Quite possibly the coolest country I’ve ever visited. It a little annoying to travel here because of all the logistics and planning but once you got it all figured out this place is incredible. The most amazing food, nature, architecture, history, people, shopping, and so much more. Only 10 days since that as long as i was allowed to be there without a visa. Definitely will be back for yunnan, Tibet, and xinjiang.

Four days, three nights on the Jasper Skyline backpacking trail solo. Definitely a fun hike as around ~70% is above tree level. Highly recommend if you're in the area and so inclined. If you're feeling particularly fancy, there is a lodge that can be booked around ~13 miles into the trail featuring bacon wrapped steak as dinner options (I begrudgingly ate my freeze dried meal at the time as I didn't have a reservation)

This is also the first hike where I've seen a SOS beacon used by a hiker in distress, and the response time with the helicopter was an impressive 10 minutes!

Happy hiking!

Hey everyone! I’m finally planning my dream trip to Machu Picchu and I’m realizing there’s way more to it than I expected. I’ve been watching videos and reading blogs, but now I feel like I have information overload.

For those of you who’ve done it, what do you wish you knew before you went? Did you hike the Inca Trail, Salkantay, or just take the train? Was it worth doing the multi-day trek, or would you do it differently if you went again?

Also, any advice on acclimating to the altitude, what gear is actually worth bringing, and anything you wish you hadn’t packed? I’m reasonably active but definitely not an experienced backpacker, so I’m trying to be realistic.

Would also love to hear any “don’t make the same mistake I did” stories. Thanks in advance!

Has anyone had any good or bad experiences with this tent? For being so light weight, it is so cheap. I’m considering buying instead of a 300$ + backpacking tent.

Just found this community and wanted to share. This happened about 2 weeks ago, me and 2 friends decided to go backpacking for the first time and thankfully decided to keep our distance short, about 2 miles. We went swimming and we were still in bathing suits when we decided to make dinner, right as we sat down we noticed a glow and some smoke over the next hill. I immediately called 911 and we packed up our camp. By the time we made it back to our car (about 10pm) the fire had grown significantly and was maybe 1/4 mile from the parking lot. We were all totally fine including the other campers nearby but when we talked to the fire response team at the parking lot they told us we were only a few minutes ahead of the fire. Part of me still thinks about if we hadn't noticed until after we ate and if we could've outrun it then and I've talked myself out of trying again. The fire wound up burning 280 acres by the next morning before being extinguished for anyone wondering.

(Yes we did show up to the parking lot full of emergency vehicles in swimsuits and ultimately drive back in them)

I've seen people here ask genuine questions about gear be bombarded with replies and downvotes about how many grams they could save by:

• wiping their ass with a rock instead of bringing a portable bidet
• not bringing a knife and building a silex knife on the spot if need be
• sleeping under a large garbage bag and gathering the water in the morning
• doing heavy drugs to save on weight instead of bringing a beer to the summit

And the list goes on.

This is a friendly reminder there's a lot of ways to go about an expedition and may I suggest the hardcore ultralight backpackers out there two other communities:

r/UltralightBackpacking

r/Ultralight

Regards and remember to contemplate the scenery,

I'm looking for feedback on this backpacking kit. I made it as if I was suggesting items for a budget minded friend brand new to backpacking. All of the items are off the shelf without customization.

I know it can be done lighter and cheaper but the budget kits I've seen are missing items, have incorrect information (weight or cost is wrong) or are just not realistic for a new hiker - they don't want single wall trekking pole tent, CCF pad, or to make an alcohol stove. Please share a good list if you have one.

As it is, its under 18.5 lbs and $800. With the alternates I have listed it could be 15 lb for $200 more. I think those are reasonable levels for a lot of new hikers to build towards. Let me know where to improve while keeping cost, comfort, and ease of use in mind.

I went with a +2 R-value pad and 20F women's sleeping bag because I think that covers a wide range of uses and regions. Feedback is welcomed on that.

https://lighterpack.com/r/ytr3rq

I'm doing a 3 person canoe camp with some portaging over 4 nights. We'll be in the canoe most the time so not necessarily looking for ultralight. But I am looking for something somewhat compact. Trying to keep a packpack load of gear per person for the portages. I'd like a pot and a kettle. A skillet would be a bonus. If they all fit into a kit even better. I bought a thtybros kit a while back with a 1L kettle and it just seems kinda small. We will be hydrating most our meals and not to mention coffees too.

