Basics

Meats for Backpacking

Last updated: April 19, 2022 by Canberk Koksal

3 main things make a good backpacking food:

High calorie/weight ratio to leverage more energy per unit weight carried,
High protein and fat content as they're almost always digested slower compared to carbs and hence keep you more satiated [1] AND fats provide more calories per gram (9 kcal/g compared to 4 kcal/g of protein and carbs),
And lastly, no need for refrigeration

Checking all three boxes, meat is a great food for us hikers. They're a delicate balance between carrying enough food to meet your calorie requirements and not carrying TOO much food that your pack is heavy, resulting in excess calorie consumption - not to even mention they're more delicious for most of us.

As I explained in my previous articles, some cheeses and peanut butter also check all these boxes and make perfect backpacking foods. I'd recommend you to consider taking them with you as well.

In summary, most popular meats for backpacking can be listed as below:

Dehydrated chicken
Dehydrated turkey
Beef Jerky
Canned tuna / salmon
Hard/dry salami
Bacon
Summer sausage

I'll get down to the nitty gritty each and every one of them, but in short, for one night campers, I'd recommend a combination of this beef jerky and this turkey jerky.

They're 70 calories per ounce (relatively high caloric density), no nitrite/nitrate. They taste pretty good and come with their own sealed vacuum bag.

I can hear some cholesterols rising already. Let's get to it.

Table of Contents

How much meat to pack?

Lesser preferred backpacking meats

Chicken

Turkey

Shelf stable meat for backpacking

Backpacking summer sausage

Prosciutto

Hiking with Food in Bear Country

Conclusion

Wise food choices are essential to a successful hike. You want to choose foods with high “calorie to ounce ratio.” That's to say, you want to pack food with the highest calorie content for the least amount of weight in your pack.

Calorie density = (calories per serving x number of servings) ÷ net weight

Generally speaking, foods with more than 70-80 calories per ounce are considered to have relatively high caloric density - which is essential for us hikers for maximum efficiency.

Of course, when considering calorie density, you also need to think about nutrition. Some of the most calorie dense foods (think, Snickers bars) contain little nutritional value, and most nuts & seeds are mostly about fats with little micronutrients.

Meats, on the other hand, especially fatty meats, are one of the richest type of food in terms of micronutrients - which you should also intake as much as you can on a hike because of higher activity compared to your daily average.

How much meat to pack?

A simple estimate is around 1.7 pounds of food per day [2]. Using this calculation, on a 7 day hike, your food would weigh about 12 pounds of your total pack weight.

Ultralight backpackers advocate for no more than 1.5 pounds of food a day - but this all comes down to the difference between the caloric density of the foods you pack (calories in) and the energy you consume (calories out) [3].

Use Katch-McArdle formula to calculate your estimated average daily caloric need [4]

The nature of backpacking means you won't have access to refrigeration or ice throughout the trip. Some hikers do strap a small soft sided cooler to their pack [5], which helps keep food cool initially - but I'd NEVER recommend that unless you'll be car camping because of obvious size and weight problems.

Instead, I'd bring the most hike-friendly meats (like hard/dry salami) which, preserved correctly, lasts at least around two weeks (more on that later). If you pack a lot of different type of meat:

Eat fresh meat first (pack ham or turkey wraps for your first lunch on the trail)
Eat frozen meat for your first dinner (we’ll talk about frozen steak later)
Save the preserved meat for later in the trip (they can be safely stored for longer)

Lesser preferred backpacking meats

Here are some different meat options - but first, the lesser preferred (mostly because of less calories and macronutrient & micronutrient content):

Chicken

This is a no-brainer (sorry), but let me say it: NEVER BRING RAW CHICKEN on a hiking trip.

Chicken must be stored below 40˚F and this temperature is almost impossible to achieve on the trail. You can, however, bring pre-cooked chicken, in cans or pouches. Pouches are preferable because they are lightweight and leave less trash to pack out.

Moroccan Chicken Couscous takes just 5 minutes to prepare and only requires boiling water [6]. This is the kind of meal you daydream about when the trail gets tough - but beware, it's caloric DENSE. Be careful not to end up preparing this recipe for 4 while you should be doing for 2. But if it isn't clear by now, this is the problem we'd like to have.

Another option is freeze-dried chicken. You can bring a freeze dried prepared meal or you can find freeze-dried chicken breasts that you add to your own recipes. These need to be rehydrated with boiling water but are ready in 20 minutes. This is a great option if you'd prefer a ready-to-eat over preparing it yourself:

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Turkey

Similar to chicken, never bring RAW turkey on the trail, always bring it pre-cooked or dehydrated. If you own a dehydrator, this recipe for Turkey Taco Stew takes only 15 minutes to heat up at camp [7].

If you're hiking over a holiday, it can be fun to prepare a special turkey dinner when you get to camp. Pair pre-cooked turkey with some instant mashed potatoes, a package of turkey gravy, and stove top stuffing mix - a quick and easy feast. But again, if you're on the ready-to-eat side of the fence, this freeze dried turkey can be a good option:

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Shelf stable meat for backpacking

Now these are the types of meats most hikers prefer (duh) - and shelf life isn't the only consideration. See introduction.

Shelf stable meats are backpacking essentials. Before refrigeration, curing meat was a means of preserving meat by drying, smoking, or salting [8]. Which is why I'm now going to lay out the most useful cured meat options for hikers.

This type of meat is a GREAT option for longer hikes and should be your first option in most cases. You can purchase pre-packaged dehydrated meals from most outdoor supply stores or order online but these meals can be expensive and high in sodium - although I'd personally go after this option.

