hasn't gotten to your guns yet). tho I'd still recommend bear mace. harder to miss.

have fun my guy.

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