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Upstate NY - Johnson City, NY 13790
Im interested in getting into hiking would like to be able to do day hikes as well as long distance multi day hikes. I'm interested in recommendations for a good hiking pack in the price range of $500 to 1500 hundred dollars additionally I'm debating between a tent or a hammock as a sleeping opinion would welcome any recommendations in the same price range as the pack. Thanks in advance for any recommendations.
 
The benefits of hiking outdoors is greater than any of the ear you use. I like a tent and my son swears by the hammock. It’s all just personal taste. All I am sure of is minimal gear is better as it gets old carrying a lot of heavy stuff. I’m more into a camper now days with AC and heat, stove, fridge, microwave, toilet and hot shower. It’s great to be comfortable but it’s also nice to be able to go to more undisturbed places where only hiking can get you. Don’t get as caught up in the gear choices as much as the places you explore.
 
Most of my hiking now days involve packing fence posts and barb wire up and down steep hills and canyons. Or carrying a pack basket full of traps in winter on snow shoes. But as strange as it seems I have heard that some people like to hike just for the fun of it.
The best advice that I can give is to get quality equipment. Starting with the best hiking boots or shoes, and socks, that you can afford. Get a good quality light weight pack that will hold all of your gear. I prefer all natural clothing; wool, cotton (depending on time of year), down filled coats and sleeping bags. Freeze dried food is best, if you can't catch or shoot your own.
 
Im interested in getting into hiking would like to be able to do day hikes as well as long distance multi day hikes. I'm interested in recommendations for a good hiking pack in the price range of $500 to 1500 hundred dollars additionally I'm debating between a tent or a hammock as a sleeping opinion would welcome any recommendations in the same price range as the pack. Thanks in advance for any recommendations.
I have been an avid hiker in one form or another for many decades. My parents liked to hike, and they introduced me to it.

The first rule is that everybody thinks that they need more stuff than they really do. You don't need to be laden down with tons of stuff that will make a heavy pack an ordeal.

The first consideration is your boots, and everyone has an opinion. There are high-tech hiking boots that can run many hundreds of dollars, and construction boots from Walmart that work for some people.

I prefer Corcoran military jump boots for several reasons. First, they have a lot of ankle support that helps when carrying heavy loads. They have a steel shank in the sole that protects from barbed wire, and they are very durable. They also provide excellent protection from snakes bites, stinging ants, leeches, and so forth


Any boot needs to be broken in before taking it on the trail. A good thing to do is wear light nylon dress socks under a pair of the hiking socks that you choose, and this will help prevent blisters.

A good pack is a must. There are internal frame backpacks, and external frame backpacks.

My favorite external frame backpack is the Kelty Tioga. See below:

kelty-tioga-5500-classic.jpg

It is a time-tested workhorse that's simple to use and understand. The frame allows air circulation between the pack and your body, which helps keep you cool and--by evaporating sweat--helps prevent skin fungal infections.

Military ALICE packs are preferred by some, but they are on the heavy side and tend to become uncomfortable after several miles.

Any pack should be tested, or even fitted by a specialist. An ill-fitting pack can cause untold misery on the trail, while a well-fitting pack is a joy to use.

As far as tents go, it depends upon where and when you're hiking.

I prefer small, one-man tents when I hike, as a good one is light and easy to set up. The one below runs less than $100.00.
41vtQNy7qnL._AC_SY400_.jpg
This Alps Mountaineering tent is light, sturdy, and easy to set up. A tent needs to provide protection from insects like deerflies, blackflies, and--of course--mosquitoes.

There are small, wood-burning backpack stoves that save weight on fuel canisters, and other stoves that are light, compact, and usually burn a propane-butane mix. Shop around, and pick one that suits your needs.

Don't be afraid to experiment with your choice of stuff by camping in the back yard for a few nights. Things that sound good in theory often don't pan out in the real world, so find out in the back yard rather than 20 miles out on the trail.

