The Big Girl’s Guide to Backpacking Gear
I recently hosted a live Q&A session on Instagram about hiking in a bigger body. I’ll be addressing the questions I received on my blog over the next several weeks. This week’s question is about selecting the right backpacking gear.
Q: I’m old to the hiking world, but new to the backpacking gear world. Do you have any advice for selecting packs, gear, etc?
A: This is a really great question. I have a confession to make: I love hiking, but I’m not a big fan of camping. At the end of a long hike, I just want to be done with the day, but there are some trails that you really can’t access unless you’re willing to backpack. So I’ve had to figure out how to make it work for me.
The number one thing I would consider with each item you plan to bring with you is weight. You’ll be carrying it all. Look, it takes a lot of work to carry myself in the body I’m in, so if it’s within your means, always go with the lighter one.
That said, there are some other things you may need to take into consideration when choosing specific pieces. Sleeping bags have always been problematic for me. I don’t really fit in your standard sleeping bag. When we camp from our car at a campground, I would usually zip two sleeping bags together, but there is no way I’m hiking with two sleeping bags because… weight!
My good friend and fellow hiker, Jennifer Pharr Davis, recommended I try out a sleeping quilt instead. Sleeping quilts are lighter weight and can be used either as a traditional blanket or many of them come with snaps so you can fashion a sort of sleeping bag out of them. The best part is they come in around 2 lbs. or less. The one I used on the Long Trail was from Big Agnes. It wasn’t cheap, but it’s a great investment if you’ll primarily hike in warmer weather and a traditional sleeping bag won’t work for you (or is too heavy).
Another must-have on the trail is a sleeping pad. I don’t know if it’s because I’m 45 or if I’m a wimp, but I don’t want to sleep rough on the ground. I don’t want to snuggle up with the rocks. So, again, Big Agnes came through with an amazing sleeping pad. Their gear is high quality and light. I needed something that was sturdy enough that it wouldn’t run out of air as soon as I laid down on it. A high quality (and lightweight!) sleeping pad made all the difference for me.
When it comes to your pack, I would highly recommend getting fitted by a professional at a good hiking store. Getting a good fit depends on lots of measurements they take and they help you adjust all the straps for a comfortable feel. I’m pretty tall, so it turns out that when I got fitted a men’s pack had the right length for my back.
Another thing to keep in mind if you are plus-sized is that Gregory is coming out with a line of packs specifically designed for hikers like us! I’m so excited about that line of products.
I had the opportunity to attend Outdoor Retailer in early 2020 and it was amazing to see how many brands had new lines or plans for lines specifically for plus-sized athletes. Look, 67% of women are size 12 or above. That’s a lot of purchasing power! Brands are finally starting to take notice of us and create the products we want. So if there’s something that doesn’t work for you about the gear you have, it may not be long before there’s a solution available.
I’ll be answering more questions here over the next few weeks. If there’s something you would like to see me write about, let me know by shooting me an email.