The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Backpacking and Hiking Review & Giveaway

With more than 450 titles in The Complete Idiot’s Guide series, a new addition has arrived: The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Backpacking and Hiking.

Here is a neat glimpse at The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Backpacking and Hiking’s Preface.

“I believe our society might have its priorities mixed up-and I’m not talking about politics. I’m talking about fun.

Just hear me out.

Imagine you meet someone at a party and ask them what they do. Chances are, they’ll tell you where they work. It might take five more minutes of conversation to discover what they like to do for fun.

That’s because for far too many of us, our work week defines who we are. Wouldn’t it be better if our weekend activities, and not just the monday to friday grind, were our calling card to the world? Just think how refreshing it would sound if someone introduced themselves like this:

“Hi, I’m Jeff. I’m a backpacker and trail-runner, and I work as a paralegal so that I can buy new shoes.”

Even those of us who enjoy our careers can benefit from redefining ourselves and our goals. Maybe that’s why you’re holding this book. Maybe you’re seeking to add something exciting like backpacking and hiking to your life.

Well, I invite you to consider this book as your passport to a new identity. With hiking as your hobby, your next adventure could be as close as your backyard or as distant as the Alaskan tundra. And not only does being active outdoors make you stronger and healthier, but it helps you meet like-minded people.

It can even take you places you never knew existed. For instance, when was the last time you saw 1,000 stars blanketing the night sky? Or have you ever experienced complete silence? These are the special places that you can only find on the trail.”

I LOVE the outdoors!  It’s in my blood.  It’s one of the things that make me tick.  Simply put, nature makes my heart happy!

I think that The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Backpacking and Hiking is a fabulous book for those that want to endeavor into uncharted waters and unknown adventures.  This book will provide you with resourceful information that will help you safely and knowledgeably try something new and unfamiliar.

Backpacking remains one of the most popular, inexpensive outdoor activities in America.  The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Backpacking and Hiking features:

• Covers planning, training, shopping, and packing for the trip
• How to live on the trail
• First aid and other safety tips
• Practical time- and money-saving hints
• What gear is necessary-and what isn’t
• Special considerations when traveling with groups or pets

The key to getting off the couch is to discover what motivates you to get outside and then indulge it.  Are you looking for a fresh and more exciting way to exercise?  Do you want your kids to grow up with an appreciation for nature and wide-open spaces?  Do you love to hear the crunch of leaves and pine needles under your boots?  Are you looking to get in better shape without joining another gym?  The possibilities of what you can find outside are as endless as what you might be searching for.  And when you’re out there, surrounded by nature, you’ll discover that abstract distractions like office politics and undone chores evaporate as you focus on the nitty-gritty of your physical needs.  How can I light this fire?  Will this rock support my weight?  Where is the easiest place to cross this stream?

This book is organized in four parts:

• Part 1, “The Great Outdoors On Foot” puts you on the right path with a progression of skills that start with day hiking, proceeds to overnight camping and concludes with backpacking. You’ll learn how to boost your fitness level, where to find local trails and hiking partners, and how to navigate and keep from becoming lost.
• Part 2, “Gearing Up” will be your how-to manual on buying and using essential camping and hiking equipment like boots, rain jackets, and backpacks. Plus it explains how to navigate a gear shop, where to find reliable product reviews, and how you can save money with smart shopping.
• Part 3, “Living On The Trial” covers all your basic needs for food, shelter, and water, including how to plan and cook meals, which tent to buy, and how purifying water makes it safe to drink. And because hiking and camping can be a messy business, you’ll learn how you can stay as clean as possible.
• Part 4, “Surviving The Outdoors” delivers realistic advice on how to respond when problems arise. Find out what to do if you get lost, sprain an ankle, or stumble upon a black bear. And when trails get steeper and tougher, you’ll lean how to scramble out of danger, as well as how to boost the adventure quotient of your hikes.

There are four Extras in this book.

• Definition: Breaks the code of gear-speak.
• Trail tips: Expert tested strategies that will give you a jump-start.
• Outdoor Lore: Stories from the past and present.
• Safety Check: Save time and prevent injury by heeding these.

I’m impressed by Appendix A, B, and C. Appendix A is the Glossary; Appendix B is Resources; and Appendix C is Equipment Checklists.  It is very useful in understanding terms, researching future trips (something I love to do), and invaluable checklists, for planning and packing.

Jason Stevenson was four years old when he took his first camping trip, an event which ended tearfully when a collapsible cup of hot soup collapsed midslurp, burning his chest. Fortunately, he healed quickly due to the timely application of ice packs by his father and jokes told by his older brother. While growing up near Akron, Ohio, he survived stints in both Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts without anymore (major) burns and learned how to tie the taut-line hitch – still the most useful knot he knows.

Jason credits his post-college interest in hiking to the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC), which he joined while living in Boston, Massachusetts. Frequent AMC excursions to the rocky trails of New Hampshire’s White Mountains taught him valuable lessons about backpacking and camping that underlie many of the tips in this book.  Subsequent opportunities to move westward introduced Jason to the boot-scuffing terrain of northern New Mexico and Colorado, including his favorite trails among the remote peaks and alpine lakes of New Mexico’s Pecos wilderness.

When not on the trail, Jason is a freelance writer and author and reports regularly on health, fitness, travel, and environmental topics for numerous national magazines. Prior to freelancing, he worked for several years as an editor at both Backpacker andOutside magazines, and spent three years as an economic development consultant in Boston. Jason and his wife, Jackie, live in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, along with Nellie, their mud-loving Australian cattle dog.

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Backpacking and Hiking is normally $16.95, but if you click on this link you can find it among a select group of books being offered for 30% off through October 31st.

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Backpacking and Hiking is open to US and Canada.

Be sure to check out and follow The Complete Idiot’s Guide’s Twitter page and also tune in each Thursday for a live interview with a special author from The Complete Idiot’s guide series!  How fun!  You are more than welcome to participate in the conversation; the hash tag is #AskCIG.

One reader will receive a copy of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Backpacking and Hiking!  Also, be sure to check out all of our other giveaways HERE.

A complimentary product/service was provided for this review; however, all opinions expressed are our own. We were not compensated in any other way for this review. See Mommies With Cents disclosure policy for more details.