There really is not a correct way to pack a backpack. However, if you are going to be hiking off-trail, over rough terrain or on snow there are a few tips that can prevent a lot of problems.

• As a general rule you might want to pack heavier items a little lower in your bag to bring down your center of gravity. This can help prevent falls from an unbalanced pack.
• Sleeping bag. Most hiking packs have an area at the bottom of the bag for your sleeping bag. It’s a good idea to keep your sleeping bag separated from heavier gear because compressing some bags can cause damage resulting in warmth.
• Clothes Next. Just make sure you have a few items that can be easily accessed if the weather changes. Hat, gloves, and rain gear should be stashed in an outside pocket where you can grab them if things get rough.
• Shelter – Some bags have enough room in the sleeping bag compartment to stash a small tent or tarp. If your pack has a separate compartment try to stuff your tent under the sleeping bag. The last thing you want to do in a rainstorm is unpack your whole bag just to get to your tent. Tent poles can be strapped to the outside of the bag. (Tip – Some tents or tarp systems can be made to work with your walking sticks, thus freeing up space)
• Food – Store in spill proof waterproof materials. Can be placed throughout the bag
• Cooking Fuels – Store any fuel upright and as far away as possible from your food. If you have pockets outside your bag this would be a good place for fuel.
• Personal Items – Outside pockets are great for things like rain gear, water filters, water bottles, snacks,sunscreen, insect repellant, and your camera.

Train Your Feet for the Hike:
Don’t underestimate the importance of conditioning your feet for hiking with a heavy pack. Before setting out, start taking short hikes gradually increasing the weight in your pack until it is fully loaded.

The Right fit:
Your boots or hiking shoes are probably the most important part of keeping your feet feeling good. When trying on boots for the first time, make sure that you are wearing the same socks that you will be wearing out on the trail. A good fit is essential and should never be overlooked.

Break In Your Boots:
Don’t hit the trail with brand new boots. Wear them aroung the office, the store and around the house for a few days to make sure that they have time to stretch and soften up.

Hiking Socks:
Put Down the Cotton!  Moisture-wicking wool or synthetic hiking socks can help your feet stay cool and dry on the trail. Wearing the wrong socks can make things misearable and can increase your chances for getting blistters.

Manage those Blisters:
The moment you feel a blister coming to the surface, STOP! Now is the time to fix the problem. Check out our tips for preventing blisters.

Keep Them Clean:
Many hikers neglect their efeet. Take the time to massage, air out and wash your feet throughout the day. And don’t forget to trim those nail.

Rest:
Take it easy! If your feet feel tired or start to hurt, find a cool place to sit down and rest. When you stop for the night a cool pair of sandles can help keep your feet cool and aired out.

The Seal Pup is based of the design that the Navy Seals use, so you know that this knife can take a beating. During our testing we threw everything we had at this knife and after a couple weeks of cutting everything we could get our hands, the SOG was still as sharp as the day we got it. We will be doing some more tests throughout the year and will do another review reporting on it’s long term use, but as of now I really don’t see this knife letting us down.

Seal Pup Knife Specifics

• Full tang blade
• Blade Length 4.85″
• Overall Length 9.5″
• Weight 5.4 oz.
• AUS 8 Steel
• Navy Seal Tested, including a 14-day salt water immersion test

This Knife held up to everything we through at it including:

1. Cutting wood, meats, leather, ropes, and anything we could find.
2. Used it as an Axe to cut some pretty thick pieces of wood. (still held it’s edge and no damage to the knife)
3. Used the knife point to open cans, notch wood, and jammed it into thing to see if it would break ( it didn’t!)
4. Letting it sit in water for a three days (no rust or noticeable damage)

Why We Recommend the SOG Seal Pup Elite

1. Extremely Sharp and Holds it’s Edge after rigorous testing
2. Hands down one of the best survival knifes we have ever seen.
3. Light weight and perfect for those wanting to keep down their pack weights.
4. I have seen some complaints from people who didn’t like the nylon sheath, but you won’t hear any coming from me. In fact I actually like the sheath. It feels really durable and had enough room in the pocket to stash a lighter, fishing line (a few weights and hooks), and a small flashlight. It made a nice little survival kit.
5. Very nice Grip. ( thicker and deeper finger groves than the regular seal pup)

