One day a customer approaches him and says I′m going on a three-week backpack this upcoming spring. I already have fifty pounds of gear in my backpack but there is still room for much more. What else do I need?

After thinking for a moment about the customer′s question regarding need, the sales clerk asks the customer, "So, as I understand it, you already have your pack?"

"Yes, an UltraLight" is his quick and confident answer.

"Do you have your sleeping bag?" "Yes!" he replies again.

"Do you have your tent?" Once again, he replies "Yes."

"Do you have your food and cooking gear?" Again, "Yes."

"Do you have your hiking boots broken in?"

Almost frustrated, he answers, "Yes, I′m wearing them now!"

Finally, the clerk informs him, "Good then, you have everything you Need!"

The customer then asks the sales clerk, "Well, do you have any thing new I can look at?" The sales clerk shows him an ultra lightweight espresso maker and the customer purchases it.

Hopefully, the point here is clear. It is entirely about the content a person′s burden that determines whether that person is a thru hiker or a weekend warrior.

Again, it goes well to repeat, the absolute essential needs for backpacking are:

The type of pack, seeping bag and tent, as well as what one chooses to include in the kitchen and as his raiment are all entirely personal choices. However, each of these choices remain wholly with that which is part of the Need.

Every thing else, no matter what it is, would fall into the category of the Want.

The Scrip is a bag or a small satchel supported from the shoulder of a wayƒarer and used to carry food and gear. Of these bags, there are three types that a wayƒarer could own and use while on the mountain. These three are the external frame pack, the internal frame pack and the day pack.

The external frame pack is the typical long-haul pack having a rigid tubular aluminum frame with a nylon pack bag attached. It is easy to load, having several compartmental segmentations and is customarily the perfect pack a long hike while transporting heavy loads.

Most of the weight is supported on the hip belt allowing it to be carried higher and making it easier to walk. The frame suspends the pack away from your body allowing for air to circulate making it cooler to carry.

However, if you are doing much travel using anything other than the feet, such as air, train or bus the exposed frame can easily be damaged with rough handling by porters and baggage transportation.

Soft Packs, more commonly known as internal frame packs are perfect for trips when a lot of your travel is by commercial carrier because the frame is protected inside of the pack.

This pack normally has composite stays or bendable aluminum flat bars that are adjusted to fit the contour of the back and inserted into sleeves on the harness side of the backpack.

Also, this pack hugs the body keeping the center of gravity closer to yours and because it is worn closer to the body, like an overcoat, providing extra warmth cold days. However, this is a disadvantage when hiking on the trail in warm weather.

There is one additional pack often carried by a wayƒarer and used when there is need only for a few needs, often when on a day excursion.

The day pack is an extra pack that a wayƒarer may carry. Probably the way a wayƒarer uses the day pack the most is as a food storage bag.

It holds all of his food inside the main pack while hiking and then when camping for any period of time, it is used as a bear bag. While away from the camp or when sleeping at night, the bear bag is suspended by a rope at least ten feet above the ground to protect the food and cookware from animals.

A wayƒarer also uses the day pack as his main pack during day hikes when his frame pack is safely stored. The day pack is invaluable for this purpose as it allows a wayƒarer time away from the burden with but a few things: food, water, Bible, journal, pen, tp and sometimes other needs.

Keeping the burden as close to the above short list will make the burden easier to carry and prevent the footslogger from feeling like a pack mule. However, most backpackers would also carry other items to make life on the pathway somewhat easier to deal with.

When gathering gear to outfit a backpacking journey, it is most advantageous to heed the old wayƒarer′s proverb, "If you are conscious of the ounces, the pounds will take care of them self."

With that said, the following is a few ideas found to increased organization of the gear in the pack in order to keep from having to dump the pack out on the ground to find the needed item.

In most packs, there are some separate compartments, however, in nearly all cases, using nylon stuff bags to roll gear into elongated cylindrical shapes and then stacking them upright can further augment the segmentation of gear.

Each stuff bag contains different contents of the burden; clean clothes in one, dirty clothes in another, sneakers in one, tent and ground cloth in another, food in the day pack, cookware in yet another until all the gear is side by side, upright in each of the compartments. By doing thus, each container remains easily accessible from the top of the compartment and also prevents most items from falling to the bottom of the pack and disappearing.

First and foremost, just as the type of gear you bring is a personal choice, where the gear is located in one′s pack is also entirely a personal choice. Still, the following is how this wayƒarer organizes his gear.

There are three section to the list of gear below. The first section: This section includes all of those gear items that are kept outside the back pack. The second section: includes all of those gear items kept in the main compartments. The third section: includes all of those gear items kept in an outside pouch for quick access.

The exception to this division may be the bedroom bag and shelter bag which may be strapped to the outside of the pack.

The above content for a backpacking journey could very easily tout be used for an emergency bag in case of a disaster. Just load the pack and store it in a easily accessible spot, either near the front door or in your vehicle. If you travel by a vehicle, be sure to load the emergency gear bag.

If you keep your backpack stocked with food, water, supplies, and clean clothing, then if an emergency occurs, all you will have to do is grab the pack and go. If this is done, it is important to keep all those items that have an expiration date, rotated out to be used, and then replaced with fresh items.