If you have ever dreamt about going on a hiking vacation, or you already enjoy this sport, it's important to stay on top of the latest news and to learn valuable new techniques that can make your trips safer and more enjoyable. There aren't many books that come out that deal with this subject, so we were very excited to come across the Backpacker's Start Up: A Beginner's Guide to Hiking and Backpacking. This is actually a part of the Start Up Sports Series and it offered a refreshing read about a subject we are very interested in.

The book is organized very simply and each chapter covers a very important topic on hiking. You'll be starting out with the absolute basics, and the author broke everything up into two main categories here - day hiking and overnighting. We recommend reading each one since they both have some great tips.

This first chapter helps newcomers start off on the right foot so to speak, and then you're moved into picking the right gear for your trip. This is a veritable shopping list and contains some very useful advice on picking the right footwear and clothing as well as how to pick the right kind of bag for your trip. We found this section very helpful and actually did end up learning quite a bit.

Chapter six, the art of packing, should be read a few times. You'll be learning how to get everything you need into your pack, without weighting it down. Several different techniques are discussed and even a complete novice should be able to get everything stowed away properly after reading this chapter.

The chapters on water treatment and cooking are required reading and could help you avoid getting sick on the trail. Numerous different ways to purify water are covered, as well as why it is so absolutely important to take these steps to protect yourself. We also enjoyed the chapter on outdoor safety - please read this one at least twice.

Other basic tips are covered in this book as well, including how to handle the necessity of going to the bathroom when you're hiking as well as dealing with some of the dangers you may run into when you're alone on the trail. Overall, this is the single best guide on hiking for beginners that we have ever read.

We really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to anyone that is considering going hiking or getting more serious about it. It offers some vital and valuable lessons and you may even want to consider making some room for a copy in your pack when you head out. This is ideal for beginners, but pros may still be able to learn a few things. Overall, it's aimed at novices though and for this group, it's certainly the definitive guide to backpacking, no matter where you plan to hike. Get a few copies and share them with your friends - it's really that good.

Originally posted 2008-11-28 05:52:22. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Boating, Book Review, Hiking, Tips and Tricks

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absolute basics, backpacker, chapter six, different ways, footwear, going to the bathroom, main categories, newcomers, novice, outdoor safety, packing, right foot, shopping list, sports series, water treatment, ways to purify water