My husband loves to backpack and hike. We’ve been on some casual day hikes and some seriously gnarly backpacking adventures.
Hiking and backpacking are inexpensive and great ways to see Nature and get in some exercise. They are activities that can be done by any age and skill level.
Don’t know where to start?
Jason Stevenson has created a comprehensive guide: The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Backpacking and Hiking.
In this book, Stevenson leaves out no detail as he covers planning, training, shopping, and packing for your adventure.
He even goes so far as to appeal to my seasoned husband’s skill level with a chapter dedicated to living on the trail!
This book has useful information about first aid and safety tips, what’s necessary, and what isn’t.
There’s a chapter on traveling in groups or with pets.
Stevenson has done an amazing job at the layout and organization of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Backpacking and Hiking. It starts with a Day Trip and progresses into over-night camping, backpacking basics, and the chapter I need to focus on, “Never Get Lost (Again)”–tutorials to read a map, GPS, and stay on course.
There are excellent checklists and overviews of the gear: from fitting boots and backpacks to picking the right tent and stove. There are even pictures and diagrams to help better prepare!
I’m in the process of reading it, and I’m going to surprise my husband by packing my own bag! I’m excited to know what I need and the best place for it to be in the pack. I’m hoping to one-up my husband and looking forward to telling him to close his gaping mouth before mosquitoes take residence when he sees how awesome I am!
Check out Stevenson’s Top 12 Hiking and Camping Tips and get a feel for just how easy life can be out there in the outdoors!
Whether you’re an amateur or novice, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Backpacking and Hiking is a great read that will have you coming back to again and again as a resource. It’s even a decent size and weight to tuck in your pack and refer to while engaged in backpacking or hiking.
About the Author
Jason Stevenson writes extensively about survival, hiking, and the outdoors and is the Backpacker magazine’s former skills editor.
Disclosure: I received no monetary compensation for this post. I did receive a copy of the book, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Backpacking and Hiking, to facilitate an honest review. The opinions are my own and were in no way influenced by the sponsor. Others’ experiences may vary.