21 Days in 1 Backpack, Trying to Make Smart, Light & Eco Friendly Choices
Prepping for a three week backpacking trip. Whut. It started as a 2–3 day hike and backpacking situation. Things escalated quickly.
As. They. Do.
What’s the goal?
The goal is to pack for a three week trip, in one 55L pack.
I will also bring a day pack on the plane with me. (And three of my children who I will be dropping off elsewhere once collect the fourth child and then travel to arrive their destination!)
I won’t bore you with all the deets, but I’ll be away for three weeks, doing a few smaller trips, hikes and backpacking adventures with folks.
I’ll have a rental car for some of the trip, so car camping and hiking camping are both options. There will be a place for me to leave a few things behind with my bestie in the major city I’m flying in and out of.
Rules and some parameters
I will potentially have access to a laundromat every week or so, and will wash things by hand as needed. I am trying to pack as light as possible, without being uncomfortable or exceedingly unnecessairly disgusting.
I want to have a good time.
I’m all for austerity, but not if it’s gonna significantly fuck up my good time.
I’m also all for the earth and not killing it willy nilly, but I will use some plastic to keep my shit dry.
The hypocrisy of existing is too much sometimes.
I will be in a climate that can be over 100 during the days, and potentially near freezing at night. I would rather be too hot than too cold.
A one-person tent, a sleeping bag, 55L pack, single jetboil burner and fuel will with me. For one week of the trip — I will be with a backpacking partner who will be stocked similarly.
Toiletries
There will be no shower.
I can an will bird-bath, be a happy dirty bitch, and use wipes.
Any time I see a body of water larger than a puddle I’ll wash and swim like the sea porpoise that I am inside.
I’ll bring a Dr. B’s soap for washing all the things and keep it really simple in that regard.
Literally 1 toothbrush +1 bottle Dr. Bronners. That’s it.
Basic needs
Uh, medication. HA.
No time for the brain chemistry to take a dump in the middle of the nature. Remember — leave no trace.
Speaking of which, I need a poo shovel. *Scribble that down onto list.
It’s pack in/pack out.
This reminds me of a 5 week camping in the back-country trip I had as a 17 year old. We had to pack out all of our used toilet paper, tampons, etc. I lived in the Guadelupe Mountains with a crew of 6 other teenagers and one adult. We built trails for the park service and lived in tents for the summer. A park ranger brought mules up every week to replenish our water supply. That was our only contact with the outside world — aside from hikers that would come through.
It wasn’t until I arrived back in Philadelphia and unfurled my pack that I realized that I had two giant ziplock bags full of old used tampons and used toilet paper -all of which had been fermenting in the ziplock bag vessles, in the heat of the New Mexico Summer for 5 weeks. Intense.
I am not looking to repeat that situation, BUT, the ziplock bags did their job, big time, because who the F flys around with bags of TP and used tampons?
Only someone who forgets they’re in the bag. That’s who.
For water purification, I will have a boiler and water purification tabs in case shit goes haywire. Honestly, I probably won’t be in the backcountry. I’ll probably be car camping outside a motel six, acting like I need iodine tabs and to boil my Giardia spores before consuming when I really don’t need to be doing any of this.
I want to be prepared to be adventurous.
That doesn’t guarantee that I will be. Even if I end up staying in the city with my bestie the whole time. Maybe she’ll let me sleep in her back yard in my one person tent and use my boiler to boil hose water if that makes me feel fulfilled.
Background
I looked into renting an RV, a camper, a conversion van, an SUV that I’d do a temp conversion on. I will have to rent a large vehicle anyway, so I was going get something large enough that I could sleep in it if the weather is really bad.
I looked into Glamping, Air BnB, Hipcamp, local campgrounds, BLM land, national park roads, all the things. I can’t decide exactly what to do so I’m prepping to drive some portion of the Ca/Oregon coast. I would definitely like to see where the Goonie’s pirate ship scenes were filmed, so that’s on a trip-specific bucket list.
Rivers, hot springs, mountains, forests, lakes, any and all of that sounds good too.
I looked at the REI on the West Coast and they actually have packages you can rent for a backpacking trip — that gives you most of the essentials you need. That’s genius, and also a little nuts! I am not going that route — I am bringing most of my own stuff with me on my flight.
The packing list — AKA — the hard part
Ahhhh…. This is where it gets challenging for me.
This is what I intend to bring with me.
- Three quickdry panties — my preferred type for hiking: Patagonia hipster panties —yes. they are ridiculously expensive, however I’ve had the three pairs I’m bringing for over 5 years already — they show no wear and tear and look new so quality and panty longevity is a key.
- Three quick dry sports bras
- Two quick dry tank tops
- Two quick dry longsleeve shirts
- Two hiking shorts
- One pant /zip into shorts
- 1 legging
- (optional?!)1 jeans — not sure this is worth the space and weight, though they could be good travel pants for the plane.
- One fleece
- One pair gloves
- One beanie hat,
- one baseball cap
- neck gaiter/bandanas (2)
- One warmer jacket (stuff sack)
- Three ankle socks
- Three hiking socks
- Rain pants and rain jacket
- Hiking boots or trail shoes (currently can’t decide)
- Teva sandals
- Head lamp
- Camelback
- Water purification tablets
- Water bottle
- Kindle paperwhite
- Solar charger
- Phone
- Sleeping bag/pad/1 person tent
- Meds (prescribed)
- Sunscreen
- Ibuprofen/bandaids/benadryl/first aid
- Rope/paracord
- Vaseline cotton balls
- Lighter with electrical tape
Departure is in a few weeks.
I have already compiled all of the items. Here’s the rub.
I’ll go through this pile many, many times as I prepare to depart.
My pattern (and maybe others can relate) is that I’ll go through my checklist — I’ll decide that three panties is cool, but 4 or 5 would be safer in case I get my period or shit my pants daily or something.
I’ll be backpacking with my gay-boy-friend, and I’m not sure he’s ready for the crazy I’m bringin on this trip — so maybe having an extra panty or two would ease some of my anxiety, somehow.
After rationalizing this, I’ll add in a pair or two of extra panties. Or that extra pair of hiking shorts. Or shoes. Or an extra warm top because I hate being cold. And I’ll do that EVERY TIME I GO THROUGH my packing list and pack. — and before I know it I have so much shit and am nowhere hear what I actually intended to bring.
Then I cull.
I cull back to what I wanted initially on the list, in the pack.
Then the process repeats — wherein I start adding shit that I think I might need or could be helpful or whatever bullshit reason I concoct.
What I continually fail to remember is that every thing I bring, is going to reside on my back, my aging old back (though I feel 20 except for my knees and shoulders, which feel 78) for 50 miles of hiking at least.
When I do remember that, I want to throw in one panty, one tooth brush, one Dr. B soap, one hand towel a shirt and my meds, and leave it at that.
Alas — the extremes are not helpful here.
So my challenge is to stick to the list, regardless of how many times I repack and recount and re-inventory.
I’ll keep you posted on how it goes.
Anyone have any suggestions?
I’ve been reading all the articles and lists and tips — there are no shortage on the interwebs.
Food — that’s another story that I haven’t prepped for — but I will also need to pack food. Must consult with hiking partner re: fuel.