Looking for a Good Sog Knife? I recommend one of these Sog Knives

• SOG Seal Pup Elite Knife with Kydex Sheath
• Sog Seal Pup Elite, Zytel Handle, Black TiNi Blade, Nylon Sheath – Seal Pup – Knives

Brown Recluse Spider
Just like their name suggests, Recluse spiders are reclusive and are only a threat if bothered. They like to hide beneath rocks, woodpiles, dead leaves and bark. Recluse spiders are most active at night when they come out to hunt.

The Recluse Spider has a pale brown to reddish color, with long slender legs and is around ¼ in and ¾ in in length. They are also known as a violin spider, because of  its violin shape markings.

While bites are extremely rare, if bitten the venom can cause organ damage, and sometimes even death.

Black Widow Spider

Black widow spiders are also highly venomous spiders that can be found in the western regions of the United States. They can be found beneath rocks, dead wood, dead leaves and bark and in thick undergrowth. You can easily identify this spider by its shiny black body and red hourglass marking under the belly.

The bite actually causes little pain when first attacked. Within the first hour, expect severe cramping in the abdomen and back, anxiety, headaches, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and heavy sweating are common. It is actually very rare for a Black widow bite to cause death, but the symptoms are still nothing to take lightly. Watch where you are putting your hands, and try to wear thick gloves when picking up wood for a campfire.

Rattlesnakes

There are over 30 different types of Rattlesnakes in the United States.

Bites are serious and can cause swelling that moves up toward the heart, creating numbness, swollen lymph nodes, increased heart rate, blurred vision, headache, light-headedness, sweating and chills. Bites often occur when someone scares the snake, steps on it or provokes it.

If you come across a rattlesnake while out on the trail, keep your distance and allow the snake a good amount of room to move away. Keep your hands and feet away from any areas that you cannot see.

Scorpions

Scorpions can be found in the desert regions o the southwest United States: Arizona, New Mexico, California, Utah and Nevada.

There are a number of different types of scorpions, in fact experts say there are are around 2,000 different species of scorpions.  Of all the scorpions in the United States there is only one that you need to worry about, the Bark Scorpion.

The Arizona bark scorpion is the only scorpion capable of causing a deadly reaction in humans. They are about 1-3 inches in length and are actually one of the most commonly encountered house scorpions in the Southwest.

When hiking, make sure to shake out your boots and sleeping bags before use. It is not uncommon for a scorpion to take up residents in an empty boot outside your tent.

Things to think about when Buying a Bag

1. Consider how cold it will be when you are camping. One thing to keep in mind is it’s harder to stay warm in an insufficiently insulated bag than it is to cool off by venting a bag made for colder temperatures.
2. Your sleeping habits should be considered when picking the right bag. A bag that is too snug can make your body feel constricted and can actually compress the filling making the bag less effective.
3. Moisture Proof Bags – Consider where you are going to be hiking or camping, is moisture going to be a problem? If so you need to find a bag that can help wick moisture away from your body.
4. Weight – If you are hiking then the weight of your bag should also be a consideration. Some materials are lighter and can lessen your load on those long hauls.

Sleeping Bag Fillers

• Down Sleeping Bags
  • The Good – Down Bags are often used on high mountain expeditions because it is often warmer than synthetic options. Down is one of the lightest and most compressible insulations available. It is an excellent option to keep your pack weight down.
  • The Bad – If you are going to be in an area where moisture is a problem you should know that Down is very useless as an insulator when it gets wet.
• Synthetic Materials
  • The Good – Synthetic materials are probably a better option if you are going to be in wet environments. Synthetic-filled bags also cost less and are a good alternative for those who are allergic to down.
  • The Bad - Synthetic materials usually weight more and will take up more room in your pack. They are also not as warm as Down.

