Water
In the old days I would carry over a gallon of water on my back for long hikes. This was foolish. Even in a place like the foothills around Boulder, you can usually find streams to stock up on water while you're out.
Filters (like the Sawyer Squeeze) are great for removing particulates and work immediately. Other friends have had good luck with Aqua Mira to treat water that is free of particles.
Filters (like the Sawyer Squeeze) are great for removing particulates and work immediately. Other friends have had good luck with Aqua Mira to treat water that is free of particles.
Mike Clelland's tips on treating water
Water Storage
(Starting in the front and then moving left to right in the back).
Camelbak/backpack hydration system: These are great for day hikes when essentially the only thing you are carrying is water and a backpack. Even the small/medium backpacks have enough capacity for this 1.75L bladder and all of your snacks, extra socks, and rain gear. However, for backpacking trips they are a poor choice simply due to their weight.
Nalgene: These extremely durable bottles are great for drinking water at work, in the car etc, but due their weight, they are poorly suited for all kinds of hiking/backpacking.
Platypus Storage Bags: These are very lightweight and have the primary benefit that they can be easily collapsed when empty. However, they tend to snag in the side pockets on my backpack and the floppy bag is a pain to directly drink out of while hiking. The primary benefit of them is medium/long term storage of water. This can be either carrying dirty water back to camp where it can be treated, or carrying clean water over long stretches in the desert (much larger volume versions are available).
Smart Water/Life Water Bottles (1L): There is nothing special about the stupid water they fill the bottle with. The benefit of either of these essentially identical bottles is their shape: tall and slender to fit in pack side pockets. The twist off cap is annoying because it requires both hands. The 700mL smart water bottle comes with a flip top cap which can be used with the 1L bottles. Though not quite as durable as a Nalgene I've never destroyed or even punctured one of these bottles. The flip top cap however, is pretty flimsy and easily broken so I carry a backup. I replace the bottles themselves every once and a while simply because they get pretty dingy and are hard to clean. The threads on the cap are also compatible with the Sawyer squeeze water filtration system which can be convenient.
Gatorade Bottle: The tall and slender shape of the smart water bottle is great for backpacks but a poor choice for collecting water. For filling water from shallow sources the wide mouth of the gatorade bottle performs much better.
On backpacking trips I carry 2x 1L Smartwater bottles with flip tops and a gatorade bottle for collecting dirty water. Since most of my backpacking trips are in the alpine regions of the rocky mountains where clean water sources are plentiful year round (assuming that in winter you're melting snow for water), a larger container for water storage is not required. Rarely, especially in the desert, I will supplement my standard water bottle collection with a Platypus water bladder for dirty water storage.
Camelbak/backpack hydration system: These are great for day hikes when essentially the only thing you are carrying is water and a backpack. Even the small/medium backpacks have enough capacity for this 1.75L bladder and all of your snacks, extra socks, and rain gear. However, for backpacking trips they are a poor choice simply due to their weight.
Nalgene: These extremely durable bottles are great for drinking water at work, in the car etc, but due their weight, they are poorly suited for all kinds of hiking/backpacking.
Platypus Storage Bags: These are very lightweight and have the primary benefit that they can be easily collapsed when empty. However, they tend to snag in the side pockets on my backpack and the floppy bag is a pain to directly drink out of while hiking. The primary benefit of them is medium/long term storage of water. This can be either carrying dirty water back to camp where it can be treated, or carrying clean water over long stretches in the desert (much larger volume versions are available).
Smart Water/Life Water Bottles (1L): There is nothing special about the stupid water they fill the bottle with. The benefit of either of these essentially identical bottles is their shape: tall and slender to fit in pack side pockets. The twist off cap is annoying because it requires both hands. The 700mL smart water bottle comes with a flip top cap which can be used with the 1L bottles. Though not quite as durable as a Nalgene I've never destroyed or even punctured one of these bottles. The flip top cap however, is pretty flimsy and easily broken so I carry a backup. I replace the bottles themselves every once and a while simply because they get pretty dingy and are hard to clean. The threads on the cap are also compatible with the Sawyer squeeze water filtration system which can be convenient.
Gatorade Bottle: The tall and slender shape of the smart water bottle is great for backpacks but a poor choice for collecting water. For filling water from shallow sources the wide mouth of the gatorade bottle performs much better.
On backpacking trips I carry 2x 1L Smartwater bottles with flip tops and a gatorade bottle for collecting dirty water. Since most of my backpacking trips are in the alpine regions of the rocky mountains where clean water sources are plentiful year round (assuming that in winter you're melting snow for water), a larger container for water storage is not required. Rarely, especially in the desert, I will supplement my standard water bottle collection with a Platypus water bladder for dirty water storage.
Food
Food is a critical part of your backcountry experience but may also be the most frustrating. For a multi-day trip in the summer, the food itself can easily be most of your pack weight. This is excluding the weight food-related accessories likes stoves, pots, utensils and bear canisters.
My preferred style of backpacking is to maximize time spent hiking and minimize time spent stopped, especially for something like eating. As a result most of my food is something that I can easily eat while moving. A solid "chunk" of food, like clif bars or cheese, is usually easier to eat with one hand than something like trail mix which usually requires you to hold the bag with the other hand. The one caveat I'll offer to this style of eating is that I've noticed that I don't always eat enough of this dry food compared to the few times I've had warm food. I don't think this fact will convince me to take a stove, but will rather remind me to keep eating trail mix.
