Backpacker.com, the official website for Backpacker Magazine, has a regular feature called “How To Do Everything” which is a set of guides for doing, well, just about everything, at least when it comes to being outdoors and on a trail.
Their most recent entry is on packing and planning and offers up some great tips for backpackers to get them out on the trail as quickly as possible. These include suggestions on how to pack in 20 minutes and how much food to bring along with you for your extended excursions. There is even a quick checklist of items to keep on hand to ensure that you’re always ready to go at a moments notice. (Other great checklists for gear and shopping can be found here.)
The How To Do Everything series is broken down into sub-categories that focus on hiking, camping, gear, and more, and each of those categories offers specific tutorials for that activity. For instance, under hiking you’ll find tips on how to navigate off-trail and how to prevent blisters, while the how to build a fire instructions are filed under the heading for camping.
Backpacker continues to add new entries to the series on a regular basis, and it has grown into a great repository of useful information and tips for new and experienced trekkers alike. So whether you’re heading out to the Appalachian Trail or the Inca Trail, there is probably something that you can find of value here.