Do you like camping and hiking? If you do, you are in good company. Between 2010 and 2012, three million Americans went camping. In 2014, more than 38 million people in the United States went hiking. It has been reported that consumers spend about $646 billion each year on hiking gear. Hiking is a great activity in the United States as there are a lot of fun parks to visit and it is a good way to get exercise. If you are planning a hiking trip, you may be looking for ways to pack light.
7 Tips to Lighten Your Load When Hiking:
- Leave it behind if you do not really need it. This may be self evident but many people take way more hiking gear with them on their trips than they need. Many people look at the items they are considering bringing and take both the things they know they will need and use and the stuff they think will be useful. One thing experts recommend doing when you pack is to pack and then remove at least half of what has been picked. Small things may not weigh a lot on their own but the weight adds up.
- Take the lightest supplies.When you buy hiking gear, try to get the items that weigh the least. Make sure you get the lightest backpack, sleeping bag and tent. If you can replace your heavy items with lighter versions, that will make a big difference. Talk to the people at your local camping gear store for ideas about what you can switch out for lighter options.
- Take stock of your current equipment.Look at all of the camping and hiking gear that you currently own and weigh it. Weigh your backpack once it has been packed. This will give you a sense of what you own and what you can replace with lighter versions. You can see very well how your belongings add up when they are all put together.
- Can you share any of it?There are some items that you need to have for yourself but there are some supplies that you can share with someone else on your trip. Spread out the items that you will share with your entire group among a few people. There is no reason one person should be tasked with carrying everything that the group will use. These include a lot of your camping needs such as a stove and tents. Everyone will benefit from having them so everyone should take turns carrying them.
- Pack items that can be used for more than one purpose. When you can use items for multiple purposes, you cut down on the number of items you need to bring with you. If you are not sure what items can be used in this manner, talk to the people at the store where you get your hiking gear and they can help you find equipment like this.
- If you can, choose gear stuffed with down.Sleeping bags and various clothing items can be bought with down in them. These are incredibly warm and light to carry. Down sleeping bags are also really comfortable. These items add a lot of value to your bag without adding a lot of weight.
- Pack clothing you can layer.When you plan your clothes for your trip, pack clothes that can be layered. This is a good thing for trips where the weather will change throughout the day. There are some areas where the weather goes from cold in the morning to hot by the afternoon and then cool again when the sun goes down. Your best bet for enjoying any climate is to dress in layers.andnbsp;
The more time you spend camping and hiking, the more you will find that you do not need to take with you. When most people plan their first camping trip, they bring a lot of backpacking gear with them that they do not really need. Some people opt to write out a camping checklist before they pack to determine what items they will really need and what can be left behind. Another trick is to pack a bag and then weigh it. This helps a lot of people pare down their gear.