So, I’ve really started to make some large changes to my life after many years of being a degenerate and all my money going on smoking weed and doing other drugs with friends etc.
It all started when I got diagnosed with ADHD, got medicated, since stopped as the cons were worse than the pros now I’m on a good track, re-trained as a software developer and have been in my first role a year and I’m late 30’s now.
Weed was the last thing to quit and it’s been almost a month and I’m finally able to do all the things I could never afford. Bought a nice watch and booked a session for a sleeve tattoo I’ve always wanted.
I still need something to focus on to keep me happy and I love being out in nature and just milling about, but I’m a city kid, north UK, so really don’t know anything about surviving outside; but I want to go out for weekends and see the stars and just explore and be self sufficient.
It all just seems so overwhelming and I have no clue where to start. I’ve been watching YouTube videos and still it seems so overwhelming. My plan is to start purchasing everything you would need with a view to start from April next year but I honestly don’t know where to begin. What do I buy, which tents should I be looking at, how do I learn about water supplies I can drink from, what about cooking; can I make bacon and eggs for instance, what sleeping bags, cookers, backpacks, shoes, etc.
The list goes on and on and I guess I’m just looking for good resources to consume over the next 10 months to make sure I can go out and be safe, considerate, and not a burden on anybody else.
Thanks for any tips you can provide.
Edit: I have a lot of comments here to reply to, but I’m pretty sleepy right now so will reply to you all tomorrow. Thanks.
It’s only as overwhelming as your trip. Start simple: Overnight in a tent somewhere close to home. Bring what you think you’ll need, and if it turns out you overlooked something vital, you can always go home whenever.
Baby steps. Nobody camps a week in the wilderness alone, miles away from civilization their first time.
On short trips nearby, you can get by with the bare minimum: tent to sleep in, something to sleep on, something to sleep under. A sleeping bag can cover the two latter points. Personally i like blankets better, provided I set up the tent so.ewhere reasonably soft. Bring as much food and drink you think you’ll need - It doesn’t have to be a full meal. If it’s only over night, even a bag of chips and a bottle of water will do.
Thanks. This makes sense and there are plenty of spots I could use within a mile or two of home to test the water so to speak.
I guess going this route, I could actually get outside before next April and then by that time I would have a lot more experience in what I am likely to need.
Sounds like a good plan. If you start small, you’ll be able to bring in one more complicating factor at a time by, for example, gradually extending your stay past meal time or loo time.
Also, if you’re able to source water at or near your camping site, that’s one less thing to worry about.
Thank you.
The water aspect is the most concerning for me, I obviously don’t want to carry kilos of water, but I also don’t trust myself at finding good water sources and even using a filter I will be quite anxious.
I like the Sawyer since it’s carefree in terms of water source. Takes some maintenance though, just follow instructions. I started with the mini but suggest the standard if you can afford it.
Start slow. Car camping. (Drive in sights. Pitch a tent. Bring a cooler.) and the. Slowly remove the amenities while working on your skills.
The. Go up to walk-in sites. And slowly start walking in further from the car.
Always - always - let someone know where you’re going and how long you’ll be. I don’t think there’s anywhere in the UK that would be obscenely dangerous to go alone- as long as you use good judgement and don’t try to push beyond your abilities.
That said, having a camping buddy is definitely safer. If there’s people around, meh. Not as important. If you’re the only soul around… you twist your ankle you might get dead when that storm comes up and you can’t make it out and they can’t find you.
Using well-used trails to develop skills is a great way to learn. Map and compass as well as orienteering courses are helpful for navigation… just getting out is helpful. Having the car there so you can bug out (or hide out,) adds safety, while learning limits.
Thanks.
The consensus here is definitely to start slow and progress from there. I don’t fancy the idea of a camping buddy but I will try and stay close to known tracks until I get more self sufficient.
No worries at all. Stay safe and happy trails.
By the way, if you like fiddling with stuff, check out the photon stove. Burns alcohol, made out of soda cans.
Always fun to test (never fun to rely on, though.)
(I would recommend a trangia stove, they just work better, even when it’s brutally cold. Though my preferred go to is a stove I made based on The little dandy . The issue is a lot of places have bans on wood stoves and insist on propane. Fire hazards. But I burn mine with wood pellets for smokers.)
