10 Tips For Safe Backpacking Any Time Of Year @ Backpackingstore.net

Feb. 9, 2011 - PRLog -- Every backpacker should have a basic set of skills that will help them should an emergency situation come up.The type of first aid and survival skills will vary a little depending upon where you are backpacking hiking or camping,an the basic needs.

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(1).Clean Drinking Water- How to make clean drinking water while backpacking or camping.
Stay hydrated! You have heard it said that if you find yourself thirsty, you are already dehydrated; do not get to that point. Fill your water bottles or bladders every chance you get so you are hydrated during those long trails. This backpacking tip is the most important tip to remember. Staying hydrated is more important than remembering to feed your belly.Drip coffee filters,they are tough and weigh nothing so i always keep a couple in my backpack. I use them as a filter when making drinking water.

(2).Food- Bring dehydrated or fresh foods its just take a little more prep time for fresh. Dehydrated food are recommended for the people who are backpacking on the stop and go method. If camping in a certain campsite yeah by all means bring that all important hamburger, hot dogs or sandwich fixings enjoy them all if you have the room and the time to get it all together.Eating what you like is always good..when your camping outdoors.

(3).Shelter such as Tents-A backpacking tent is a convenient piece of equipment in the mountains especially if you were to get lost. It will protect you from rain and wind.In good weather, most tents work fine. However, for more demanding trips in windy and cold environments, well designed high quality tents may be more appropriate.Another necessary item is a good
Sleeping Bags-While it’s possible to find bargains, discounted sleeping bags, and there are some cheap sleeping bags. Don’t fail to invest in a quality sleeping bag or you risk compromising your entire mountain backpacking hiking or camping vacation, as a quality night of sleep is essential to enjoying everything the rest of backpacking trip has to offer. The most important choice you make in purchasing a sleeping bag is its material. Buy the best sleeping bag Down or Synthetic? Each offers advantages and has its downsides. The benefits of a down sleeping bag are good for colder weather,which being compact, lightweight and warm, makes a down sleeping bag an indispensable piece of backpacking equipment when in the backcountry mountains backpacking.It’s the warmest of sleeping bags However, if it gets wet, you’re in trouble. The down material absorbs water and it’s difficult for it to dry. So if you’re planning for leisurely one nighter this best buy sleeping bag would be a synthetic type the benefits of a synthetic sleeping bag, is it's cheap backpacking gear!. While synthetically insulated best buy sleeping bags are heavier than down, they’re the less expensive option backpacking. Also, being less expensive and the ability to stay dry makes synthetic sleeping bags a perfect option for your kid’s sleeping bag.http://backpackingstore.net


(4).Fire-How to build a Campfire- Carry matches,or a lighter with you for that all important fire,to keep warm by,always clear out debre and brush from the ground before starting a fire make your fire in and open space not under a tree stack rocks in a circle for the base, gathering and add twigs and dry brush to the base to get the fire going then add bigger pieces of wood.
(5).Outdoor Campfire Cooking- How to cook over a campfire.There is something very special about Out door campfire cooking. Everything just seems to taste so very much better over a open campfire! But this kind of cooking requires a different kind of skill, plus a different type of cooking equipment, then what we might use at home. The way I was brought up, and old cast iron skillet, and a bottle of cooking oil, salt and pepper and maybe a roll of aluminum foil, paper plate a spatula and soap to wash the pots and pans in the creek was it. And of course catching those fish, well campfire cooking can be a challenge in itself. So lets take some time to plan your meals before going,decide what you will eat when you get there and how you will prepare it. Make a list of the staples you will need first, example is salt and pepper , and so on. Outdoor campfire cooking involves quite a bit of skill and imagination but with a little practice you too can come to master it. Enjoy not only the food but the process of preparing it! and backpacking in between, the sleeping in a sleeping bag and tent, listening to the frogs croaking in the lake while adding wood to your campfire. There's, some fast and easy recipes just to get you started and many smiles as you remember, all the fun you had while out in the open,camping, or backcountry backpacking looking up at the stars on a clear night as you cook over an open campfire.
 

(6). Hiking Trails and Maps-Navigation skills will give you the ability to find your way back to camp or civilization. Orienteering skills,these are skills that will help you out should you get desperately lost. You need to be able to figure out where you are so you can then find a way out. Your actual plan should be a map marked with your stopping points and labeled to show when you will be hiking each area. Let your family and friends know about your backpacking plans. If something were to happen you would be more likely to be found if someone knows you should have been back from your trip. Give them a copy of your route and let them know where you will be along the trail at certain times during your trip.  Also make sure they know exactly when you should be home.Taking a Compass along will also help you.


(7). First Aid and Survival-is another skill set you must have, if you are hurt you need to be able to take care of it enough that you do not end up with a more serious condition once you can get medical help. My Survival kit always contains a glow stick and a chemical packet. No batteries to worry about and if you're cold and alone, a little heat and light go a long way.

(8). Sunscreens -Sunscreens perform protect against each UVA and UVB rays they break down following exposure to sunlight so it will need to be reapplied each and every few hours to completely protect your skin. Nevertheless, being outdoors under the sun for prolonged amounts of time without safeguarding the skin can lead to sunlight burns, as well as dangerous skin cancers. Most individuals use sunscreens to protect their pores and skin in the dangerous rays of the sun, reapplying sunscreens as many times as needed to protect themselves from to much sun.

(9). How to Watch Out for Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, Poison Sumac-What these plants look like and how to tell the difference between them.  And what precautions to take. http://backpackingstore.net

(10). Animal Visitors-How to handle that unexpected unwelcome visitor, the bear
As luck would have it, bears are reclusive creatures, and they generally prefer to steer clear of humans. You can help them to do so by announcing your presence when you’re exploring their natural home environment:(Backpacking) talk loudly, sing, or carry "some bells or whistle" so that the bear will have time to hear them and escape you first. Read up on bear behavior of the bear and be sure to follow the local bear signs and advisories at the beginning of the trail or campsite and to practice proper food storage techniques while camping, always hike in open areas so that a bear can see you (or you can see it) from a distance. If you find a bear track when backpacking avoid that area all together .  

The main point of a backpacking plan is to help you stay safe. It will help you ensure you are taking good trails, prepared for the weather and that should something happen, that people know where to find you. By knowing what to expect and planning for change you can make sure that you are prepared for whatever you may encounter.

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