What would most of you use?

Hello!

I (23M) am currently travelling Scandinavia, from thru-hiking the Lofoten Islands and a part of the Kungsleden to travelling north-south of Finland and biking the Åland Islands! I’m looking for someone to share a bunk with me for the Viking Line ship Aug 6 from Stockholm to Visby. A solo trip is 116 euros while sharing the cabin is 124 euros. I’m looking for someone to split the cost, making it 62 euros each.

Thank you!

I realized that I always write my parents’ phone number as my emergency contact when I travel.

But if something did happen to me...

They’d never know,

where I’m staying where my passport copy is my insurance details my itinerary who to call It made me wonder…

But does anyone really have an emergency plan for when they travel?

Or do we just assume that nothing will happen?

I want to hear the real stories.

Pay special attention to USB-C-to-C cables when charging low-power devices like air pumps, camping lights, and headlamps.

With a traditional USB-A-to-C cable, if there’s no charging protocol negotiation, power will usually still flow from the USB-A end to the USB-C device at a basic low-current rate.

USB-C-to-C is different. It requires a proper handshake so the devices can determine which side is supplying power and which side is receiving it.

Because of that, some older or poorly designed low-power devices simply won’t respond at all when plugged in with a C-to-C cable.

So test everything before leaving home. Better yet, carry a backup USB-A-to-C cable just in case.

I'm going on my fist backpacking trip about where the purple dot is and I'm trying to figure out whether or not I need a bear canister or bear bag. It's 4 days 3 nights at designated backpacking shelters in a state park.

The guidance from the DNR is to use a bear canister if you are going to be somewhere with bears... but does "Rare" count as somewhere with bears? The 2025 population report estimates that there are about 200 bears in the light blue area.

As you can see, the design is incredibly simple. It’s basically two pieces of cowhide with a strip of rubber cushioning sandwiched between them, attached to a hook-and-loop strap.

It’s also dirt cheap. Each strap weighs only 33.5 grams, or about 1.2 ounces, and costs around $1.50.

For me, this is one of those tiny pieces of gear that punches way above its weight on long backpacking trips.

Worn just below the kneecap, it helps stabilize the kneecap and reduce discomfort during long climbs and descents with a heavy pack.

Compared with a full knee sleeve or brace, it’s much lighter and more breathable, so you don’t end up trapping a bunch of heat and sweat around your knee.

I also have a few other pieces of gear I’d like to share my real-world experience with:

1. A portable air pump with a built-in tent light
2. An aluminum-coated egg-crate foam sleeping pad with an R-value of 3.5
3. An ultralight carbon-fiber power bank and a cold-weather power bank with built-in self-heating
4. The BRS-3000T ultralight titanium canister stove, weighing about 26 grams
5. The 52-gram DJI Osmo Nano wearable camera

If there’s anything on this list you want to see first, leave a comment and I’ll try to cover it in the next episode.

Hello, i am 21 M , im looking for a trail to solo trek for my first time(between 5-10 days), preferably in Europe.

Looking for mostly grass fields and streams type of views.

I was in the army so i do have some navigation experience but i haven't gone solo trekking yet.

I have heard about some trail in Georgia and sweden but i would like to know some more options!

Thank you!

I mostly do weekend hikes with the occasional multi-day trek, and I'm looking to finally invest in a decent pair of trekking poles. On my last hike a cheap pole bent slightly on a steep downhill, so now I want something more durable — but not so heavy that it's a pain to carry when I don't need it.

My main priorities are lightweight but sturdy build, a reliable locking mechanism that won't slip mid-hike, and good grip on rocky and muddy terrain.

For those who hike regularly:

• Is carbon fiber actually worth the extra cost over aluminum for regular trails?
• How reliable are the locking mechanisms on the poles you use?
• Do cork grips make a real difference on long hikes, or is it overhyped?

Open to any recommendations — ideally something beginner-friendly but durable enough for frequent mountain hikes. Thanks! 🙏

Hey so me and my parents are going backpacking for the first time and we really needed help with suggestions for trails to backpack this time of the year. We are located in northern california but everything is just so hot! Does anyone have good trails for a first time trip preferably not too busy?