Temperature Ratings

A temperature rating is given to each bag to let you know how cold you can go. Be warned that this rating can differ from manufactures and can also depend on the person using the bag. The Temperature Rating of a bag should only be used as a rough guideline.

Other Features and Considerations

1. Bag Hoods – 50% of your body heat is lost through your head. A sleeping bag hood can trap heat and hold it in.
2. Draught Tubes – Draught Tubes are filled with Insulation and usually run along the side of the sleeping bag zipper to keep warmth from escaping. This is a must for Cold Camping
3. Vents – Some bags have vents that can be opened when the temperatures start to rise.
4. Draft collar. Make sure you Bag fits securely around your shoulders. This will help prevent your body heat from escaping. A draft collar is designed to prevent heat loss from your neck and shoulders. These are usually in colder weather bags and not in most summer bags.

Heat Cramps

Heat related problems usually start with Heat Cramps. Thy are caused by a loss of salt due to sweating at high temperatures. Heat Cramps usually come on pretty quick and will usually affect your legs and arms first.

Treatment:

• Get out of the sun and move into the Shade or a cool place.
• Drink some water with a pinch of salt or a drink with electrolytes like Gatorade.
• To prevent heat cramps make sure you drink plenty of fluids throughout your day and add a small amount of salt to your diet.

Heat Exhaustion

Heat exhaustion is nothing to mess around with as it can quickly turn into a life threating condition. Symptoms of heat exhaustion include dizziness, nausea, fatigue, headaches, clammy skin, and a fast pulse. It can occur due to a reduction of body fluids and salts.

Prevention:

• Take breaks and try to stay as shaded as possible.
• Avoid extended periods of sun exposure.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing and hats.

Treatment:

• Get out of the sun and move into the Shade or a cool place.
• Rest in a shady area, don’t try to overdue it.
• Drink plenty of cool water.
• A cool rag or wet bandanna around your neck can help cool your blood.
• If you can find a stream or source of water, laying down in it or wading around can cool your body.

Scattered across the country we have millions of acres of public land for you to take advantage of.
Most people that camp off the grid will pick a road in the national forest or off some other public land, and then keep on driving. When the road ends, The real adventurer won’t stop until they find the perfect spot.

I recommend choosing a road that is not often traveled. Roads with signs usually mean there will be to many people, and might not be the best spots to set up camp. Old dirt roads and old abandoned rail lines are some of the best places to look for.

Unless otherwise posted all National Forest land is open to camping. (but please make sure to respect the land, leaving garbage or driving over vegetation ruins it for everyone)

photo by desert-dweller@Flickr

The Best Kind of Road to look for…..

photo by toughkidcst@Flickr

Top 2 photos by indigoprime@Flickr

Stumble It!

Hiking Resources:

• Check out our Hiking and Backpacking Section

Photography Resources:

• Take stunning outdoor photographs with the Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black)
• Beginner’s Guide to Nature Photography
• Digital Nature Photography

Enter the tarp! A good tarp is both lighter and cheaper than the even the lightest of tents and has a number of advantages that make it much more attractive to a light backpacker.

Why Tarps make a good shelter for light hikers and backpackers.

• Tarps are great in the rain….. No one wants the hassle of setting up a tent in a rainstorm, and building a shelter out of natural materials can take hours. A good tarp can be put up in less than 60 seconds and can help you stay dry until the rain stops.
• A tarp is far lighter than any other type of backpacking shelter.
• Tarps are cheaper that tents.
• When combined with a hammock they make a great outdoor shelter.
• Tarps are a great backup plan, in case you can’t find natural materials to build a shelter with.

ANSWER:

I would advice checking out one of the National Trails. Although they are somewhat maintained, most of them are pretty remote and are very rarely used.

The National Trails are great for people who are looking for a real adventure. Some of the trails are thousands of miles long and are rarely used by ordinary hikers. It takes a real hardcore backpacker to complete some of these trails, and most of them have fewer than 100 people a year who attempt to make the end.

• Check out our list of the National Trails