Also, read Wild, by Cheryl Strayed, The Complete Walker, by a corporate author, and Tom Brown's Field Guide to Wilderness Survival, by Tom Brown Jr.

You really don't need as much stuff as you think you do. Focusing on the experience rather than loads of stuff will be ten times more rewarding.

Also, bring a camera and different lenses so that you can capture your trip and share your memories with your loved ones.

Let me know if I can answer any questions or clarify anything.

I hope this was helpful.

Good luck.
 
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Where are you in Upstate NY. I am in the Ithaca area. There are multiple local day hiking groups in my area and I am sure your area as well.

There's a long process in buying backpacking gear. The pack you buy should be bought after the other two from your big three items ( pack, tent, sleeping bag ) for obvious reasons..it makes no sense to buy a pack that's too small for your stuff. Buying a too-large pack also encourages you to bring too much stuff. Ounces equal pounds, pounds equal pain.

Your listed dollar amounts are way off for buying quality gear, but you should wait to buy anything until you are operating with some basic knowledge
 
Get a good mountaineering pack, the prices ranged between $200~$350 dollars, spend the money on boots it's the most valuable asset and make sure you can wear wool socks in them.

A word of advice providing you subscribe to the 4th grade playground rule of stick and stones may break my bone.... Buy and use sheers panty hose I shit you not, I've used them in the jungles of South America to the chigger country in the South, they will reduce the fatigue level by almost a quarter percent, keep a multitude of insects from attacking the legs, it will help when trekking upward slopes. Your comfort is more important than g'damn ignorant attitudes ;)
 
I would first decide what gear you are going to be carrying. Then you can find a pack in which it will all fit. I you plan on using a hammock make sure there are trees wherever you are going. Hammock vs. Tent is personal preference. Pro's and Con's to each.

Just my 2 cents; I use a 3V Gear Paratus that would be well within your budget.

Image result for 3v gear paratus backpack
 
Get a good mountaineering pack, the prices ranged between $200~$350 dollars, spend the money on boots it's the most valuable asset and make sure you can wear wool socks in them.

A word of advice providing you subscribe to the 4th grade playground rule of stick and stones may break my bone.... Buy and use sheers panty hose I shit you not, I've used them in the jungles of South America to the chigger country in the South, they will reduce the fatigue level by almost a quarter percent, keep a multitude of insects from attacking the legs, it will help when trekking upward slopes. Your comfort is more important than g'damn ignorant attitudes ;)
I use calf compression sleeves for the same purpose. Little more durable than panty hose and serves the same purpose. More breathable as well.
 
Where are you in Upstate NY. I am in the Ithaca area. There are multiple local day hiking groups in my area and I am sure your area as well.

There's a long process in buying backpacking gear. The pack you buy should be bought after the other two from your big three items ( pack, tent, sleeping bag ) for obvious reasons..it makes no sense to buy a pack that's too small for your stuff. Buying a too-large pack also encourages you to bring too much stuff. Ounces equal pounds, pounds equal pain.

Your listed dollar amounts are way off for buying quality gear, but you should wait to buy anything until you are operating with some basic knowledge

tc556guy I'm in the Binghamton NY area I was planning on 50% of my weight being food & water such as mountain house meals or other easy prep meals the rest would be a couple changes of clothes, a mess kit & small stove and my sleep system was thinking more solo hiking but am open to starting with a group in order to gain suggestions / advice from others with applicable knowledge
 
How long are your trips, and what is your background knowledge on backpacking and camping in general? General rule of thumb is around 2 lbs of food per day. And that is AFTER you've been on the trail for a few days and your hunger has kicked in. The first few days you probably wont eat anywhere near that amount of food, until you start exhausting your bodies energy stores. If you're assuming a base weight of around 20 lbs I am assuming that you're planning on a week-long hike? If you have no experience with any of this I suggest that you do a lot of reading, maybe watch a ton of Youtube videos, and day hike and overnight hike before you commit to multiple day hikes.
If you're in Binghamton the local day hike group for you is the Bullthistle Hiking Group. They've been hiking through the pandemic using social distancing

http://www.bullthistlehiking.org/

There might be more groups in your area but I am drawing a blank. I know that some of the local meetup group hikers drive up from that area, so I am not sure if the Binghamton area has an active Meetup day hiking group.

