Product Description

"The most up-to-date and comprehensive guide to equipment and technique available anywhere."—Backpack (UK)

This enormously practical guide includes everything from essential techniques such as map and compass work to the skills needed for more remote wilderness journeys—such as how to ford rivers safely and how to choose a route through untracked terrain. As a gear advisor, this book is unequaled. You'll find the last word on:

• How to choose packs and footwear—and make sure they fit
• What clothing to take on the trail
• Tents, tarps, stoves, water purifiers, and other gear
• GPS, cell phones, and other electronic devices
• And much more

Now in its third edition, The Backpacker's Handbook also covers desert hiking, ultralight backpacking, and adventure trekking in distant corners of the globe. Indeed, there is little about backpacking Chris Townsend does not cover. This trusted reference will prepare you for the challenges and excitement of backpacking the wilderness.

"A clear and comprehensive primer on backpacking gear. Townsend's knowledge is immense."—Sierra

"Belongs in every bookcase dealing with outdoor topics. . . . Chockablock full of useful, practical, commonsense info. . . . If you tramp the outdoors, get this book."—Maine Sportsman

"For those thinking of taking a backpack journey, The Backpacker's Handbook is required reading."—Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #17579 in Books
• Published on: 2004-11-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 448 pages

Review
Written in an easy-flowing style with plenty of illustrations and diagrams…this is an invaluable read for anyone aspiring to live amongst nature. (Walk )

Synopsis
'The most up-to-date and comprehensive guide to equipment and technique available anywhere' - "Backpack" (UK). This enormously practical guide includes everything from essential techniques such as map and compass work to the skills needed for more remote wilderness journeys - such as how to ford rivers safely and how to choose a route through untracked terrain. As a gear advisor, this book is unequaled.You'll find the last word on: how to choose packs and footwear - and make sure they fit what clothing to take on the trail tents, tarps, stoves, water purifiers, and other gear gps, cell phones, and other electronic devices, and much more. Now in its third edition, the backpacker's handbook also covers desert hiking, ultralight backpacking, and adventure trekking in distant corners of the globe. Indeed, there is little about backpacking Chris Townsend does not cover. This trusted reference will prepare you for the challenges and excitement of backpacking the wilderness.'A clear and comprehensive primer on backpacking gear. Townsend's knowledge is immense' - Sierra. 'Belongs in every bookcase dealing with outdoor topics...Chockablock full of useful, practical, commonsense info...If you tramp the outdoors, get this book' - Maine Sportsman.

'For those thinking of taking a backpack journey, "The Backpacker's Handbook" is required reading' - "Daily Local News" (West Chester, PA).

From the Back Cover

"The most up-to-date and comprehensive guide to equipment and technique available anywhere."—Backpack (UK)

This enormously practical guide includes everything from essential techniques such as map and compass work to the skills needed for more remote wilderness journeys—such as how to ford rivers safely and how to choose a route through untracked terrain. As a gear advisor, this book is unequaled. You'll find the last word on:

• How to choose packs and footwear—and make sure they fit
• What clothing to take on the trail
• Tents, tarps, stoves, water purifiers, and other gear
• GPS, cell phones, and other electronic devices
• And much more

Now in its third edition, The Backpacker's Handbook also covers desert hiking, ultralight backpacking, and adventure trekking in distant corners of the globe. Indeed, there is little about backpacking Chris Townsend does not cover. This trusted reference will prepare you for the challenges and excitement of backpacking in the wilderness.

"A clear and comprehensive primer on backpacking gear. Townsend's knowledge is immense."—Sierra

"Belongs in every bookcase dealing with outdoor topics. . . . Chockablock full of useful, practical, commonsense info. . . . If you tramp the outdoors, get this book."—Maine Sportsman

"For those thinking of taking a backpack journey, The Backpacker's Handbook is required reading."—Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)

Chris Townsend, one of the world's best-known and most experienced rough-terrain hikers, has been backpacking for more than 30 years. His solo treks include a 1,600-mile hike over the length of the Canadian Rockies, a 1,000-mile walk across the Yukon, and a 3,000-mile expedition from Canada to Mexico along the Continental Divide Trail. He is the author of The Advanced Backpacker and Backpacker's Pocket Guide.

Customer Reviews

Hiking, camping, backpacking don't leave without reading this book
This book is excellent. It covers everything you need to know about backpacking. It is easy to find your way around the book. It's written in a story and reference format, so you don't need to read every chapter to find the particular information you might be looking for. Chris Townsend has obviously got so much experience you would be mad not to take his advice.

Chris Townsend has written a book that covers how most people will go backpacking. He is not like Ray Mears. This is not bushcraft, which is a totally different experience to backpacking.

The only negative aspect of the book is that it is written only using imperial units of measurement. So, for example, when the book refers to backpacks in cubic inch sizes you need to convert them to litres to compare them to backpack sizes in the UK shops.

If you are thinking of going backpacking buy this book.

Backpacking in a new light
I had to wait several months for this book. I would have got it sooner but that would have been the second edition and a little bird suggested waiting awhile as the third edition was due out! It was worth the wait. Whenever I get a "how to" or "equipment suggestions" book I seldom read it cover to cover. This was an exception! Like some other books by Chris I had to special order the Handbook. I hope that by now the publishers make it more readily available! I have to say it was easy to special order and arrived within a week!

The handbook is divided into into easy to read sections for Preparation, Choosing Footware, Packs, Clothing, Camping, Food, Comfort and safety, Skills, Hazards inc map reading, Travel Abroad and the usual apendixes which inc. metric conversion.

Each section is thoughly investigated and explained. I've never read so much on packs and their fitting than in the Handbook. I have to agree that it is not that straight forward having owned several ill fitting packs! The Handbook helped with that issue!

Some people may not agree with all that Chris says on the subject of trail shoes vs boots vs sandles! I have yet to find a comfy pair of sandles for my skinny feet, but I am a trail shoe convert and hate the clumpyness of boots! Mind you I still wear boots on Dartmoor in the winter! Those bogs!

Chris expresses his view of Superfeet and their fitting, they really do work, I've not had a blister since Chris' suggestion!

Why is Chris right, well he has walked more miles than many a mortal man! (Check out his web site at www.auchnarrow.demon.co.uk!) That must give him all the experiance that he needs to suggest equipment to keep us warm, comfy, and above all safe!

Each chapter is well issustrated with pictures and line drawings, the wording is well expressed and easy to follow.

I feel my walking life has been greatly improved by reading and following the guidelines in the Backpackers Handbook!