New from Chicago area

Just wanted to introduce myself. I'm new to backpacking and been poking around this site for some tips. Found lots of good info so far and looking to learn.

For starters I was wondering how realistic it would be to do a backpacking trip in chippewa national forest for 4 days by beginning of September for someone new to the sport. I have some experience doing day hikes on trails carrying my camera gear but I'm new to the making camp and being far out. If there are some good threads in other forum sections just let me know and I'll search them out. Thanks!

Welcome!

Have you found the articles on the home page of this site, left hand column?

I suggest that your first trips just be overnighters, either in your (or a friend's) back yard, or car camping at a state park. This is to practice using your gear and learning needed skills. Do some of this in bad weather so you learn how to stay warm and dry. It's a lot easier to do this where you can bail out to your warm living room or your car when things go amiss!

There are other threads, but in a nutshell: I'd not start with a 4-day trip. Too much can happen that will make it disappointing: you'll find you won't be able to carry the pack as far as you hoped, you'll hate the food (even though it looked good on paper), you won't know how to use the stove, or will have forgotten something (tent stakes, fuel cylinder, etc.), and you'll end up frustrated unnecessarily.

For a first trip, try a one or two nighter at a state park. Put the stuff you'd plan to take on your 4-night trip (including 4 days of food), and put some back up stuff in the trunk. When you get to your campsite, lock your car and don't get back in it unless something goes wrong. Put your pack on and go hike 3 or 4 miles the first day, ending up back by your car, and live out of your pack that night. The next day, pack back up and carry it for 6 or 8 miles, then either go home or camp the second night.

If things don't go well, figure it out and try it again. When everything goes fine, take the 4-day trip.

What the others said.

Before you start buying gear, I'd suggest spending a lot of time here asking questions. Stay out of the box stores.

Good point - the guy trying to sell you camping gear at Dick's may just be on loan from the golf department because the "camping expert" was going to prom tonight.

There's probably a small, locally-owned outdoors shop not to far from you. Go there, get to know the staff, and you'll probably find that they actually use what they sell when they go play in the woods.

Thanks for the warm welcome all.

I apologize for not providing more detail but the 4-day thing is more of an end goal type trip. I have read the advice of "try it out" before in my other searches on various sites so that is on my list along with a car camping type trip.

Right now I'm researching equipment and ideas to start with. I've seen "starter" lists of equipment and I've toyed with the idea of getting stuff but within reason. Without turning this into an equipment thread (which I will search through later) I figure on some "big box" equipment (cheap light tent for starters) and the store as an additional research tool as in "check stuff online and see if I can find that item in a store". I also read something about equipment rental places (neptune?) that I need to find more info on. I figure on starting cheap with "ok" stuff eventually upgrading to high quality dependable items if/when backpacking becomes a dedicated hobby.

Also for a starter would a range of 40-50lbs (without abundant use of ultralight equipment) seem like a realistic number? Obviously every trip is slightly different but I'd like to know if that ballpark range is something I might be able to achieve.

You can do much better without breaking the bank. I would shoot for 20-30 lbs.

I agree. Without getting top-of-the price-range light gear, you should be able to do 4 days with less than 30 pounds. (I was able to do that back in the early 80's, with stainless steel pots and Timberline tents, and, I think, carrying 2 liters of water.)

The big thing is to ruthlessly differentiate between "need" and "want." Don't buy a two-person tent if you'll be camping solo - the extra space is nice, but not necessary. Don't insist on a menu that requires two pots for preparation, plus a bowl; drink water (from your water bottle) instead of coffee or tea, and you don't need a cup. Better yet, eat breakfast and lunch cold, use freeze-dried food that you can "cook" in the bag by adding boiling water, and use a mug-shaped pot that can double as a cup (think MSR Titan Kettle or Jetboil Sol.) Use a short pad, and stick your empty pack under your lower legs, instead of using a full-length pad. Get waterproof breathable rain suit that can double as a windbreaker or long pants - that sort of thing.

Look at the gear lists on the home page of this site (linked to in my post above), and try to aim there for weight (not the brands). The lists will also help you decide what individual items you'll need. I prefer the 7-day gear list to the 3-day list; you can use the same gear for any length of trip, and I would not want to be stuck in rain in the gear listed for the 3-day trip.

Try to have your base weight (everything but food, water, fuel) at 20 lbs. or less, and you'll be fine. Add 6 lbs. food for 4 days, a quart of water (2 lbs.), a pound of fuel--that puts you at 29 lbs.

