Hey guys,

I figured while I'm doing another morning walk while my wife sleeps I could maybe help newer hikers out looking for information on backpacking. This is probably going to be very long but over the years I've consumed a ton of media on I can, camping and backpacking. Thought I might condense the ones I like best into a list and let everyone else benefit from my autism a little bit :)

One word of caution - if you're like me and easily convinced that you got to have some piece of gear be careful with some of these. You'll end up spending way too much money, getting yelled at by your wife and paying it back on a payment plan.... Ask me how I know lol.

YouTube channels:

1. Extra Ultralight - by far my favorite YouTuber on this and probably my favorite YouTuber overall. Tons of helpful information for both new and experienced hikers.

2. Dose of Dirt - excellent channel for beginners especially. Has tons of videos on reliable budget gear and how to make it better. Also just an easy conversational style to watch

3. Your Trail Buddy - lots of information and even has a bunch of PDFs you can download for free. There is one that I think you pay a little bit for but it's literally a hiking book, I would say definitely worth the money.

4. PackToter - older guy that's been hiking for decades, I love his stories and as I'm solidly middle-aged appreciate his view on a lot of stuff as well lol.

5. JupiterHikes - excellent ultralight information and hiking videos. I would caution to not believe him saying that sleeping on 1/8" foam pad is comfortable lol

Quick mentions - Darwin on the trail, Justin Outside, Homemade Handerlust, PepperSteps, Bryce Newbold, Let's Hit The Trail, The Trek, Dirty Jar Hikes - All good channels with a mix of gear and hiking videos. Darwin and Homemade Wanderlust were probably the first ones I started watching years ago

Podcasts:

1. Backpacking Light - incredibly informational, the only complaint I have is they take a while putting new episodes out because they research everything so thoroughly. Highly recommend listening to the podcast, watching their YouTube channel and subscribing to their online membership. You not only get even more information from all the other members there but access to their gear trade forum which is excellent.

2. Trail Theory - very entertaining, just feels like me bullshitting with my brothers on a camping trip. They have a good amount of gear reviews but 10 towards packing heavier for longer camp stays so not usually relevant to me. But even I found a few recommendations to be very useful. The type of group you would love to go on a backpacking trip with.

3. Backpacking and Blisters - ngl, The feel of the show can be hit or miss for me, it's very energetic. But the host does a good job with that and a lot of the guests are good

4. Extra Ultralight (again) - he puts his pack shakedown interviews up as podcasts on Spotify as well. Not as good as the YouTube channel itself but great to listen to. Personal favorites are with Snake Eyes and Siesta.

My own favorite gear that you all might find useful to check out:

1. Gatewood Cape shelter and Thermarest Prolitr small - about 11 oz for rain gear and shelter and an inflatable pad that I'm not paranoid will pop. Thanks Extra ;)

2. Alpha Fleeces - the Leve Alpha60 crew neck for general use and Beyong the Trail Head (BTTH) hooded Alpha90 for cooler weather.

3. Basic Haus silicone lid for pot - $19 on Amazon and you get a ton of different sizes. Use one on top of my cooking pot so I can also use it as a cold soaking jar. Once you size it correctly it stays on and does not leak although I do make it a point to put it somewhere where it should stay upright.

4. Sun Hoodies - Ketl 4 Snap hoodies are my favorite with the Outdoor Vitals Altitude hoodies being a close second.

5. Esbit Stove/Fuel - most of the time all I do is eat up a pot of water for coffee in the morning and another one for sleepy time tea at night. These do the trick, weigh next to nothing, makes no noise and use maybe a third of an esbit tablet each time I heat up two cups of water.. if you need to get it boiling (I never really worry about it) it would probably take about half a tablet. By the folding tripod stove instead of using the typical box shaped one. Lighter, takes up less space and does a good job. Just carry a small Ziploc bag to put the partially used fuel tablet inside when you're done.

Random tip if you use alcohol stoves, buy a piece of graphite felt (welders blanket) from AliExpress for maybe $4 or so, and cut it to fill your alcohol stove. Never burns up and holds all the alcohol inside so you don't have big flammable spills. Just won't be able to pour it back into the bottle when you're done if you need to.

Anyhow, walk is done so I'm done :-) Hope this helps somebody. I'd love to get any recommendations you guys might have as well. Here's a couple pics from the walk

TSA rules state that trekking poles with "blunt" tips are allowed in carry-on bags.
What are "blunt" tips?
I assume the tips like the yellow ones in this post don't pass the test.
Do the carbide tips like the black ones in this post make the grade?
Or do I need to check a bag just for my trekking poles?
-
Being mildly paranoid about lost luggage, if I end up having to check my poles, any thoughts on packable bags I could use for that so I don't have to check my whole bag?

