Hiking, Trekking and even Mountaineering are terms sometimes used as if they were synonyms. They are similar in that you go out and walk in nature. However, there are important distinctions between them as well.

Primarily, they differ in the intensity of endeavour (level of difficulty), distance and duration (time taken).

Hiking is an outdoor activity of walking in natural environments often on pre charted paths called hiking trails. There are day hikes and overnight hikes. Hiking gear depends on the weather, day or over-night hiking. Clothing and footwear applicable to the hiking terrain, hiking poles, backpack with basis kit including food, water, first-aid kit, map & compass etc and if over-night, a means of shelter i.e. bivouac, tent, and sleeping pad/bag suffice.

Trekking is a long journey undertaken on foot in areas where there are usually no means of transport available. Trekking is not necessarily mountaineering; it is walking for a number of days, usually on uncharted paths, in challenging environments which are likely to be hilly or mountainous. In addition to the aforementioned hiking gear, camping, survival and other equipment and supplies required for a long journey and more demanding environs are required.

Mountaineering is a more technical variation of trekking that takes you to higher peaks, requiring specialized equipment, experience and expertise acquired by training and expeditionary planning & preparation. The more arduous peaks often required guides and support to summit.

Progression from Hikes to Trekking and then to Mountaineering is a good way to enjoy the great outdoors safely.

Equipping for Hiking & Trekking

The following are the essential equipment;

Backpacks
Footwear
Hydration
Shelter
Navigation
Illumination
Emergency

Backpacks

The word backpack was coined in the United States in the 1990’s. Backpack, also called a ‘Kitbag’, ‘Knapsack’, ‘Rucksack’, ‘Haversack’, ‘Sackpack’ or simply ‘Pack’, is in its simplest form a cloth sack carried on one’s back and secured with two straps that go over one’s shoulders. The term ‘Knapsack’ was the usual name for a rucksack or backpack up until the middle of the 20th century. ‘Bergen’ is another word for a large Alpine-style load carrying rucksack used by the British Army during the Second World War and thereafter as well, named after its designer Norwegian Ole F Bergen, end combined with the Norwegian city of the same name.

Backpacks form an essential part of the gear of the outdoor trekker and the urban backpacker, allowing more mobility and compactness than would be available to someone carrying most of their gear and clothing in a suitcase.

Backpacks lend us the ‘hands free advantage’, that is, they keep hands devoid of clutter and assist in holding multiple items or doing other work. They also pave the way for safer and smoother journeys. In addition to their use in outdoors pursuits, backpacks are sometime used in other sports as well. Hydration packs, sometimes used by athletes and military personnel, to carry water (in either a bladder or a rigid bottle) and have a tube connected to them from which the wearer can drink without removing the pack; this feature is also included in some more general-purpose hiking backpacks.

Backpack Size/Capacity

Backpack sizes are determined by their use.

What size pack do your really need?

Get a pack that is too big and you will be sure to fill it with non-essential junk and end up tired and sore. But go too small, and you might not be able to fit the stuff you do need, life safety gear. Backpack sizes are listed in either cubic inches or more commonly in liters (L), which can make comparison-shopping a bit tricky, especially for on-line shoppers who are not able to actually see the packs before they buy. The following provide general rule of thumb guideline and will also depend on the sizes of the items you will pack.

Generally, one can categorize usage as;

Day Pack
Weekend Pack
Multi-day Pack
Expedition Pack

Backpacking sizes liters to cubic inches conversions:

Size in Liters (L)	Capacity in Cubic Inches	Usage
10L	600 inch³	1/2 Day Hike
20L	1,200 inch³	Day Hike
30L	1,800 inch³
40L	2,400 inch³
50L	3,000 inch³	Weekend Hike
60L	3,700 inch³	Weekend Hike
70L	4,300 inch³	Multi-Day Hike
90L	5,400 inch³	Multi-Day Hike
90L>	6,000 inch^3>	Expedition