'Base weight" is the weight of all of your gear minus your consumables like food, water, fuel, etc and any clothing or gear you are wearing on your body.

There is a saying: "don't pack your fears". In other words, don't over-pack because of what you re afraid might happen. Its summer. Figure the clothes you're wearing, one change of clothing, and maybe some shorts and a tee shirt as sleep clothing. Its July, and not particularly cold at night, so your sleeping bag/ quilt doesn't have to be a particularly heavy one. Rain/ wind jacket. Decent footwear; take care of your feet. Watch for hot spots and chaffing; chaffing on trail is going to suck. Water treatment. Overall, this is the lightest time of year for your load, because you're not having to account for colder weather so much in our part of the country.

I don't know what trails you're expecting to use. All Trails has some decent trail listings for the area. The Finger Lakes Trail? Something close to you? How good are you at land nav? The FLT is pretty hard to get lost on, but some paper maps are good. The Finger lakes Trail Conference also sells digital versions of their maps on their website.
Be sure to have a compass and know how to use it. If you're going to be alone, leave a plan with someone you trust, so they know when and where to start looking for you if something goes wrong.
 
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How long are your trips, and what is your background knowledge on backpacking and camping in general? General rule of thumb is around 2 lbs of food per day. And that is AFTER you've been on the trail for a few days and your hunger has kicked in. The first few days you probably wont eat anywhere near that amount of food, until you start exhausting your bodies energy stores. If you're assuming a base weight of around 20 lbs I am assuming that you're planning on a week-long hike? If you have no experience with any of this I suggest that you do a lot of reading, maybe watch a ton of Youtube videos, and day hike and overnight hike before you commit to multiple day hikes.
If you're in Binghamton the local day hike group for you is the Bullthistle Hiking Group. They've been hiking through the pandemic using social distancing

http://www.bullthistlehiking.org/

There might be more groups in your area but I am drawing a blank. I know that some of the local meetup group hikers drive up from that area, so I am not sure if the Binghamton area has an active Meetup day hiking group.

'Base weight" is the weight of all of your gear minus your consumables like food, water, fuel, etc and any clothing or gear you are wearing on your body.

There is a saying: "don't pack your fears". In other words, don't over-pack because of what you re afraid might happen. Its summer. Figure the clothes you're wearing, one change of clothing, and maybe some shorts and a tee shirt as sleep clothing. Its July, and not particularly cold at night, so your sleeping bag/ quilt doesn't have to be a particularly heavy one. Rain/ wind jacket. Decent footwear; take care of your feet. Watch for hot spots and chaffing; chaffing on trail is going to suck. Water treatment. Overall, this is the lightest time of year for your load, because you're not having to account for colder weather so much in our part of the country.

I don't know what trails you're expecting to use. All Trails has some decent trail listings for the area. The Finger Lakes Trail? Something close to you? How good are you at land nav? The FLT is pretty hard to get lost on, but some paper maps are good. The Finger lakes Trail Conference also sells digital versions of their maps on their website.
Be sure to have a compass and know how to use it. If you're going to be alone, leave a plan with someone you trust, so they know when and where to start looking for you if something goes wrong.

tc556guy; I can hold my own in the wilderness and have been camping multiple times both in tent and RV and am capable of land nav with map & compass, compass only and own atlases detailing trails, State parks and such covering NY State and a standard atlas and information helpful should I travel out of state also own a Garmin GPSmap 60CSx handheld GPS witch can run on rechargable batteries or standard AA batteries also have a solar charger for my phone am planning on my hikes ranging from two day weekend trips to two week trips to begin with then possibly a longer trip.
 

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