[The Chaddening]

So my fiance and I go hiking/camping a fairly good amount. We mainly do backcountry camping where you hike up 2-3 miles to your campsite and set up there. I am looking to get:

1. A large, comfortable backpack made for backpacking. I have read a decent amount about Osprey's and they look great.

2. Hiking boots

3. Any cool, useful gear that I may not know about.

Does anyone have any recommendations?

[Roman G]

Osprey makes good packs. I would get a 50-60L that should be plenty for a multiday trip if you go fairly light and don't want to bring a kitchen sink.

As far as boots, depends on the type of terrain you'll be covering and the conditions. Anything well traveled and relatively mild approach, a decent pair of approach shoes will do just fine. With a heavy pack however and changing terrain a decent pair of boots with ankle support are definitely a big plus. La Sportiva, Lowa, Scarpa all make good GTX type boots.

As far as gear...there is so much and it never ends.

[The Chaddening]

Originally Posted by Roman G

Osprey makes good packs. I would get a 50-60L that should be plenty for a multiday trip if you go fairly light and don't want to bring a kitchen sink.

As far as boots, depends on the type of terrain you'll be covering and the conditions. Anything well traveled and relatively mild approach, a decent pair of approach shoes will do just fine. With a heavy pack however and changing terrain a decent pair of boots with ankle support are definitely a big plus. La Sportiva, Lowa, Scarpa all make good GTX type boots.

As far as gear...there is so much and it never ends.

Yeah the 58L is what I was pretty set on. I will check out those brands of boots, thank you!

[MightyMouseTech]

For boots, most important is how well they fit. Only way to know is try on a bunch.

Best thing I ever bought for back country gear (although, would not really consider 2-3 miles back country ) was a Exped Downmat sleeping pad. I had the Downmat 9. OMG what luxury!!!!
http://www.exped.com/usa/en/product-category/mats

After having one, would gladly pay 10X the price they cost!

Best other products I had were:

Handpresso: hand pump espresso maker
http://offpistemag.com/backcountry-e...ndpresso-wild/

And a lightweight hammock for chilling during the day, drinking wine (in Tetra boxes of course!)
http://www.cleverhiker.com/best-backpacking-hammocks/

[Mr Tonka]

Originally Posted by GirthBrooks

So my fiance and I go hiking/camping a fairly good amount. We mainly do backcountry camping where you hike up 2-3 miles to your campsite and set up there. I am looking to get:

1. A large, comfortable backpack made for backpacking. I have read a decent amount about Osprey's and they look great.

2. Hiking boots

3. Any cool, useful gear that I may not know about.

Does anyone have any recommendations?

Don't forget to bring a Banjo.

[Flying Ace]

2-3 miles? That's not too hardcore. I would invest in lighter backpacking tent first over anything.

[The Chaddening]

Originally Posted by Flying Ace

2-3 miles? That's not too hardcore. I would invest in lighter backpacking tent first over anything.

Yeah well we have been limited to going on short trips because we had crappy backpacks with sleeping bags jerry-rigged onto the back of them.

[Maestro]

Backpacks - Look at Gregory or Lowe Alpine - I have extensively used both of these packs. Lowe was the very first internal frame pack back in the 80's I bought the very first one on the market at the time and use it for almost 20 yrs before the water proofing deteriorate. I then went out and research a new backpack and settle on the Gregory. At the time they were the only pack which offer belts in small, medium, and large and the Pack also comes in different sizes depending on your height.

I never really looked at Osprey until recently, the wife and I were looking for a day pack for her, and she like the Osprey over other options. She felt it fit her better. They seem to have better design for woman.

Boots we tend to like Merrel, again I have been using them for almost 30 yrs and had a few which lasted a good 10 yrs. They really stand behind their products, my son was pretty rough on boots and has some come apart and every time Merrel replace them even when the boots were no longer made. One time they let him upgrade the boots to the next model up as log as they were not more than $50 more than the ones he had. We have bought full leather hiker as well as light weight hikers from Merrel.

Make sure to get a water bladder, a 3L is a good size. I am looking at new ones right now and make sure the hose has removable hose and have a large opening for filling. I recently one with a bladder pump so it lets you pressurize the bladder so you can squire water out of the hose which can in handy.

[fravel]

Love my Gregory Baltoro pack and Solomon boots.

If you're gonna be camping in cold, keep in mind that sleeping bag temp ratings don't mean "you'll be comfortable down to X", they mean "you won't die down to X". If you're expecting to be camping in temps at or near your bag rating, get a bag at the next lowest rating.

Nifty must-have gear: Sven Saw and waterproof stuff sacks for sleeping bags/other things you don't want to get wet. I like the sea-to-summit brand.

3 person tents are really 2 person tents, 2 person tents are really 1 person tents. 1 person tents won't let you store any gear out of the rain.

Dry is more important than warm.

[1MOREMOD]

I use a kelty falcon I believe. Has lot of molle so can attach extra gear. I hang hatchet or tomahawk, sleeping pad on outside as well as flashlight, and other gear you want at hand. I also carry collapsible shovel, finger saw, fire starters, firearm, compass, paracord, life straw, solar charging panel, and whole bunch of other similar things.

