Here’s a quickly thrown together checklist of gear, with notes, that anyone should be mindful of when going backpacking. I tried to be as complete as possible, though I’m sure I’m missing something…

Packs & Sleeping

Tent, poles, stakes, groundcloth
Sleeping bag
Sleeping pad
Backpack
Day pack (small school backpack)
Rain cover for backpack (trashbags work well)

Essentials

Water Bottle (32oz or more)
First Aid Kit
Sun Protection
Bear Bag
Rope
Knife
Flashlight
Rain gear (poncho or light wind-breaking rain jacket)

Clothing

Ziplock freezer bags (to pack clothes in to stay dry)
Boots or trail shoes (ankle support)
Camp shoes
Socks (pack an extra pair)
Underwear
Light Pants
Light Shorts
Light Shirt(s)
Light Jacket or Long Sleeve Shirt(for warmth)
Cap or hat

Cooking & Food

Pot (1 per group of 4-6)
Cooking Utencils
Camp Suds (environmentally safe soap)
Dish Cloth
Cup
Stove
Fuel
Lighter
Water Container (for cooking, etc)
Breakfasts (Oatmeal, fried potatoes, cereal, protein bars)
Lunches
Dinners
Snacks (peanuts, raisins, oysters, crackers, jerky)
Spices (Salt, Pepper, Garlic, Cayenne)
Drink Mix (Gatorade, CapriSun, Tang, Hot Chocolate)

Optional Items

Camping pillow (a ball of clean clothes works well too)
Insect Repellant
GPS
Camera
Extra Batteries
Binoculars
Camp Chair
Fishing gear
Cards + games
Hiking Stave or Poles

I didn’t realize my connection to “Into the Wild”, a film adaptation of the bestselling non-fiction book of the same name until after I finished watching it. For those of you that haven’t heard of the film, it is an exhilarating tale of the adventures of Christopher McCandless, a college grad having majored in history and anthropology. After graduation he ignores the norm (beginning his career), donates most of his savings to charity, and sets out on an adventure to find himself; much in the same fashion Henry David Thoreau did when he attended Ralph Waldo Emerson‘s property inspiring his works titled ‘Walden‘. What transpires is deeply engraving.

At the time the movie was showing in theaters I couldn’t find anyone that was available to go see it with me, mostly because there were other movies of higher interest to the persons I attend the theaters with. When I first saw the previews for the movie “Into the Wild” months ago, it piqued my heaviest interest being an Eagle Scout (with merit badges including Wilderness Survival and Camping), and an experienced backpacker. Though I’ve found RottenTomatoes to be unreliable for most of my “gems of film making” of recent years, they scored this film an 83% giving it a ‘Fresh’ rating. Thanks to NetFlix, who recently added the film to their available titles, I had a chance to sit down and enjoy “Into the Wild” on my own time without leaving the comfort of my own living room. (more…)