{"id":17749,"date":"2017-07-07T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-07-07T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=17749"},"modified":"2023-09-07T23:41:53","modified_gmt":"2023-09-08T06:41:53","slug":"backpacking-etiquette-how-to-not-be-that-newbie","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/camp\/backpacking-etiquette-how-to-not-be-that-newbie","title":{"rendered":"Backpacking Etiquette: How to Not Be *That* Newbie"},"content":{"rendered":"

24 trail-proven tips from seasoned backpackers who were beginners once, too.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Elbows off the table, hold the door for others (but don\u2019t make them run) and stop hitting reply all already. Good manners make everyday life with others a little easier\u2014and life on the trail is no exception to the rule.<\/p>\n

With that in mind, I did a very unscientific poll of fellow backpackers\u2014from weekend warriors up to multi-time thru-hikers\u2014to find their biggest backpacking pet peeves and ways to avoid making those mistakes. Read on for their best tips on\u00a0how to be a good human in the woods.<\/p>\n

Hike Nicely<\/h4>\n

1. Stay on the trail.\u00a0<\/strong>Erosion is easy to start and hard to stop. If you don\u2019t cut switchbacks, trample fragile ecosystems and make mud pits bigger by going around them, everyone wins.<\/p>\n

2. Yield to uphill hikers.\u00a0<\/strong>Yes, uphill hikers can challenge this rule, begging to catch their breath, but you\u2019ll get major brownie points for always letting them have the option.<\/p>\n

3. Say hi.\u00a0<\/strong>Isn\u2019t it more awkward not to? Also, announcing your presence before passing on the left ensures your fellow hikers won\u2019t jump and scream when you do.<\/p>\n

4. When hiking in a group, let smaller groups or single people go past.\u00a0<\/strong>Pro tip: Have your last hiker say \u201chiker back\u201d to alert your entire group to get over to the right.<\/p>\n

5. Take your break off the trail.\u00a0<\/strong>It\u2019s much easier for people to get around you if you find a flat spot away from foot traffic. Also, don\u2019t camp directly on the trail. You\u2019ll be happy when people don\u2019t wander through your break or sleep site.<\/p>\n

\"Backpacker<\/p>\n

Be a Team Player<\/h4>\n

6. Communicate. Then over-communicate.\u00a0<\/strong>Like waking up at 4 am? The rest of your group might not. Talk before you begin your trip to make sure everyone has the same expectations.<\/p>\n

7. Set a\u00a0pace that\u2019s comfy for the slowest hiker.\u00a0<\/strong>Or make it clear that everyone hikes their own pace and meets up at a predetermined location for lunch or camp. Speak up if the pace isn\u2019t good for you.<\/p>\n

8. Let slower hikers rest when they reach you.\u00a0<\/strong>No one likes finally catching up to the whole group only to have them start up again immediately. One day you\u2019ll be the last one, and you\u2019ll be grateful for this principle.<\/p>\n

9. Don\u2019t hit people in the face with branches.\u00a0<\/strong>Duh. Point out trail hazards too. It\u2019s the nice thing to do.<\/p>\n

10. Give other groups space.\u00a0<\/strong>We all are in the woods to enjoy nature, solitude and space. Don\u2019t get too close. That\u2019s weird.<\/p>\n

11. Don\u2019t complain.\u00a0<\/strong>If you\u2019re not having fun, there\u2019s no need to share. Everyone else probably hates the 2,000 feet of elevation gain in one mile just as much as you do.<\/p>\n

12. Bring your own coffee\u00a0<\/strong>\u2026 and knife, and multi-tool, and firestarter, and \u2026 Basically, have your situation dialed in. Everyone is miserable if coffee has to be shared.<\/p>\n

