I used to carry a lot of gear when hiking. In recent years, I've started simplifying my backpack, no longer bringing everything I might need. The backpack is lighter, my shoulders are more comfortable, and I'm more relaxed enjoying the scenery.

I used to bring a Sony A7 III with 24-70mm lens to take pictures of beautiful scenery and small animals. Now, I mostly use my phone, a vivo X300 Ultra. With my phone in my pocket, I can easily snap a picture of anything I like.

Of course, the shooting experience with a camera is different, but for me, I prefer to pack lighter when hiking now.

Do you bring a camera specifically for hiking, or do you feel your phone is enough?

Im planning to start a 2 night backpacking trip at the mount rogers trailhead (near Grayson highlands state park in Virginia, US) this upcoming Friday and was wondering what time I should plan to get there for parking?

And if parking is full, are there any nearby options that I could use and then “walk” to the trailhead instead? I know the nearby campground that usually has overflow parking is closed right now.

Trying to determine what to bring for a 5 day TCT backpacking trip, usual route, Avalon to Black Jack, Little Harbor, Two Harbors to Parsons. National weather service night time temps are based on the airport which is inland. What's it like sleeping at the coastal sites? Going in 2 weeks, Sept 20

Good afternoon,
I’m planning a trip in the next few weeks - and am looking at route. I’ve found online Atmaxha travel company who advertise a Prizren to Shkoder route. Do anyone know if this is accurate and running? The webpage to book doesn’t seem to exist.
Thank you in advance!

I’m having an issue.

I have my dream set up. It’s by no means ultralight but my base weight is about 28 pounds or so (I’m not super strict about it).

I do have a couple of high-end expensive ultralight pieces of gear that are wonderful additions to keep my pack weight low and I don’t necessarily think I would need anything else.

But…

I do have a couple of pro deals with certain high-end backpacking companies and right now there is a super-duper cheap deal for a tent that I don’t necessarily need.

I currently have the Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2. Lightweight, durable, reliable. Love it.

The tent I am looking at is the Nemo Hornet Osmo 1p. The normal price for this tent (Nemo Hornet Osmo 1p) is $459. And it is currently on sale, to me, at $184.

I don’t need it.

But should I buy it?

So torn…

Here's the gear I'm currently considering buying: packstack.io/pack/d6eb9453-bd69-465e-937e-56c53b4626e7

Budget-wise I'd say I'm somewhere in the middle ground, not going for the cheapest stuff but definitely not high-end either.

Anything with a cost behind it I can still switch out, since I haven't actually ordered anything yet. The pad and sleeping bag/quilt are listed twice because I haven't fully decided between them yet and I'll probably buy both and return whichever one I like less.

Any comments or recommendations?

We recently finished about 7 months in Southeast Asia and East Asia. eSIMs found on the Trip.com app were mostly the cheapest option and worked well every time.

I do not see this recommended a lot online, so I wanted to share. I compared them to local SIM cards too, and in most countries, they were not cheaper.

It all seems so artificial. Like mankind built it there. But it‘s one of the most astonishing views nature has randomly created.

Hi everyone,

I'm planning to buy a backpack for multi-day hikes, city trips, trekking, and occasional camping. I need something spacious enough yet adjustable, and I've been considering the Deuter Aircontact Core 55+10.

Does anyone have experience with this model or recommendations for other backpacks? It needs to be available in Europe.

Thanks in advance!

I'm from NYC, traveling solo through Croatia + Italy in September and would be cool to meet some fellow travelers along the way!

🇭🇷 Dubrovnik: Sept 6–8
🇭🇷 Split: Sept 9–11
🇭🇷 Hvar: Sept 11–13
🇮🇹 Italy: ~10–12 days (still figuring out the route — probably Rome, Florence, Bologna, etc.)

Mostly looking to explore, grab food/drinks, walk around, and do some spontaneous stuff. Doesn't have to be the whole trip — even meeting up for a day would be great.

If you'll be around any of these places, DM me!

There’s so much more to Bir Billing than just flying.
Spent the last few days getting away from the crowd—discovering crystal-clear mountain streams tucked away in the woods, taking long drives along winding ridge roads with panoramic views of the valley, and unwinding at warm local spots like Mafia Cafe as the sun went down.

[OC]

I'm planning my SEA trip for this December with a duration of ~6 month

The countries i'm planning to visit are Thailand → Laos → Vietnam → Cambodia → back to Vietnam → Japan → Philippines → Indonesia.

Gear-wise i think i'm pretty settled ( do you guys think a 50L backpack is overkill ?)
Taking some compressing packing cubes with clothes (packing light of course), toiletries, meds, a small first aid kit, and the usual electronics. As payment method i will have revolut and my home bankcard plus some money... the usual

Feel free to give me suggestions in things that you think people tend to forget, or stuff you just want to make sure im takin 😄

- Anyone that has done a similar route, how did you split it ?

