Backpacking: A Woman's Guide (Paperback)

~ (Author) "First, let's define what we mean by backpacking..." (more)
Key Phrases: external frame packs, outfitting store, seam sealer, Appalachian Trail, New York, American Discovery Trail (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

At long last, a detailed and good-humored backpacking guide by and for women! If you've been relying on standard hiking guides that assume a man's physique, the lack of a monthly cycle, and a bare-bones approach to packing and cooking, you're in for a treat. Having trekked the entire length of the Appalachian Trail (2,000-plus miles), Hall is a veritable guru in the areas of pretrip conditioning (step-by-step instructions/photos provided), gear essentials, food packing and preparation, as well as novice conundrums (how, exactly, do you sh-t in the woods?!). In addition to lending her own expertise, she also includes comments, stories, and advice from veteran backpacking women of all ages. Readers are encouraged to start small, take care of their feet, and never wait until they are thirsty or hungry to drink or eat. And leave your deodorant, makeup, and hair products home! Though the author stops short of being an eco-fascist, she is strictly zero tolerance when it comes to high-impact practices such as burying leftovers and washing with soap. A chapter on backpacking with children is chock full of excellent ideas for keeping kids entertained and healthy. So if you're a woman looking for the lowdown on how to be a well-prepared, properly geared, safety-conscious, and low-impact backpacker, this is a good place to start. --Martha Silano

From Library Journal

This new series is designed to teach outdoor skills to women in the way they learn. Each book includes detailed instructions about each activity and questions specific to women. The topics discussed include locating a backpack designed for a woman's body, getting a sea kayak on and off a car roof, and safety for women while backpacking. In an additional, attractive feature, women of all ages describe how they overcame obstacles, what they enjoyed the most, or just how they felt about undertaking a new activity. Both authors are published experts in their fields; Johnson is a registered Maine Guide, a certified coastal kayak instructor, and the sea kayaking editor for Canoe and Kayak Magazine, and Hall has hiked in the Rocky Mountains, Virginia Blue Ridge, and Europe, as well as the Appalachian Trail, which she described in a newspaper series. Both books are extremely well done and appealing, although Backpacking is more accessible to armchair travelers. Buy for public libraries and watch for more in this series.?Alison Hopkins, Queens Borough P.L., NY
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: International Marine/Ragged Mountain Press; 1 edition (June 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0070260273
• ISBN-13: 978-0070260276
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 7.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #573,493 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Encourages woman to try backpacking - great motivation book, January 10, 1999

By A Customer

Focuses on woman issues and needs. Liked the strengthening excercises to train for backpacking. Not much on recepies but basic food preps. well covered. Lots of personal experiences by woman-author with great tips. Five stars on resource directory. Indexed very helpful to find specific topic area. Black/White pictures - good equipment selection coverage. I read book from cover/cover and found the book to be a great motivator to try backpacking. Addressed issues such as hygiene and where to start! Answered many of my questions as a beginner. I liked this book very much and recommend it for woman exploring backpacking. Enjoy!

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book! A must for women who want to backpack!, August 19, 2002

By	Julie-eve Arseneault "yogini_student" (Canada) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I bought this book before my first backpacking trip, and it was extremely usefull. It covered every topic from getting fit before you leave to gear selection and first aid. A super usefull "what to bring" checklist, to make sure you don't forget anything before you leave, is included at the end of the book, as well as an excellent resource directory. I love the emphasis on specifics for women, as well as the quotes all through the book. Although I think it is true that no book can cover all there is to know about the subject, overall, the book is awsome and a must for beginners. It offers tips that I haven't seen in any other book, so it could be usefull to experienced hikers as well.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars everything you need to know and more, April 17, 2002

By	Elizabeth Donald "CultureGeek" (Edwardsville, IL) - See all my reviews

This book is tailored for the beginner, with enough specifics to make you feel ready to tackle the outdoors. But it also includes information you won't find in other books, like an at-home exercise regimen you can use to prepare your muscles for backpacking and how to pack your backpack to provide balance and stablility and how, exactly, do you walk with a backpack without hurting your joints? These are things you can only learn by taking to the trail with experienced guides, or by reading this book.