The following detail, therefore, will give you some basic guidelines on how to choose a good backpack for your trip. This is probably not the most comprehensive guide, but it is suitable for a beginner who wants to learn how to choose them properly.

Firstly, identify your needs. Please also bear in mind that every individual has their preference. Some people are minimalists, which means they usually only take things that are necessary for the trip; they don’t like to take everything, especially the stuff that is not going to be used.

On the other hand, some people may love to carry a lot of stuff for their trip, especially people who love hiking and go for 2-5 day excursions for example. So, it’s necessary for you to identify your own needs and determine which kind of backpack you will need.

How to purchase an ideal backpack

When choosing a backpack, pay enough attention to factors like material, size, loading type and the other main features.

Choosing the Right Material

Some of the more popular materials such as Cordura, ripstop or nylon are the common ones to make good backpacks. When picking your backpack, you have to check those easy-to-wear-out areas to see if durability measures have been taken by the manufacturer to ensure a long-term use. The material of the hip belts indicates whether it is a good backpack. Thus, make sure the hip belts are properly manufactured with a comfortable material without compromising usability.

Sleeping bag designers generally agree that a cold weather bag must have the following features to keep the occupant really warm.

• Zipper draft tubes and shoulder collars
• Hoods that cup the head and insulate without being claustrophobic
• A temperature rating of 0 Fahrenheit or below (in the winter it is far better to err on the side of warmth)

What insulation do designers prefer? Down, with a 650-power fill rating or above, is best for weight-to-warmth ratio and longevity. The fill power of down indicates the amount of actual downy feather and quill. The lower the fill number, the more quill and less feather there is; the higher the number, the fewer quills, and more feathers.

How big should a winter bag be? Buy it long.

Most mountaineers advise against regular-sized bags and opt for bags that offer at least an extra 8 to 10 inches of space at the foot after you are nestled comfortably inside. Those extra inches provide adequate space to store cameras, water, boots, and such items that you don’t want to freeze. Also, bags with a wider cut can offer more warmth because they give you room to add clothing without constricting the bag.

No matter what type of sleeping bag you choose, it’s important to make sure it’s the best choice for your sleeping needs. As long as you take care of your sleeping bag, much like your tent and backpack, it should last you a very long time.

This chapter is a camping tent guide for helping you choose the right tent for the right conditions. These considerations will help you decide what kind of tent will be the best for your next adventure.

Tents come in a whole variety of different sizes and styles that can accommodate anywhere from a single person to a dozen people or even more. The tent that is most suitable and the best choice for you will obviously depend on your needs and your budget. Tents range hugely in price and functionality so, some of the main questions you must ask yourself before considering which tent to purchase while shopping for a tent might be:

• What is the total number of people that will be joining you on your camping trip?
• Will you require a tent big enough to accommodate a large number of people?
• Are you comfortable with a single sleeping area or would you prefer separate compartments based on the number of people will be joining you?
• Is your camping trip more hiking-based?
• Will you be carrying the tent on your back or traveling by vehicle?

Note that the size of the tent will be crucial if you plan on carrying it with you.

Here are the main things to consider when buying a tent:

1. Time of Year You’re Going Camping

There are generally three camping classifications of tents, and each mainly depends on the time of year that they will be utilized.

All-season tents or convertible tents – these are used predominantly all year round, but despite the name, these tents do not function well in severe winter weather. The weight of the tent is not an issue.

The all-season camping tent is typically thought of as regards a family or car tent. Most cabin tents are all-season tents. These are ideal for relaxed summer camping.

3-season – this type of tent works well for all the seasons except the harshest cold weather conditions like snow.

The 3-season camping tent is what I would consider the most versatile. Some of the smaller two person tents are great for hiking and some of the larger tents are perfect for family campouts. These are usually always a dome tent.

4-season – purpose built for extreme cold weather climates, but extremely hot during summer.

2. Staying Dry

While camping, there is nothing worse than waking up in a pool of water or feeling a drip on your forehead at night. The main reason this happens is the way tents are made these days. Once you touch the fabric on the inside to the outside flysheet, the tent will start to leak especially when it rains heavily, and sometimes from the morning dew.