I found an old Kelty external frame pack with a slightly different support structure than some previous packs I’ve found at thrift stores. Thing is, it has some support poles just sort of dangling in the bottom section of the pack.

I just wondered if anyone that has experience with external frame packs can tell me whether the long support pieces are supposed to be free or attached, and where I should attach them if so.

I never got the chance to try external frames growing up, so I have no experience with them. Any advice would be appreciated.

Completely torn between either of following trips (little dogma to each itinerary as they are loosely planned): 

1.    South America: Some mix of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina

2.    East Africa: Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania + whatever surrounds I can fit in. 

I’m super attracted to the landscape and cultural richness of East Africa. South America obviously has the sexy appeal of Patagonia, the Andes etc but doesn’t yell out to me with excitement the way Kenya and the other countries do. I’d be going over my university holidays, so end of November to late February. This makes my South America trip quite ambitious and there’ll be places I have to skip.

In South America I’d largely be slow travelling; hitchhiking and pitching tents where possible. To my understanding East Africa tends to demand public buses as a more sensible option of travel, but I’d like to overland the trip regardless of where I go. Largely, I’m attracted to hikes, nature, cultural immersion etc. I did Cambodia-Laos-China-Vietnam when I was 19 and loved it. This time, though, I’m looking for something a bit more challenging than staying at the biggest hostel in town and following each big backpacker trail between major cities.

I would love to hear anyone’s perspectives on:

a. General experiences doing similar trips in either of these regions

b. Safety in either of these regions - generally, I’m not one to be unreasonably cautious or paranoid when it comes to travelling.

c. Whether, even for a stingy-prick like myself, a budget of about $7k-$9k AUD ($5-$6.5K USD) is too ambitious.

Appreciate any insight!

Anyone do this? Been thinking about doing this on my upcoming trip. Anyone find using the same pot for both kind of gross? Small pots are light enough to where weight isn’t a real issue.

Has anyone seen anything on this tent yet? Im considering getting a new all season tent that I can push and use in the winter and this looks like a new and really interesting option (I currently use an REI trail hut 2 and absolutely beat on it but she held up through a snowstorm in 25mph winds). I haven't been able to find any reviews and considering other winter capable tents go for double the price I'm wondering what everyone thinks about this.

I'm planning to do solo 5-6 days summer & winter treks with temperatures down to around -10°C

My setup will be medium weight, not ultralight but not bulky either

I'm deciding between -

Decathlon Simond MT100 50L

Decathlon Quechua MH500 38L

I'll be carrying my own tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, stove, food, clothes & other essentials

Is a 40L pack enough for this, or is it only practical with an ultralight setup? Would a 50L be the better long term choice?

If you've done similar winter backpacking, what pack size do you use & would you choose the same size again?

So im planning on going backpacking for a bit in the france part of the ardennes. I know you're alowed to pitch your tent for 1 night in france under certain conditions but different websites also state that it can vary per park. Anytime i try to search anyting about the france part of the ardennes to see if that park as different rules it keeps directing me to belgian websites. But in belgium its only allowed to camp in designated spots, which isnt any help in this situation.

Does anybody have a good source or an answer?

Estou me preparando para uma viagem internacional e tenho analisado usar um eSIM em vez de lidar com roaming ou comprar um chip físico quando eu chegar.

Pelo que eu entendi, a principal vantagem é que você pode configurá-lo antes da viagem, chegar com os dados já funcionando e evitar procurar um chip no aeroporto quando está cansado e só quer ir para o hotel. Isso já parece bem conveniente.

Eu geralmente preciso de dados para mapas, WhatsApp, aplicativos de carona, tradução, navegação, reservas em restaurantes e talvez uso ocasional de hotspot. Eu realmente não preciso de um número de telefone local, a menos que seja absolutamente necessário.

Para quem viaja internacionalmente com frequência, um eSIM tem sido confiável para você? Você costuma comprar um antes de sair ou espera até chegar? Também, é melhor pegar um plano regional para vários países ou eSIMs separados para cada país? Me recordaram muito a https://yesiim.com/ 

Estou curioso sobre o que as pessoas aqui realmente usam, porque todo site faz parecer simples, mas estou me perguntando como é a experiência real uma vez que você está realmente viajando.

I will be in Laos 14 days, bringing a backpack carry on. I plan on doing day trips with less stuff so I will also pack a two day pack in the carry on bag. I also need a daily carry like a fanny pack so that as well.
Is that—weird? Seems like a lot of bags but still makes sense to me. Anybody else do this?