Other option is preparing your own. If you plan doing a lot of backpacking, it can be a good idea to invest in a quality dehydrator. There is this dehydrator on Amazon which can be pretty good for dehydrating meat as well as any other type of food.

Now let me list these types of meats.

Beef

The easiest way to transport beef is in the form of jerky. Beef jerky is a trail staple that can last up to 12 months, even in hot weather. Keep your jerky in its original sealed packaging (with the desiccant to absorb moisture). If you make your own, be sure to remove at least 95% of the moisture and then vacuum seal it or store in an airtight bag [9].

It isn't advisable to bring uncooked beef on the trail, especially not ground beef. If you're desperate for some steak, cut beef up into pieces and freeze it in a ziplock.

An alternative to beef jerky is “meat bars”. These snacks are high in protein sometimes even without excess sugar and carbs. They are quick, filling, and, surprisingly delicious - but since they're a little off topic here I'm not going to go into details.

If you're only going out for a night or two, a can of beef chili can be a quick and tasty meal that requires no advance preparation, though it's a heavier option. I like to throw this in my pack when I decide to hit the trail for a last-minute adventure. Try to find a can with a tab so you don’t have to bring a can opener (I’ve learned the hard way).

I'd personally simply get both of this beef jerky and this turkey jerky.

Canned tuna / Salmon

Choose cans of tuna with easy-to-open tabs or skip the cans altogether and choose tuna or salmon in a pouch. If you have the option, choose fish packed in olive oil for the extra calories. You can also get pre-seasoned tuna, such as thai chill or tomato basil, which makes for a delicious snack. An easy tuna recipe can be prepared with a pasta that cooks in 6 minutes or less [10].

If you can spare the weight, pack a few bagels for your first breakfast on the trail. Add a package of ready-to-eat salmon and an individual packet of cream cheese for a gourmet snack that will start your day in style.

Backpacking salami

Hard/Dry salami is absolutely one of your best bets on the trail. Choose one with natural casing and you can store it, unrefrigerated, for up to 12 months, as long as it's not too hot. Salami is, in fact, has been around before the invention of refrigeration - so do it to it.

When hiking with salami:

Once you cut into it, I'd just eat the whole within 7 days (which is more than enough for most of us)
Do not pre-cut salami into slices (the extra surface area gives more space for bacteria to grow and hence speeds up the turning process)
Sanitize your knife over the fire before cutting
Avoid touching the meat directly with your hands (hold the packaging to avoid contamination)
Just in case, do smell and taste a small part to ensure it's good to eat
Rub some salt onto the exposed end of the salami to preserve it once opened
It smells - do store it within a container as explained above under the "Hiking with Food in Bear Country" heading

Shelf-stable pepperoni is also a great snack. Eat individually wrapped pepperoni sticks as you hike or bring a bigger log of shelf-stable pepperoni to add to dinners.

Here's a good beef dry salami and a turkey dry salami.

This turkey stick is also a good alternative.

Backpacking bacon

Pre-cooked bacon is another widely-used yummy treat to take on the trail [11]. Find this in the meat section or near the salad dressings, or you can order this smoked bacon jerky on Amazon here.

You can add bacon to almost any meal to make it more exciting. I like to bring powdered eggs and mix in bacon for a breakfast treat halfway through my long trips. If you'd prefer dehydrating/curing your own bacon, make sure following these guidelines [12].

If you prefer packing raw bacon, cook it well done to make sure all the trichinosis are gone. Remember, dehydrating only does NOT kill trichinosis.

Mind you it's internal temperature of the meat to make sure all the trichinosis are gone. To be sure, 165 F exposed heat can be good in most cases - but I'd simply avoid doing it myself.

Also, raw bacon will decrease the calorie/weight ratio due to water content.

Backpacking summer sausage

Summer sausage is usually a mix of pork, beef or venison. It can be stored un-refrigerated until opened and is high in fat, adding much-needed calories on strenuous hikes. Summer sausage fares better in lower temperatures (under 75˚F) and I'd eat within a week of opening to be completely safe.

You can also find summer sausage in smaller individual packages, which are great for longer hikes. Summer sausage pairs well with a hard cheese for lunch on the trail, and this one can be a good option.

Prosciutto

Prosciutto is a dry cured uncooked ham that can be stored unrefrigerated for up to a week. Be sure to wrap your prosciutto in plastic so that it doesn’t dry out. If you do no-cook backpacking, try Prosciutto wrapped dates or prosciutto with cheese and crackers. As I explained before, Parmesan cheese is great for backpacking [13].

Hiking with Food in Bear Country

If you're backpacking in the wild; do store your food in a bear canister (2.71 lbs) or in a dry sack (between 6-30 liters). You might not be able to smell it - but mice, rodents and bears will [14].

It's our responsibility to prevent these wild animals diverging from their natural diet, being dependent to campers and/or get killed because of close contact. Speaking of which, although maybe a little off-topic; do make noise while walking not to surprise bears but don't whistle or scream - as they can think of you as another animal suffering before its death and can get closer to you [15].

Another -cheaper- option to protect yourself AND these animals is hanging your food from a tree. It must be hung away from your campsite, at a height of at least 15 feet and at least 4 feet away from the trunk of the tree. Also do the following:

Wash all of your dishes away from the campsite to prevent odors
Strain your dishwater and ensure that all food scraps are packed with your garbage
Most importantly, make sure to leave no trace at your campsite - whatever you pack in, must come out

I don't want to come off a hypocrite - but even if you do your true BEST to avoid these animals, you might still end up encountering one in a very dangerous situation. That's why, to protect myself against these kind of scenarios, I'd carry a bear spray - whether or not I packed meats.

