looks like i’m going to have a wet backpacking trip, any tips?
February 5, 2011 by Hikerama
Filed under backpacking tips
going to North Carolina Saturday and will be there the whole week. looks like that big storm is headed right there. so hopefully it’ll pass by the time we get up there, but either way it’s probably going to be wet. flooded and storms i guess..
any tips? this is our first backpacking trip. and first time camping in the mountains.
Panthertown in Nantahala NF
use ponchos get xxl to fit over every thing
extra shoes, socks and clothes, more than you would normally bring, if its a backpacking trip, then dont bring cotton it takes way to long to dry backpack cover and rain coat are more comfortable than a poncho
Gortex rain gear, boots, pants plus a 10 X 10 sheet of plastic, wrap your sleeping bag in a garbage bag and a water proof(?) stuff bag. Take your wet gear off just outside the tent. Keep your sleeping bag wrapped unless you are in it. Watch a pond with the rain falling. Listen to the rain on the leaves.
some folks like ponchos….I dont like my legs getting wet….COLD!!!
get some light rain gear……at least you’ll be warm !
If you don’t have a pair of rain pants, get some.
A poncho isn’t a bad idea, if you get a very large one you can use it to cover your backpack, but it has to be huge then.
Take a couple extra trash bags with. I wrap my extra clothes in these to help make sure they’re dry, that way at the end of the day I can take off my wet socks and put on dry ones. In the morning, the dry socks go back in the bag and I wear the wet ones again, that way I’m guaranteed to sleep in dry socks the next night.
Have clothes that can keep you warm even if they get wet. For instance, wool socks will still provide insulation even if they’re wet.
i thru-hiked with one of those cheap $1 rain ponchos and liked it, but you will get a lot of condensation on the inside because it isn’t breathable. you can certainly get good rain gear, but it’s what you’re willing to pay.
when it’s raining, i particularly like to hike in sandals and then just slog through the mud or puddles without making that big effort to try and keep things from getting muddy. GoreTex really isn’t going to keep your feet from getting wet, because you’ll have plenty of water run down your legs and into your shoes. Gaiters can prevent that to a small degree.
try to have a pair of socks specifically for sleeping; that’ll help keep you warmer at night and just be more comfortable.
if you have cares about keeping the inside of your pack clean from mud, you can use a trash bag as an inside liner. plus a trash bag works great if you end up keeping anything in the open and rained on at night (like a food bag or the backpack).