One thing I’d recommend is to start a little less all-in. You don’t have to go straight into backpacking out to the middle of nowhere and roughing it, you can start with car camping at a for-pay campground that’ll have some basic amenities, and just pitch a small tent there.
This’ll give you a chance to practice some basic skills in a less demanding environment before you really have to fully rely on them. Won’t cost much, and you’ll still be getting a chance to unwind a bit. Then once you’re more comfortable with your skills you can expand your horizons.
Thanks.
This is very useful, similar to the other comment, in that I can test the waters closer to home and work out what works and what doesn’t.
I am actually exited to learn things along the way and I think this is a sensible approach as I guess going on in could be very off putting if it doesn’t go well and ruin the hobby before I even start.
Your gut reaction being to go immediately to 100 miles an hour is probably the ADHD. Most of us hyperfixate really easily and jump into things with both feet. That said, in my personal experience, we also tend to hyperfixate on hobbies in a certain “category”. If your a sports person, or hiking person, or craft person, or theater person you’ll regularly hyperfixate on things that surround your “main” interests. (Sometimes we also go wildly off script but most ADHDers I know eventually circle back to their core interests.)
That said it’d be smart to get a basic understanding of camping in first because you can use it as a springboard for future hyperfixations. This was you’ll have the basic knowledge and equipment when your focus changes to ultra light, or extreme conditions, or rafting to camp spots. Etc. There is no escaping the dopamine hyperfixation train so you just have to learn systems that help you do it with minimal negative consequences.
Thanks.
Yes ADHD can be a gift and a curse and I guess it’s about understanding what is the ADHD and to take a step back and progress slowly.
Another thing, OP, I don’t know what your definition of wild camping is, but keep it legal. The last thing you want is to have a ranger, police, or property owner show up to roust you in the middle of the night.
Look into camping permits and regulations, or just stay at a car camping site to begin with.
I’m not seeing the most basic bit of advice in my brief perusal, but even so it needs repeating: find a camping buddy. That is by far the easiest way to get into camping. And honestly you shouldn’t be going out on your own as a novice anyway.
Ask the people you know, or the people THEY know. If that doesn’t work then try local camping groups near you. Lots of people are looking for others to go camping with, so you’re a commodity! Get together with them before your first trip to go over packing lists and menus, and maybe even go grocery shopping together before hand. I really didn’t recommend going out there in your own, buying everything you need, etc etc. Start with someone else, see if you’re into it, and next steps will be obvious. You were born to live out there, it comes pretty naturally no matter how many thousands of years your people have been in the city–you were out there much much longer!
Thanks.
A couple of people have mentioned getting a camping buddy, I must say I’m not enthused by the idea as I want this to be a solo endeavour, but I will toy with the idea if camping close to home doesn’t go well and I feel I need a little more support.
You can eventually start camping solo, but you’re going to have a much harder time learning how to do it if you’re alone. The idea is to go calling with people until you’re well-versed enough to go out alone.
I’ll echo the most given tip: start slow, with only an overnight at a place near you.
If you want a “longer” trip, you could also consider going to a campsite where they have all the commodities like water and showers, setup your tent there and do day hikes from that place. You’ll get a feel of what you need for food and cooking, but still have the safety and commodities of a public campsite at your disposal.
youtube rabbithole and gear: Don’t get dragged down in the youtube rabbithole and all its gear recommendations. Gear is really, REALLY personal. Before you know it, you’ll spend hundreds of pounds on gear. Although you could view reviews of what you’re looking for, most “top 10 things you need when backpacking” are just ads for specific brands and/or very much a personal preference. Accept that you will buy gear you dislike in actual use. And that (if you find out you like backpacking) you can gather your gear over the years to suit your need. You’ll learn more from 1 actual backpacktrip than 40 hours of Youtube.
Don’t buy everything all at once, it will most likely be a waste of money. The stuff you have lying around will be heavier than “backpackgear” but will be more than sufficient to see if you like backpacking at all. You’ll find out what type of camping/backpacking you actually like and can buy gear accordingly:
- You like hiking but not setting up all the stuff? You won’t need sleeping gear as you’ll go from lodge to lodge/hostel to hostel
- you like having one base camp where you’ll hike from? You’ll buy heavier, more durable luxury gear.
