# New to backpacking ????



## rutting (Jul 11, 2008)

Im going on a 7 day backpack hunt. I need a tent that is light weight 2 man that could withstand the weather. I also need a super durable but yet lightweight stove. Any info on any backpacking thing you have or wish you had would be appreciated. Where and what brand of freeze dried food would you buy? etc etc


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## Riverrat77 (Sep 7, 2007)

Eureka, Kelty... check out tarptent.com. Pretty cool tents if you don't mind dropping some dough. Make sure you use some sort of waterproofer on your seams on your tent and rain fly before you go or they'll leak like crazy, even if they say they're waterproof right outta the box. On stoves... I've only ever owned one, can't see much need to change it up. I've got the MSR Pocket Rocket, used it on the elk hunt last year and it cooked everything I wanted in a little aluminum pot. Food... well, I just went with Top Ramen and Mountain House and ate great for the three days I hunted. It was super light and I'm sure you could swing it in a big backpack to last you for 7 days. Had oatmeal for breakfast, energy bars during the day and mountain house for dinner. For drinks, I packed in some water with me but if you have a good filter or Iodine tablets, you can get water on your hike. I also bought some individual powdered Gatoraide packets that were awesome and kept me hydrated when mixed with water in a hydro bladder in my pack. I'm sure any sort of powdered drink mix would work just fine. All this said, there are people on here with much more backpacking experience... this is just what has worked for me the few times I've gone out.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Riverrat has some good suggestions there.

Where ya going, if I may ask?


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## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

My wife and I purchased an REI "Hoodoo" tent for a trip we took a couple years ago, and it was awesome. Yeah, it was a big pricey, but this tent has 2 configurations- the full tent, with the fly on top, and you can set up the fly with the poles as a lighter shelter, and just use the ground cloth to sleep on. The whole tent only weighs like 5 lbs or something, and the shelter by itself weighs less than 3. Depending on what time of year you go, you may want to buy a sturdier outfit, in case snow may be a factor. 

As far as the food goes, just do a quick search on this site for "backpacking food" and it will pop up the previous discussions on the matter. We have hashed it out several times before. Some guys have really good ideas for tasty meals so you don't have to eat granola, jerky, and oatmeal all the time.


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## Gumbo (Sep 22, 2007)

Tent: go to REI and look at their tents; many area already set up.

Sleeping pad: get a good one--a closed-cell foam pad like a Ridgerest is mandatory. You can also add a self-inflating Thermarest for comfort, if you want.

Bag: depends on where you're going. I like down because it's the warmest, lightest, and most compressible. But get it wet and it's worthless.

Pack: go to the Vortex factory in Salt Lake and buy a blem. They're great packs and will save you some money.

Stove: I like MSRs and I like white gas. I hate the cannister gas stoves because when they're spent you still have the bulk and weight of an empty gas can. If you're going for a week, make sure you are intimately familiar with it and have spare parts (MSRs sell spare parts kits). It's your lifeline.

Food: You can buy Mountainhouse kind of meals just about anywhere or you can make your own. I usually do a combination of both. For breakfasts I like instant oatmeal. I never take lunch but snack continually on high-fat foods like cheese, crackers, salami, pepperoni, peanut butter, nuts, dried fruit, bagels, etc. Take plenty of snacks, and for dinner to the freeze-dried foods. REI sells big cans of freeze-dried food, so you can save some money by buying the large cans and packaging individual meals.

Cook kit: Depending on how many people are going, I like a pot big enough that I can boil water for everyone. It's important because morning and night you're drinking hot tea, chocolate, making oatmeal, or rehydrating dried meals.

You'll also want a first-aid kit, blister kit, trekking poles, water filter, iodine tablets, TP, duct tape, wipes to clean yourself off and to wash your hands with before cooking, sun block, bug juice, etc. Take it seriously if you're self-contained since your preparedness will determine whether the trip is enjoyable or an endurance test.


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