Hiking and Backpacking

by Karen Berger

Smart, instructive, and beautifully designed, every book in the Trailside Guide series contains the essential information readers need to master outdoor activities and have fun in the process. Norton proudly reissues these best-selling guides with fully revised "Sources & Resources" sections (including where to find the Web sites, gear, services, books, clubs, and organizations that make for foolproof outings); updates to reflect the latest in gear technology, wilderness medicine, and first aid; and advances in techniques. You can take it with you: Trailside Guides are designed to be used on the trail. Their handy size makes them easy to take along on outdoor adventures. Picture this: Trailside Guides show you how it's done. Each book has more than 100 color photographs and dozens of informative, full-color technical illustrations you'll refer to again and again. Buying Guide: Each Guide has all the information readers need to make informed decisions about what gear is available, and what they should buy. Step-by-step: Tutorials take readers through every aspect of a given outdoor activity. Each Guide covers planning and preparing for a trip, getting in shape, technique, safety, and first-aid tips, and how to have more fun along the way! Easy to use: Trailside Guides provide information quickly. Every book contains detailed illustrations, information-packed sidebars, and a complete index and bibliography. Technique tips: Any physical activity is more fun when it's done right. Trailside Guides are written by experts and contain lucid explanations that help the reader quickly achieve proficiency. It's a big world out there. Get into it with the Trailside Guides. Color photographs and illustrations

Genres: Nonfiction, Travel, Reference, Nature, Outdoors, Adventure, Sports

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Karen Berger, author of the best-selling Hiking and Backpacking: A Trailside Guide, has hiked over 15,000 miles, including the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, and the Continental Divide Trail.

Karen Berger is a pianist on the faculty of the Berkshire Music School in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. She was an editor of The Instrumentalist, Clavier, and Accent on Music magazines and received the Ed Press Distinguished Achievement Award. She s the author of eleven books, including seven how-to books. She wrote three titles in the best-selling Trailside Guide series, including Hiking and Backpacking, which has sold over 150,000 copies.

Reviews

[Andi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I especially liked the section on how to throw a bear bag!

[Doris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a meaty little book for backpackers (new and seasoned). Why? There are tidbits in this little read that are helpful. You may or may not have heard all these ... I believe in learning from others. And Karen has good sense.

[Mendi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is full of good information and is a great read for beginning hikers. It has a lot of pictures and doesn't overwhelm you with too much detail.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

good basic book on the ends ands outs of hiking, what to wear, pack, how to prepare. lots of pictures.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some of the advice is outdated in the late-90s version of this that I read, but overall I found this to be a good overview of backpacking, how to get your foot in the door, and some important considerations. As someone who is backpacking-curious, the thought of buying All The Gear is VERY overwhelming, and Berger provides good advice for getting started without getting in too deep.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sure this book may be 24 years old, but hiking and backpacking are “simple” pleasures where the only things that change are the equipment. I want to start hiking and exploring this beautiful earth we live on, so I thought it would be a good idea to get a little familiar with what I will be facing. Now to start planning my first trip, something simple and short to get a feeling for it of course.

[Silvia Torani · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un buon punto di partenza per chi non sa nulla di trekking e attrezzatura. Avrei preferito che dedicassero uno spazio maggiore alle pratiche igieniche legate al ciclo mestruale durante un trekking, cosa che invece viene solo appena citata.

[Noah L · Rating 3 out of 5]

Considering it was written in 1995 some of the content is pretty dated. Otherwise an enjoyable well laid out book with lots of information.

[Steve Wegman · Rating 4 out of 5]

What you need to wear, pack, eat, plan for, and be aware of in order to enjoy backpacking. Very practical. A little dated since it was written in the 1990s.

[Dina McPhee · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a manual...this book is excellent. Knowledgeable and very fun to read.

[C · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've always liked hiking trails and walking through the woods, and last year I went backpacking in Manistee National Forest. A friend who knows about my interest in backpacking gave me this book to borrow.

I'd much rather learn about hiking and backpacking while actually on the trail, so I can't say I especially enjoyed this book. But that's more a statement about book-learning versus hands-on learning than a reflection of the book's quality. It's full of useful advice and makes a decent primer for the novice backpacker.

The book broadly covers many hiking and backpacking topics, and is a livelier read than you might expect thanks to the author's humor and a decent number of illustrations and photos (some showcasing the clothing and grooming fashions of backwoods hikers).

The author provides tips for purchasing and using clothes, packs, cooking equipment, tents, and other gear. She suggests that you shop based on quality, not price, and keep in mind that although hiking gear may be expensive up front, it allows you to take many inexpensive vacations.

Additional topics include comfortable walking habits, packing and preparing food, wilderness safety and survival, finding (or avoiding) wildlife, and navigation methods.

[Jonathan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an O-K book. Would I recommend it to someone starting out backpacking? Probably. Would I open it after two or three trips? Doubtful. The information is really basic, but a few years with the boy scouts will probably teach you the same stuff.

This book is touted by some as a book to take with you backpacking, which is an odd thing to say when talking of such a heavy book.

I would rather you take an experienced back packer with you than this book.

[Max · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good basic overview. Berger's style is extremely easy to read, but be warned: due to the large print size, thick pages, and frequent pictures, there's actually not all that much to this book. Definitely worth looking into if you've never gone on a real hiking trip before, but if you want to go more in-depth, this is not the book for you.

[Myke · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave it 3 stars because i don't really have anything to compare it to yet (other hiking and backpacking books). I'm sure it is a solid 4 maybe even a 5 though.
Very informative. I leaned a ton from it.

[lurra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This baby taught me not to die in the wilderness.

[Reuel · Rating 3 out of 5]

After completing my Ph.D., I'm refreshing and updating my backpacking skills.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

previous edition

[Jenni · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading this, I feel like I might actually be ready for some backcountry camping.

[Dave Berry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first book I read when I started Backpacking. This book taught me A LOT !!!! Very Thankful for Karen Berger

[Allison Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too much ice and snow to get out hiking yet, this is a fairly good substitute while I wait!

[Lena 3pa2 · Rating 4 out of 5]

En perfekt handbok för oss som gillar att vandra oavsett om det är i Sverige eller utomlands. Med kapitel som planering, kläder, terräng, camping, säkerhet och utrustning. Mycket är givetvis sundt förnuft & självklarheter men ibland behöver man friska upp minnet. Massor med bra tips som exempelvis leder ute i världen. En som absolut lockar mig är ”West Highland Way”. 152 km låg är denna Skottlands äldsta vandringsled.

I boken får du handfasta tips om hur du packar ryggsäcken, valet av skor, checklista inför övernattningsturer osv