How to Resolve the Backpacking Tent Problem - The Lightweight and Ultralight Backpacking Tent

As lover of hiking and rambling we love to go backpacking, as it is great to do this over a number of days. This way you get the time to really get into the countryside and away from all the stresses and strains of life and also away from the crowds and the roads. So a 2 or 3 day backpack is great for the sole and also great to develop even deeper friendships with the people who are going with you.

If you are backpacking a number of days you will need a backpacking tent. The problem some people find is that by taking a tent the extra weight in your backpack increases too much. This can cause back problems if not slow you down on a hike. This is not a good way to treat your body or conduct a backpack or hike..

Are there solutions for this problem? Well, of course there is.

Firstly if you are carrying the tent carry for a max 4 of you. If there is a fifth hike you need another tent

Secondly and the main solution here is to buy a lighter tent. There are many light backpacking tents on the market. The 2 types which are the most popular these days is a Lightweight or Ultralight backpacking tent.

An Ultralight backpacking tent is the expoerienced backpackers favourite choice in general. The reason for this is they are lighter than Lightweight tents. The maximum weight is 2kg for an Ultralight tent. Here seems a war on as to who can get the lightest backpacking tent.

Lightweight tents are slightly more heavier but are still up to the job for backpacking and still a good choice. These tents generally will have more space which you may want to consider when buying backpacking tents.

The good news that you would want to here is that both style of tent uses the most up to date technology advanced techniques to make the tent both light and strong. The other advantage is that by obtaining a lighter tent of course this will enable you to travel at a faster speed. Therefore covering more ground. An obvious point but relative to the subject and definitely a positive point.

Of course it is your choice which of the backpacking tents to go for. Either style will be fine and great for backpacking. Your choice whether you go for slightly heavier lightweight tent but with more space OR the lighter Ultralight backpacking tent. It’s a personal choice

So please make sure you have a light but strong backpacking tent to save any aching pains. In addition have a great and memorable hike wherever this maybe and good luck..

How to Pack Your Backpack Gear

Now you have all of your backback gear all ready to pack. All you want to do is to get out to the countryside and start hiking. The only thing left is to pack your backpack gear. What do you need to consider? How do you do this? What things do you need to look out for?

Initially this can look quite confusing. However when you pack your backpack gear it is relatively simple and please don’t be blinded with science by all the so called experts on some internet sites.

So just before you start packing, lay all of your gear on the floor or table so you know how much to pack – the same way you pack the trunk (boot) of your car. You can see the scope in front of you that you need to pack.

So you need to make sure that your backpack gear is kept dry. To do this I still put a large plastic bag (or rubbish bag) in my backpack and pack everything in this. I have done this for years and have found that this keeps everything in the plastic bag dry. This is simple and if you get your rubbish bags free then this is free as well.

Also you need to ensure there is as little air as possible in your backpack after it is packed. This is to ensure you get the most packed in the space you have available. I recommend using fold dry bags. These are great as they are small bags where you can pack individual items and then easily draw the air out. Of course you can get these bags from any camping store or even online, Your backpack gear then consists of pre-packed dry bags. This also helps to keep your gear dry. Also these fold dry bags enable you to keep things organised, dry and pack well as your backpack gear. Believe me these are very useful.

Another important point is how you distribute weight when packing backpack gear. I go against the grain a little and put the heavier items nearer your body (i.e. spine) and nearer the top of the backpack. I find this helps to keep the weight to your centre of gravity. Other so called experts say that you should have heavy items at the bottom. I would hate to do this to my back! I also make sure that I keep the backpack balanced so the backpack and backpack gear is not pulling you on one side.

The next important point is to ensure you have easy access to the items you need in a hurry. For example when it is raining you need to have easy access your rain gear so you can change into this gear quickly when it starts to rain. Your rain gear needs to be packed to the top or a side pocket again easy access.

So some important points to consider when packing backpack gear. So hopefully you can see that it is not a complete science

So when your backpack is fully packed and you are ready to go - have a great hike!

Where to Backpack in America and on a Low Budget

I am a keen hiker and rambler together with writing articles on the subject. I love the great outdoors, the countryside and really great scenery. I also realise I am no "spring chicken" - heading toward my fifties – but not totally past it yet and still enjoy the odd hike.

However what really lights my candle is when I read about kids that have barely left high school but planning to backpack America. I suppose it is a important and difficult time in their lives where they are discovering what they want to do with their young lives. I would be proud if my kids wanted to do this around Europe or Backpack America. I think it is great that these young people are so adventurous and ambitious.

These young people (I like to call them young people rather than kids) come across 2 problems when they backpacker America. The first is money (no prizes for guessing this one) and the second is where to go. So I have been using a little experience and by surfing the internet I have been looking for answers to these all important issues and hopefully this will help when young people backpack America.

When you backpack America you are probably on a low budget. Therefore you will obviously need to stay in cheap accommodation. Hostels are the most likely and are all round and varied and more importantly cheap. So really it is not that difficult to find one at a reasonable price, at a fraction of the cost of a hotel. The other option is a tree under the stars which is completely free (although check out the safety risks first).

The buses services are quite good for travelling between locations. In particular the Greyhound is a good point to get prices especially booking a few weeks – say 2 to 3weeks in advance. For example can can find some really cheap rides from Los Angeles to San Francisco via a Chinatown bus for a relative cheap price when you backpack America.

Where are the good places to visit when you backpack America? Some suggestions for you:

1. The West side is good. This side of the country is good to Backpack America. Try and Start in Vancouver for example and get a bus down to San Francisco then via Yosemite National Park. Take a bus down to Los Angelos then through the red rocks - desert and onto the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon is not far from Las Vegas however take my advice and stay clear of Las Vegas unless you want to lose your money. In my view Las Vegas is a place for spending cash and is not a place to backpack America on a budget.

2. The other option I have seen is Florida. South Beach in Miami is a lovely place especially if you like to meet some famous people. It is also great in Tampa Bay and Orlando when you backpack America.

3. The other favourite is backpacking in South America. I would recommend that a good place to start is Quito (capital of Equator). From Quito travel the gringo trail (as the route through Central and South America is known). There are la number of places to visit and lots to view whether you are doing the Caribbean beaches in the North or trekking and hiking in the Patagonian wilderness in the South.

So where ever you go backpacking I take my hat off to the young kids that want to adventure and discover themselves. Have a super journey, do not lose your shirt in Las Vegas and return home safely when you backpack America.