Also read these safety cooking and eating in bear country guides [16, 17].

Conclusion

Backpacking can be challenging. Careful meal planning will help you ensure you don’t carry excess weight and keep you healthy on the trail. Adding meat to your diet will help you have more energy and feel satiated for longer. It also gives you something to look forward to when you get back to camp.

While hiking is about enjoying the journey, nothing beats arriving at your destination, setting down your pack, and enjoying a delicious meal.

I hope this article was helped you to understand which meats are best for you on a hike. Feel free to ask any questions in the comment section below and I'll be happy to respond.

Thank you for reading and happy trails.

Cheese for Backpacking: Recommendations and Shelf Lives

Last updated: April 19, 2022 by Canberk Koksal

There are 3 main things to consider when looking for a backpacking food:

High calorie/weight ratio to leverage more energy per unit weight carried,
High protein and fat content as they're digested slower compared to carbs and hence keep you more satiated AND fats provide more calories per gram (9 kcal/g compared to 4 kcal/g of protein and carbs),
And lastly, no need for refrigeration

I knew cheeses check the first two boxes, but I was thinking, what about the third one? After researching, I've found that some cheese types (mostly hard & dry ones) actually originated WAY BEFORE than true invention of refrigeration although most of the time they were waxed, kept in cool locations and sun exposure was avoided at all costs. More, most hard & dry cheeses are aged intentionally (for example this Parmigiano Reggiano) since the more aging is there the harder & drier the cheese will get.

Take a look at this great "backpacking cheese" discussion here

While hiking, I'd avoid soft cheeses since they turn quicker and would absolutely go for hard and dry cheeses such as Cheddar, Parmesan and Gouda. I'd also avoid shredding the cheese as it speeds up the aging process (due to increased surface area and hence more air & bacteria exposure).

Regardless, I'd ALWAYS store them in a parchment paper or a paper bag (NOT a plastic bag!) because the porous surface allows cheese to breathe (even more important in warmer weather as paper soaks a bit of vinegar when cheese starts getting oily) and helps with keeping its flavor. Still, avoid storing them around too hot locations of your backpack and avoid sun exposure.

In my opinion, considering all these, the best cheese for backpacking is this waxed cheddar cheese (half a pound) and this Parmigiano Reggiano.

Table of Contents

Categorization of cheeses

Shelf stable cheese

Does cheddar cheese need to be refrigerated?

How long can shredded cheese sit out?

Long term cheese storage

How to tell if the cheese is going bad?

Best cheese for backpacking

References

Categorization of cheeses

With so many types of cheese available today, there is no one standard according to which they can be categorized. Different experts consider different variables, for example, country of origin, milk used, aging, texture etc. and logically, experts fail to agree on a standard system that categorizes cheese unequivocally.

However, the following taxonomy of cheese has been made according to their firmness. Firmness is affected by the level of moisture each cheese contains and varies between 30-80% with hard and fresh cheeses on either ends of the scale respectively. The greater the moisture level the lower the shelf life.

Here's an account of the shelf lives of different types of cheeses:

Fresh cheese: A few days
Soft cheese: Around one week
Semi-soft cheese: Two-three weeks
Firm cheese: Up to five weeks
Hard cheese: Up to ten months

If you're having trouble putting a name to these types, examples of some common cheeses that belong to these groups.

Fresh cheese: Cottage Cheese, Ricotta, Mascarpone, Cream Cheese, Quark.
Soft cheeses: Brie, Camembert, Munster
Semi-soft cheese: Friulano, Marble, Provolone
Firm cheese: Roquefort, Gorgonzola, Stilton, Bleu de Bresse, Danish Blue
Hard cheese: Parmesan, Romano, Gouda, Cheddar, Edam

Shelf stable cheese

Most shelf stable cheeses are HARD and DRY ones such as Cheddar, Parmesan, Gouda, Asiago and Romano. They DON'T REQUIRE REFRIGERATION and depending on the other factors (hardness level, storage conditions, making process), they can sit out happily on the shelf for months or sometimes even years at room temperature - but I'd eat them in 1-2 few weeks (longer than enough for a backpacking trip!).

Regardless, in most (not all) conditions, cheeses will last longer in refrigerator - so I'd keep them there until packing.

As a general rule, you can view the shelf-life in terms of hardness of the cheese. So, the harder the cheese, the more likely it is that it will have a longer shelf live. Here's a list of some popular hard cheeses you can take with you in your backpack:

Cheddar
Parmesan
Parmigiano Reggiano
Gouda cheese
Cojita
Gruyère cheese
Pecorino Romano
Colby
Colby-Jack
Manchego
Monterey Jack
Edam
Emmental
Comté cheese

Provided that these cheeses aren't just about to turn, there isn't any danger to take them with you.

"So what about the unrefrigerated lives? GIVE ME NUMBERS!!!"

Unfortunately, it isn't too difficult but impossible to give exact numbers for this as it depends on way too many uncontrollable factors as already mentioned earlier in the article. I did my best to explain, will mention how to tell if cheese is going bad later in the article, and I'd doubt you can find more direct answers to these questions. If you do find though... Make sure to check the references & credibility.

Does cheddar cheese need to be refrigerated?

As explained earlier, no; it mostly doesn’t unless it has only a few days for it to turn (duh). But since the refrigeration without the extra moisture will almost always increases the life of cheeses - I'd keep them in the fridge until packing.

Cheddar is a very popular cheese and luckily, it's a hard cheese. VERY roughly speaking, it has an average shelf life of around 2 months.

How long can shredded cheese sit out?

