As the title says, one of my friends wants to go on a backpacking trip with me. Usually I like to be very spontaneous and sorta “rough it”, which would definitely not be good for the guy. I planned out a nice flat-ish 30 km route for us where we can watch the sunrise and the sunset from an overlook. What are some things that I should do in order to make his first trip a little better?
I once took a buddy out on his first camping trip. As a life-long city dweller, he was so excited for the opportunity to “get back to nature.” As we were walking along a particularly scenic trail, he grabbed a plastic-wrapped snack while commenting on the beauty of it all, ate the snack, and tossed the wrapper on the ground. Suffice it to say, I took this as a bit of a teachable moment. Save yourself a headache and educate your friend on trail etiquette before you go.
Wow, how self-centered! I’d say they need more than just trail etiquette; they need being a decent human etiquette.
I don’t even do that in the city. That’s just being an inconsiderate slob.
30 km in one day with a pack? Are you trying to kill him? Unless he’s a rudgy player, 10 to 15 k max.
Its gonna be an over-nighter, so 15 km per day. I asked him how he feels about it, and have a few alternative routes going all the way down to 5 km per day. Also funny enough he was a rugby player in high school lol.
15km is a lot more doable. Especially if it’s flat terrain. Alternate routes are a great idea. You sound like you have it all planned out.
I would recommend standard stuff like… help them pack, everyone wants to overpack. Set reasonable expectations. Be up front (but not negative) about the things that are uncomfortable.
Most important - share your enthusiasm! Show, don’t tell, how much you like backpacking. Enthusiasm is infectious and goes a long way to someone enjoying their trip :).
I second helping pack, but for the opposite reason. I’ve been on trips where someone overstated their confidence they are prepared, only to find out they read about ultralight backpacking the week before and I’ve had to split supplies and cut the trip short.
30km in a day is an especially bad idea for a first time, because if someone is unprepared or gets injured half way (blisters can make it impossible to continue walking) then some poor schmuck has to come and get you and haul your ass back.
Make sure they have appropriate gear and aren’t carrying too much weight. Inexperienced people often have odd ideas about what they need and end up over or under packing. An insulated inflatable sleeping pad is a good idea if they don’t have experience with foam pads. Let them set the pace so they don’t exhaust themselves trying to keep up with you, that’s a common mistake people make.
My dad (we are both broke uni students so most of the gear is being borrowed) is super into camping and backpacking and had a lot of gear that we are free to use. I’m gonna be making his pack for him to keep the weight down. Thanks for the tips on setting the pace, I didn’t think about that and I have a bad habit of going ahead and trying to speed the group up.
Shoes or boots … ask them before the trip what kind of footwear they have and if they’ve tested them out yet.
I’ve gone rough camping lots with my family … we’re Indigenous in northern Ontario and one of the worst things when you get out there is bad footwear. I’ve also traveled to Europe and gone on lots of walking tours. I once took a trip with brand new shoes that I thought were a great idea and never wore them much before the trip … bad idea as I discovered I didn’t like the shoes during the trip.
Ask them about footwear and if they have new gear, tell them to try their stuff out first before heading out.
Also toilet paper … always remind everyone about toilet paper.
Also extra socks, rain poncho for when you discover your waterproofing sucks.
Are you going into bear or moose country? Better discuss wildlife safety before you’re face to face with something.
Also having some sort of emergency plan in case something happens to you and your inexperienced friend is your only lifeline.
Alternatively, don’t discuss wildlife safety to give yourself a head start
Don’t eat anything which could result in food poisoning before the trip. Sushi, fast food… made that mistake once.
If he isn’t used to walking that far, 30km is going to be a bad time.
Take some painkillers.
Some people enjoy mangling themselves, so if the person loves suffering it could work. But unless you are CERTAIN that being super sore is a bonus, then I’d throttle back on the distance.
Beginners generally have heavy gear, and burn more energy covering the same ground because they don’t move efficiently and don’t have the stabilizer muscle development that comes with regular hiking. Go softly.
I definitely am one of these masochists. If it doesn’t hurt at the end then it doesn’t feel like a completed hike or workout. Ill take note of this and put the lighter stuff into his bag. Thanks for the suggestions!
You’re probably right lol. I’m gonna ask him how he feels about the distance, and maybe take him on 2 15 km hikes over 2 days just to make sure he can handle it.
Yeah I would definitely go for the 2 15km hikes, someone might say they’re ready for a 30k but then get into it and realize that they’re in over their head. A 15k at least gives him an idea of what to expect
I used to hike in the rockies once in a while, and I still walk at least 5km per day. But if you took me out and said we will hike 15km today I would pitch my tent and let you know that I will be here when you get back.
This is a bit tongue in cheek, but my point stands. 15k even on flattish ground will probably break your friend.
Might also be good to do a short dry run - a local day hike wearing the kit and weight you’re planning to take on the overnighter.
Definitely keep it within their fitness and capabilities, it’s ok to be a little challenging so they have a feeling of accomplishment but you don’t want their first experience to be a negative one. Also, make sure you check their pack and offer advice what to bring - it’s so easy to bring too much and end up overloaded and miserable.
Think about the small annoying things that can make a trip miserable, e.g. mosquitoes. Mosquitoes can make a beautiful moment terrible. I’ve heard those new Thermacell ones work.
A checklist for what he should bring, I always make a ton of these. And also doing a dry run before you leave, laying out what you’ll both be carrying to make sure its not too heavy.
