Your match: Hiking and Backpacking

Your match: Hiking and Backpacking

Hiking is walking on trails for a few hours, a day or several days. Backpacking adds overnight camping, which means you carry your shelter, sleeping bag, stove, food and water. REI notes that most backpacking packs hold between 45 and 80 liters, with the right size depending on gear and trip length. That single number shapes everything else. The more days you stay out, the more food and fuel you carry, so weight and planning matter far more than in any other option on this quiz.

The gear list is short but every item counts. REI groups it into backpacking gear (pack, shelter, sleeping bag, pad and headlamp), cookware and water, clothing and footwear, navigation, hygiene, first aid and a few repair items. Day hikers need only a slice of that list: good shoes, water, snacks, a layer, sun protection and a map. Start with day hikes, then add an overnight once you know your pace. The pack weight calculator totals your gear and shows a base weight you can trim over time.

Timing is the other planning skill. Naismith-style rules add time for distance and elevation gain, and your pace drops with a heavy pack. The hiking time calculator estimates how long a route takes from miles, climb and pack load so you can plan start times and daylight. Water works the same way. The hiking water calculator estimates how much to carry based on hours, heat and effort. Always check official trail reports and weather, and treat all estimates as planning aids.

Cost is where hiking shines. A day hike can be free apart from gas and a parking or park entry fee. Overnight trips may require a permit or campsite reservation, and popular routes can need them far ahead. The biggest expense is usually the shelter-and-sleep kit, which you can borrow, rent or buy used. If you are unsure about heights or exposure, pick trails by elevation gain and trail type rather than by photos. Build up mileage week by week, and pair a hike with car camping before you commit to a full backpacking trip.

Consider a practical example. A hiker plans a 10-mile day hike with 2,000 feet of climbing. On flat ground a steady pace might cover two to three miles an hour, and each 1,000 feet of climbing adds roughly half an hour by common trail-time rules. That puts the day near five to six hours before breaks. Add a pause for lunch, photos and a slower afternoon, and you need about seven hours of daylight. The hiking time calculator runs this math for your pace and pack, so you can choose a start time with a cushion.

Gear follows trip length. For a day hike, the core items are shoes you have tested, a small pack, water, snacks, a rain layer, sun protection, a map and a headlamp. An overnight trip adds a shelter, a sleeping bag and pad, a stove, fuel, food for each meal and a way to store it. REI organizes a backpacking list into pack, shelter and sleep gear, cookware and water, clothing, navigation, hygiene, first aid and repair items. Go through each group and remove anything you cannot justify, since every pound is carried over every mile.

Permits and access rules matter more than beginners expect. Many parks and wilderness areas limit overnight use, require reservations or restrict campfires and food storage methods. Bear canisters, hanging systems and designated campsites are common requirements in some areas. Check the land manager's official page for current rules before you finalize dates. Plan a bail-out option, such as a shorter loop or a trailhead you can reach in a few hours. Build experience gradually, moving from short day hikes to longer days, then to a single overnight near a road.

Clothing decides comfort more than any single piece of gear. Wear synthetic or wool layers instead of cotton, which stays wet and cools you. Carry a warm layer and a rain shell even on sunny mornings, since weather on trails changes quickly with elevation. Choose footwear that matches the terrain, break it in before a long trip and pack a few blister supplies. Trekking poles can reduce strain on knees during descents. Finally, practice with your full pack on a short local trail so you learn how it carries and how your feet, hips and shoulders respond before you commit to a multi-day route.

Source: REI Co-op Expert Advice, Backpacking Checklist (rei.com/learn/expert-advice/backpacking-checklist.html); National Park Service, Camping (nps.gov/subjects/camping). Note: cost and gear comparisons are planning guides, not quotes. Run your own numbers in the linked calculators.

Planning guidance and estimates, not medical, legal or immigration advice. Fees, allowances, limits and entry rules change, so confirm with your airline, cruise line, customs agency or the official government source before you book or travel.

How Hiking and Backpacking compares

* Illustrative figures and notes, rounded -- use the calculators below for your exact numbers, and always check the official source for current rules and prices.