Unfortunately, for those of us who like to experiment with cheese and use it in recipes, this fact is unwelcome news. Shredding cheese drastically reduces its shelf life as shredded cheese offers mold a greater amount of surface area. So, if even one shred of cheese gets contaminated in the container, it's best to throw the whole container away.

This is another thing that's impossible to give exact numbers - which is why I just simply wouldn't shred the cheese while going on a backpacking trip.

Long term cheese storage

Now all this knowledge regarding the composition and types of cheeses is probably useless if you don’t know how to keep your cheese fresh as long as possible and hence this step is extremely important.

Guidelines to follow:

Always use cheese wrapping paper or parchment paper, and AVOID using plastic wraps. Using plastic for long term food storage may be (is!) convenient for many types of food, but it's a death-knell for your cheese. Plastic won't allow cheese to breathe, thus your cheese ends up smelling like ammonia. But cheese wrapping paper is porous, it allows the cheese to breathe while keeping it safe from air exposure. This can be a good idea for storage:
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The paper should be replaced after every unwrap.
Sometimes cheeses will sweat more, so it's better to use a new wrap each time.
Jot the date and type and only buy what you need.
It's recommended that you mark the date and the type of cheese on the container right after buying. It helps you keep track of its shelf life.
Use oil to curb mold.
This is a neat trick if you want to let go of wraps. You can coat the surface with olive oil and store it in an air-tight container. So, if mold grows, it will be on the surface and not the cheese itself.
NEVER cut the big cheese piece into smaller pieces. The increased surface area will bring about more air & bacteria exposure and will speed up the "turning" pace.

How to tell if the cheese is going bad?

It's considered an urban myth that expiration dates on food products are not an exact and reliable method of indicating whether a food product is safe for consumption as most products can be consumed even after the “best before” date.

In the case of cheese, this is even more relevant. Telling whether cheese has gone bad requires one to be a bit more meticulous as you can’t rely on the typical indicators of rotten food.

But a general rule of thumb for cheese is to look for mold. Another indicator can be the taste of ‘sour milk’, cheese that tastes funny or reminds you of spoiled milk is likely to have gone bad. Cheese with a greater amount of moisture are vulnerable to being tarnished, that’s why soft cheese perish more readily than hard cheese.

In the case of hard cheese, it's generally considered edible if you cut off the part that carries the mold. However, if the rind is dry & yellow and if it gives off an ammonia-like smell, I'd simply throw away the whole block.

With soft cheese, it's better to err on the side of caution dump the whole loaf altogether if it starts to smell, appear of taste differently.

Best cheese for backpacking

The best cheeses, of course, are hard and dry cheeses because of their quite long shelf lives.

But, cheddar cheese might be the best pick as it's versatile: Can be used for meal toppings and snacking. It's fatty and so contains a good source of fuel for longer hikes. Also, it can be paired with a large array of food items, something that is very hard to do with Parmesan.

So, our pick as the best cheese for backpacking would be Cheddar - and specifically this one:

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References

Hiking Basics: Planning Considering Time and Distance

Last updated: April 19, 2022 by Canberk Koksal

Hiking-Basics_Distance-Time-and-Planning

The first time I went on a backpacking trip, my friend, an experienced hiker, planned the route.

We didn't walk a lot at all although I was confident - so around the campfire that night we bet on it:

I was going to hike 10 miles comfortably.

Needless to say, we didn't make it (what always happens to our challenges...) - but I was convinced it was too long for me especially considering low quality sleep during camping and bad terrain.

How do I know?

Because upon our return I set out to research what a reasonable distance would be for me to hike.

Planning a hike requires calculating your speed and choosing an appropriate route. Hiking speed varies depending on the terrain, elevation changes, gear carried and the physical condition of the hiker. I want to share with you what I learned so that you can set off on your first hike without any unnecessary surprises.

Answers to the questions below are all considering hiking in the woods - not walking from the bus stop to your home. Also, obviously, all these numbers will vary from person to person and I'm not a pro by no means, so take these numbers with a grain of salt. Still, I doubt you can find more "direct" answers to these questions from other sources.

Table of Contents

How to calculate hiking speed

Average hiking speed

How many miles can you hike in an hour?

How far can the average person hike in a day?

How to pre-determine how long a hike will take

How to hike faster

Average miles per day on Appalachian Trail

Choosing hike length

How to calculate hiking speed

Your first step is to calculate how long it takes you to walk a mile. A typical walking speed is about 3 mph (1.4 m/s), though faster hikers may average upwards of 3.5 mph.

Time how many minutes it takes you to go for a relatively flat 1 mile walk. Use a GPS or fitness app on your phone to track distance and time.
Do a little bit of math:

60 ÷ ( # of minutes for 1 mile) = # of miles walked per hour (duh...)

I did it and it took me about 17 minutes to walk a mile, so I'd calculate that I can hike about 3.5 miles per hour. Of course, there are other important factors to consider, such as elevation and terrain, which brings us to the following.

Average hiking speed

Average hiking speed is 2.5 mph (1.4 m/s = 5 km/h) as explained above, but William Naismith, a Scottish mountaineer, came up with a generally accepted formula for calculating hiking speed on a slope, assuming an average fitness level [1]:

1 hour for every 3 miles, plus 1 hour for every 2000 feet of ascent

So, if you're going for a 6 mile round-trip hike, with 1000 feet of elevation gain, then the hike would take approximately 2.5 hours to complete. Some people also correct Naismith's rule for descent [2], adding 10 minutes for every 1000 ft of gentle downhill while losing 10 minutes for 1000 ft of descent.