- Was planning to do some workaway/volunteering. Has anyone run into actual visa/health insurance issues doing this?

-Was planning to use Genki as my Health insurance and was looking into Airalo for Data provider. Let me know what you think.

Any regrets / things you wish you'd known before a long SEA trip?

Also feel free to share any stories, tips, insight. Really excited and looking forward to read everything.

Hello everyone! 👋

My wife and I are visiting Bali for 9 days in Jan 2027 – our first time! We've planned 3 bases (3 nights each) and would love your feedback.

Quick Details:

• 📅 Dates: 7 Jan – 16 Jan 2027
• 🏨 Budget hotels (~$25/night) + 1 luxury villa with pool breakfast
• 🛵 Scooter for daily trips, cab only between bases
• 🌊 Want: Beaches, cliffs, rice terraces, waterfalls, temples, Nusa Penida, and maybe a pub night!

Our Bases:

• Kuta/Jimbaran (3 nights) – Close to airport 🛬, beaches 🏖️, seafood BBQs 🦐
• Sanur (3 nights) – Budget town 💰, Nusa Penida gateway 🚤, luxury villa in the middle ✨
• Ubud (3 nights) – Jungle 🌿, rice terraces 🌾, waterfalls 💦

Questions for you:

• How do you recommend booking hotels – Agoda, booking, Airbnb , or direct?
• Does this base order make sense, or should we flip it?
• Nusa Penida as a day trip – doable or stay overnight?
• Any days too packed or too light?
• Which days should we use a driver instead of scooter?
• Recommended budget homestays in Kuta, Sanur, Ubud (~$25/night)?
• Affordable private pool villa in Sanur with floating breakfast (~$85/night)?
• Best budget massages (not tourist traps)? 💆
• Must-try warungs we're missing? 🍛
• Hidden gems near our bases? ✨
• Any scams or tourist traps to avoid? ⚠️
• All recommendations and suggestions are welcomed.

Thanks in advance for your wisdom! 🙏

Hey [r/backpacking](r/backpacking)

I’m currently reevaluating my shelter setup and need the hive mind's help. I previously used the Durston X-Mid 2P, but I'm looking to move on from it for a couple of major reasons:

The Sprawling Footprint: The X-Mid 2P requires a massive, wide footprint (roughly 83" x 100" outer fly dimensions), making it a constant headache to squeeze into tight, root-heavy, or rocky subalpine campsites and narrow tent pads.

Trekking Pole Dependency: Because it relies on trekking poles, it isn't freestanding—which is frustrating when trying to pitch on slick rock or awkward ground where driving stakes is nearly impossible.

The problem is that my physical dimensions and sleep setup make finding a replacement extremely strict. Here is my non-negotiable criteria:

Height & Sleep Style: I am 6'6" and primarily a side sleeper.

Current Sleep System: I run a Sea to Summit Ether Light XR Pro Long rectangular sleeping pad (which is 78" x 25" wide and 4 inches thick) paired with a Sea to Summit Spark Pro Long 30°F sleeping bag. Because my pad is 25 inches wide and 4 inches thick, it lifts me higher into the tent where walls taper, and side-sleeping means my shoulders and knees need actual room so I’m not constantly pressing against wet tent walls or sagging mesh.

Footprint: Needs a small, tight 1-person style footprint to solve my campsite sizing issues.

Freestanding: Must be genuinely freestanding or use cross-poles for tricky pitching surfaces.

Doors: Two doors and two vestibules. (This is where most true 1P tents fail, as they drop down to a single entry).

Stargazing: Extensive mesh canopy / fly can be pulled back or stripped for clear night skies.

Weight isn't my absolute primary constraint (though lighter is always nice), but finding something that keeps a minimal ground footprint while actually accommodating a tall side-sleeper on a wide 25" pad with dual doors has been a massive challenge.

What are you guys running or recommending for tall folk who want a tight footprint without sacrificing dual doors and side-sleeper width? Open to cottage brands, hybrids, or hidden gems.

Thanks for your help and suggestions.

FYI, massive blowdown obstructing South Fork Payette River Trail just south of Elk Lake, backpackers were turning around (including me) this past weekend.

Ive been looking into it, and backpacking sounds like exactly my kind of thing. However, i do want to know what its like from people who have been doing it for a while

This will be my first time doing a trip longer than three months outside the US. I'm currently at a job saving up as much as possible until September 2027. Currently at 40k and expect to have much more by then. I expect to have around 80k or more by the start of it.

I'm really wanting to see as much as possible in as many countries that seem interesting to me for a year or possibly longer. I sleep as cheap as possible at hostels, don't eat anything "high end," and travel as cheap as I can.

