An intelligent mix of camping, hitchhiking, and staying in hostels, when done right, backpacking can be a rewarding adventure! After all, being part of an inexpensive multi-day hike isn’t easy, especially when you need to carry all that you may need in a single backpack!
So whether you’re accustomed to traveling solo with a backpack and some money in your pocket or just need to experience ‘Backpacking,’ you’ll need all the tips you can get.
Therefore, here are five tips that you can’t possibly miss when planning to go on a backpacking trip.
Tip 1: Choose An Easy Destination!
When kicking off your backpacking trip, choose a simple destination to travel to! Since you’ll have limited money in your pocket, we’re sure you won’t want to experiment with traveling to a place quite far from your hometown.
Besides, ‘easy’ here doesn’t mean that you need to travel to only nearby places. Easy also means going to a safe place and is a popular tourist location with easy access to transportation. This way, it’ll be easier for you to travel without breaking your bank account and keeping it simple in the process.
In addition, it goes without saying that you need to do your research well about your holiday destination. Researching will help you plan better and give you a brief idea of what you could expect there.
Pro Tip: Try learning some essential greeting words in the local language you plan to visit. It makes traveling to foreign places effortless!
Tip 2: Don’t Go Too Heavy On Your Packing
One of the biggest mistakes that almost all backpackers make is filling up their bags with several unnecessary things. Unfortunately, what most people tend to forget is that they’ll have to be carrying their backpacks all the time.
So, the more stuff you pack, the more your back will suffer during the long hours of hikes. Not to mention the discomfort of carrying such a weight through the local metros and public transportation.
Therefore, try following one of these tips when backpacking for your next trip.
- Pack multi-purpose travel items: No matter your gadgets or clothes, only carry ones that can be repurposed or re-worn several times. Remember, no backpacker has the luxury of wearing fresh clothes every day.
- Opt for collapsable travel essentials: Invest in collapsable travel items. This way, you can make more space to fit your other essentials.
- Go lightweight: Nobody wants to opt for heavy travel items unless necessary. Therefore, always try buying lightweight travel items.
Pro Tip: Try investing in a scale for your travel luggage. This way, you’ll have a precise idea of the weight you’ll carry.
Tip 3: Not Testing Your Gears Before The Trip
If you think traveling with heavy items is hard, try traveling with gears that you have no experience of! For example, imagine carrying a camping tent with you, only to realize that you cannot pitch it on your campsite.
Or, even worse, you’ve traveled to a deserted place and have no help to get your tent settled. Interestingly, it’s not the only incident with tents as it can be a common situation with many other gadgets like water filters or solar generators.
So before you’re all set to backpack and travel, ensure that you’re carrying all the travel gears you have tried before. This way, you’ll save yourself from the uncertainty of traveling with equipment you have no idea of!
Pro Tip: Don’t throw away the user manual of your new purchases.
Tip 4: Investing In Quality Backpack
The true success of a backpacking trip is directly associated with the quality of the camping equipment you carry! Same with backpacks, when buying one for your first trip, ensure that you invest in a good one.
Most often, beginner backpackers settle with just any backpack they come across due to the confusion of options. However, they don’t understand that this backpack will influence a lot of things, ranging from the overall weight they can accommodate to the features it comes along with.
Therefore, before you decide to settle on a backpack, ensure that you consider the factors mentioned here:
- Size of the backpack
- Waterproofing abilities
- Can it open like a suitcase?
- Does the backpack have a day back?
- The number of compartments it comes along with
- The durability of the product
- The cushion padding of the backpack
Consider buying the backpack only once you have been through these factors.
Pro Tip: Cost doesn’t always determine the quality; therefore, ensure that you’re satisfied with the product you buy.
Tip 5: Expect The Unexpected
No matter how prepared you are for your backpacking trip, you can’t always say that things will align with the original plan. No matter the mistake or problem in the journey, things are bound to go wrong.
Therefore, when your backpacking trip doesn’t turn out to be as expected, don’t panic. Instead, try finding a solution, and if you can’t minimize it, move on!
Pro Tip: As a backpacker, you might want to be all set and prepared, but you should also try expecting the unexpected.
Now You Know!
There’s a lot more than just planning that goes into a Backpacking Trip! As we read in the sections above, it’s not just your experience but the camping equipment you carry!
As first-time backpackers, we understand how challenging it may become to invest in all these equipment using your fiat currencies. This is where Coingate steps in as your ultimate solution!
The payment processor helps you liquidate your crypto payments and converts your crypto earnings into gift cards from prominent camping brands.
Now that you have all the required details to kick start your journey, wait no more. All the best!