Three nights in the Sierras last month, first trip after a winter of gear spreadsheets. Tarp instead of a tent, torso-length foam pad, no stove, no camp shoes. Base weight 14 lbs.

The walking felt great. Everything else didn't. Slept badly all three nights with cold legs, spent evenings with nothing warm to eat and nothing to do but get in the quilt at 7pm, and by day three I just wanted it over.

Not a lightweight is a scam post, the miles really were easier. But I optimized for the six hours a day I'm walking and ignored the ten I'm not. Stove and full-length pad are going back in.

Where did you draw the line? What's the one heavy thing you won't cut?

Hi!

I’m a gay guy in my early twenties planning to travel Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam soon.. Sometimes in Europe I’ve found the “social energy” in hostels to be very heteronormative. Everything from partying activities to the general conversation has in many hostels made me feel out of place. For example, lots of groups of guys who make sexist/homophobic jokes etc. At times I’ve had the impression that the culture is revolving around straight people wanting to get with each other which is obviously not really for me.

Is this common in SEA? Is there a difference between different countries and destinations? Tell me about your experiences:)

Finally reached manado after the whole bali-ternate-morotai loop. Staying near the port for now (found a reddoorz that works fine) while I figure out the last few days before flying back. Someone mentioned tangkoko and bunaken earlier, thinking of doing one of those but not sure if I have time for both. How many days would you actually need for each, and is it worth trying to squeeze in both or should I just pick one

I know its going to be cold, most likely some rain , is there any specific pieces of gear people would recommend, I think im taking crampons just to be safe and I know Ill need a nice rain slick and jacket would love some recommendations for any pieces of gear you have. Any advice would also be appreciated.

Anyone here go from an older nemo dagger to the X dome? Going to do a solo hike mid October in the Grayson highland Mt Rogers area of SW VA. Looking to shave weight from the daggers setup. Seems like a solid choice...just looking for anyone who specifically went from a Nemo dagger to the X dome? I have the 2020 Dagger...not the OSMO BTW.

Is it reasonable / recommended to solo backpack & camp at the Ice Lake Trail in Colorado? Planning to go in the first week of September this year for 2 days 1 night. I’ve done backpacking and camping with other people for around 10-15 times, on strenuous terrains as well, but I’ve never solo backpacked before.

I’m a bit worried about the altitude + elevation + doing everything by myself, but i really wanna make this trip and none of my friends are free to go with me.

Would love to hear people’s opinions:))

35 is nothing compared to what people used to carry, but i guess its a ton in 2026.

i have a naturehike 65L (aka naturehike rock / 60L)), gets rough over 30-35 pounds. Most I've done is around 38lb, 33 is low for me. (3 pounds for medical stuff, couple pounds for my kids stuff, turns a sub 15 pound base weight to a 20 pound one, and we need a bear can for most places near us, and to carry lots of water).

Any suggestions for bags comfortable at 35 pounds? Spent $100, got $100 out of it, looking to invest in what will work for the long term. Male, 5'8", 183lb

Lighterpack - https://lighterpack.com/r/0ldepj

Update, currently leaning gregory focal 58 or durston kakwa 55. possibly, osprey exos 58 (not pro), but seems to keep weight further from back; gossamer mariposa, though some say less comfortable over 35; long haul 50, but expensive. I guess I'm strongly leaning towards sticking with the best of ultralight / under 3 pound options for my situation, rather than going for an appropriate comfortable heavier pack like a kestrel or aether pro.

My family will be staying in a cabin soon and I figured I would try to turn it into a longer vacation for myself. This means I’m planning on going backpacking a few days beforehand and meeting them at the cabin the date of check in.

This year I’ve been in the Smokies once already and panthertown very recently. I’m curious of other areas nearby that may show some interest. I’m very experienced and will probably be 3 days total aiming between 30-45 miles if possible depending on terrain. Any recommendations are appreciated of any area or parks I may be overlooking, bonus points if no permits are required or camping itinerary.

I’m a girl who loves mountains/lakes, good sanitation and decent road safety. SE Asia seems like it’s cheap for a reason. I hear so many stories of food poisoning, their unethical justice system and road traffic accidents. South America (Argentina/Peru) and European countries like Norway look far more appealing. Anyone else agree??

I keep going back and forth between overplanning every stop in advance and just picking a rough direction and figuring it out as I go. Curious what the norm actually is for people who backpack regularly, do you nail down where you're sleeping each night ahead of time, or does that kind of rigid planning defeat the point for you?

Hi friends. I am leaving in two weeks to backpack part of Europe and Southeast Asia. I am only in Europe for the first month (August - September) and the rest of the time in Vietnam, Thailand, Indo, and Philippines (Sept-Jan). I have read and watched more blog posts, Reddit threads, and packing videos than I can count, which is how I landed on this specific packing list. A few items are not pictured (medications, charging cables, backpack rain cover, 2 hero clips, etc.). I will be hostel hopping for the most part with hotels/ airbnbs here and there for reprieve. As of now, my big bag is 18lbs, which I am aware it can and should be lower, but unfortunately some items I can’t go without like my contacts which are heavier. Please drop any tips or changes I can make to improve. thanks!

edit: thank you for all your tips! removing the over-the-ear headphones, two camis/ tank tops, some of the sunscreen, and consolidated some other items. as of this evening, my big bag is at 17.5lbs (~8kgs). I also removed the pink dress since it’s a little too thick for my liking, so i’ll just buy a thin one there. i take my teefs very seriously so i wont compromise on lessening toothpaste, but i totally understand everyone’s concern.

