Backpacking & Hiking: Set Out into the Wilderness and Hit the Trail with Confidence (Outdoor Adventure Guide)

I had been wanting to spend more time in nature for a long time, but I knew that I didn’t even know what I didn’t know. This book gave me the confidence I needed. It is thorough without being at all intimidating. And the author’s good-natured humor about real threats (such as mountain lions!) made me realize that common-sense preparedness is all it takes to let yourself have fun in the great outdoors. The book’s approachable thoroughness (including a solid index) reassured me that all bases are covered as long as I keep my copy in my pack. Injuries, blisters, and a few surprises may or may not occur, but what’s more certain to happen on the trail is that you’ll get a deeper connection to the world we live in. Armed with oatmeal and plenty of water, my dog and I headed into the mountains of northeastern Georgia for the weekend, even reaching the highest point in the state, and I was honestly surprised how easy it is to find trails and places to camp. If you are looking for a nudge or know someone who sounds like me, then I strongly recommend this book. And I’m sure even very experienced backpackers will find plenty of wisdom in this comprehensive guide. I plan to spend many more weekends in the woods, and I wish only that I had found this book earlier. Five stars.

AN easy read with a lot of great information for hiking.

It was a gift and the recipient loved it. She hopes to do more hiking with the family this year

This book does an excellent job of compiling everything you need to know to start backpacking into one place.

"Backpacking & Hiking" is a new guidebook from Jason Stevenson who clearly knows his stuff when it comes to the outdoor adventure world!As an avid lover of the outdoors, this book called to me! The book covers important topics in hiking and backpacking like: types of trails, advice for different age groups, camping, gear, first aid and more. The guide is an easy to read book with a wealth of knowledge that is helpful for all levels of outdoor adventurists.As a day hiker with moderate experience, I was not expecting all of the gems that this book provides. I never thought about the gear that I should be carrying while on a day hike. For example, bringing along a small mirror never occurred to me previously. After reading this book I will be putting these tips into practice on my own hiking adventures. Also, the section on hiking in groups and with kids was extremely helpful for me since we often hike as a large family. So many of the concepts listed in the book make perfect sense, but I never would have realized them on my own. The book really helps to shed some light on why things like “Summit Fever” occur and how the group leader can control it to allow for a better hiking situation for the entire group.The other section that I found to be invaluable is the section on “getting lost.” This information provided tangible advice for what to do if you get lost while hiking. Should you hike out or stay put? How should a hiker make that decision? The book answers these questions and provides concrete advice for hikers to improve safety which is the framework of a successful hike or backpacking trip.This guidebook is essential for anyone interested in hiking or backpacking and should not be missed!I received a copy of this book from the publisher and netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'm an experienced backpacker, but it's been 20 years since my last trip of more than 100 miles. So when I was planning a recent trip into the backcountry, I turned to this book. Though still confident in my old-school backpacking skills, I found myself wondering what the current best practices were for things like purifying water, planning your meals, protecting your food from wildlife, and for that matter, keeping your iPhone/camera charged while on the trail. Stevenson’s guide answered pretty much all of my questions. It is a goldmine of information, covering all the basics and more. It’s well organized, easy to jump around, and his advice is based on decades of experience. I dove right into his book as soon it arrived, checking to make sure I was doing it right, and also discovering new ideas.

I got this book because I’ve always wanted to go backpacking - I’ve car camped and even done bike touring camping - but I’ve always been worried about how to pack for food and deal with water when I’m out and away from easily accessible sources. Since I’ve not been lucky enough to have somebody else teach me all the ins and outs of backpacking through experience, I got this book. It is great - super thorough and I appreciated all of the very basic bits and the details on all aspects, from gear and what to do when nature calls. I’m feeling better about figuring out how to do all of this and tackle a backpacking adventure - still have some gear to find, but I do now feel a bit more confident in figuring out what I need. It was easy to read and jump around to immediate topics of interest.While I appreciated all of the lists scattered throughout the book, i really was happy to find a more complete checklist at the end - great to have a starting point to customize to my own adventure.I also picked up a few great tips for day hikes and car camping - like thinking smarter about pitching a tent for wind and good resources for maps, trails.And, growing up in northern Ohio, I got a big smile when I saw one of the examples was the the Ledges Trail to Ice Box Cave. Love that spot!