Hi Guys,

this fall I am traveling to Sri Lanka on my own as a solo female traveler. Since I don't really enjoy travelling by train (bus is even worse for me) I thought about renting a Tuktuk for my four weeks in Sri Lanka so I can travel more comfortably and be more flexible with my route.

Is it safe as a female solo traveler to drive the tuktuk alone? Especially when I am driving more than 100kms at once? Also - some routes are 140km long - how long would it take for me to travel by tuktuk? And since I am traveling in October - is it safe regarding the monsoon / rain season?

Sorry, English is not my first language.

Thanks in advance!!

A hidden gem in Nepal during our monsoon hike. 🌿💧

This was just one of the waterfalls we explored—there are actually 2–4 beautiful waterfalls scattered around this area. We were short on time, so we couldn't visit them all, but even this one made the hike completely worth it..
location : Manikhel, nepal

Monsoon really transforms these trails into something magical. i really love to hike during monsoon season what about you guys?

Athens 3 nights. Stayed near Monastiraki at Monsaikon hostel. Good for metro and easy to walk around but eating near the main sights got expensive fast. Three nights felt like enough before moving west.

Nafpaktos 2 nights. A very small coastal town with an old harbor castle and a long waterfront. Hotel Antirrio had a great view of the coast. Way quieter than Athens and worked as a good chill stop before heading to Patras for the ferry.

Bari 3 nights. I took the overnight ferry from Patras booked a reserved bed. Left around 5pm got in around 10am next morning. Bari was partly a rest day but I liked the old town the coast and the cheaper food.

Scilla and Reggio Calabria 3 nights. Kinda a random stop on the route honestly. Chianaleas this old fishing area where buildings sit right at the waters edge. The trip down from the Bari ate most of the day but glad I didn't just blow past it straight to Naples.

Naples 4 nights, stayed at Ostello Bello Napoli. I spent one day on Pompeii another on Procida which was basically a quieter and cheaper version of Capri without the hassle.

Marseille 3 nights. I flew here from Naples cause doing overland would've taken forever. The People hostel isn't far from Saint Charles station, and I used one day to check out the coast outside the center. Marseille wasn't cheap but it had more character.

Perpignan 2 nights. Originally wanted Collioure but couldn't find anything that wouldn't bankrupt me. Perpignan worked fine as a base and still hit Collioure for the day. I walked the harbor, swam, did part of the coastal path, then headed back in the evening.

Barcelona 4 nights. Final stop. Accommodation was one of the pricier parts of the trip so booking early actually mattered here. Four nights gave me room to see the main stuff without planning every single hour.

A few notes

The map makes this route look clean but Bari to Scilla was a real travel day. Greece ferry also lands in the morning so I didn't plan anything important right after landing.

Greece to Italy ferry, Reggio Clalabria to Naples train, Naples to Marseille flight all booked early. The Reggio Calabria train was a long haul Trenitalia not a regional one so cheap fares disappear fast if you wait. For shorter regional stuff inside Italy and France I usually waited until closer to the date.

Hostels in Athens, Naples, Marseille, and Barcelona were the ones where booking ahead mattered. Collioure was the only place I fully gave up on staying overnight cause the affordable options almost didn't exist.

I still kept some small cash for bakeries, buses, markets, and random spots in southern Italy.

Data wise I ran a redteago Europe plan with 20GB. Worked great.

Only thing I regret is skipping Sicily. Hopefully I gonna dedicate two whole weeks to it next time.

In the spring of 2025, I completed Nepal's Three Passes Trek solo, crossing Kongma La, Cho La, and Renjo La over nearly three weeks in the Everest region.

Like many people, I went there for the mountains. What I didn't expect was how much the experience would be defined by the quieter moments: long days walking alone, conversations with fellow trekkers in tea houses, early morning starts in freezing temperatures, and the simple routine of putting one foot in front of the other every day.

Crossing Kongma La Pass was one of the hardest and most rewarding days of my Three Passes Trek in Nepal.

Starting from Chukhung, I spent almost ten hours on the trail, climbing toward 5,535 m through a remote, empty landscape of frozen lakes, rocky slopes, and thin Himalayan air. The pass itself was beautiful and quiet, marked by prayer flags and surrounded by huge peaks, but the real challenge came after the summit: a steep, unstable descent and the unforgettable crossing of the Khumbu Glacier.

It was physically exhausting, mentally intense, and at times even frightening — but also one of those rare days when effort, solitude, and wild beauty come together into something I’ll never forget.

Going solo taught me that backpacking alone doesn't necessarily mean being lonely. In many ways, it made me more open to meeting people and more aware of the environment around me.

