7 Helpful Backpacking Gear Tips for Beginners

helpful backpacking gear tips for beginners

Backpacking trips are unique journeys and an exciting opportunity to enjoy a real adventure. Allow yourself to blow off some steam by hitting the trails and relaxing outdoors. Being in the same routine and performing your daily habits can be tedious and overwhelming. If you are constantly busy, we’d recommend that you take a break and go backpacking once in a while. Here are some helpful tips that can guide you in the process and aid in pinning down the type of gear you’ll need.

Bring Utensils

These items are essential. It’s not like you won’t eat your lunch without them. There are thousands of sticks and wooden branches you can carve to make wooden utensils out of yourself. However, we advise you that you go prepared on your trip because the utensils might come in handy for something else. For example, if the tent’s zipper gets stuck, you may be able to use a fork to repair it. 

Furthermore, you need to organize your food and meals into containers. This type of organization and space management will help you navigate the road easier. Plus, you’ll enjoy the best backpacking food, and your meals will be more delicious when eating from the utensils you’ve made. 

Choose the Right Backpack

We can advise you to choose the right backpack, but how will you know which backpack is the right one? To determine the one appropriate for you, consider a few factors. First of all, make sure that you are aware of the weather conditions and the season when you’ll be going on such an adventure. Then, consider the number of days you’ll stay outdoors, the climate, and the characteristics of your destination. This way you can narrow down the resources and the items to pack.

And more importantly, do not bring a lot of stuff. Pack only the essential gear for the trip since the light luggage will help you move faster and more comfortably. Some of those essentials include synthetic shirts, microfiber towels, battery-powered headlamps, a first-aid kit with medicines, trash bags, etc.

Pack a Reliable Tent

backpacking gear tips for beginners pack a reliable tent

One of the reasons to pack a tent is the beautiful and unique feeling that you can experience when you lie under the stars once you’ve set up the tent and lain down. Add the bonfire and the roasted marshmallows, and you have the perfect trip! You need to research well the material and the size of the tent so that it can withstand the weather conditions and the nature at the destination.

When buying your tent, you need to take into consideration a couple of things. For example, determine the number of people that will be using it. A four-person tent must be fit for your whole family or group, with additional small areas to store clothes. Some tents are suited for different conditions, so a summer tent will not withstand the same amount of time as the winter tents. And if you are the type of backpacker that can camp in sunny and cold weather, you don’t have to buy the perfect tent.

A lot of tents are waterproof, but cheaper ones might not be as waterproof as advertised. Good tents have rip-stop fabric. While tent poles are made of different types of materials, the key is to upgrade them for better quality. The tent zips are important as well since you don’t want any creatures joining you in your sleep.

A Flashlight

You don’t need a lot of light for performing your backpacking tasks while outdoors. You only need 100 lumens flashlight for night hiking and 30-50 lumens to do your responsibilities. Additionally, try to get a headlamp that uses button-sized batteries or AAA batteries since they are lighter. 

Sleeping Bag

The sleeping bag is important if you want to sleep as comfortably as possible while laying on the rocky grounds. If you are going backpacking in a place where temperatures are below freezing, you’ll need a three-seasons sleeping bag instead of one with insulation. The sleeping bag material and fill are also relevant since down fill is far better than the synthetic fill.

Related: Top 37 Best Camping Sleeping Bag Review in 2024

Closed-Cell Pad

If you are looking for a lighter pack, you need to choose the right pad. There’s no need to purchase an inflatable pad when you can buy a closed-cell pad. And you don’t need to wait for it to inflate or blow it yourself, you can just toss it and it’s already usable. Also, if it breaks down or rips at certain places, you can use duct tape to tape it back. It can be perfectly folded in a chair or a splint. The closed-cell pad is the best investment you can do.

Stuff Sack For Clothes

As an extra little hack: if you are carrying some extra pieces of clothes or socks, you can shove them into a stuff sack and use them as a pillow instead of carrying one.

camping backpacking gear

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We hope that you found our top backpacking gear tips for beginners useful. Pack the essentials listed above to be ready for all situations, but no need to overdo it and bring your home with you. Overall, remember that going ultralight is more critical than being dressed in the latest fashion or carrying unnecessary items. And lastly, enjoy the trip!

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