How many miles can you hike in an hour?

In addition to the calculations we made earlier, there are other factors to consider when looking at your hiking speed.

Lower the pace by a 1/2 mph to account for challenging terrain [3]. Uneven terrain, such as a rocky mountainside path will slow your pace more than a wide, well-groomed trail.

Hiking at night or in bad weather conditions also slows down hiking pace. Assume you will take 25% longer to walk a mile in poor weather. In extreme conditions, increase this to 50%.

Backpacking adds an additional load to consider, as hiking with a heavy pack can slow you down. While this will vary from person to person, very roughly speaking, you can reduce your miles per hour by a 0.2-0.5 miles when carrying a heavy backpack.

My first hike took us over challenging terrain, in ideal weather conditions (except the cloud of mosquitoes), carrying heavy packs. Had we planned ahead, we'd have calculated our adjusted pace to be about 2.5 miles per hour - but I'd consider myself a relatively fit person.

How far can the average person hike in a day?

Every hiker and trail is different, but on average, you can hike 8-15 miles a day [4]. Even the slowest hikers can cover a considerable distance if they have the time to spare. At a pace of 2 mph (slower than average), you can comfortably hike 10 miles in a day.

For through-hikes, the distance varies but hikers can cover anywhere from 10-20 miles a day, with experienced hikers reaching distances of 30 miles a day. The best way to build your endurance is to get out and hike.

While general fitness plays a role in how far you can go, hiking long distances requires training both your body and mind. Start with shorter hikes and go slowly. As you train, gradually increase distance and pace.

How to pre-determine how long a hike will take

I've mostly hiked with people who were all about the destination, rather than the journey. They set a rapid pace and focused on speed instead of sightseeing. Others prefer to meander, packing snacks and stopping often for scenic selfies along the trail.

When choosing a hike, take into consideration rest stops and sightseeing. If you're hiking to a beautiful lake, make sure you leave enough time to enjoy the view. While it can be hard to estimate stops when on an unfamiliar trail, check out available hiking guides and plan to add an extra 5 minutes for every stop that you anticipate.

In order to pre-determine how long a hike will take, make sure to take into account the pace of the slowest hiker in your group and the time taken to eat and pause to put band-aids on blisters.

How to hike faster

Experienced hikers are able to tackle longer and more difficult trails while still maintaining speed. For beginner hikers, here are a few factors that can help pick up your pace as you gain experience [5]:

Packing light and correctly (bring enough gear to be safe, but leave the books and wine bottles behind)
Wearing appropriate footwear (most of the time lighter is better)
Using trekking poles (let your upper body do some of the work and distribute the load better)
Find a steady, natural cadence (focus on keeping same distance and speed with each step)
Walk often and on varied terrain (take the stairs, walk up hills in the park, “hike” to work)

Average miles per day on Appalachian Trail

Hiking the Appalachian Trail (AT) is a true test of stamina and a goal for many hikers. Roland Mueser hiked the AT in 1989 and gathered extensive data from fellow hikers [6]. He found that the average hiker started at 12.8 miles a day while those who were out of shape started doing around 9.5 miles a day.

Also, hiking the AT has its own conditioning program, Mueser found that after a month on the trail, all hikers were averaging around 16 miles a day.

I've found this to be true on long-distance hikes that I have done. By day 3, I was hiking faster and covering more distance than when I began. By day 7, I didn’t want to get off the trail to come home, I felt like I could hike forever (exaggerating, but you get the idea).

You know, with these kind of things, the most progress relative to the work done is made in the beginning.

Choosing hike length

It's VERY important to choose a route that fits your comfort level, time-frame, and motivations. Starting out, it's wise to choose a short hike or choose an option with multiple exit points.

For inexperienced hikers, try starting with no more than 5 miles and for no more than 1 night [7]. This is also a chance to test out your gear and, most importantly, your footwear. As you gain experience, you can increase the distance and find what feels comfortable for you.

Pick a day hike that has a few loops. This way, you can choose to extend your hike if you are feeling energetic but you won’t get stranded on a remote route if you tire more quickly.

Butane Canisters: Things a Hiker Needs to Know

Last updated: April 19, 2022 by Canberk Koksal

Butane is a vaporous gas that is stored under pressure to provide a fuel source. Highly flammable, butane burns to form water vapor and carbon dioxide. It's sometimes mixed with propane and is used in the manufacturing of ethylene and butadiene, which make up synthetic rubber.

We hikers rely on butane for torches, cooking stoves, barbecues and camp heaters.

There are some facts about these useful fuel sources that we should know, for safety as well as for maximum benefits.

Table of Contents

What is Butane Used For?

How to Store Butane Canisters

Restrictions on Butane

Does Butane Expire?

How to Dispose of Butane

Self-disposal

Professional disposal

Empty Storage

Best Butane Camping Stove

What is Butane Used For?

We hikers rely on butane canisters for torches, cooking stoves, barbecues and camp heaters - although it has a very wide range. Outside hiking purposes, mainly it's used as propellant for deodorants and as fuel for lighters.

The biggest tick in the plus box for using butane to fuel your camp stove is that it's widely available in canisters that are safe and convenient to use. Butane is less toxic than propane gas, and can be used and stored indoors, making it a huge winner for campers everywhere. Ounce for ounce, butane contains more energy than propane, to the tune about 12% more, so you get more heating and cooking time from butane.

In fact, the only time butane isn’t the obvious choice over propane is in near freezing conditions, where it must be warmed up before it can be burned as fuel and propane does not. If this isn’t a concern, go for the butane every time.

Campinghunt.com also has a good resource published on propane vs butane, so check that out if you'd like to read more about this.

