| Almost all backpackers seek to minimize | | | | sausage, fruit, peanut butter, and |
| the weight and bulk of gear carried. A | | | | pasta. Popular snack foods include trail |
| lighter pack causes less fatigue, injury | | | | mix, easily prepared at home; convenient |
| and soreness, and allows the backpacker | | | | and nutritious energy bars; and |
| to travel longer distances. Every piece | | | | chocolate and other forms of candy, |
| of equipment is evaluated for a balance | | | | which provide quick energy and flavor. |
| of utility versus weight. Significant | | | | Traditional outdoor food includes dried |
| reductions in weight can usually be | | | | foodstuffs such as jerky or pemmican, |
| achieved with little sacrifice in | | | | and also products like oatmeal (which |
| equipment utility, though very | | | | can also be consumed raw in emergency |
| lightweight equipment is often more | | | | situations). |
| costly. | | | | Most backpackers avoid canned food, |
| A large industry has developed to | | | | except for meats or small delicacies. |
| provide lightweight gear and food for | | | | Metal cans and their contents are |
| backpackers. The gear includes the | | | | usually heavy, and, like all trash, the |
| backpacks themselves, as well as | | | | empties must be carried back out. |
| ordinary camping equipment modified to | | | | For dinners, many hikers use specially |
| reduce the weight, by either reducing | | | | manufactured, pre-cooked food that can |
| the size, reducing the durability, or | | | | be eaten hot. It is often sold in large, |
| using lighter materials such as special | | | | stiff bags that double as eating |
| plastics, alloys of aluminium, titanium, | | | | vessels. One common variety of special |
| composite materials, impregnanted | | | | backpacking food is freeze-dried food, |
| fabrics and carbon fiber. Designers of | | | | which can be quickly reconstituted by |
| portable stoves and tents have been | | | | adding hot water. One can also purchase |
| particularly ingenious. Homemade gear is | | | | a commercial food dehydrator which |
| common too, such as the beverage-can | | | | removes the majority of water from a |
| stove. | | | | pre-cooked meal. To eat, water is mixed |
| Some backpackers use lighter and more | | | | in with the meal several hours before |
| compact gear than do others. The most | | | | eating and allowed to rehyrdate before |
| radical measures taken in this regard | | | | heating. Some various distributors of |
| are sometimes called ultralight | | | | this are Backpackers Pantry and Mountain |
| backpacking. | | | | Outfitters. Another kind of special |
| Due to the emphasis on weight reduction, | | | | backpacking food is UHT-packaged without |
| a practical joke common in some circles | | | | dehydration, and can be reheated with a |
| is to secretly pack a small but | | | | special, water-activated chemical |
| relatively heavy luxury item, such as a | | | | heater. This technology originated with |
| soft drink, into another backpacker's | | | | the U.S. military's Meal Ready-to-Eat |
| pack. Then, once the group stops for a | | | | ("MRE"), but is now produced also for |
| rest, the perpetrator retrieves the | | | | the commercial market. The small |
| item, thanks the bearer for carrying it, | | | | chemical heater obviates the need for a |
| and consumes it. | | | | portable stove and fuel, but the meals |
| Water | | | | and packaging weigh so much that, for |
| Backpackers always carry some water from | | | | more than a few meals, there is no |
| the trailhead, to drink while walking. | | | | weight advantage. On the other hand, |
| For short trips, they may carry enough | | | | MRE's were developed with many more |
| to last the whole trip, but for long | | | | factors than mere weight in mind, and |
| trips this is not practical. A | | | | they still make excellent backpacking |
| backpacker needs anywhere from two to | | | | food for several reasons, such as a) |
| eight liters or more per day, depending | | | | they do not need to be rehydrated nor |
| on conditions, making a water supply for | | | | heated or cooked in any manner, b) they |
| more than a few days prohibitively | | | | are very durably packaged, c) a single |
| heavy. Backpackers typically carry two | | | | MRE contains a full meal, complete with |
| to four liters of water depending on | | | | snack and desert, d) they offer a great |