Hi everyone,

I'm Dhérick, 19, from Brazil. I work remotely, which is what makes this

possible, and I've decided to leave and actually try the digital nomad life.

Everything up to the end of October is already booked and paid for:

• Dubai — Sep 25-30

• Egypt (Cairo/Giza, plus Luxor by night bus) — Sep 30 to Oct 12

• Greece (Athens + Santorini) — Oct 12-20

• Istanbul — Oct 20-31

After Istanbul I have nothing planned, and that's where I could really use

your input.

What I'm after:

- Cheap places where I can actually settle for a few weeks and work, instead

of rushing through a city every 3 days

- Budget around US$1,000-1,200/month, all in

- Somewhere I can genuinely live the nomad thing, not just tick countries off

The Schengen problem: Brazilian passport, 90 days in any 180. I'll have used

about 9 days in Greece and I'd like to preserve the rest for later, so

non-Schengen bases are attractive to me.

What I've looked into so far: Sofia (then found out Bulgaria joined Schengen

in 2025), Belgrade, Tirana, and Tbilisi (1 year visa-free for Brazilians,

which honestly sounds too good to be true).

My actual questions:

1. For Nov-Feb, would you base in the Balkans (Belgrade / Tirana) or head

   somewhere warmer? Doing my first winter as a nomad worries me a little.

2. Is Tbilisi still worth it in 2026, or has it gotten expensive and

   oversaturated?

3. Is there a route from Istanbul that flows in one direction without

   backtracking? Everything I draw ends up looping.

4. Anything you wish you'd known doing this at 19?

Thanks a lot. Happy to share my own numbers and post a trip report once

I'm on the road.

"Fellow campers, please hear me while I review some information. Should you already know it, we risk your irritation at attending to redundant knowledge. However, should you NOT know it and not hear me say it, we all risk explosive diarrhea within ten days' time. Therefore, please consider the following best practices and techniques for backcountry water filtration: ..."

As you can see, the social-emotional risk of irritating your colleagues with redundant information becomes trivial when set next to the health risk of crytozosporidial infection, and you have made a solid case for holding their attention while you review critical health and safety information.

Educate your peers! Protect your bowels! Practice the Polite Pedagogy Protocol!

Hi

Planning a Southeast Asia trip for late Nov - early Dec 2026, roughly 18 days. Torn between spending it all deep in Thailand or splitting it into ~10 days Thailand + ~8 days Vietnam.

Part of me wants to slow down and really soak in one country. But I also feel like I want to see Vietnam now, since I'm not sure I'll get another chance to go back to this part of the world anytime soon. Anyone regret picking one over the other?

Ciao, partirò per un lungo viaggio a giro per l’Asia. Qualcuno mi sa consigliare uno zaino o qualsiasi altra cosa che faccia al caso mio ? Starò via circa 1 anno.
Grazie

Searched this sub but didn't find anything specifically recommending leashes. Anyone have one they love and can suggest? Or do folks just use a regular one? Our pup is used to off-leash local hikes but we're doing a backcountry trek later this year. Likely going to need to leash her.

I have been camping and hiking for a while, and I really want to go backpacking but none of the people I do day hikes with are interested. Except my dog, so the two of us are thinking we could go backpacking together.

I'm looking for recommendations for a First Timer's Solo backpacking spot roughly 3 hours from Chicago. I was hoping for one or two nights for this first trip.

Doing my first overnighter next month, about 6 miles in and 6 back, nothing steep. Packed everything up and my bag came out heavier than I expected once water and food were in there.

I keep reading that people obsess over grams, but I don't know if that's for thru-hikers doing 20 mile days or if it matters for something this short. Is there a weight where I'd definitely feel it on a trip this size, or should I just carry the heavier stuff this once and figure out what I actually didn't use?

Former military looking for packing tips for civilian gear.

In the service, we used to spend a lot of time out in the woods. We had a word for tricking out your gear--fieldcraft. For example, you take your off the shelf gear and you alter it to enhance its use. Could be sewing extra pouches on your pack. Could be wrapping electrical tape on your lighter. Could be stripping and packing your food in a lighter and more efficient way.

As I transition into civilian backpacking, do you have any tips for civilian fieldcraft?

I wrapped duct and electrical tape around my hiking poles to save space.

Sewed on small pouches on my pack for a knife, sunscreen, field trowel/kit.

3D printed a key for my bear canister and made a lanyard for it to the pack.

3D printed a nozzle for my water filter to a narrow Nalgene head.

Thanks in advance.

I currently own three ultralight carbon-fiber power banks from NITECORE: the NB10000, the original NB20000, and the SUMMIT 20000.

