One month ago, I set out on my first backpacking trip. Although I had done a lot of day hiking, up to this point I had never spent a night out on the trail.

As the trip approached, I was full of nervous excitement. I was excited to spend a few days out in nature and take in all of the gorgeous mountain views. But I was so nervous that I’d be wildly unprepared or I would forget to bring an essential item.

Fortunately, with a lot of preparation and planning ahead we found ourselves prepared and had brought everything that we needed – minus one forgotten spork.

There’s a lot of preparation that goes into planning and packing for any backpacking trip. But if you’ve never done this before, the task can be overwhelming.

Although I am still a novice backpacker, I hope that I can give you some tips to plan your first backpacking trip.

Planning a backpacking trip? You may also like these articles:

Backpacking the Teton Crest Trail

Backpacking the Blue Lakes Trail: A Hiker’s Guide

Disclaimer: This post contains some affiliate links, which means if you buy something through those links my blog will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps me to create free resources like the one you just read. Thank you for the support!

How to Choose a Backpacking Trip for Your First Time

We hiking the Teton Crest Trail for our first backpacking trip. While that hike was absolutely gorgeous and a bucket trip, we probably should have started with something a little different.

Start with a 1-2 Night Trip

We started off strong with a 3-night backpacking trip. Which I wouldn’t recommend for your first time in the back country.

It’s not that 3-nights is that much harder than 2-nights but I had a lot of anxiety leading up to the trip. Thoughts like “what if I hate it on the first night and still have two more to go”, “what if I get hurt and I’m days away from civilization”.

I believe that if our trip was shorter there would have been less pressure.

Don’t Choose a Hike with Too Much Mileage

Our hike averaged 10-miles a day. Don’t do this on your first time backpacking. While it’s doable, it’s not that enjoyable. It takes awhile for your body to get used to all of the extra weight on your back.

I wish we had started with something that was ~6 miles a day. We would have been able to take our time and enjoy camp each night.

Research & Book Permits

Most National Parks require you to get a permit to camp out in the backcountry. Do your research on permits ahead of time and book early. Many popular campsites book up early in the year.

Also, it’s important to note that you research the rules and requirements of the park or forest that you’re going to be backpacking in. For instance, many national parks require bear canisters if you’re going to be camping and you can be fined if caught without one.

What to Pack for Your First Backpacking Trip

Perhaps one of the hardest and important parts of a backpacking trip, packing the right gear. If you don’t bring the appropriate gear, you can put yourself in a very dangerous or deadly situation.

Many people are deterred from the idea of hiking because they think that it’ll cost them several hundreds, if not thousands of dollars to acquire all of the required gear.

While it’s true that backpacking gear isn’t cheap, there are many cheaper options that are available on Amazon and other places that don’t have to break the bank. A few of the items that we purchased were from REI or Backcountry.com but we were also able to get a lot of good deals on Amazon.

A couple of items that we brought with us were borrowed from a friend. If you’re new to backpacking, reach out to your friends and see if they have any gear that you can borrow.

I have provided links to everything that we brought on our first backpacking trip below.

Backpack & Tent

Gregory Amber 44 Liter Women’s Backpack

I’ve been a huge of Osprey products for years but when I found this Gregory pack for a tempting price of just over $100, I couldn’t pass it up! And to my surprise I loved using this Gregory pack. I’ll definitely consider buying their products again in the future.

This pack is the perfect size if you’re hiking with a partner and sharing a tent, cooking supplies, etc. However, if you’re hiking single and have to carry all of your own gear then this pack may be a little bit too small. My husband carried a 60 L Osprey pack and we had plenty of pack room between the two of us.

Also, the color is so much fun!

Marmot Tungsten Tent: 2-Person 3-Season

I purchased this tent because of its lightweight and it was on sale at the time.

I was torn between the 3-person and the 2-person tents but eventually went with the 2-person because it was lighter in weight. The weight of items is a huge factor when you’re going to be carrying everything on your back for a few days.

Although the 2-person size was a bit snug for the two of us (for reference, I’m 5’9″ and my husband is 6’3″ and very broad shouldered), we were able to fit as long as we kept our stuff in the vestibule.

Trekking Poles

Ok, I have to admit that using trekking poles was a little awkward at first. But these really do help keep you balanced, especially with a lot of extra weight on your back. I’m so glad I had these!