When made available in canister form, the normally odorless gas is mixed with sulfides and other substances that give it a “rotten egg” smell. This is a safety precaution, so that owners will be able to tell if they have a butane leak from one of their canisters and deal with it securely.

Portable butane cartridges are almost all manufactured in South Korea by one single firm, who holds 70 percent of the global market. Butane canisters are also produced by one firm in Houston, Texas, with most of the gas being from sources in the US.

How to Store Butane Canisters

Your butane canister will have a label affixed that outlines the safe storage conditions. In general, butane canisters should be stored indoors, out of reach of children and pets, and in temperatures no colder than 32 degrees Fahrenheit and no warmer than 125 degrees Fahrenheit and low humidity.

DO NOT store butane canisters in the direct sunlight for any length of times and keep them away from heat sources including electrical outlets. Don’t store butane canisters in your vehicle for long periods of time, it’s best to pack it only when you’re about to leave on your camping trip for safety’s sake.

Restrictions on Butane

Don’t plan on packing your butane canister for carry-on or checked baggage on just about any airline in any country, as it’s prohibited. Ditto for shipping butane canisters domestically or internationally, unless you’re specifically licensed to do so.

Check their page here.

Does Butane Expire?

Depends.

In general, sealed, butane canisters do not go bad; in fact, the consensus is that they will last for up to ten years or sometimes even more. Opened butane canisters that sit unused will still be flammable and work fine in your camping stove, but the quality of the gas may deteriorate over time.

Old butane canisters with poor quality fuel can gunk up your stove, which would require cleaning before your next use. If you want to save time and keep your stove or heater working longer, don’t use old butane canisters.

The butane canister itself may rust or the seal around the valve may deteriorate over time if left unused. In this case, it may be unsafe to use your butane canisters, so they should be disposed of safely.

How to Dispose of Butane

Butane canisters are pressurized, so disposal can be dangerous for people and may harm the environment, so we’re going to explain the right way to do it.

When in doubt, get in touch with your local gas station, fire department or department of public works or a licensed disposal facility in order to get rid of unused, old butane cartridges. These facilities are good resources on how to recycle butane canisters.

Self-disposal

If you want to dispose of your butane canisters yourself, you’ll need to make sure they are totally empty. To do this, you can secure the canister to the stove or heater and run it until the fuel is gone.

We made a quick pot of chili and used up a few of our old canisters while it cooked, so no wasted fuel. If you don’t want to burn off the last of the fuel in the canisters, you’ll need a sharp object to make a hole through the side of the canister. Any sharp object will do, but we recommend a screwdriver or an old-fashioned church key style bottle opener, the one with the pointy end.

Don’t use power tools like saws or drills, as these could spark and ignite any fuel still in the canister. Using the tool, poke a hole through the canister’s side to release the butane. After the canister is completely empty, it can join the regular recycling in the bin.

Professional disposal

Alternatively, find your nearest Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection site, which will accept empty or nearly empty butane cartridges and other containers. Some of these sites offer pickup or other services, but be aware that they will most likely not accept damaged containers or those that are obviously leaking.

They also typically restrict the maximum size of the container to 25 gallons or 220 lbs per visit. Be aware that there may be a fee involved by the facility in order to recycle your old butane canisters.

Empty Storage

If you need to store your empty or nearly empty butane canisters for a while, follow the storage advice on the label or our general rules listed above. Remember that it’s NEVER safe to just trash your butane canisters or to throw them on the campfire. These cartridges are under pressure and, even if they’re empty, can cause an explosion because they still contain some gas and propellant.

Best Butane Camping Stove

When choosing a camp stove for yourself, it's important to consider how you’ll transport it as well as how you're planning to use it. If most of the time you camp while out on a hike, you need a more portable model than if you were a car camper. Same with the butane canisters, as they come in different sizes, so be sure to check out what type of canister is best before you decide on a model of stove.

In addition to car vs. backpack, when you choose a camping stove, you should keep the size of your typical camping party in mind. Backpack camp stoves are great for groups of four or less. More people than that and you need to look at a larger stove or even bringing two. We recommend cast iron for cooking over a camp stove or fire, but again, if you’re backpacking (and if you're in this site, you probably are), bring what makes sense weight-wise.

Your camping stove will use one of four types of canisters, either a screw-on canister, easy-click canister, pierce-style canister or aerosol canister. Let’s take a look at each type:

Screw-on canisters

These contain a mix of butane and propane gas and come in 100, 220, 250, 445 or 500-gram sizes. They are available in most of the world’s camping retailers including those in the USA, UK and Europe. You may also see them referred to as threaded, normal or C100, C500, CA500 canisters by name.

Easy-click canisters

Also known as non-threaded, clip-on, “Easy Clic Plus”, CV270, CV300 or CV470, these canisters are identical to the screw-on type of canisters but they have a different type of valve, making them incompatible with the screw-type. These canisters contain a mix of butane and propane and are available in 230, 240 and 450-gram sizes. This type of canister is mostly available in northern European countries from camping retail stores.

Pierce-style

The cheapest style of canister, the pierce style works exactly as the name suggests and, you guessed it, cannot be re-sealed once used. Hardly anyone’s first choice who wants to be green, but the pierce-style may be the only option you have in some places. The typical butane/propane mix is found in the 190-gram size canister, which is available from camping shops, supermarkets and garden centers all over the world, but mostly found in France and eastern and southern European countries.

