If you are one who loves the outdoors, being away from your hectic job, or just want a stress reliever then backpacking is a great choice. The idea behind backpacking is that your house is on your back which includes food, shelter, water, sanitary equipment, first aid kit, and anything else you can think of which you may need on the trail. There is no seven eleven around the corner so you must be prepared for anything.
Many affluent backpackers can tell you backpacking begins away from the trails and woods. For beginners there are a couple of areas you need to focus on before throwing on the pack. First, is your health. Get a physical from a doctor to ensure you are able to enter the trail. Second, is finding a partner. Number one rule on any hike is a buddy system. Many people have died from being stranded or injured with nobody able to get help. Lastly, start training. A backpack can exceed a weight of 60 lbs. with all the gear in it. Upon entering the trail you will not encounter paved roads and flat surfaces, but inclines and declines with loose dirt as the trail surface. Training needs to consist of hiking every other day with a pack back filled with weight. The mileage of your hike and weight will need to increase every week to get the body use to this new obstacle on your back. After training around the neighborhood or the neighborhood park go out to a nearby trail to test your backpacking skills. The trail should give you a better understanding of how close you are to getting out to the actual backpacking trails.
Gear and food is the next area of focus. Gear includes the socks you wear to the light-weight stove you will you to cook on. Let's start from the bottom up. As a back packer I hate boots. They are bulky, heavy, and give you no room to move. I prefer heavier duty trail shoes or tennis shoes. There is no ankle support which is the only disadvantage. Most of everything I say is a personal opinion and you the beginner back packer will need to see what fits you best by experimentation. Socks are the most crucial part of staying healthy on the trail. A thick backpacking sock also worn with a liner is the way to go. The liner is used to prevent blister and give aeration to the feet. Pants or shorts? I prefer both so get the polyester pants which can zip off into shorts. Reason for the pants is so your legs don't get scratched and prevent ticks from entering your socks. A thin water wicking shirt should be sufficient to keep you cool on the trail. Also, don't forget about the underwear. Never use cotton because you will chafe, so use a polyester boxer style brief.
Food should be very picky. Stick to dry foods which require water to make. The less weight the better. Foods need to have lots of protein and calories because you will lose a lot of energy on the trail. Absolutely never skip a meal because you will pay for it, so have a meal plan set out with snacks included.
Nobody can tell you which back pack is best for you. There are two options: external or internal frame. Go to an outdoor shop to try on many styles because some have more benefits over another. What goes in the pack: A tent, stove, eating equipment, cleaning supplies, food, water/water purifier, clothes, sleeping bag or something equivalent, hygiene supplies, food bag, and Ziploc bags. These items are only a small list of items. As you begin back packing you will discover what you need and don't need for the next trip. All the items in your bag should be small and lightweight. The items I listed are very light and can be found online or any back pack retailing store. Asking questions to experts will help shorten your time till your first trip.