Hold on; you say I could just use a poncho as a rain fly and stay dry. You’re right. You could pick up a poncho as well to drape over your shelter half. But out the door goes your ventilation! The point is, technology is a wonderful thing. You can purchase camping tents that have a water-resistant coating and still allows for ventilation. Most camping tents have a waterproof rain fly that attaches to the tent poles and still allows for ventilation. And lastly, many camping tents have floors sewn into the bottom.

3. Easy Setup

Your camping tent should be easy to set up within little time. At no time will this be more apparent to you than when it is raining or when it is dark.

So how do I know if the tent is easy to set up? A-frame and dome camping tents are easy to pitch. A cabin tent is not necessarily easy. The next section will deal with the designs of tents.

Lastly, when you are ready to take your tent down, or strike camp, you will want it folded into a neat, compact, and easy to store package.

4. Ventilation

It is a must that your camping tent has adequate ventilation. A camping tent with proper ventilation will have openings on all sides.

Most camping tents will have mesh screens on each side as well. This is to ensure that air flows through the tent even when you are trying to keep out the bugs or debris if it becomes windy.

You’ll want to choose a tent that has a large mesh opening if you think that the bugs where you’ll be camping will be annoying.

Just like tents and backpacks, there are different types of sleeping bags to choose from and finding the right one depends on how much you are willing to spend and what you find comfortable. It’s also important to note how you will be transporting the sleeping bag and whether you’ll be packing it in your backpack during hikes.

A General Guide to Sleeping Bags

If you’re searching for the perfect sleeping bag that will meet all your needs, forget about it!

There is no such thing. However in saying that, there is a bag out there that will keep you warm and happy through most of your camping escapades — a three-season mummy type with a temperature/comfort rating of around 15 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit can do just that.

A nice three-season bag should be able to get you through a cold evening when camping in spring or fall and not overheat you during a warm night in the middle of summer.

If you prefer winter camping, you should opt for a bag rated to below 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Winter mountain climbing requires you to have a bag temperature rating of minus 15 to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

Mummy-shaped sleeping bags are the most efficient bags at keeping body warmth. However, in some cases, some people find them tight. Also, another tip is to be sure that if you are buying bags to zip together, the zippers are compatible and you purchase both a left as well as a right zipper.

Shapes of Sleeping bags

Sleeping bags come in both rectangular and mummy shape. The style which is right for you depends on your general way of sleeping. Some people may not give much regard to how they sleep, but it can play a significant role in determining whether you get a good night sleep or not.

A mummy bag would be suitable for those who tend to curl up when sleeping whereas those who like to sleep sprawled out would find the rectangular bag more comfortable. The mummy bag’s smaller size also requires less energy for heating up and also has a hood which can be pulled tightly around the head area, creating additional warmth. The rectangular bag, on the other hand, contains more air space and ends closer to the chest area.

Temperature & Insulation

A good sleeping bag will greatly help to maintain the warmth of your body through insulation, but the way the bag is constructed will determine how well it will be insulated. It would suit you well to choose a bag with a temperature rating based on the conditions of the climate.

When choosing a bag, you should take into consideration not just the climate but also the types of activities you will be doing which can have an effect on your level of fatigue and metabolic rate among other things.

Down is known to be the best insulator because it is small and can be compressed quite easily. Unfortunately, the disadvantage of a down bag is that they lose their insulation capabilities when wet, but a well-maintained down bag can last a very long time. On the other hand synthetic bags can remain well-insulated regardless of being wet but weigh quite a bit more and don’t have the durability of down bags.

When you purchase any sleeping bag, take a little time to feel it out. Climb inside it, roll around in it, zip it up, etc. You should then choose the one that seems to best meet your needs for space, warmth, and other features, yet fitting your budget. Although people may look at you in a funny manner when doing this, it is worth it to make sure that what you are buying will do the job well.

All sleeping bags have similar features. Check out the following culled from “The guide to buying a sleeping bag for dummies”.

