pack recommendations for total beginner?

Hi all,

I'm a total beginner -- in okay shape for someone with a sedentary job, and recently have been running and walking a lot more. I'd like to try some overnight hikes, but I know that to begin to get into shape for that, I need to do some day hikes and learn to pack and carry a pack. But I have no gear, none at all. So...what sort of pack would I want to get? I've read various recommendations online, but I wanted to ask real human beings, because I assume the answer is something like "no no, you don't want that, you'll have no idea how to use it," etc.

So that's my question, to anyone who would be kind enough to offer their opinion. If I want to do day hikes and start learning to pack and carry food and other supplies, what would I want to carry them in?

Thanks a lot!

A pack is mostly a bag with shoulder straps, so it doesn't take a lot of learning in order to put one on and walk around. However, the more weight you put into that bag, the more challenging it is to remain comfortable as you walk around. That's what the hip belt, frame and load lifters, etc. are all about.

A day hiking pack is easier to use for the simple reason that you generally put less weight into one, so the design can be simpler and the consequences of getting a poorly made or poorly fitting bag are much smaller. I'd recommend just starting out by buying a day pack only and wait a while before considering a larger pack.

A critical piece of buying any pack is putting it on with weight in it. Ideally the weight isn't a sandbag, but what you'll actually carry in the bag, or something that resembles that load pretty closely. The best place to do this is at a local store.

Beware of sales people trying to sell you an expensive pack with lots of bells and whistles. A day hike is not a mountain climb. You'll mainly carry water, food, extra clothes and a few other items on a day hike. All that really matters is that this stuff fits inside the pack and when it is inside the weight sits commfortably. More expensive is not always better. You just need something durable enough the seams won't split on you. A few extra pockets can be nice, but aren't positively required.

All else being equal, a lighter pack is better than a heavier one. For day hikes you most likely won't need a framed pack, or even a hip belt. That only makes sense as your load approaches 20 to 25 lbs. A day hike load is usually closer to 10 lbs.

After you've put some day hikes together and found you enjoy them, you can start to think about backpacking in more depth and detail. The gear for backpacking will set you back more $$ than the gear for day hiking, so knowing you like to hike is a good idea before you sink much money into a hobby you may find uninteresting once you try it.

Happy hiking!

Have you read the articles and gear lists on the home page of this site, left-hand column?

Pay special attention to these.

It sounds like you are starting out with dayhiking. This is a good thing to do before you decide to spend the night on the trail. Most backpackers start this way. They do longer and longer hikes and then realize that if they take overnight gear, they can do even longer hikes.

For day hiking, just about any school bag will do. Look at the 10 essentials for what to pack, then find a trail close to home and HIKE! Just walk down it a couple hours, then turn around and walk back. If you enjoy it, then repeat. You will learn pretty quick if you like walking in the woods and whether you want to invest $$ into it.

Thanks for the reasonable tips, everyone. Day hiking begins this weekend. If I make any progress and want to keep pursuing this, I'll be checking back here for sure. Appreciate the welcome and pointers.