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 Topic: advice for long distance hiking
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10/8/2010 at 11:02am
Location: Manchester
Outfit: vau-de taurus 2
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Joined: 29/5/2009 Standard Member
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I'm a regular backpacker, I hope I can offer you a couple of tips.
The tent you are looking at is only really suitable for 1-2 season use, the hydrostatic head spec (how much rain it will take) is just 1500. For UK use you need at least 3000. I use a Vaude Taurus II, nice and roomy, watertight and under 3kg.
For a rucksack, at 70ltr is ideal, but you must try before you buy. see if the shop will let you put some weight in it and walk up and down stairs to see if it suits, they can aslo help with adjustments. I use a Berghaus C70+10.
For a meths cookery, you'll not beat a trangia, I have one and I find it unburstable.
My luxury item when backpacking is a pair of very lightweight trainers. after a long day, bliss...
My other tips would be, be prepared to smell, I take one set of clothes and a pair of shorts. (plus loads of socks)
Water is mega heavy so don't try to carry any you don't need to, I have a Katadine filter, expensive to buy but priceless on a hot day.
also carry a plastic garden trowel, for burying your poo. (dont forget toilet roll)
there is a website (v-gbackpacking.co.uk) packed with good advice + tips.
Happy trekking, Stu...
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16/8/2010 at 12:39pm
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Hi Eeze. I'm afraid that there's no easy answers to your question for the simple reason that things like back-packs are incredibly subjective and, more often than not, what people use on a regular basis is always deemed to be the best.
So, bearing that in mind...........
I've done backpacking for some decades (and I'm ex-army too!) and can say, without fear of contradiction, that the biggest things are time (to research, try on, test etc) - and expense!
Anyway, in my opinion:-
Tents. I would be tempted to write down exactly what you want from the tent, and then find the tents that fit the criteria, then look at them and then buy! So, do you want a two man which is two man or two man with a bit of room to cook should the weather be really bad? Do you want 3 season, 4 season? How easy is the tent to put up in bad weather? Is it inner first (the inside gets wet when putting it up in the rain), fly sheet first (you get wet/muddy crawling on the ground to attach the inner), both together (almost always costs more)? Do you mind carrying a fraction more weight for ease of use and comfort or do you not care?
I'm afraid that these are all the question you need to answer first: I did what I've just said and ended up with a three man tent (see my review on this site) and have never regretted the choice for a moment.
Stove. I'd be intrigued to know why you specifically want a meths stove (horrible smelly stuff) but, nevertheless, I would seriously recommend a Primus. Multi-fuel, light, robust, idiot proof, totally reliable and from a company that's been making camping stoves for some 70+ years (and have never made a bad one). They are used worldwide and commonly used for expedition work as a result of which spares are readily available (but in 10 years I have never needed any new parts).
Backpack. Women's packs tend to have more padding on the - slightly wider- shoulder straps, more padding on the hip belts and, depending on the quality, slightly reshaped yoke to allow for shoulder shape.
When looking at a pack the rules are wear, wear, wear and wear again. The back length should be adjustable so the shoulder straps follow the line of the shoulders and so the hip belt sits in the right place. If the shop won't let you spend time adjusting the pack and trying/adjusting until it's right for you - go somewhere else!
Once you have it adjusted put weight in it - not a kilo or two but ten, fifteen or more - and see if it is still comfortable. If so . . . . it is obviously the pack for you. Mine? Millet Oddysee 70. Straps on straps for attaching everything and anything and, in my opinion, a great pack.
Sleeping bags etc. Don't much about - buy dry bags for anything that's going on the outside of your pack. They weigh next to nothing but it means that you NEVER have wet kit.
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