To ask those of you who have been backpacking

[hmga90]

For your experiences?

On a whim last night I’ve booked a 3 month trip around the USA. I leave next week. Will be entering places with different climates- some will be very hot (Vegas for example) and some I imagine will be cooler towards the end of my trip (eg the trip ends in Chicago)

My packing list so far

3vest tops
3 short sleeved t shirts
1 long sleeved t shirt
Pair of shorts
3/4 leggings
Jeans (travel in to save space)
Short and long pyjama bottoms- 1 of each
2x dresses for night outs/more formal says
Hoodie (travel in to save space)
Lightweight cardigan
Pack a Mac
Trainers, pair of sandals and hiking boots (travel in to save space)
Rucksack, cross body bag and a foldable larger hold-all (thought would be useful to pack dirty laundry in etc)

Travel hairdryer
Travel hair straighteners
Hairbrushx2, hair ties/Kirby grips

iPad/phone, chargers.

Will buy toiletries etc over there as needed.

Will be camping most nights- not overly looking forward to it but will cope. What’s the best way to stay comfortable while camping? Sleeping bag or cheap duvet keeping in mind I will throw it away after the trip. Will buy some cheap pillows. Is it worth me buying an inflatable mattress or shall I just settle with a foam one?

What is the best way to spend money over there? Don’t want to take a load of cash but likewise don’t want to be wasting a lot of money on bank charges

Any advice will be appreciated!

A lot of this stuff you can buy once you get there if you need it. Target, Walmart, Walgreens, Riteaid, CVS etc are all great for meds, hair products, toiletries, suncream, bugspray etc. Cheap clothes in Walmart, Old Navy, etc. Wide range of good value shoes in places like DSW.

You can get cheap camping stuff in Walmart but you'll get better quality in proper outdoor gear stores like Eastern Mountain Sports, REI, LLBean.

Have you read Wild by Cheryl Strayed? She learnt a lot about what to pack on her trip across the PCT. It's a great read too.

Plan for less stuff and more money than you think, I'm afraid, or anyway that was always my experience! Are you car camping? It's often hard to get to camping or trailheads without a car in the US but I assume you've thought of this. Camping near Chicago in 3 months time may not be feasible. We used to be very very cold in Ontario camping in early October! You've had some great advice on here so far.

Can you clarify a bit more about your plans? I think the camping bit threw me for a loop as I just assumed cheap motels or hostels.

How much are you traveling around? How are you getting around? I think if you are camping you need to be more organized in terms of where you are going. When I backpacked, I just randomly travelled around and looked up cheap places to stay in Lonely Planet or similar.

Also, you need a ton of kit if you are camping. Tent, sleeping bag, stove, fuel, cooking equipment, water pouches, etc.

I'd go for synthetic fabrics or thin cotton, where possible. It's light weight and dries fast.

If you're camping then ditch the electronic hair styling tools. You will probably never use them. I'd also ditch one of your formal dresses. Then again it depends on what you are doing - if you end up in hotels/hostels occasionally then you may have more call for another formal dress.

It all depends on your specific accommodation plans

Proper lightweight quick drying walking trousers. I love mine. I have some that zip off at the knees to create shorts.

Waterproof overtrousers and a pac a mac. Both just roll up small. I live in the scottish highlands. I am out in torrential rain sometimes and am warm and dry under my waterproofs. I also wear a midge net so I do look a sight. But I am comfortable really it doesn't matter what you look like.

Good waterproof walking boots and socks. I am a miserable cow if I get wet feet.

You've forgotten socks, knickers and bras

I was going to say no underwear!
And no camping stuff.
Towel.
Swimming costume.
Photocopies of all documents kept in a separate place to the originals.
A loadable cash card.

In terms of everyone saying proper waterproof trousers etc - get thee to your local Mountain Warehouse! They've got a massive sale on at the moment and some incredible bargains to be had.
My two pennies would be a decent microfibre sheet towel. They fold up to about the size of a flannel but are so useful.

Mostly place marking as I can’t quite work out what you’re planning. I’ve backpacked. Lots. I’ve never known anyone take hair dryer/ straighteners. I suspect you are more hostelling?

Oh and don't buy pillows, get an inflatable one.
And spend money on a decent sleeping bag (in the sales!) as you can get ones which are incredibly light.
I'm so jealous, have a wonderful time.