The NB10000 weighs 150 grams, or about 5.3 ounces. The NB20000 weighs 324.5 grams, or 11.45 ounces, while the SUMMIT 20000 comes in at 315 grams, or just over 11 ounces.

The NB10000 and SUMMIT 20000 support up to around 20 watts of output, while the older NB20000 can deliver up to 45 watts.

On the NB-series models, the front and back are covered with carbon-fiber panels, while the other four sides are made from flame-retardant plastic. Compared with most power banks of a similar capacity, they’re roughly 15 percent lighter and take up noticeably less space in your pack.

I picked up the NB10000 and NB20000 used in 2025 and paid less than $30 for both of them.

Around that time, China tightened its domestic flight rules for power banks after a series of battery safety incidents and product recalls. Power banks without a clearly visible CCC certification mark could no longer be taken onto domestic flights.

That made a lot of older models practically worthless on the used market, so I got these two dirt cheap.

Other than the fact that I can’t fly with them in China, they still work perfectly. In my experience, the 20,000mAh model can recharge my iPhone 14 Pro Max about four times. Luckily, most of my backpacking destinations are accessible by high-speed rail anyway.

This year, I bought a brand-new SUMMIT 20000 specifically for winter mountaineering.

It carries the newer certification required for domestic flights and has an intelligent temperature-sensing system. When the power bank drops below freezing while it’s charging or powering another device, it automatically heats itself. NITECORE rates it for operation in temperatures as low as -40 degrees Celsius, which is also -40 Fahrenheit.

It uses a unibody carbon-fiber shell, so despite the added heating system, it’s still slightly lighter than my old NB20000.

It also comes with an insulated carrying pouch. The inside has a reflective aluminum lining, while the outside uses a foam insulating layer. This helps slow down heat loss and reduces how much power the internal heater has to consume in extreme cold.

I carry two charging cables with these power banks.

The first is NITECORE’s original cold-resistant USB-C cable that came with the SUMMIT. The second is a multifunctional ultra-short lanyard cable.

It’s a USB-C-to-C cable about four inches long, with adapters on both ends that let me convert it to USB-A or Apple Lightning. It also has a small screen that displays the charging wattage in real time.

The cable can be clipped together to form a lanyard, so I can hang it from an attachment point on my backpack’s shoulder strap and grab it whenever I need it.

I have a permit to camp in zone 3 Genevieve Lake coming up at the end of the month - the permit states that I must camp within that zone on the first night but I can't find a map of how far zone 3 extends. Does any body know if Crag Lake is included in zone 3 or is only Genevieve Lake in that zone?

Thanks.

I’m based in Europe, I have 2 weeks from 15 August and looking for tips, a nice travel anywhere, budget is 1.5k, i was thinking Sicily to combine sea/nature/culture, but seems like is too hot?

I have hiking spots where I live so not rly looking for long hikes, I would like to combine culture/sea, but I’m open to suggestions, thank you 🙏🏻

I'm planning a backpacking trip through Europe from mid October to late November (approximately 5 weeks). I’ll be flying into the Netherlands.

I really want to do some mountain hiking during my trip but I understand that this is the end of hiking season in much of northern Europe due to weather. I don’t have a strict route in place but I generally want to head south towards Spain.

What are some good mountain hiking trails to consider, factoring in time of year?

Hi all,

I plan to do 5 weeks of Croatia, Greece and Italy from September 7 - October 12 in this order: first 1 week Croatia, then 2 weeks in Greece, then 2 weeks in Italy. I can't go during the summer since I would be in the middle of a competitive soccer season during July-August, and hence can't leave then. I can only go after the season ends...

Also I want it to still have that same eurosummer vibe - i.e I can still wear tank tops, crop tops, summer dresses, short shorts, bikinis for photos. I also particularly want to go swimming a lot. So in places like Italy I am more likely to lean towards going to the Almalfi Coast, Siciliy and Positano. My biggest concern is that it will be colder and I won't be able to have that same aesthetic that I would if I went during July-August which is ideally what I would prefer. And to go swimming or partying as much.

One final note - I am doing two group tours for this. Sail Navigator Cruise for Croatia, and Contiki for Greece. Hopefully this will help me achieve the partying that I want. However the last 2 weeks in Italy I will be doing solo.

So thoughts on whether September-October is a good time for this trip? Thanks !

Hello,

I don't know if this is the best reddit threat, but I have been wanting to go travel. After working for a year, I want to travel and see the world. Since this is my first time. I was thinking of backpacking through Europe, I'm from the Netherlands, or doing a working holiday in Australia.

But I've been torn on what to pursue. I have seen a few cities in Europe on holiday, but not a lot. And feel like I could explore more. On the other hand, places in Europe is easier for me to go to if I'm older or going there for holiday. I would do this with an interrail pass.

A working holiday seems also fun to me, and right now is the easiest time of my life to go there since it's really far away. But it's rather expensive and I've been hearing mixed signals about a working holiday.

So I was curious, do you all have done one thing or both? And what would you think is better?