- you like walking many miles and only have the minimal gear to sleep and eat? You’ll be buying lightweight gear that is super light.
- you’re a combination of any of the above? The gear will be a combination of the above.
There are so many ways of backpacking and camping. That is where Youtube will not help you. It is so important not to impose any arbitrary rules on how you should backpack/camp yourself until you actually know what aspect of it is important to you or what you enjoy most.
One more thing about buying gear(which again, I would try to minimize buying anything for a first trip) You’ll (almost) always have a tradeoff between 3 attributes: Weight, Durabilty and Price
- Gear is durable and cheap, but heavier.
- Gear is lightweight and cheap but less durable
- Gear is lightweight and durable, but expensive.
Then, 2 rules for what gear to bring:
- You need less than you think.
- Always, ALWAYS test your gear at home if you’ve bought something. Have a tent? Set it up. Have a stove? Try it out. You don’t want to be out and about without a clue and a guide to setup and use your stuff.
food: Check your local supermarket for products that can be easily prepared without needing cooling. Some types of bread have long expiry dates and are excellent for backpacking trips. Nuts and energy bars can be great too for snacks. Something like an apple is a great snack too. Try to see what you normally eat, and see if there is anything that would be practical to take with you on a trip without needing a fridge.
If you have a stove with you on your backpacking trip, special dried backpacking meals are lightweight, easy to make and (can be) tasty without being too expensive.
Part of the hobby is the journey itself. So give yourself the time to find what you like, what you need, and how get the most reward/enjoyment out of the hobby.
Ppl are offering great advice about where to start, and it’s what I’d suggest too - start with car camping to get a feel for it. If you overcommit too soon, you could ruin the experience for yourself. I know many ppl who will never camp again because they treated it like a hotel stay, got rained out, and decided it wasn’t for them lol.
A couple of resource suggestions - you mention an interest in self sufficiency. Read the SAS Survival Guide by one of your own, John Wiseman. It’s my go to for general survival tips and skills, including the ones I hope to never need. But lots of good info just to be aware of too.
Some other great resources can be books on flora and fauna. One I have sitting on my desk is the Canadian Outdoor Survival Guide. Obviously it’s for Canada, but it teaches you edible plants and behaviour around some bigger beasties (I don’t think that’s an issue in the UK).
And a final thought - an old Parks Canada marketing slogan is a really good nature-respecting thing to keep in mind: Take only pictures, leave only footprints.
Nature is in our backyard, but it’s home for the animals that live there.
Happy camping! ☺️
Thanks.
I think using my car would be useful as I’m not confident in finding water sources that are safe and so it would enable me to leave some in the car so I don’t have to carry too much.
Also, thanks for suggesting books on fauna and such as I literally have no clue about that kind of thing.
Start small.
Try a few overnights and test your limits. Figure out what you enjoy and what you don’t like. Some people really get into cooking over an open fire, and others would rather bring packaged food. Some people want to hike for miles with a heavy pack, and others would rather set up close to the trailhead.
Thank you.
The overwhelming consensus here has been to start small, close to home, and short stays. So this is what I will do and build up from there.
Good luck!
I’d add a few more suggestions to the other excellent ones provided:
First, start with a few day trips. Go somewhere you can walk into, have a lunch, and walk out. First time you do it, the only things you need are serviceable shoes, layered clothing, a backpack to carry your lunch (and any layers you take off) and some water, and a survival kit (just in case things don’t go as expected).
What’s in a survival kit?
What I pack in mine is:
- A pen and paper
- A candle and a lighter
- A signal mirror (shiny surface with a hole in the middle)
- An emergency thermal blanket (comes folded up about the size of your hand, shiny metal/plastic thing
- A basic first aid kit (the really small ones)
- A pocket knife with a saw blade
- iodine tablets (that haven’t expired)
- a phone
That kit should all fit inside the first aid kit, and the first aid kit should be small enough to clip on your belt or go in a standard backpack.
So after you’ve gone on a few daytrips, you’ll want to get overnight equipment, which adds a few things: a tent, a sleeping mat, a properly rated sleeping bag (err on colder ratings, just in case), a cookstove of some sort and a proper pair of hiking boots.
