I am looking at creating my backpacking kit. I just wanted to know what people consider their top items in their backpacking kit that might not be considered “essential” (tent, clothes, cookware, etc) or what they’d recommend looking into to improve the (already great) backpacking/camping experience.
Note : alcohol is supposed to be ‘non-essential’ !
I’m still working on getting started in backpacking myself. So far mostly just doing car camping with the whole family, but looking forward to being able to go out with one of the kids on shorter trips to get started.
I am also bringing a chair, I got a Nemo Moonlite. It has been wonderful being able to go from the default reclined position to a more upright position. I added some straps to the chair bag to help keep it attached to the frame and be able to use it as a water bottle holder.
I also got a Nemo Fillo Elite pillow and that has helped in sleeping quite a bit. I seem to wake up less often sleeping with it, and have found I turn over due to soreness/stiffness in neck/shoulder a bit less often when sleeping with it. Granted, this is only over two trips with it so far. I was using absolutely nothing previously though.
My current goal is to flesh out stuff to be able to go with one of the kids for a short trip, just 1-2 nights. So I’m reusing some of the car camping stuff as gear for now. So we’ve a big double sized Exped Synthmat Duo and a sheet for it to cut down on noise. Then a quilt for me and a sleeping bag for the child. A crua outdoors two person tent, even though it is probably a bit on the heavy side at about 6 pounds.
We bought several Gear Aid Ni Glo Gear Markers on sale to try out for a “nightlight” inside the tent and to mark out guy lines overnight, but haven’t had a chance to actually try them out yet. I’m hopeful they’ll be good enough though. They’re supposed to recharge just by being out in the sun, and then are supposed to be able to last several hours. So I’m hoping I can just hang them on the outside of the bag while we’re hiking and then have them usable overnight.
I just got a Soto Windmaster stove and a titanium cup and spoon to test out. We just got in one of the Flex Tail Gear pumps to inflate all the airmats and that we can use for brighter light inside the tent when needed as well.
I also just got a 45L shadowlight backpack that I’m hoping will be big enough for my part of a 1-2 night trip at least. I’ll still need to review clothes for the kiddo before we go, and get them some manner of backpack to bring along as well. But hopefully I’m on the way to getting started at least. Due to either age or physical therapy, I’ve got probably a couple years before any of the kids can do any decent number of miles in one trip, but multiple of them are interested in trying!