Hello, this is a 2p backpacking tent with a footprint (northface Talus 2).

It's not too heavy, but it takes up so much space in the provided stuff sack. It could definitely be compressed more, and I was wondering what size sompression sack I should get and/or if you all had any tips in packing this down smaller.

Thanks!

I bought permits to hike Paria Canyon months ago and then my partner had the audacity to break both of his legs 2 weeks ago on a hike! So while I care for his poor, sad broken legs, someone else should enjoy this adventure. There's permits available 4/4-4/7 and then nothing until June so if you're free this weekend I'd heavily consider this as your last minute plans. Be safe out there and happy hiking!

Pic in southern Utah pre-leg break

Looking for area recommendations for a 3-4 night backing trip in the first half of July. I was looking at the wind river range but I’ve read the mosquitoes are ridiculous. I want to go somewhere beautiful but don’t want to get swarmed by biblical levels of bugs. Moderate levels are fine. Thanks in advance.

Hi all, thought I'd ask this here here given the collective wisdom. Some friends and I wanted to do the Rae Lakes Loop (or part of it) via Kearsarge Pass in late June. We've done mountain/alpine backpacking but not in this area, and we recognize that it may be quite snowy at spots, and potentially flooded, so I wanted to ask:

(1) What will the conditions be like by then given current snow accumulation and weather patterns? Alternatively, if it's impossible to predict, what's the best way to check on trail status as we approach June?

(2) If it's too wet and snowy, what are some other must-do trails that could serve as a good backup in the same-ish area (Eastern Sierras)? Specifically, we driving in from the East and for logistical reasons we don't want to drive around to the Western side at all. The nearest lower-altitude stuff (Alabama Hills, etc.) seems to be pretty barren and boring - we're looking for trees, lakes, streams, and big terrain features. The Emigrant Wilderness area seems promising but is at stretching the maximum extent of where we'd probably drive to. Any ideas??

We've committed to about a week + the two weekends bookending it.

If there's a better place to post this lmk, just thought I'd ask here. Thank you!

Looking for advice on multi-day loops in the Cascades that won't require an advance permit for early July. I know the advice will be "check out WTA site," but I'm not really seeing anything that fits the bill for a high alpine 3-5 day loop. We originally were looking at a Europe trip this summer but are realizing that won't work for us, so we missed the boat on the lottery for a lot of domestic stuff already. Trying to make some lemonade out of our lemons. If you have any other brilliant ideas on loops you love anywhere in the mountains of the US, I'm open to that too!

Currently looking for a backpack to take on 1-2 night backcountry camping trips. Looking for something in the 50-65L range. I always bring my young kids so I end up carrying far more than I normally would plus I like to bring photography equipment, spotting scopes, and a tripod.

Other than size my two priorities are comfort and breathability. I’ve got several disc issues in my neck and back so comfort is #1 and I sweat like crazy so I’d really like to have good air flow.

Currently looking at the following….

Gregory- Baltoro 65 or Paragon 58

Mystery Ranch- Terraframe 65

Osprey- Kestrel 58 or Rook 65

Any insight on these or other recommendations would be appreciated! TIA

I am 56(m) scheduled in 6-8 weeks for left hip replacement. Does anyone have experience with returning to backpacking after this surgery? Did you have any issues or full recovery.

it's been several years since my last backpacking trip and since then I've started playing chess. my mates on my upcoming trip said they'd be down to play, so I'm looking for recs for a small set. does anyone here bring a set along in their pack?

Howdy! My friend and I are two 22-year-old females from Australia, planning an adventurous multi-day hiking and camping trip in Yosemite, Kings Canyon, and the Sierra Nevada this coming October. We're no strangers to the great outdoors, having spent quite a bit of time hiking and camping back home. However, this will be our first time exploring these parks.

One of our main concerns, though, is bears. We've heard a lot about bear encounters in these areas, and given we have zero experience dealing with wildlife of this sort, it's fair to say we're a bit apprehensive. We want to make sure we're fully prepared and acting responsibly, not just for our safety but for the well-being of the bears and other wildlife we might encounter.

We'd love to hear from you all on a few points:

1. Bear Safety Tips: What are the must-know tips for avoiding bear encounters and ensuring safety in case of an encounter? We're especially interested in advice on food storage, behavior around bears, and any specific gear we should bring.
2. Trail Recommendations: Are there particular trails or areas we should prioritize for safety and beauty in October? Conversely, are there any areas known for frequent bear activity that we might consider avoiding?
3. General Safety: Besides bears, are there other safety considerations we should be aware of while exploring these parks in the fall?
4. Personal Experiences: If you've had a bear encounter or have navigated these concerns yourself, we'd love to hear about your experience and any advice you might have.