The one mistake nearly all hikers/backpackers make is taking too much stuff, which also includes food. My strategy to keep from overpacking food is to choose foods with a similar caloric density (about 140 cal/oz) and to simply weigh out the amount of food I need to reach my intended number of calories. Personally, I shoot for 2500 calories/day for moderately intense hiking (10 miles/day, 2000-3000 feet of elevation gain). This comes out to about 18oz or 1.1 lbs of food per day.
My preferred style of backpacking is to maximize time spent hiking and minimize time spent stopped, especially for something like eating. As a result most of my food is something that I can easily eat while moving. A solid "chunk" of food, like clif bars or cheese, is usually easier to eat with one hand than something like trail mix which usually requires you to hold the bag with the other hand. The one caveat I'll offer to this style of eating is that I've noticed that I don't always eat enough of this dry food compared to the few times I've had warm food. I don't think this fact will convince me to take a stove, but will rather remind me to keep eating trail mix.
The one mistake nearly all hikers/backpackers make is taking too much stuff, which also includes food. My strategy to keep from overpacking food is to choose foods with a similar caloric density (about 140 cal/oz) and to simply weigh out the amount of food I need to reach my intended number of calories. Personally, I shoot for 2500 calories/day for moderately intense hiking (10 miles/day, 2000-3000 feet of elevation gain). This comes out to about 18oz or 1.1 lbs of food per day.
Fritos paired with extra sharp cheddar cheese is my go to no stove/no cook meal. It's the perfect combination of grease,salt, and sour (cheese). Never gets old.
The individually wrapped snack portions of cheddar cheese help them stay fresh.
Sunflower kernels (no shell) pack really small and have about the highest calorie density (160 cal/oz) I know of. They're also small enough to pour them into your mouth while hiking with one hand. Cashews are slightly higher in calories (170 cal/oz) but they take up more space.
The individually wrapped snack portions of cheddar cheese help them stay fresh.
Sunflower kernels (no shell) pack really small and have about the highest calorie density (160 cal/oz) I know of. They're also small enough to pour them into your mouth while hiking with one hand. Cashews are slightly higher in calories (170 cal/oz) but they take up more space.
Trail Mix components
Peanuts are the clear winner for a cheap and calorie dense food. Of the items on this list, Sunflower seeds are the most convenient to eat with one hand because their small size allows them to be poured directly into your mouth.
Food |
Caloric Density (calories/oz) |
Price ($ per oz) |
Price ($ per 100 calories) |
Peanuts |
160 |
0.22 |
0.14 |
Cashews |
170 |
- |
- |
Sunflower Kernels (i.e,: shelled) |
172 |
0.48 |
0.28 |
Sesame Sticks |
156 |
- |
- |
Peanut M&M's |
142 |
0.36 |
0.25 |
Peanut Butter Pretzels |
140 |
- |
- |
Cheese!
Taking cheese on backpacking trips is a real treat but you have to be smart about it. In the winter, temperatures are cool enough you don't have to worry about it spoiling but in summer this can be a real problem. Generally, harder cheeses like parmesan keep well in warmer conditions. Many people might find the idea of eating a chunk of parmesan by itself gross, but I contend they're just not hungry enough.
Softer cheeses will spoil much faster. In just a few hours the surface gets greasy and they start to smell. This can be unpleasant but the more serious issue is the odor attracting animals overnight. Individually wrapped cheeses (Babybel, string cheese, snack slices etc), hold up much better in warmer conditions and help contain the odor while you are sleeping in the event they do go bad.
Softer cheeses will spoil much faster. In just a few hours the surface gets greasy and they start to smell. This can be unpleasant but the more serious issue is the odor attracting animals overnight. Individually wrapped cheeses (Babybel, string cheese, snack slices etc), hold up much better in warmer conditions and help contain the odor while you are sleeping in the event they do go bad.
Cheese Type |
Caloric Density (cal/oz) |
Price ($ per 100 calories) |
Babybel Original |
93 |
- |
String Cheese (Mozzarella) |
80 |
- |
Dried Meats
It was eye opening to see how astronomically expensive my favorite Jerky was.
Meat Type |
Caloric Density (cal/oz) |
Price (per oz) |
Price ($ per 100 calories) |
Krave Beef Jerky (Lime Flavor) |
90 |
2.22 |
2.46 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Energy/Protein Bars etc
Individually wrapped, energy dense foods. I'm also including my favorite 100% fruit snacks because it simplifies formatting of the table.
Food Type |
Unit Mass (per package) |
Unit Calories (per package) |
Caloric Density (cal/oz) |
Price ($ per oz) |
Price ($ per 100 calories) |
Clif Bar: Chocolate Chip |
2.42 oz |
250 |
102 |
- |
- |
Clif Bar: Peanut Butter Crunch |
2.42 oz |
260 |
107 |
- |
- |
Clif Builders Bar (20 g protein) |
2.42 oz |
280 |
115 |
- |
- |
Organics Fruit Snacks |
0.82 oz |
80 |
97 |
0.5 |
0.52 |
Cooking?
I've recently started experimenting with actually cooking on backpacking trips. It's much easier to eat enormous meals of hot food than Clif Bars.
Some useful links I've found:
Harmony House Backpacking Kit: www.harmonyhousefoods.com/Backpacking-Kit-18-ZIP-Pouches_p_1866.html
Andrew Skurka's ingredients list: andrewskurka.com/2015/backpacking-breakfast-dinner-recipes-ingredient-info-sourcing/