If you can, test the tent out in-store before you buy it to make sure it’s the right size for you. Next, set it up when you get home a few times, to make sure you understand how it works and there are no surprises. If you’ve got a back yard, set it up there overnight and sleep in it with your sleeping mat and bag. Do this on a dry night, but then do it on a rainy night as well. Figure out how to use the fly and ground sheet so you don’t get water coming in. Also figure out where you’ll put your wet and dirty pack if you have to set up camp in the rain.
Next step is to pack for an overnight with all your existing gear and do the day trip you did above with full kit. This will help you figure out if anything needs to be adjusted, and to sort out the best way to pack everything. Do this once in dodgy weather, and you’ll get another perspective on how your gear works.
Finally, you’re ready for a basic overnight. By this point you should be very familiar with all your equipment, how much weight you’re comfortable carrying, and how to set up and take down camp.
Last word of advice is: always go with someone else, and always leave behind an itinerary so others know where you plan to be. This is of significant help to search and rescue workers should you end up getting lost or injured.
Thank you.
Some points here that I haven’t seen mentioned in the thread thus far, for instance I had never heard of a signal mirror.
I remembered something else I take that I’d totally forgotten that a few others mentioned: a compass.
I used to also take a topographical map of the area, but these days I tend to depend on my watch (which can drop waypoints and a breadcrumb map) and my phone. But I keep a compass in my survival pack.
Why? Because worst-case scenario is that the batteries in your electronics die. A compass will always work.
The compass doesn’t have to be for finding your way on a map — when you reach the trailhead, turn around and try to find something you’ll be able to see from a distance. Take a compass reading to see what direction it’s in. Then do the same if you ever leave the trail and when setting up camp. This will help you figure out the relative orientation of the land, so if you end up lost, you can pull out the compass and use it to find your way back, even if you can’t see the landmark, instead of wandering in circles.
Useful to practice with it somewhere familiar before using it in the wild too.
Test your setup by camping in your backyard.
In the US we have KOA campgrounds which have a camp host and usually a store. I used them for my first RV trip and found it to be very helpful. Maybe you have something similar?
Thanks. Yes some of the resources I found already recommended trying it out in your backyard or close to home to get a feel for it.
Although, I want to be away from people for these things I will look at taking the first steps with that security of camping sites, just to find my feet.
I have a small van with a bed and a sink in. I don’t visit any campsites. I don’t see this as “wild camping”, but apparently it counts so I’ll pitch in my advice anyway. I feel like we would have very similar interests - my holidays consist of going to Scotland for roughly a week, walking wherever seems nice, and generally being away from other people. I park overnight in lay-bys or carparks that allow camping. I started out sleeping in the back of my car for the first few years, but it’s not as comfortable and I enjoyed myself enough that I decided to invest in a van.
The things I bring with me are
- bottled water (I have some 5L bottles that I fill from the tap, usually 30L is enough for drinking and hand washing for a week, with one “shower” from a bottle)
- books
- bedding
- camping stove and wok
- reusable plastic plates and forks
- clothing
- money (this is the most important, because if you forget anything else on the list you can buy it with money)
- map of where I’m going downloaded to my phone
I go shopping and find a toilet once a day. I drive to somewhere nice (just look at the map and take a guess). Sit and read,go for a walk wherever looks interesting, snack, sleep, repeat. In terms of food, it’s mostly pastries and salad, because it’s hard to find ready-to-eat vegetarian food. For cooking, I’ve found that stuffed pasta and readymade sauce is easy to cook, and the other go-to is vegetarian sausages in a bun. But generally I only eat one or two cooked meals per holiday. It’s not worth the washing up IMO.
My experience is probably different than what you’re planning, but similar enough to be useful advice I hope. You can literally start by just jumping in a car with some food and water, and driving somewhere nice. As long as you have a car, anyway. I’d suggest to start small and close to home, then it’s an easy escape if anything goes wrong
I think you are talking about wilderness backpacking, as opposed to regular backpacking.
Backpacking means you are generally on trails and bringing everything you need, including food. You don’t need survival skills to backpack, but some basic ability to navigate with a map and compass is really good to know.
Wilderness backpacking is like regular backpacking but is more survivalist and you generally don’t use established trails. This is more hardcore and can include having to get food while you are in the wilderness by fishing or hunting.
Start off hiking.
Gear is a big topic of debate. Understand whatever you buy will probably not be what you will need and you will probably replace or upgrade gear a lot as you find out. I don’t think anything I have in my pack now was with me for my first trip.