We're eager to learn from this community and ensure we're respecting the natural habitat of the incredible wildlife in these parks. Thanks in advance for your insights and advice!

Hello all,

Does anyone have suggestions on some backpacking trails near me for this weekend? I am in the Northeast Alabama region, Huntsville Alabama to be exact. My GF wants to go for her birthday, so I'm hoping to find something stellar to give her a good experience. She's never been but is very fit, and I have plenty of gear to accommodate.

I'm looking for a 3-day / 2-night trip. I'm okay with an easier hike as I'm more concerned with going somewhere pretty. I'm hoping to keep it within 3-4 hours of a drive from Huntsville, AL.

So far, I've been looking at going to Jacks River Falls trail. It's a 16-18 mile trail located in north Georgia.

I've spent a lot of time in the Bankhead area, Sipsey River, Firey Gizzard, and Walls of Jericho. So I was hoping to branch out a bit further.

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Any suggestions would be extremely appreciated!

I am camping on the beach soon and it'll be pretty windy this time of year.

I want to take a wind screen to set up around my jetboil to keep sand from blowing into my food and tipping it over.

Can anyone recommend one? I'm also open to outside suggestions. This is my first time beach camping.

I’m looking for a 3 to 6 day trip from the North Rim in May. I’ve done 7 GC backpacking trips outside of the corridor trails all from the South Rim. Your advice is appreciated.

My sister got my an ultralight pop up tent. It's the perfect size and fits within my weight limit for carrying. However, it folds into a circle that can't fit into my back pack. It's about 3 feet wide. How would I got about strapping this onto my pack in a way that's secure and manageable? Or will his just be a car camping tent?

Edit: sorry, tent in the link is the wrong one. The one she got me is 3.6 lbs

I am planning on going to Zion to do multiple day backpacking trip at the west rim trail. nd have secured two wildness campsites.

Is there any policing/enforcement of those campsites? How easy can people without those reservations just camp at those sites?

One of my favourite areas has been closed since the 2019/20 fires and then flooding leading to landslide danger etc. Was looking for other info and saw a notice it was finally open on Friday - was on the track within the hour.

Hi there! This season I worked at an nice place, and after doing a little bit of long trecking sessions and talking with lots of tour guides, I have every intention of doing the WFR and (in the future) work as a tour guide (over here is mandatory to have WFR if u want to work with the good hotels $) and camp around the country

Only problem is that I have never actually been camping, and altough I'm a first responder and have helped in a couple of rescues in wilderness, is not My Main job; I have absolutly nothing to start.

Any advice in gear and brands is welcommed! From a Nice backpack (50+), to walking sticks and a tent! Last time I went camping I was like 6 with the boyscouts and well, it's not exactly resumé material hahaha

For background: I live in a city and don’t plan to work a job that requires an active WFR certificate. However I love the outdoors, do remote wilderness activities, sometimes work in remote settings abroad, and also think the course sounds fun. I see WFR (via WUMP for me) expires after 2 years, and not sure if I’ll be able to re-certify in-person that often.

For anyone who’s done it for similar reasons, was it still worthwhile?

Thank you!!

Is this mostly a solo activity for you, or do you bring some company? If so, how many people do you usually bring? Just your spouse, a couple buddies, a group?

Been busy plotting routes for this year's trip. Every year it's something a bit different. Great place to explore.

Breakfast view

I'm currently in Belfast for a bit and have about 4 days to go backpacking down in the Republic of Ireland. I really want to do some wild camping but am having trouble sifting through online resources when it comes to travel backpacking, ect. Just wondering if anyone has a favorite little hike or section of hike that they did in Ireland that they would be willing to share.

I’m feeling a strong pull to get out there, but other than some day hikes, I won’t be able to for a few weeks. I’d love ideas of things I can do to make my future trips better while I’m stuck home?

My ideas so far:

• Clean any gear in need of it, especially neglected items like down
• Research future trips
• Make a gear weight spreadsheet
• Window shop for new gear obsessively
• Check Marketplace and REI for used deals
• Browse r/MYOG for DIY ideas: maybe a backpacking meal cozy

Other ideas please?