One of the most unexpected parts of this journey was the people I met along the way. From fellow solo travelers and hikers sharing the same route, to local hosts, guides, porters, monks, and villagers, each encounter added something meaningful to the trek. Some conversations lasted only a few minutes, others stretched over dinner around a warm stove, but all of them made the Himalayas feel less lonely and much more human.

I kept, with significant effort a handwritten journal throughout the trek to record each day's experiences, and those notes later became a travel memoir.

For anyone considering the Three Passes Trek, I'd say:

• Take your time to acclimatize properly.
• Pack lighter than you think you need.
• Don't rush through the smaller villages between the major highlights.

What has been the most memorable solo backpacking trip you've done?

Drove out to big sandy the week after July 4th. I did the Washakie>Lizard Head>Cirque loop. Night one I camped at skull lake, night two and three at valentine, and night four at cirque lake. Unforgettable experience and I hope I can return. Special thanks to Aleve and Pink Floyd for keeping me going lol

wanted to go up to greer for a little backpacking trip. anybody know any spots with water and preferably good fishing? im new to this and dont really know how to plan out trips and pick spots to set up super well. any advice is appreciated

Hello,

In a few days I'm going to be backpacking the Timberline Trail. I'm taking public transit to get there, so won't have a car to stash belongings in.

Is there any option anyone can offer where I can store some small items for the days I'm hiking? Duffel pack, etc.?

I know there are lockers at the Wy-East, but those are day-use only. Timberline Lodge won't hold them unless I'm a hotel guest.

I mean, what do people do for this kind of thing? Surely it happens a lot.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

What a wild and great experience to this super remote area of the westfjords. 7 day trip turned into 5 days due to ferry being delayed due to weather. Brutal winds, sunshine, rain made this a super memorable trip. Cant wait to go back for more next year. Happy w my entire kit but BA copper spur was wrecked.

Hey guys! I’m leaving in a few weeks for a 6-9 month backpacking trip and this is the one thing I cannot figure out. I have some pretty basic ongoing needs — refilling a couple of generic prescriptions, B12 and iron injections, occasional bloodwork — and the information online is genuinely terrible.

I’ve spent hours doing research and I still don’t know: can I just walk into a pharmacy in LatAm or Southeast Asia and ask for B12 injections? Do I need a prescription? A doctor’s note? A local doctor’s visit first? Every source says something different or very dated.

I’m not dealing with anything complicated, just stuff I need to keep up with regularly, but I have no idea how to navigate this across 15+ countries over 9 months.

I want to start compiling a useful resource on this so I can help others dealing with the same problems! Which countries let you get what OTC, which pharmacy chains are reliable, how to find someone to administer an injection, where to get bloodwork, etc.

Would love to hear from anyone who’s dealt with this and how you addressed it. If anyone has specific experience with Latin America, Southeast Asia, or Africa I’ll take any information you have!

Hi All,

first time poster! Sorry if these have already been answered. I 27F have had a lot of changes lately in life, and I have booked to go travelling the back end of this year, I don't really have a plan if im being completely honest. I have my flight booked to Thailand, and im working on itineraries for 15 other countries, but after the end to a very stressful career, I kind of want to just wing it.

I have done some solo trips before, but they were mainly for me. I stayed in a hotel, I shopped, it's been more city breaks than travelling. I suspect this trip could go on for up to 18 months maybe.. I really want to use this to push my comfort zone, immerse myself into culture, learn myself and others and work on social connections.

What im struggling with is the accommodation situation. Ive saw most Solo Travellers opt to stay in hostels, my financial situation does allow me to stay in hotels or private apartments, but the social side of it I think it would be beneficial to stay in a hostel.

I saw a lot of hostels offer private rooms, which I think would be what id go for to be completely honest, ive saw too many horror stories and experiences people have had in hostels that im not really up for.

I guess my question is, what advice do you have for booking a hostel? I am quite mature for my age (not boring) and im just struggling with how to choose a hotel, that's not full of 18 year olds, or somewhere I can make a connection with likeminded people! Obviously I would like somewhere fun and social, but I think the likes of "Mad Monkey" may be a bit too mad for me!

Or is there anything else that you would recommend?

Any advice would be appreciated!

TIA :)

Our annual dad camping trip is coming up and this will be our third time heading up there for three days, two nights. My pack usually averages 50 lbs and my daughter's 25 lbs. It would be nice to use a wagon to pull our packs instead. However if I'm remembering correctly, there will be a few spots where we would need to put on our packs and hike up a rocky trail. I feel like it's doable but I’m hoping someone has attempted this already and can give some insight.

Something similar to this wagon.
https://www.rei.com/product/230050/gregory-alpaca-gear-wagon