Aerosol

Like hairspray, the aerosol-style butane canister contains a propellant but is mostly isobutene in the 250-gram size. Found in the USA, Korea, Japan and Europe, this style is available from camping retailers, DIY and garden centers, convenience and fuel retailers and supermarkets in most parts of the world. These aerosol-style butane canisters are mostly used for refill purposes in camping torches or to refill lighters. There are some tools, such as soldering irons, that are powered by butane, and require these canisters. Most of the aerosol cans come with adapters to make sure you can refill all types of appliances and tools.

Large canisters

Car campers can find big, heavy canisters in larger, 10-30 lb. sizes or more, but these aren’t something backpackers and hikers rely on for their camping needs. They’re just too heavy, but they’re great for caravans, barbecues and heaters on porches and patios or in other permanent situations.

Our pick for best portable butane stove, MSR PocketRocket2 is very simple to use and lightweight also the most efficient on fuel. We can use it indoors or out, making it perfect to take to a cabin or on a tent camping trip.

Lower Back Pain After Hiking

Last updated: April 19, 2022 by Canberk Koksal

I was hiking this spring, enjoying the first glimpse of the morning sun peeking over the hills and a soft, cool breeze on my face. The only company I had was the birds singing and the sound of leaves stirring in the wind.

Unfortunately, it was at that moment that my lower back started acting up. Starting low and mild, the pain just kept increasing instead of going away, like I had hoped. If this has happened to you, you can sympathize with my search for more information.

It was a total surprise to me how much I was overloading my backpack, plus I wasn’t practicing good body mechanics when I put it on. There was also some surprising news on my footwear as well as my strength training routine. If you have lower back pain or want to avoid getting it, you can use some of the information I discovered to improve your hiking fitness, so read on!

Table of Contents

What's lower back pain?

What causes lower back pain?

Backpack

Terrain

Injury

How can I prevent lower back pain?

What's lower back pain?

Regardless of your age or fitness level, lower back pain can happen to anyone. In most cases, the cause of the pain is linked to the way the muscles, bones and ligaments in the lower back work together. Lower back pain involves the five vertebrae just above your tailbone; in other words, the area between the bottom of your ribs and the top of your legs.

This area is known as the lumbar region and it is under constant pressure just supporting the weight of your upper body. Lower back pain can come on suddenly or gradually, depending on the reason for the stress on your back.

Most of the time, lower back pain will clear itself up over time, but if you have pain that lasts a long time accompanied by other symptoms like a fever, swelling or numbness, it is best to see a doctor right away.

It's important to know the type of lower back pain you suffer from in order to receive the best treatment. Acute back pain comes on suddenly and lasts for a few weeks, gradually getting better over time. Chronic back pain develops gradually and causes long-term pain and discomfort.

What causes lower back pain?

Most of the time, the cause of lower back pain can’t be pinned down to one specific thing. It could be a minor sprain or injury that flares up or any number of things such as:

Backpack

Has it been a while since you went through your backpack? Have a lot of stuff in there you don’t remember? Same. Like mine, your backpack could be overloaded, so now is a good time to weed out anything you don’t absolutely need drag along on a hike and learn how to pack. Editing your backpack to a realistic weight will do your lower back a huge favor!

The type of backpack you choose can also make a difference. Your lower back supports the weight of your entire upper body. When you use a backpack that doesn’t have proper lumbar support, you could be aggravating your lower back. You may need two backpacks, a small one for day trips and another, larger capacity model for longer trips. Backpacks are sold according to volume, so be sure to check the cubic inches or liters and the capacity in pounds or kilograms before you buy.

Looking for a backpack?

Make sure to check out our Best Backpacking Backpacks in 2018 round-up review before investing in any hiking pack. In summary, Osprey Atmos AG 65 | No products found. (women's counterpart is Osprey Aura AG 65 | Price not available) turned out to be the best hiking backpack out there and I'd doubt if you'll feel any discomfort with them.

However, you have a lower back pain! Don't worry - we got you covered: Our top pick for those who have lower back pain is Deuter ACT Lite 65 + 10 | Price not available as it offers incredibly comfortable hip belt and a very good lumbar support.

Regardless, go with a backpack that has padded shoulder straps as well as a chest strap, and make sure the straps are fully adjustable. This is my favorite backpack, which is fully adjustable for even weight distribution and easy to pack and distribute all the items evenly.

Terrain

It's common for uphill hikers to experience low back pain due to the terrain. Hiking uphill is different than hiking the flats.

Not only does your stride length change but also your posture and the demands you place on your muscles. The steeper the terrain, the more stress and strain you are putting on your lower back. As you go from flat to uphill terrain, your stride tends to shorten, causing your hamstrings to work in a shorter range than normal. Your posture changes, with a forward lean of your upper body when you go uphill. In fact, the steeper the hill, the more you lean forward and put stress on your lower back.

Injury

People who have previously injured their back may experience chronic pain that flares up during a hike. Remaining as physically active as possible will actually help your chronic lower back pain, in most cases. Along with regular strength training exercise, continuing to hike is actually good for you. That being said, you should certainly take care not to carry too heavy a load during your hike. You should also keep the distance and terrain at a normal to low challenge level, at least when your chronic pain is flaring up.

How can I prevent lower back pain?

Lightening up your gear and making sure you have a good-fitting backpack are the first priorities. Adjusting your hike to a more flat terrain can also ease your lower back symptoms, at least until you are in fit shape again.

Another consideration is your day-to-day routine. Are you a desk jockey by day and hiker only on weekends or holidays? If so, your muscles may not adjust to your sudden activity and cause you pain.

Posture

With your backpack loaded and strapped on and your hiking boots laced up, look at yourself in a full-length mirror. What do you see?

Back hunched or curved?
Chin jutted forward?
Hips and shoulders aligned or buttocks out?

