Girl vs. Wild NewsOK.com Blogging Community

Backpacking season is here, and it’s time to dust off your pack and get hiking. If you’re thinking, “I need a new pack, or the one I have is so uncomfortable,” here are a few guidelines to help find the perfect pack.

•Decide what type of backpacking you want to do. Day hikes, overnight adventures or extended stays on the trail require different equipment and should factor into deciding which pack is best for you.

•Window shop to see what is out there and what features strike your fancy. You will be amazed at all the bells and whistles you will find.

Be sure to see if the pack has a hydration bladder or if it can hold one. Is it waterproof or have a waterproof compartment? Does it have pockets for camera gear and sunglasses? Is there an internal frame? Are there padded shoulder straps and a waist belt? Is there a warranty, and if so what does it cover?

•Ask around to see what fellow backpackers are carrying. People love talking shop and sharing gear tips and tales. Ask what brands your friends have, as well as what features they like or dislike about their current pack.

•Gender also plays a role when selecting a pack. Most big-name companies offer female-specific packs.

If you’re a girl like me, you’re likely thinking, “I don’t want some frufru pink pack.” But keep in mind the female anatomy and that every adjustment made in the mind of comfort is worth it, even if it means it comes in pink.

•After deciding how long your trip is going to be, you need to decide just what you’re going to need to fit in the pack whether it’s food, clothing, a tent, your sleeping bag or the kitchen sink. Gather all the goods to see how large of a pack you need. Keep in mind that every ounce adds up. Maybe you can leave the crossword puzzle at home.

•I recommend either taking everything you’re taking to the store for a test run, or purchasing a few and testing them at home. Just be sure to check the stores’ return policy. Try on the ones you like and wear them around. Any bit of discomfort in the store or at home is only going to be a thousand times worse on the trail.

Remember, finding the perfect pack may take time. Be patient and you will find the perfect pack to have you out on the trail.

Girl vs. Wild,

Jacquelyn Farris

CLICK ON THE PHOTO FOR MORE PHOTOS FROM MY ADVENTURES

There is not much to say except we are all wet climbing rats. We spent the entire day in the teepee with dreams of sunny dry skies.We watched Into The Wild and answered calls from our families with warnings of road closures and tornado watches while we sit wet in the teepee. We have started bedding down for another soaked night, but Mr. Shunk I warn you to stay out! Until tomorrow morning I am Girl vs. Wild Jacquelyn Farris a wet climber!

I am blogging from inside a soaked teepee and soaked in is an understatement. Last night it started pouring and we were flooded out of our tent and came to sleep in the teepee. If you think thats crazy at 6am one of the guys wakes up and says “guys, guys there is a skunk eating the tortillas in here” I joke not there was a huge skunk eating our food next to my face. So recap we are flooded out of the tent, now the teepee is flooded, and a skunk came in and ate our tortillas. This is the best adventure. Until I dry out I am Girl vs. Wild Jacquelyn Farris

Day 2. It’s Monday morning and I pulled all five hundred layers off. I am sitting on a jug of water outside amusing myself playing disc golf at nine in the morning before we hike off for a full day of bouldering. One of the guys might go all out for the new V13 Dave Graham set. It’s looking to be an amazing day with spirits up, because we are climbing! Girl vs. Wild, Jacquelyn Farris

Its 1 o’clock and myself Morley and Jack hit up some night climbing with the trusty ranch dog Chili who lead the way and killed a possum to protect us. The guys lead routes and did it all in the dark. We are in the tent and waiting for the rain to roll in. Until tomorrow I am Jacquelyn Farris Girl vs. Wild

You only get good grades if you do your homework, correct? Yes correct, and the same goes with selecting and buying your adventure gear. It’s like picking a new car or even a spouse. It’s a big deal. This is the gear that you are trusting to save you in tight situations, right? You can’t go to the local five and dime and get a “super deal of a tent” and honestly believe it will stand up like a tent that is sold and trusted by the guys at your local gear store. Sure the gear at local shops might cost a bit more, but you are honestly paying for quality. Every bit of quality should be counted when headed out into the wild. You can’t control the way the wild will act, but you can control how you and your gear will hold up in any senario.

Buying gear can feel taxing at times when the total seems to be adding with each “necessity” added, but you can take relief in knowing that if you get the best you can afford in the beginning you are much less likely to have to replace it anytime soon.

Shopping around and doing your research is the only way to give yourself good peace of mind.

Right now is the perfect time to grab the great deals on apparel weather it’s online or in stores. This is the time when stores are flipping their retail floors over to spring and summer. If you thought all winter how you really would like to have a quality winter jacket you can now find it, but not feel like you will go to the poor house after paying for it. Just tuck it away in the closest for next year. It will be there waiting for you.

Honestly all retail stores have sales you just have to be a bit more patient for the best deals. Online is ideal if you aren’t set on a certain color. Most items found online are last season’s styles. For instance, for 2008 a pair of climbing pants might come in grey and green, and last years colors were blue and brown. Same pants just last season colors making them half off.

I myself have a gear acquiring method I use when outfitting myself with the latest and greatest. I work both ends of the shopping spectrum online and in store. When it comes to an item that needs to be tried on, for instance apparel, shoes, and so on. I suggest going to a local store. Ask the important questions of the products and their recommended wear. If your feeling indecisive as to which product is honestly the best choice ask the sales associate which they use, wear, or have tested. You will find it’s not always the most expensive. I have never gone wrong with this method. The gurus at Backwoods on North May have helped me in countless buying decisions. The guys and gals know their stuff inside and out.

Now when it comes to replacing an item that I have used and loved in the past, or buying from a brand I know fits spot on I go direct to an online store. If I search hard enough I can land a great deal, and most of the time get free shipping. But bottom line, if it’s something I am not for certain on I go straight to a local store and save the headache of return shipping nightmares.

In the end shop around, get good advice, and buy the gear your most comfortable with because your the one using it.

Girl vs. Wild,

Jacquelyn Farris