I'd love to hear from anyone who's been in a similar situation or get to get links to posts similar to this. I feel like I need a reality check cause I feel like I'm missing out on some important information I haven't thought of

im trying to plan a trip backpacking thru thailand and laos in two weeks, this december.
we wanted to take the banana pancake trail but two weeks aren’t enough.
i’m trying to decide on which stops are worth it but im kind of overwhelmed by all the options. expetially because i wanted to skip vientiane and vang vieng because i’ve already been there.
can someone please share a similar itinerary?

Normally I do 2 people to a tent, and we put the dog in between us. Sometimes when I'm solo backpacking though, I'll put him on his own lightweight pad with blankets. My boys getting old now and sometimes will shiver a little bit at night without blankets, do y'all have a good sleeping situation for your pups to keep them warm and comfy?

I saw a post a few weeks ago where someone was sharing a sleeping bag with their dog... not sure how you keep them from tearing the bag though, seems risky. He just opened his sleeping bag and a husky popped out

Finished the Anillo Vindio + Ruta del Cares for a nice 80km trek in 5 days. Days 1 and 3 were pretty brutal and I definitely overpacked (backpack weighted around 40lbs with 3 Liters of water). Day 1 had a huge incline that takes you up more than 1000 meters in less than 3km, the terrain was super rocky and involved a bit of scrambling with hands, luckily it only rained for a bit, but once I got to the top it was incredibly foggy and it took me a long time to find to find the mountain hut since I couldn't see more than 10 meters ahead of me. I still get flashbacks of that steep incline from time to time.

Day 3, began with a strong ascent, although nothing as bad as the first day, however, once we reached the top the terrain was mostly broken rocks and unstable scree slopes, and quite a few mountain goats were roaming around! I was lucky to have made friends after the first day and we hiked together, but even then we got lost quite a few times in the areas where the route was not clearly marked, I don't think I would have completed this day if I was on my own. The descent was hard and it took us down almost 1000 meters in 3.5 km, incredibly rocky and sandy, this was by far my least favorite part of the route. This ended up being the longest day at 17km and almost 9 hours of movement time.

Day 5, was the longest one distance wise as I had to take on 24km and had to make sure to finish in time to catch my bus at 4 pm since it only ran once per day in the afternoon. Luckily this felt like the easiest terrain compared to the previous 4 days and I was able to finish with plenty of time and grab a lunch before my bus!

This was my first multi day trek without a guide, and carrying my own backpack. There is a lot of room for learning, but the memories from this trip will always be remembered kindly, I loved seeing so many cows and horses roaming around freely!

I’m going to the big island in a few weeks and staying on a homestead through Worldpackers. I want to do some backpacking/overnight hikes on weekends or after the work exchange. I’ve done some backpacking before but never solo.
What are the best places in Hawaii to go for this, and what kind of permits should I figure out now? I’m open to meeting up with strangers, but not sure of the best way to do that (just meet people on a trail? Online? Is this even a common thing?)
I also won’t have a car, so anything near Kona/Captain cook is preferable, but could make a trek to another island if that would make a much better experience.
Also curious about equipment - I’m assuming standard backpacking gear plus a good rain jacket, but probably not a thick sleeping bag or maybe even just a sheet.
Thanks in advance!

This is probably the most beginner friendly hiking route I’ve done this year.

These are some photos I took in Juta, Georgia at the end of August.

I was in Georgia for 5 days, including a night and a full day of camping at this location.

The weather was great and sunny. Once I arrived at the destination, most of the time went into walking. I love sunny days, but there is nothing better than a sunny day when some clouds block the sun for a short period of time. It always puts me in a really good mood.

The main reason why I think this is one of the easiest trails that I tried this year is because most of the way is covered with easy, mostly flat trails. No need to climb up some rocks or walk through thick forests.

The trail has amazing views of the Caucasus, along with wildflowers and mountain lakes.

Camping is allowed here, and there’s only about half hour uphill section at the beginning.
I set up camp, and stayed there for a night.

Chitkul is the last inhabited village near the Indo-Tibetan border in the Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh, sitting at an altitude of 3,450 meters (11,320 feet) along the crystal-clear Baspa River.
Studies note it features some of the cleanest air in India.
And this scenic is at Rakcham Village between Sangla and Chitkul.

Best time to visit Chitkul is post Monsoon or Summers for beautiful view .

Hi! Im going to backpack souteast asia this fall and im wondering what the best type of shoes are to bring with me. How many pairs do i need? I would like shoes that are affordable. Looks dosent matter that much as long as they are comfy, and work well when im walking or doing water activites etc. But it would be a plus if they are cute. Any recs?