Backpack Hiking In Europe
March 9th, 2009 Posted in Outdoors
Backpack hiking in Europe can be the opportunity of a lifetime. Backpacking Italy or backpacking mountain trails in the Swiss Alps takes months of planning, and you don’t want to leave anything to chance. You know you’ve got the actual travel end of it in order, but what about the gear you’ll be taking with you? You want to be prepared for every situation, but at the same time, you don’t want to take so much with you that you need a chase vehicle to pack your gear!
The first thing to remember is that a backpack hiking trip is one without long stays in hotels with room service and porters to carry your bags. You will be responsible for carrying around your own backpacking mountain gear. While you want to have everything, you’re limited to how much gear you can realistically carry. Pack as light as possible without leaving out anything important. After all, you’d hate to be backpacking Europe in the rain and realize that you’ve left your waterproof jacket behind because you wanted to make room for your favorite book!
The items that you bring with you should be multi-functional. The more things you can do with one piece of clothing or a towel, the less items you’ll have to bring and the more room you’ll have for all the other gear you have to pack. You need things that are practical and comfortable. Packing a suit or a formal dress really isn’t necessary, and deodorant is far more practical than a bottle of expensive perfume. The rule of thumb is that if you can’t wear something more than twice, don’t bring it. If you’ve left anything vital behind, you can always buy what you need on your trip or do laundry from time to time.
The supplies you want to take with you for your backpack hiking trip depends on the season during which you visit. When backpacking Europe, take lightweight clothes made of synthetic fibers so that they won’t wrinkle or weigh you down. Also, pack dark clothes so that they don’t appear as dirty as lighter shades. In addition to the clothes, take some toiletries with you so you can still be clean. If you run out, you can always buy more at a local department or drugstore in the area.
Things like prescription medications, aspirin (you’re going to be achy at the end of the day), toilet paper, a water bottle, a watch and yes, even condoms (hey, you never know!) are all things that people tend to forget about.
Another item you might want to consider purchasing is a smaller backpack for shorter excursions. If you’re stopping at a youth hostel for a day or two, you might not want to carry around all your gear for a brief night out on the town.
One other thing you might want to keep in mind is leaving room for souvenirs. You might have the option of shipping the souvenirs back, and if you do have that option available, take it.
Don’t weigh yourself down with a lot of unneeded supplies. Purchase gear that fits you the best rather than the most expensive brand or the gear that looks the best. Make sure that it is comfortable and not too heavy for you to go backpack hiking with. Taking some extra time to find the best suitable gear for you will increase your chances of having the most fun during your trip.