Backpacking Gear
Lets Talk Backpacking Gear: Backpacks
This is a big topic in Backpacking. It is an important topic to discuss for all experience levels. What you take with you into the Wilderness is going to directly affect how you experience the Wilderness. Will your experience be unbearable because you did not fit your boots properly (left the moleskin in the car) and packed in 70 pounds of supplies (including the full sized folding shovel and camp hatchet)? Or will it be more pleasant with your comfortable boots and a reasonably sized pack that fits, and is loaded with carefully selected items tailored to your needs? Choose the latter and research your equipment a little. There is no such thing as a perfect kit, so there no need to agonize over it. The information on this site will help you learn the categories and subcategories of the equipment out there and guide you in the selection process. 
Everyone has their own style of backpacking. I am no exception. I will try not to let my own style influence the advice given here too much, but I'm sure you will see it come out from time to time. I am a big advocate of comfort and efficiency. There is a lot of equipment out there and most of it is fairly expensive, so the up front cost can be significant. This is why it is important to know what is out there, what purpose it serves, etc. You need to ask yourself a lot of questions as you make your selections. So take your time and tailor your choices based upon your specific needs. If everything is done with great care you will have a positive backpacking experience. You do not want to replace backpacking gear too frequently due to poor choices. Here is a downloadable PDF that you can print for easy reference: (See more downloadable Checklists under the "Checklist" tab in the main navigation bar).
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