• A lining of taffeta or other soft non-cotton material is more comfy, warms quickly, and breathes supremely.
• A two-way zipper offers more ventilation and flexibility options. Be sure to buy a right- or a left-side zipper that is compatible with the other bag if you desire companionship.
• You want a differential cut — the inner lining is sewn smaller than the outer shell — which allows insulation to loft to its maximum. If there is more loft, there is bound to be more warmth.
• An insulated draft collar helps to seal in the warmth and keep out the cold around your neck and shoulders.
• Hook and loop tabs cover the zipper toggle by the hood, preventing unplanned unzipping while you slumber.
• A multi-sectioned or shaped hood cups the head naturally.
• Ample draft tube that hangs from the top of the bag covers the zipper to seal out cold air.
• A windproof and water-resistant outer shell. DryLoft is the most down proof.
• Semi-rectangular Cut for sleepers who toss and turn. Mummy-style bag for sleepers who manage to stay put.
• Dark colored lining. This absorbs heat better and the sun’s rays most efficiently should you need to dry out your bed.
• One last highly desirable option: a fleece-lined stuff sack. Turn it inside out for a comfy pillow when stuffed with a parka or your extra clothes.

Frame tents – These are popular because of the headroom and overall space they provide. Some of the options come with separate sleeping compartments alongside a standard steel-frame structure which makes transporting the tent by car far more convenient.

Dome Tents – In the last ten years dome tents have been dominating the market. As a matter of fact, the vast majority of tents available in stores these days are dome tents mainly because of their durability, ease of set-up and ease of transportation thereby making it a popular choice among campers.

Ridge Tents – These are triangular and quite sturdy. Even though they offer plenty of headroom, their lack of support makes it unsuitable in heavy winds. They tend to be the easiest and quickest to set up but are found lacking during a not so good weather.

Touring Tents – These are one of the rare styles of tents which allow a person to stand straight up and even walk in it. Touring tents are known to have see-through windows with generally good ventilation.

Vis-à-vis Tents – These tents offer different sleeping compartments. Hoop tents which are sometimes called tunnel tents are popular amongst hikers and mountain climbers because they are easy to carry and don’t take up much room yet still very sturdy.

Geodesic Tents – They are similar in structure to the popular dome tents and are even stronger, being able to resist heavier winds. They are usually more expensive than other tents also.

There you have it! You now you have a bit of information on the different types of tents and the qualities and disadvantages of each. So when picking out a tent, do make sure you find one which is favorable to you based on the season you are camping in, the number of people that will be occupying it and also your budget. Weather can be unpredictable at best which means a tent which is within your budget that can handle both wind and rain is your best bet.

External-frame packs, internal-frame packs and day packs/rucksacks are the three typical camping bags much admired by most travellers and outdoor lovers.

For those new to hiking and camping, external-frame packs are considered to be the ideal choice as this type of item can distribute heavy and unorganized load properly. What’s more, an external-frame pack usually costs less than that of internal-frame.

For those fanatics of outdoor activity, internal-frame packs designed with the purpose to keep the load close to your body for comfort and flexibility are the best choice.

As frame-less as they are, the daypacks are suitable for light loads. Therefore, they are often used in short excursions, and you may get one of them at a lower price than the two types mentioned above.

Choosing the Right Size

The bigger your backpack is, the more it can hold. It seems as if the biggest ones are always the best. But the truth is the larger your pack is, the more troublesome it may become as you may be tempted to take unnecessary items with you thereby requiring a lot of effort for it to be carried around. Therefore, a large size can retard your movements.

What Size of Backpack Do You Like?

The size of a camping backpack matters a lot. The bigger your pack is, the more it can hold. Meanwhile, getting a bigger backpack means you have to sacrifice mobility for load capacity because the larger your pack is, the more efforts you will need to make.

To sum it all up, the best type of backpack is one which you would feel comfortable walking with if your camping trip requires a lot of walking. A backpack which is light and durable yet water-resistant is ideal but most importantly, a well-fitting backpack which isn’t a hindrance to your body is not something you should ignore. One thing to remember is that weight on your back should be distributed efficiently in a way that the shoulder area carries 30% while the rest carries 70%.