MY STORY
Hello and welcome to my site. Since grade school, when I went on my first backpacking trip, I have loved getting out in the trees with just a pack on my back and my own two feet. Over the years, I have hiked and backpacked with many different types of people and learned from them all. From those who only pack the essentials and are content to live with the same shirt on their back for a week, to those who carry as much as they can physically carry in order to live comfortably for the length of their trip. From these experiences, I learned to pack for the experience and that the gear does matter, but only in regards to creating the type of experience you want, for that particular trip. And each trip might be completely different.
I have two children who are teens now and I have taken them on several trips, not as many backpacking treks as car camping trips, but I was determined to expose them to what it was like to survive in the woods with only what you can carry (minus the tent since I carried the weight of that for them;). I will share in my posts more about the gear to consider and how to pack with children. It is it’s own challenge, as well as pacing for everyone’s comfort.
WHY I WANT TO HELP AND SHARE ABOUT BACKPACKING GEAR
As I prepared for some of my longer hikes and backpacking with younger kids, I searched the internet for resources that would help me find gear and best organize everything for a successful adventure, and I was sadly disappointed by the lack of content out there for mom’s and women who hike. I didn’t know where to start to look for what I really needed. Since then, outdoor stores like REI have begun classes and have a ton of great online content for everyone, but females in particular, so if you’re a woman just getting into backpacking and longer hiking, I’d highly recommend reading this “Expert Advice,”,” from REI’s website. I will focus primarily on different types of gear, from high end expensive and superlite, to the cheapest options I would use myself for creating the experience and memories I want for certain adventures. Because let’s face it, if you don’t have the right gear for the right adventure, your memories will not be good when recalling the experience. If you plan to go hiking in the Pacific Northwest in the fall or winter an you don’t have the appropriate waterproof gear, you won’t have a great experience sleeping overnight in a soggy sleeping bag in freezing rain. The right gear is important.
THE GOAL OF THIS SITE
Although this website is for everyone and the gear is not gender specific, I hope to encourage, inspire and empower women, or those who identify as female, to get out there and have fun in the trees like I have. I want to provide the information I wish I’d had when I first started out hiking, backpacking solo and with kids. Sometimes the confidence starts with the gear you carry.
If you ever need a hand or have ay questions, please feel free to comment or contact me and I will be more than happy to help you out.
All the best,
Peggy