If you notice any of these conditions, it is time to incorporate core strength training into your daily fitness routine. It doesn’t need to be anything drastic, just some basic stretches and core exercise. The best routine for me turned out to be this one, but go ahead and find one you’re comfortable with.

Stretching is as crucial as core strength when it comes to achieving a healthy posture.

Now, this was a gift, but I absolutely love it and won’t go back to my old desk chair. I was given this Safco balance ball chair and it has improved my posture and core strength a lot. It isn’t for everyone, but it is certainly worth a try. It triggers all your little muscles to balance on the ball while you keep working, like a fitness routine you don’t have to think about.

Body mechanics

It isn’t just wearing your pack, it is how you take your pack on and off that can also aggravate your lower back pain. Use good body mechanics every day, especially when you are taking your backpack on and off.

Good body mechanics involve three guidelines: foundation, knees, alignment. Keep your feet apart to form a good foundation, while bending your knees instead of your waist to lift an object. Align your back, hips, neck and feet when you move and do not twist or bend your waist.

Upper body strength

In addition to developing core strength with stretches and special exercises, increasing your upper body strength can help you control your backpack and take some pressure off your lower back. Weight lifting is a great way to develop more upper body strength. Start slow, lifting a few pounds over a few reps every day, gradually working your way up to ten pounds.

Overall strength

Going back to you fellow desk jockeys, like me you probably sit for a large part of every day. Over the years, this means that we have lost flexibility in our muscles, leading to lower back pain and other ailments. Particularly those of you getting on in years, not me though! Ahem.

At any rate, when you work at a desk, your neck muscles tend to crane forward when you work on a computer, read or do other activities. Holding your neck and head this way puts a strain on your upper back muscles, which is bound to affect your lower back as soon as you hit the hiking trail.

The solution of course is to be aware of your head and neck posture and train those muscles into the proper position. A sports massage therapist can certainly help with that as well.

Hiking poles

Sometimes called trekking poles, hiking poles can help reduce the pressure on your lower back, knees, arms and hips. Some hikers I know absolutely swear by their poles and wouldn’t do a hike without them.

Finding poles that fit is important, as your height will matter when making the choice.

Your arms should comfortably bend at 90 degrees when holding the poles. They should be adjustable depending on the terrain, when they can offer assistance when navigating tricky rocks, water or other challenging terrain.

Footwear

Pay attention to your shoes or boots; are they significantly different than your daily footwear as far as heel height and ankle support? Changes in the height of a heel or support for your ankles from your daily footwear to your hiking shoes can throw off your center of gravity and cause strain on your lower back.

Try some orthotic inserts to encourage your balance and center back into their proper alignment. Don’t wear boots that are uncomfortable or cause blisters, as the pain from ill-fitting boots or shoes will cause you to change your stride and balance, throwing off your center, which places strain on your lower back.

I'm terrible at choosing footwear to hike in, I admit it. My entire hiking world changed when I went to my local outdoor store and had a professional fit a pair of shoes/boots for me. Not only was I buying the wrong size, I was buying the wrong style!

Hike relief

You’ve been there; your hike starts fine and about half to three-quarters of the way in, wham! Lower back pain flares up again. What can you do if you need to treat your lower back pain while on the hiking trail? Typically, I reach for an over-the-counter pain reliever, which seems to do the trick for me and get me up and moving again. I also have hiking buddies who carry back pain relief in Thermacare Heatwraps Lower Back & Hips patch, gel or cream form.

You could also try your core strengthening stretches to loosen up your back muscles, which quite a few of my friends say works perfectly. In fact, most of them will go through their stretch routine just before we set out on the trail. It’s a good time to re-check your backpack load and assess your posture when you take a break to stretch your back muscles as well.

If all else fails, snow or a portable ice pack applied to the painful area for at least 20 minutes while you have a snack and some water can offer relief from lower back pain during a hike. You can also try self-massage by applying pressure with your knuckles to the painful areas on your back. Sitting against a solid, stable surface and pressing into the pain for a ten-count can also help. Back braces are a great way to hold your posture where it should be and offer additional support when you’re experiencing pain.

When you decide to stop for the day, make sure you have a good, comfortable sleeping pad rather than the bare ground. Trust me; using a sleeping pad over bare ground makes a huge difference in how your back feels the next morning. Place a pillow under your knees (back sleeper) or between your knees (side sleeper) to take the pressure off your lower back while you are lying down. Try not to sleep on your stomach!

Post hike relief

Taking a few days off after your hike to recover and rest is a smart thing to do for your lower back and all your muscles. Be sure to get enough sleep during this time, which will assist in your muscle recovery and help build your core strength. If your pain continues, apply an ice pack for 15 to 20 minutes every day for three days; after that, apply heat for 15 minutes every day. Use any over-the-counter medication that works for you like aspirin or ibuprofen. Continue with your core strengthening, stretching and light weight lifting fitness routines.

Careful here

If you have chronic pain, please see your doctor for long-term care advice. Rule out any serious issues like herniated discs or nerve issues, which are completely different problems than sore muscles. Your doctor may refer you to a sports therapist or massage therapist for more treatment, which can benefit you in the long term.

Conclusion

Lower back pain can strike anyone at any time, even the fittest hikers. Managing your daily routine and fitness is the first step in preventing lower back pain while hiking. Don’t let your back pain keep you from hiking and doing the things you love. Hopefully this information will help you to be more mindful of your posture, backpack load and fitness and allow you to keep hiking for many years to come.

Hope this article was helpful for you to understand and cure your lower back pain while hiking. Happy trails/travels!