Backpacking Supplies

Many backpackers, or should we say "true" backpackers, find themselves taking sojourns into the wild. And to help protect themselves against all the dangers inherent in the wilderness the experienced backpacker carries some essentials with them such as a sturdy and lightweight tent, first aid kit, sleeping bag, sunscreen, bug repellent, torch, leisure devices, and many more. Setting off without any of these could end in disaster, even for short camping trips. But more recently, with the advent of technology, there are many devices that have become equally indispensable.

The first is obviously the GPS or global positioning satellite. Gone are the days of navigating with the stars or compass, because now even if you are lost, your GPS is not. Many people might think that GPSs are relegated to in car navigation systems and can only help you plan the quickest traffic route to work, but nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, there are now numerous portable models that include information on backpacking trails in addition to street maps. Some are actually so advanced that they contain the exact 3D topography of the region where you are hiking, so that you can then spontaneously plot your hiking route.

While the GPSs are largely ideal for trips close to home, because they need to be reliably recharged, many GPS devices make perfect travel companions for far away places. Some are even designed for exactly that. Like the GPS photo tagger which will note the exact coordinates and time of any holiday pictures you happen to take. Then you can show friends exactly where you were on Google Earth, while showing them the picture you took at the same time. Although this feature might not fall into the essential category, it would certainly be worth including in your backpack, especially at a lightweight of less than a pound. Clearly, the only limits on what you can take are the size of your backpack, your strength and your imagination. We hope to soon push all to the limit with our webpage.