| conditions and availability. Although | | | | deal of variety in each meal, including |
| some backpacking camps in heavily-used | | | | condiments such as Tabasco sauce, e) |
| areas provide potable water, it must | | | | they are individually packaged inside |
| usually be obtained from lakes and | | | | the "brown plastic wrapper", so that you |
| streams. | | | | can place individual components in |
| Drinking and cooking water nearly always | | | | various pockets and "eat on the move". |
| needs treatment with a filter or | | | | As more and more "big box" retail stores |
| purifier to protect against bacteria and | | | | carry pre-packaged dehydrated foods |
| protozoa (see Potability of backcountry | | | | (such as Mountain House Brand) however, |
| water and Portable water purification). | | | | it is becoming increasingly easier to |
| If water is unavailable, or if the only | | | | buy packaged meals retail versus mail |
| water available is irreparably filthy, | | | | order, whereas MRE's are rarely carried |
| backpackers may need to carry large | | | | in retail stores. |
| amounts of water for long distances. | | | | There is a genre of cookbooks |
| Water may be stored in bottles or in | | | | specializing in trailside food and the |
| soft, collapsible hydration packs | | | | special challenges inherent in |
| (bladders). Some backpackers store water | | | | backcountry cooking. Most such cookbooks |
| in ordinary plastic beverage bottles, | | | | espouse one of two philosophies; the |
| while others use special Lexan bottles | | | | first, generally used on short trips, |
| or metal canteens. For accessibility | | | | involves planning out meals and |
| they may be carried by a shoulder strap | | | | preparing many ingredients in one's home |
| or attached to the outside of a pack. | | | | kitchen before departure. The second |
| Bladders are typically made of plastic, | | | | method, bulk rationing, simply supplies |
| rubber, and/or fabric. They are light, | | | | the hiker with ingredients, allowing |
| easily stored and collapsible. They may | | | | on-trail cooking with minimal prior |
| be equipped with drinking hoses for easy | | | | planning, and is sometimes used for |
| access while hiking. In spite of this | | | | extended outings. A third form of the |
| convenience, bladders are more prone to | | | | genre deals in Dutch oven cookery, which |
| leaking than bottles, particularly at | | | | has considerable historical cachet |
| the hose connections. Hoses also allow | | | | (especially in countries such as the |
| the hiker to lose track of the water | | | | United States with a long pioneer |
| supply in the bladder and to deplete it | | | | tradition), but is dependent on suitable |
| prematurely. | | | | locations for a campfire. |
| Food | | | | Winter backpacking |
| Some backpackers enjoy cooking elaborate | | | | Although backpacking in the winter is |
| meals with fresh ingredients, | | | | rewarding, it can be dangerous and |
| particularly on short trips, and others | | | | generally requires more gear. |
| carry the gear and take the time to | | | | Backpackers may need skis or snowshoes |
| catch fish or hunt small game for food. | | | | to traverse deep snow, or crampons to |
| However, especially for long | | | | cross ice. Cotton clothing, which |
| expeditions, most backpackers' food | | | | absorbs moisture and chills the body, is |
| criteria are roughly the same: high | | | | particularly dangerous in cold weather, |
| energy content (particularly protein), | | | | so backpackers stick to synthetic |
| with long shelf life and low mass and | | | | materials or materials that won't hold |
| volume. An additional concern is weight; | | | | moisture. Special low-temperature |
| while Dutch oven and campfire cookery | | | | sleeping bags and tents can be |
| are historically popular, small | | | | expensive, but will be more comfortable |
| liquid-fuel campstoves and ultralight | | | | than many layers of warm clothing. |
| cooking pots made of aluminum or | | | | However when hiking in cold weather it |
| titanium are more common in modern usage | | | | is always better to hike with varying |
| due to weight limitations and fire | | | | layers of clothing so that as the body |
| restrictions in many locales. | | | | heats up layers can be taken off without |
| Ordinary household foods used on | | | | causing to wearer to sweat or become |
| backpacking trips include cheese, bread, | | | | very chilled. |