Lots of great advice. I'll scan through the lists and see what there is. I realistically thought 40lbs for the trip but 30 sounds a lot better to me.

Oh dumb question but for those who backpack with a spouse - what do some of you do for tents? I'm curious how many pack one larger tent vs two small tents. I'm trying to convince my wife that the trip wouldn't be as bad as she thinks (she's car camped before).

One two-person tent will definitely weigh less per person than two solo tents.

There are other gear items you save weight on by sharing, such as stove, pot, fuel, water treatment, possibly maps (although each of you should have one), camera, etc.

If you're lucky enough that your spouse will be traveling with you (I'm not) then a two person tent, definitely. Just be aware that there are two-person tents, and then there are two-person tents. Especially in the lightweight category, two-person tents come closer to being one and a half person tents (that's how they get such low weights.) I have a friend who has a two-person Big Agnes Fly Creek tent; he said that he and I could never share it (at least not without becoming romantically involved, which is not an option) and that he's not sure he and his wife would be able to share it. The old Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight 2 was the same way. There are exceptions - Tarptent's Rainbow 2 is one I can think of off the top of my head. The best thing would be for both of you to go to the store, set it up, and climb into it to see how it fits. Another feature to consider: end-entry tents, or side entry tents with only one door, can make it awkward for getting in or out - you may end up climbing over the other person. Side-entry tents with two doors (and, often, two vestibules) may weigh a bit more, but the convenience may well be worth it.

You should check into the Ozarks too. From late October thru early April the backpacking is pretty good here. Probably about the same or even less drive time as getting to the Chippewa NF, and you can get a jet to Branson, MO and rent a car there if that's more your style.

Johnny,

I asked my son what he thought of this trip. His first question was "Does he want to get a divorce?"

Remember, since it's your idea, everything that goes wrong will be your fault. Murphy says things will go most wrong when it's a 2 day hike back to the car. Then there is the long, quiet drive home.

He suggested starting with either car camping or hiking, but not both at once. Hiking is inexpensive. If you like it, you can start building packs with decent quality to use on a car camping trip.

My guess is most of us got into backpacking either through hiking or car camping. Things are a lot more difficult in the woods than they appear in our imagination. That is, until we get used to them.

My suggestion is to keep the 4 day trip as a goal. But forget about gear for a week and take a hike this weekend. Go far enough so you can have lunch on the trail. Yet don't go so far that blisters will be a factor. Depending on terrain, 4 miles is a reasonable goal.

If you can plan the ending of the hike in a place where you can cook and have a fire, you have experienced everything but sleeping overnight.

Welcome from another new member . . . .

Good luck with your trip.

That's really good advice.

Though I'm not sure the "since it's your idea" qualifier is really needed. My experience is that it's my fault whether or not it's my idea - "It wasn't my idea." "But you should have stopped me."

I agree with all the advice that was given..My addition is practice putting up your tent in the dark. The best laid plans always get visited by Mr. Murphy lol. and build your habit of everything has its place. That makes breaking camp a piece of cake and you don't lose anything. Just have fun and enjoy

You have a good point, Glenn.

There is a good thing about things that go wrong. The more misery we experience, the more fun it seems looking back.

Be sure to take a lot of pictures. Especially in the miserable parts.

I agree with ancinabe! Best, practice with the tent in the back yard (yours or borrowed), setting it up and taking it down enough times that you can do it quickly and efficiently without having to refer to the instructions. Then practice setting it up and taking it down while it's raining, trying to keep the inside of the tent dry. Despite (or more likely because of) my many years of experience, I do this with every new tent!

You don't want to be trying to set up that tent for the first time on a dark, windy, rainy night with instructions in one hand and flashlight in the other!

lol I see your point. I definitely will be practicing when I eventually get gear (after the first trip or two of regular camping at a campsite).

All the other suggestions are extremely good and I will take heed of them. One that I think I've got set is just the distance hike. I've been to Starved Rock national park here in IL and we've hiked those trails (lots of stairs) carrying probably 10-15lbs of camera gear or a 3L camelbak with a few extras. I've got a well broken-in pair of Keen hiking boots along with some smartwool socks I regularly use on long hikes.

I've still got a long way to go before I'm ready so we'll see if I can even get it done this year. The Branson idea is a good one. I'll have to run that past the wife but I'll sweeten the pot by saying we should ask our friends (who have a timeshare there) to come with and stay at the room for two out of four nights. But again, we'll see how things go.