Bivy vs tent vs hammock comes down to what suits you and the environment you are going to, can’t hang a hammock if there aren’t enough trees.
Alcohol stove vs fuel stove vs cooking over fire all depends on your convenience desire and if there are fire restrictions. Hell, you can even go no-cook meals if you are indifferent to the comfort a hot meal on a cold day can bring.
Passive vs manual water filtration is a matter of personal preference. Water purification tabs are light as fuck, but the taste is not pleasant. If you have a good filtration system the source of the water need only be unpolluted, like a lake or stream. You can boil water, but that isn’t a perfect system and there is still a lot of junk and flavors that you probably don’t want. Pump filters are faster, but gravity filters require less energy and you can use them while on the move.
Shoes should be hiking shoes or boots, ones with ankle support can be really nice in topography where you will be changing elevations a lot.
Backpack should be an appropriately sized backpacking pack with a frame. You can go frameless if you are ultralight, but ultralight people are neurotic and derrainged. You want one that fits you and is big enough for the trip but not oversized.
Food is pretty personal. You really could only take highly perishable foods like unpreserved meat for a day if you are in temps above safe storage temps. So don’t think you can take a steak for day 4 when it is 25C out. If it doesn’t need refrigeration or is a preserved product, you can choose what you want. Some people will eat nothing but trail mix, some people will take nothing but dehydrated camping food, what you take will be up to you. If you are looking to cook whatever you want, then overlanding type camping or car camping is what you should be looking at.
Definitely understand that the temps that a sleeping bag are rated for are not accurate. Whatever the lowest temperature they say it is good for is almost barely survivable in reality. If A bag is rated for 7C, it probably is livable at 13C with layers on. Bags are case by case so you will have to try out a bag to know at what temperature you can comfortably sleep in them.
You should start with reading forums and communities to see what other people are doing. There are checklists you can reference to wrap your head around everything you might need and then you can figure out what you want. Definitely start with an overnight trip to work some kinks out of your setup and then go for more days as you gain confidence in your setup.
Ah yes… deranged ultralight hikers :D This reminds me of one thing to add: try to ensure your fully packed backpack doesn’t weigh more than 30Kg; that should be enough for do a 4-day hike with at least one other person. For an overnighter, you’re still going to have to carry a lot of the same stuff except less food and toilet paper. But if planning to do longer hikes, there’s no harm in over packing for a single night a few times to get the feel of what you’re comfortable having vs how much it weighs.
One other thing: I trail run, so I’ll be in and out in four hours on trails where others are planning to stay one or more nights. Sometimes I get looks of disbelief from people with the full 30kg packs on as I run past them on the trail — but no, I’m not crazy enough to have that little on my back AND be planning to stay the night. Conversely, the reason I’ve got all that stuff on my back at all is because accidents happen.
I’ve had more than one time where I’ve been on a run and encountered a group that neglected to bring along a first aid kit, or a group that ran out of water. Always good to pack for slightly more than you’re expecting, just in case you need to help someone else out, or survive an extra night while others come looking for you.
30kg is pretty heavy. 20kg is reasonable for a 5 night IMO.
That being said, my pack is about 15kg for 5 nights with 10C nights and the luxury of a camp chair, 7kg dry. I don’t see the sanity available with 10kg wet, those people need help.
Bushcraft is a good search term if you want to go as old school as possible. Ultralight is similar but using more modern equipment. Backpacking is the general term for long trips through the woods. Any of those will get you some good info on YouTube or various blogs to start with.
In warmer weather you can have a fine weekend with a very small amount of gear. A water filter, a dehydrated meal or two, and a small camp stove would be just fine for a beginner and shouldn’t cost too much for the basic version of any of them. Obviously many people would also want a tent and/or sleeping bag but you can decide how you want to handle that. Sleeping outside isn’t so bad and helps you appreciate a tent much more. Hammock camping is fairly popular as well so maybe consider that option if you want at least a bit of shelter without commiting to buying a tent right away.
I wouldn’t recommend foraging for food until you have some experience just being out there. Maybe bring a book about local plants on your first trip so that you can work on identifying them without the stress of them being your only food source.