[Hawkeye]

For a backpack - go and try them on with weight. They all fit a little differently.

For gear, the more you pay the better it can get I have a marmot ultralight tent and really like it.

I also always carry a knife, lighter/matches, and a good flashlight. I recommend Zebralight for a good all around flashlight.

A nice inflatable sleeping pad is also something that shouldn't be overlooked, worth the space and weight IMO.

[upstatedoc]

DonaldPump I wonder what he got since this thread is over two years old

[1MOREMOD]

Oh shit good call

[overcoil]

Originally Posted by upstatedoc

i wonder what he got since this thread is over two years old

And a very cool thread.

Recently I've become very aware / concerned about synthetic clothing and camping fires and air quality in flame retardant tents.

[Lups]

Originally Posted by DonaldPump

So my fiance and I go hiking/camping a fairly good amount. We mainly do backcountry camping where you hike up 2-3 miles to your campsite and set up there. I am looking to get:

1. A large, comfortable backpack made for backpacking. I have read a decent amount about Osprey's and they look great.

2. Hiking boots

3. Any cool, useful gear that I may not know about.

Does anyone have any recommendations?

What kind of climate are you doing this? I walk my dog year round in basic sneakers in Finland and our route is about 5km.

so about your route? What kind of hights are you hitting, I'm basically on flat ground so I get off easy. I do take the kids camping as much I can and our sleeping bags and gear is basic summer shit, it's lighter to carry which in the winter time becomes an issue for sure since I have to nag about taking socks off when they go to the bags.

I do have a portable stove for the mid winter trips but that weighs about 10kg, and that tent is an other ten. I'm trying to teach them how to keep warm without it since it sucks to make firewood after 10k or more with kids.

[Lups]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

Oh shit good call

I totally missed this.

Oh well.

[The Chaddening]

Haven't been on BP in a while, but I do have some more camping gear now. We moved to Colorado, so first things first:

1. Bear Vault - store all your trash and food 200-300 yards away from tent for peace of mind.

2. We both have Osprey Backpacks.

3. I have Timberland boots idk what my wife has.

4. Jetboil is sweet and it's so nice not having to rely on a campfire for food.

5. Slightly unrelated but allows us to get to better camping spots - we replaced my wifes old Nissan Sentra with a 2016 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk. Been clutch for making it up to the ski slopes in the snow too.

Originally Posted by MightyMouseTech

For boots, most important is how well they fit. Only way to know is try on a bunch.

Best thing I ever bought for back country gear (although, would not really consider 2-3 miles back country ) was a Exped Downmat sleeping pad. I had the Downmat 9. OMG what luxury!!!!
http://www.exped.com/usa/en/product-category/mats

After having one, would gladly pay 10X the price they cost!

Best other products I had were:

Handpresso: hand pump espresso maker
http://offpistemag.com/backcountry-e...ndpresso-wild/

And a lightweight hammock for chilling during the day, drinking wine (in Tetra boxes of course!)
http://www.cleverhiker.com/best-backpacking-hammocks/

I agree on all of these points, especially the sleeping pad! One thing I found useful was always having a multi tool. I have been debating between the leatherman surge and wave (by reading a few comparissons here: https://buyerbenchmark.com/leatherma...e-2018-review/)

Not sure if buyer benchmark has actually used these or just researching them, either way, it has been helpful for me!

Thanks!

[Red Bread]

Man, I have a drawer of multi tools and just carry a small philips and a Benchmade Bugout. Add a large rock and you can fix just about anything.

An LED flashlight you can hang from a lanyard is nice. That and a MSR whisperlight have let me go years without building a fire.

I use an ancient Mountain Hardwear crazylegs down bag and have a few different inflatable pads for different weather. Tents are personal. I tend to camp with my dog and kid, so a tight two man that can hold off snow and has a decent vestibule is ideal. But I also use a pretty roomy three man with lots of mesh if it's nice out and I'm not going more than four or five miles per day.

I carry a single ti pan, an Osprey pack, a water filter, a ten liter water pouch (doubles as a shower) and a PPK if I'm near the border.

upgrading camping gear is very good thing.cause they work better than old gears.

I want to recommend some camping gears that you should buy :

Backpack : You Can buy Condor 3 day Assult Backpack.
Here is a review : https://tacticalbackpackguide.com/co...t-pack-review/

Hammock : You can buy Eno Doublenest hammock
here is a review : https://besthammockreviews.com/eno-d...ammock-review/

Hope you will be helpful by Those things.

[Drop the hammer]

I retired my old camping espresso maker that I used to use on my whisper light. Now I have an ultralight butane blended gas stove and use the Starbucks instant coffee packs. Way easier and this coffee quality is acceptable for the morning fix given the effort it takes and no more clean up. Gas stove is also way easier and lighter than the whisper light.

[lsturbointeg]

my coworker camps a lot because his son is in the Boy Scouts. he literally can go on for hours talking about it and I have no interest in it except to say "Cool!" on a side note it sounds like camping gear can get pretty damn expensive