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 Topic: back packing for the first time
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03/5/2010 at 10:58pm
Location: South Wales
Outfit: Royal Bordx 6; Vango Spectre & Icarus
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Hello Michelle
This might sound like a cop-out, but backpacking more than any other type of camping depends on your ambitions, intentions and - crucially - budget.
In terms of kit, lighter is better if you have to carry everything, but lighter is inevitably more expensive. For example, a reasonably spacious 2 man tent can cost about £100, but weigh around 4kg. A light (~1 kg tent) coulod cost £250 - £300, and be a bit tighter for space. Sleeping bags similarly start at around £50 for a reasonable 2-3 season bag, up to around £250 for a light, warm 4 season bag.
Why backpacking? Do you mean a 16 mile yomp to the approach of a hill top, or a 1 mile ramble from the car to a nice semi-wild camp?
Anyway, enough of the caveats. Down to basics:
1. Rucsac - a good un to start with is a Vango Sherpa - no unnessary faff, just a good basic pack that takes around 65 litres, cost around £60.
2. Tent - a Coleman or Vango is a good bet - dry, fairly luggable, and wind resistant. Say £100 - £120 to get reasonable space.
3. Stove - gas, small, packable, will heat water for pouch meals or pasta / rice / sauce (oh, and porridge in the morning and brews!) say £30 for a Coleman or Campingaz lightweight burner. You might want to think about a petrol stove after you have tried a cheap light gas burner - but they cost from £50 up to £150.
4. Sleeping bag - unless you are climbing or camping in Winter, a three season bag should be fine. Something with a comfort rating of 0 degrees should be right. Around £50 - £60 should get a good synthetic bag, from the big brand names. Don't skimp on this - you won't have the luxury of taking fleeces or blankets, and a good warm night's kip is essential when you lterally carry your world on your shoulders.
5. Cookware - get some cheap light aluminium pans - Wilkinson have some for about a tenner.
6. A headlight, preferably LED, about £5 - £10. Allows you to fall asleep reading.
7. Walking gear - boots, waterproofs, hat, gloves. I find outlet centres good for this, Regatta being a great value brand.
8. Air bed / mat - airbeds are quite heavy, need blowing up, and need something like a pump or electric / battery blower. Self inflating mats are much lighter, more packable, warmer, but more expensive (from £20 up to £100 for an Exped or Therm-a-Rest). Some people find them less comfortable too. See if you can borrow one for a night. I wouldn't be without my Therm, but it took a while to get used to.
Where to buy? Ah, now you've hit on the most interesting part, researching and then buying the bargains when they appear as if by magic on UK Campsite!
All the best and enjoy - me and my lad love camping, but the backpacking style is by far the best for him and for me!
Earl
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04/5/2010 at 6:57pm
Location: Bedfordshire
Outfit: Wynnster Dragonfly2 Atakama 5
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Nothing wrong with plastic bags, and a damned site cheaper than stuff sacks, plus you have the added advantage(if you get clear plastic bags) that you can see instantly what is in them. You can even get large zip bags from a supermarket now. :)
As far as equipment is concerned, I have the following:
A small Wynnster 2 man mountain tent, very light weight, and small enough to sit inside the rucksack, mid way.
Sleeping bag is 4 season, but I do carry a silk bag and a cotton mummy bag. Sleeping bag goes into a compression bag, so making it small, whilst the silk liner is pocket sized anyhow.
A Ribbed airbed is small and light, whilst something like a Gelert self inflating mat will give good ground insulation. I use both since I do like a bit of comfort, and find the mat to give minimal support, whilst the airbed does not insulate you very well from a cold ground. I place the mat on top of the airbed, and use velcro to make sure they do not slip apart :)
Cooking gear, I have a MSR dragon fly, which although is more expensive than a gas stove, can run off a multitude of liquid fuels.It is also very light and small.
A gas burner could also be considered, but given the bulk of one of these, I disregarded it.
Greenheat or similar ethanol type burners can be cheap and easily set up for a quick hot lunch snack and drink.
They come in a small can with a heat shield/pot support. Put the support around the can or place on top of it, light the contents, and cook. To put it out, just put the base of a pan directly over the flame and it will go out. These are great for heating a tent up, but do take care to shield any flames. Has no smell or harmfull vapours.
Pots and pans are cheap enough, I have a set copper bottom Vango, but there are many makes that are light and inexpensive.
The rucksack a 65 litre, with partition 2/3 way down inside. Make sure you get 1 that has a cover that can be pulled over the sack, to stop any rain getting in. Mine has one in a zipped pocket in the base of the rucksack.
The rucksack I have has large side pockets which are very useful and a top pocket, where I stash my hydration system.
Whatever you choose, think weight, everything I chose was for weight and size.
Stuff sacks see above.
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