Backpacking Info Site

Many times you want to go backpacking and have some fun but what holds you back is that you don’t want to go alone. Sometimes you want to backpack alone only but you are not sure if that’s a good idea. And then at times you have no such preferences and all you want is a nice backpacking trip but can’t decide as to what would be better, going alone or in a group.

Confusion, confusion and more confusion.

We obviously don’t want to judge your preferences or lack of them but what we can sure do is try to objectify the scenario of going all alone and going in groups. For your part, for the time being, keep your likes and dislikes aside and just read along. You can keep the decision making for the end.

When you are going alone the most significant aspect is the independence and that starts from the very beginning. You get to decide where you want to go, when you want to go and how you plan to go. You can pick and choose, all by yourself. But what you must also realise is that you need to be extra cautious.

Once you are out alone you won’t have any one to fall back upon. Whether it’s the travel essentials that you need to carry along, like passports, money or the work you may need to do there, it’s all going to be you alone. Make a list before hand, avoid last minutes and if someone you know who has been there, then it won’t be a bad idea to ask him to cross check everything.

Going out in a group has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. All your responsibilities are shared. That’s always a relief. There are certain things everyone must have with oneself individually, for the rest you can decide who gets to bring what. For example,  only one person needs to carry a large tent, like the Coleman Canyon 8 person tent, which saves everyone else the burden of carrying their own tent. Moreover, if your destination involves using a car, that’s better as you can carpool and save on money as well. Not to forget, if anything goes wrong you’ll have good support system around.

On the flip side, you may not get to go to the place of your choice. And if you are going with people you already know, some of them may carry old issues along. If people are new, you may be up for surprises.

If you are a loner, go alone. If you are gregarious, go in a group. For the undecided rest, you have read the pros and cons of both, and now would be the time to take the call.

Have you ever thought of backpacking solo? Dear O Dear, it can be real fun, as well as challenging! Yeah, it is true that you may need some motivation to embark on one, or at least some reasons to do it on your own. To be rather point-blank, there is no dearth of reasons for embarking on a solo trip, such as a lack of suitable partners, or when you leave on a short notice. However, you needn’t get disheartened or feel desolate as a solo journey gives you the freedom and liberty to do exactly what you want, and I assure you, you will deeply savour this freedom.

You will however do well to follow the following tips:

These days you are much safer, then say people were a couple of decades earlier, as you have the services of sophisticated and intuitive gadgets like GPS systems, such as the portable Garmin Forerunner 405, that will help you to return back to the fold even if you lose track of your maps, or get completely lost out there in the wilderness. Then, in case of an emergency you can turn on the locator beacon or get out your mobile phone for instant help.

Then, when you are out there in the wilderness, make sure that your batteries are full, and ensure that you use them sparingly. Don’t allow unnecessary calls to perturb you, and also refrain from making useless calls. It will save the battery for emergency situations.

In case you have a GPS unit, it is mandatory to “mark” the car or trailhead before hiking in isolated areas, especially in difficult terrains. It is because it is very easy to get lost in the haze, and consequently you will not only end up losing valuable time, but sometimes you may even lend in serious trouble.

Once you have decided that you would embark on a solo backpacking tour, it will be safer if you learn some safety tips, and skills that may insulate you from many a potential trouble. Skills like the ability to make a fire in any conditions, ability to construct a few different kinds of emergency shelters, would come in real handy.