<\/del>Don’t Forget These\u00a0Oft-Forgotten Leave No Trace Principles<\/h4>\n

13. Pack it in, pack it out.\u00a0<\/strong>Even apple cores and banana peels!<\/p>\n

14. Seriously though: Pack it in, pack it out.\u00a0<\/strong>Even TP. Especially TP!<\/p>\n

15. Don\u2019t feed the wildlife.\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cLove her but leave her wild.\u201d \u2015Atticus<\/p>\n

16. Leave everything better than you found it.\u00a0<\/strong>Your camp, the trail, your friends.<\/p>\n

Find all Leave No Trace Principles<\/a> here. Learn them well. The well-being of our public lands rely, in part, on your actions!<\/em><\/p>\n

Sleep Well<\/h4>\n

17. Backpackers go to bed when the sun goes down and get up when the sun rises.\u00a0<\/strong>I\u2019m a huge breaker of this rule and have probably annoyed many, many a backpacker. Don\u2019t be me. Get to camp before night falls, and everyone will have a better time.<\/p>\n

18. Watch your noise levels.\u00a0<\/strong>The fastest way to make friends is to keep quiet. FYI: There are many strong opinions about playing music in the woods so it\u2019s probably safest to just put in headphones.<\/p>\n

19. Keep headlamps on red-light mode at camp.\u00a0<\/strong>At the very least, don\u2019t shine your light into someone\u2019s tent.<\/p>\n

20. Bring earplugs.\u00a0<\/strong>If you snore, give them to your friends. If you don\u2019t snore, put them in your ears because someone else is bound to.<\/p>\n

Be Safe<\/h4>\n

21. Bring your Ten Essentials<\/a>.\u00a0<\/strong>Even if you don\u2019t need them, you\u2019ll be prepared in case someone does.<\/p>\n

22. Read trip reports, check the weather and prepare accordingly.\u00a0<\/strong>It\u2019s just good manners to have everything you need to be in the woods.<\/p>\n

23. Give a trip itinerary to a trusted friend and sign in at the trailhead register.\u00a0<\/strong>Make sure people can find you if you don\u2019t come back by your planned return time. Keep your ID on you too, just in case someone needs to identify you and you\u2019re not able.<\/p>\n

24. Have your pup under control at all times.\u00a0<\/strong>Bonus: When you meet on-leash and respectful dogs, praise the owners. It\u2019s hard work.<\/p>\n

What did we miss? Is there etiquette you needed to know before you hit the trail? What\u2019s your biggest backpacking pet peeve? Tell us in the comments below.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

24 trail-proven tips from seasoned backpackers who were beginners once, too. Elbows off the table, hold the door for others (but don\u2019t make them run) and stop hitting reply all already. Good manners make everyday life with others a little easier\u2014and life on the trail is no exception to the rule. With that in mind, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":17770,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,387],"tags":[15,588,707,727],"internal-tag":[1677,1678],"class_list":["post-17749","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-camp","category-hike","tag-backpacking","tag-camping","tag-hiking","tag-latest-posts","internal-tag-pre-redirect-camping","internal-tag-pre-redirect-hiking"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/rei.com\/blog\/camp\/backpacking-etiquette-how-to-not-be-that-newbie","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Backpacking Etiquette: How to Not Be *That* Newbie","url":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/camp\/backpacking-etiquette-how-to-not-be-that-newbie","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/camp\/backpacking-etiquette-how-to-not-be-that-newbie"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2017\/07\/Rinckenberger_112015_5928.jpg?resize=150%2C150","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2017\/07\/Rinckenberger_112015_5928.jpg?fit=2000%2C1331"},"articleSection":"Camp","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Aer Parris-Hoshour"}],"creator":["Aer Parris-Hoshour"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Uncommon Path \u2013 An REI Co-op Publication","logo":""},"keywords":["backpacking","camping","hiking","latest posts"],"dateCreated":"2017-07-07T14:00:00Z","datePublished":"2017-07-07T14:00:00Z","dateModified":"2023-09-08T06:41:53Z"},"rendered":"