An Expert’s Top Tips for an Epic Backpacking Trip
As a teenager, David Carr worked in a small grocery store in Wrightwood, California. As sweaty, dusty backpackers stopped in to resupply on their trek along the Pacific Crest Trail, he was inspired by their sense of adventure. Now recently retired, Carr is bringing his dreams to life and taking a year to tackle some of the most famous trails across the globe—from the Te Araroa in New Zealand to Spain’s famous Camino del Norte. For anyone looking to follow in his footsteps or learn more about how to take on such a project, here are three of his top tips.
Experiment with Websites and Apps
The internet is full of manuals, instructions, and Facebook groups dedicated to preparing hikers for famous trails. Before your trip, take time to do some research and find the resources that work for you. Carr recommends using a variety of apps so you can take advantage of the unique features of each one.
- FarOut maps out the route, including popular stores and resupply stops, huts for staying the night, and so on. Users can leave comments to help other hikers, including info about the selection at stores or tips for different stops.
- Garmin Explore allows you to track your lifetime steps and miles, log activity, chart and share your routes with friends and family, and more.
- LighterPack helps you organize and plan the gear you’ll bring on each trip, including the category and weight of each item.
- Te Araroa - The Trail App includes pages of trail notes about natural features hikers will encounter. Many other trails and areas also have their own apps available.
Choose Gear That Makes You Happy
Gear is a sensitive subject among hikers, and everyone has different definitions of what’s essential, too heavy, or worth the cost. Carr’s take on the issue is simple: “Nobody can tell you your gear is bad. If it makes you happy for any reason, then it’s perfect for you.”
He advises hikers to be secure in their gear choices but remain open-minded and willing to update as necessary. For example, he carries both a simple accordion-fold sleeping mat and a lightweight air mattress and pump. A lot of hikers might gawk at having one mat, let alone two, but Carr enjoys his hikes more knowing that he has a comfortable place to sleep at night. That being said, he doesn’t hesitate to explore new options, like the nine-gram, nearly silent pump he saw a fellow hiker using at a recent stop.
Live with Your Choices
Carr’s biggest piece of advice? Be creative and live with your choices—there are pros and cons to every gadget, app, trail food, and resupply strategy. You won’t find the perfect way to backpack, and that’s okay. Stay open to learning. Try new things and just enjoy the adventure.