Sleeping

Winner Outfitters Mummy Sleeping Bag

This sleeping bag is a terrific option if you’re just getting into backpacking. It’s by far the most affordable sleeping bag that we found and actually very high quality. It’s ONLY $35.00 on Amazon! What a deal.

The only downside to this bag is that it’s only rated down to 35 degrees Fahrenheit, so if you’re planning some off-season backpacking trips then this may not be the best option for you.

It definitely got down to 35 degrees on our trip and with a sleeping bag liner, I was perfectly comfortable.

Sleeping Bag Liner

If you’re going to camping in cold weather or just don’t like the feel of sleeping bag material (like me) then consider getting a sleeping bag liner. Although not a necessity, it can make your sleep a lot more enjoyable.

I purchased one from Magellan at Academy but honestly, I wasn’t a huge fan of the material.

Sleeping Pad

We actually borrowed this REI Flash Thermal Sleeping Pad from a friend and I liked it so much I’m going to buy this same one for myself. Or wait till Christmas *hint hint*.

The pad is only 1 lb 3 oz and is rated with an R-value of 3.7. If you’re new to sleeping pads, an R-value tells you how insulated a pad is. A rating of 3.5 can be used down to temperatures of <0 degrees Fahrenheit.

Lightweight Pillow

I’m a bit of a pillow snob so I was a bit worried about finding the right pillow for our backpacking trip. Overall, I was very pleased with the Cocoon pillow that I purchased. It’s lightweight, inflatable, and has a silky and a microfiber side for comfort.

Your trip will be so much more enjoyable if you get good sleep. And a good pillow is necessary for good sleep.

Food & Cooking Supplies

Food

• Dehydrated Meals – We brought a variety of different dehydrated meals on our trip. The Mountain House brand was definitely our favorite and by far the most appetizing out of the meals that we brought.
• Protein Bars – We brought a variety of different types and flavors of protein bars. Some of our favorites were these GoMacro bars, RX bars, and ONE bars.
• ” target=”_blank”>Tuna & Chicken Packets – These Starkist tuna & flavored chicken packets were a great lunch option each day. Although a little on the heavy side, they were worth the weight.
• Tortillas – I was surprised at how well our tortillas stayed fresh during our hike and they went great with the chicken packets for a quick & delicious lunch!
• A variety of trail mixes, dried fruit, and other snacks
• Snickers bars – After burning an average of 4,500 calories each day, we earned those chocolate bars! Plus they have peanuts in them for added protein.

6 Piece Backpacking Stove

Another budget find was this backpacking stove on Amazon. This is a must if you’re planning to cook your own food or just heat up dehydrated meals. It comes with a small camp stove & case as well as two pots and a spork.

While we did find the stove & pots to be good quality and worth the money. The spork was very flimsy and sharp around the edges. My husband did cut his mouth on it. So maybe toss out the included spork and go with something plastic.

Spork

I purchased this spork on Amazon for me to use during our trip. But unfortunately, it did not make it into our bags. Thankfully, I realized that I did not have it before we started our hike and I was able to grab a couple of plastic spoons from a local gas station.

If you’re looking for the cheapest option, bring one of those single-use plastic spoons and re-use it on your trip. But if you’re looking for something that’ll last for more than one trip and reduce plastic waste in the long-term, this spork is a terrific option.

Water Filtration System

We bought the Sawyer Mini Water Filtration System for less than $20 for use on our backpacking trip.

However, our friends who were hiking with us brought their fancy gravity water filtration system that filters a lot more water much faster than these. They were able to filter water for all of us very quickly with their system so we never had a need for these.

However, we did see several other backpackers using these on the trail. So they’re a popular & affordable option for water filtration.

Water Purification Tablets

We brought these iodine water purification tablets as a back-up in case our water filtration system stopped working on us. Thankfully, that never happened and we didn’t have to use them.

But it’s ALWAYS a good idea to have a back-up plan in case your water filter breaks.

Nalgene Water Bottle

Add one of these refillable water bottles to your packing list, it’s a must.

Osprey Hydraulics Reservoir

I’ve had a couple different brands of water bladders and this one is definitely my favorite.

I highly recommend bringing one of these if you’re going to be hiking most of the day. It makes it so much easier to drink while you hike without having to stop all the time to get your water bottle out of your pack.