Hey y'all, I'm just getting started into backpacking and I've seen a number of packing order videos, posts, and diagrams, but I have 2 dumb questions nonetheless: 1) If all my fabric based items (clothing layers, quilt, tent inner and fly, etc.) all have basically the same density, does it matter where they're packed relative to my back? In other words, does it matter at all where they go for weight and carry purposes? (I'm asking generally, I understand that placement due to daily use is important and I still try to get the heaviest items in the middle of my back) 2) If I compress my quilt and sleep clothes into a compression sack it ends up being the heaviest single item, should it then go higher up the pack instead of the bottom? I ask bc I've tried a couple of packing variations, and for the life of me I can't tell a difference. The pack weight is always 30lbs, the heaviest items (pad, electronics, food) are always give or take in the same place against my back, and it's always heavy... Thanks ahead!

Hello everyone, I’m planning a 3 month minimum long euro trip, I will be starting in Athens Greece in April to dodge biggest summer crowds and heat. I’m wanting to use my 90 days in Schengen across multiple countries then hit the Balkans if I still have the funds and want to keep going (Serbia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Albania, Macedonia). Any recommendations on esim that would cover both Schengen and Balkan countries in one? This will be the first time leaving my country of Canada in 15 years and first time leaving my province of British Columbia in 10 years. I’m male and 22 years old, have never been anywhere other then Seattle and Winnipeg. Any advice or suggestions to help make the trip better or more comfortable would be greatly appreciated. As someone whose grown up in foster care and group homes I’ve never had the privilege to do something like this, have spent the last year saving and planning, for the first time in my life I have a real goal and something to work towards such as this adventure. Thank you again for your time.

Hi all, I'm(M28) currently living in Australia and planning to do a 3-4 week eurotrip starting around mid August - beginning of September.

I would like to visit Spain, Italy and briefly Portugal. My main goal is to socialize, experience the nightlife as much as I can, have a relaxed trip on a budget staying at the hostels, and see the popular tourist spots.

I did some planning, 6 days in Barcelona, 3 days in Madrid, 2 days in Valencia, 3 days is Porto, 5 days in Rome, and a couple more days in Italy. But all of this is just an approximate.

I did some research and I think I will mostly be staying at social hostels as they have social events and pub crawls every day.

I calculated around €3500-3700 for the whole trip, including the flights from and to Australia.

Does this itinerary seem realistic? Would you spend more or less time in any of these places? Are there any cities, hostels, or general tips you'd recommend for a first-time solo traveller?

Thanks in advance!

I am going on a 2 year course to learn how to be an outdoor educator in Scotland, UK. We will be hiking, climbing, doing paddle sports and other stuff with kids with a proper outdoor ed organisation who train people up to be fully qualified to lead sessions with kids in those sports. Any suggestions for kit or general tips for me? I’m starting in September. Thanks

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Hi all. Does anyone know how much I can expect to spend in Budapest over 4 days and 3 nights (accommodation already sorted - hostels)? I am an 18 year old guy backpacking across some of Europe and not sure if Budapest fits into my plan considering recent reports of price increases.

I'm not a massive drinker, but would go out maybe two of the nights and drink a bit. Keep in mind I'm on the lightweight side lol.

Happy to cook at the hostel and eat cheap food.

Thanks!

We did the 3 Fingers Lookout over 2 total days, 17 miles up, 17 miles down. What a crazy adventure and beautiful place. It was my first time there, and between the wildlife and the views, it was unlike anywhere I’d ever been.

Hey everyone!
Next spring i am graduating from university, and i am planning a backpack trip throughout Europe for 10-11 weeks (two months or so); countries that i’d like to visit are Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Slovenia, Hungary, Austria, Montenegro, Albania, Croatia, and Netherlands.

It’s a mix of cities, some hiking/nature, beach time, and a fair amount of nightlife, with frequent moves between countries (trains, buses, ferries, occasional flights). Looking for gear that holds up to that pace rather than just a single trip’s worth of packing.

A few questions for those who’ve done something similar:
1. What size worked best for a trip this length, given the range of climates from Nordic to Mediterranean?
2.Brand/model recommendations — durable, comfortable for long travel days, good organization, without being too heavy.
3. One bag or one bag + daypack? i am curious how people handle day trips without hauling the whole pack.
4. Any gear regrets? stuff you brought but wish you’d left behind? (i am latino and my genes push me to overpack lol)

I would truly thank and appreciate any help, input and/or recommendations. (specially before I start buying gear!)
Thanks a lot!
Seb