The biggest piece of advice is just to get out there and see how it goes. Maybe you’ll love the freedom and challenge of having very little gear with you or maybe you’ll hate not having one specific comfort. Just pick a spot relatively close to civilization for your first trip so you can get out of any trouble you might find yourself in and you’ll be fine. Decide how you want the next trip to go based on the first one and just keep building from there.
Thank you. Particularly for the search terms that would be useful for each scenario.
I love this place as I’ve only just posted and I feel like it is a little less overwhelming now given that I should take it in baby steps.
No problem. I’m not an expert in any of these topics but I have been camping and backpacking for a good chunk of my life so feel free to ask any specific questions you may have now or in the future.
Thanks.
I will certainly take you up on that offer if I get any more questions, or I’m dying on a mountain and need some guidance lol.
Congrats on turning your life around and getting into the outdoors.
A quick way to learn would be to find a friend who knows and go camp with them.
I think you should not try to acquire all the gear until you know what you will actually use (besides, you will be the one carrying it)
Things I would definitely bring:
-a hatchet
-container(s) to drink from and cook in
-lighters
-single burner propane stove
-tent
-sleeping bag
-tarp
-rope and/or ratchet straps
-water filter (MSR MiniWorks EX is my personal fave)
-garbage bag(s)
Based on what you described, I think you should just go for it with some basics for one night at a time, and you will quickly learn what you want to bring in the future.
Thank you for the kind words.
I appreciate the list of items I should be looking for. Many people are suggesting a camping buddy, although I am not enthused by the idea I will look into that.
Just take the bare minimum and spend a night near your car or home, someone you can up and leave at 2am if you need to. Take a shit before you go.
There’s not really any surprises for what you need, just take a tent, sleeping bag, warm enough clothes, a little toilet paper, water and food (just take loads of cereal bars and stuff you don’t need to cook for the first time). The only other thing to take is bin bags so you can clean up any mess you make. You should leave the place you camp as if you were never there. No food on the ground, nothing. Don’t feed the animals.
If you’re feeling extravagant you can take some baby wipes and toothpaste/toothbrush for cleaning but don’t stress yourself on the first time. If you have a garden you can even camp in your garden for the first time just to get a feel for it.
Think about it like this: you don’t have to go to the Australian outback and survive there for a week with nobody being around.
Start with a one day hike so that you can pack and carry enough gear that will ensure you can spend the night and figure it out from there. Take a note of stuff that you missed and add it to the list of items you’ll research and buy. Drop stuff you didn’t need after a while (emergency supplies exempted).
You’ll probably need clothes, a tent, a sleeping bag and mat, a flashlight, a stove & fuel, lighter, plus kitchen utensils / cutlery, water bottles, food, toiletries, toothbrush, a towel, first-aid kit, some insect repellant, sunglasses, your phone (solar charger), some money or credit card, and potentially maps and a compass if you’re planning a longer hike and there might not be any reception (or you lost your phone). There are apps (e. g. Locus) that have dedicated “outdoor” map types and allow map downloads, so they work offline and provide more useful information about the terrain.
Look at camping / hiking communities where people post their minimal loadout pictures to get an idea of how little gear really is needed to get around and add stuff you’d like for comfort from there. There is a whole “ultralight” movement out there that will give you an idea of the absolute basics you’ll need, people typically post overhead pictures of their gear there and add descriptions.
Regarding your specific question for drinking water: there are solutions to filter water so it can be safely consumed, search for “portable water treatment”, e. g. LifeStraw, Geopress etc., plus chemical additives that purify water.
Yes, you can make bacon&eggs, you’d typically crack the eggs at home and seal them in a bag to carry them along. A camping stove will allow you to fry food and boil water, plus you can always start a fire (where legal!).
Sleeping bags will be rated for certain temperatures, get one that matches the climate you plan to sleep in, then optimize for weight and cost - we can’t tell you how to weigh each factor since that depends on destination, group setup (load distribution) and naturally, your financial situation.
If you want to get more serious about being self sufficient, you might want to look into “bushcraft” later on, although I do consider this an advanced topic separate from camping / hiking, and it won’t work in every corner of the world. Still, there are decent books about it and the topic is interesting either way. A good starting point could be: https://www.amazon.com/Bushcraft-Boxed-Set-Advanced-Gathering/dp/1507206690/
Overall, don’t overthink things and start with small, short trips, you’ll learn as you go.