OP, is the camping thing just because of money? Have you really thought about what it entails? Surely his telling would be much more suited for you? Camping for three months around the US is really hard core and it doesn’t really sound like you know what you’re doing.

His telling = hosteling

How old are you? If over 30, don’t even think about sleeping on a roll mat for that long. Get a decent exped or similar.

Travel towel the microfibres kind you get them in camping/outdoor shops. I used that more than anything else. Ditch the hairdryers and straighteners especially if you'll be carrying backpack around loads. Have fun, best times!

OMG-f@ck camping over there for3months..i backpacked/worked around the world(in one capacity or another)for13 years..we did driveaways throughout USA &house-sat ..kipped in the driveaway cars at absolute worst..that long camping would cramp my style too much..i like a decent roof over my head even if it does change with high frequency😂.On the clothing thing-take bare minimum-clothes are cheaper&their 'thrift stores'are fab too.

I’m not convinced OP is actually backpacking. Her list has no tent, no equipment, no food, no water.

In the US backpacking is wild camping. It’s not like here in Europe where there are toilets, showers, a camp shop, bags of firewood to buy, electric outlets, etc etc.

In the US, I’ve backpacked in Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Montana, California, Adirondacks in New York, Maine and Appalachians in Pennsylvania. Including winter backpacking in 2ft plus of snow.

I hope she comes back an explains whether this trip she has booked is one of those tours marketed as backpacking but are actually like what we have here with Hadrians Wall or the Coast Path where you stay in a B&B every night and have luggage transfer...so you just walk from one hotel to another along a trail....not even carrying your luggage.

Get rid of the leggings and jeans, buy the more technical trousers - breathable & quick dry with pockets as others have said.

No straighteners or hairdryer - you will absolutely not use!

One comb/flat brush.

Pack a plastic bag for dirty washing and keep in a separate compartment of backpack. No holdall. Very flat cross body bag if necessary.

No short pj bottoms, if it's hot just sleep in t-shirt and pants.

Ditch hoodie and pack a mac, take waterproof coat with liner.

Ditch boots and trainers, take one pair walking shoes and flip flops.

One dress (if that).

Don't forget you can buy clothes etc over there too if needed - take less than you think!

Any drugs needed? Ibrupofen etc.

Pack of tissues for paperless loos!

Lip balm (buses/planes &air con dry lips)

You can't be carrying around a duvet and pillows, you'll need a sleeping bag which can be squished down to nothing.

Small bottle of travel wash.

Have a fab time! :)

You don't need pyjamas, you can sleep in a T shirt and leggings.

OP you will absolutely need a tent in the SW of US..even if it is hot in day....because rattle snakes. It’s tempting to just sleep in a sleeping bag under the stars but it can get a bit chilly at night there due to altitude. Rattle snakes will be attracted to your body heat and crawl into your sleeping bag with you if you are not in a tent. There are also bears who usually do not bother tents (snuffling, push on it a bit), but will maul you if you’re just lying there in a sleeping bag.
In Rockies weather can be very changeable in autumn. You can have a 25 degree day and then snow storm at night.

Chicago in November will be cold. Admittedly you can buy clothes there but if you started in Chicago now it would still be hot and you could head south to avoid the cold.

I'm a bit confused by where how you're travelling. You seem to be packing pretty light but then mention taking a duvet? How are you travelling between places? Are there campsites in these cities?

I'm fascinated by your list as it doesn't sound suitable for any kind of backpacking/camping I've ever done! For example, you don't mention a tent or any way of cooking, or how you intend to carry all your kit including a duvet

Do come back and tell us more about it so you can get some advice tailored to what you're actually doing.

OP how are you planning to travel around? If you're hiring a car then weight/space saving doesn't have to be a priority, but if you're planning to travel on public transport (let alone on foot) then this is far too much stuff.

I would buy a self inflating roll mat (thermorest is a brand but there's other good options) and take a sleeping bag plus inner liner you can wash (it's hard to wash a sleeping bag) are you buying a tent there? Cheaper in the U.K. for most things but camp gear is good quality in the us. An inflatable pillow is a good space saving option. Take clothes that can all be washed together for ease. A water bottle with the purification system built in is handy if you are off the beaten track - big country.