Clothing & Shoes

Hiking Boots

I’ve been wearing these Merrell hiking boots for years and they’re great! Merrell is one of the best values that you will find on hiking boots. They’re high quality but also very reasonably priced.

Whether you’re new to hiking or have been hiking for years, Merrell is a great option for you!

Wool Socks

Don’t overlook the benefits of good quality socks when on the trail. Smartwool socks are some of the best on the market and a great option for backpackers.

Just make sure you’re socks are higher than your boots.

Hat for Sun Protection

Protect your face from the sun (or cover up that greasy hair) with a hat or baseball cap. I purchased this hat in a mustard yellow color and I loved the vintage feel.

Leggings

I purchased these leggings on Amazon a couple of months before our trip and I’ve worn them hiking so many times since then. They’re super comfortable and durable for hiking.

I also can’t wait for the fall weather to roll into Texas so I can wear these more.

Ice Breaker Wool T-shirt

I discovered wool t-shirts about a year ago and they’re huge lifesavers – you can wear these shirts for days and they don’t start to smell!

If you’re going on a multi-day hiking trip, you NEED one of these shirts. The natural wool fibers in these shirts wick moisture away from your body. And bacterial growth on these natural fibers is less than what you would find on synthetic fibers, meaning that they stay smelling fresh for much longer.

I brought one of these Icebreaker wool shirts and a different dry-fit synthetic t-shirt that I had and there was a very stark difference in the way that these two shirts smelled after 2 days. Let’s just say that the Icebreaker one was easier to put back on than the other.

I swear by these t-shirts now!

Down Puffer Jacket

Camping up high in the mountains can be rather chilly, even in the summer. The weather is also very unpredictable and can become stormy rather expectantly. Make sure that you pack a warm layer to protect you from the cold.

These lightweight down jackets are an excellent option for backpacking. They pack down very light & small but are a great source of warmth!

This down jacket isn’t the exact same one that I used but it’s very similar. I love Eddie Bauer products, they’re very high-quality but also affordable.

Rain Jacket

Don’t forget a rain jacket. Even if there’s no rain in the forecast, you never know. Rain jackets also provide great protection from the wind and can be used over your down jacket as an outer shell layer.

Hygiene & First Aid Items

• Moleskin – I am very blister-prone and I don’t like to hike without bringing along some moleskin. It’s a must for blister prevention and care.
• Sunscreen – This Sun Bum Original Sunscreen Face Stick was perfectly small and easy to pack and provided plenty of protection from the sun, when we remembered to use it! I loved the size and ease of use.
• Bug Spray – If you’re hiking in the summer months, bug spray is pretty much a must.
• Backpacking First Aid Kit – This 100-piece first aid kit is lightweight enough to make the perfect kit for backpacking.
• Ibuprofen – It’s not a bad idea to pack extra ibuprofen to get you through a long hiking day when your body’s still sore from the day before. Or from sleeping on the ground. Let’s be real, some of us are getting old.
• Pepto Bismol – One item that we should have packed but didn’t.
• Travel toothbrush & toothpaste
• Fragrance Free Deodorant (travel size) – When hiking in bear country, it’s a good idea to stick with things that are fragrance free, like this deodorant from Schmitt’s.
• Baby Wipes – A great way to freshen up after a day of hiking when you don’t have access to a shower. Also, these have many many uses.

How to Physically Prepare for a Backpacking Trip

I’ll be the first to say that I’m not the fittest person out there. And honestly, the idea of hiking all day long for 4 straight days (with a heavy backpack) scared the crap out of me.

Here are a couple of things that I did to help prepare my body for such a long hike:

• Long (9 mile) walks with a weighted backpack (25+ lbs).
• Body weight leg workouts 2-3x a week leading up to the hike (donkey kicks, glute bridges, squats, lunges, etc.)
• Stair-stepper machine at the gym 2-3x a week

I did not go “all-out” on training for this hike like was my initial intention, but the few things that I did definitely helped.

Get our FREE Backpacking Packing List

Sign up below for a FREE copy of the packing list that we used to prepare for our first backpacking trip!

Get our FREE Backpacking Packing List!

Send me the list

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at anytime.

Built with ConvertKit

More Hiking Adventures

• Backpacking the Teton Crest Trail
• Hiking the Highline Trail – Glacier National Park
• Guadalupe Mountains – The Top of Texas

Save on Pinterest