I’m not a gear junkie. I’m the opposite — I avoid buying new stuff until my current setup is basically falling apart, frayed, ripped, or just embarrassingly outdated. So when my back started hurting on longer PNW hikes, I blamed everything except my actual gear.
Turns out the problem wasn’t age or fitness or the trail being steep. It was my backpack… a twenty-dollar impulse buy from years ago that probably wasn’t meant for hiking in the first place.
Switching to a real backpack (finally)
After one too many hikes where my shoulders felt like they were trying to detach themselves from my body, I caved and bought a real hiking backpack. Nothing fancy — just one with:
- a proper hip belt
- padded shoulder straps
- a breathable back panel
- a couple decent pockets
Not exaggerating: it changed my entire hiking experience. Suddenly the weight shifted to my hips and my back stopped screaming.
A cheap foam sit-pad
I used to sit on rocks, logs, dirt, whatever was available. Then I bought a tiny foldable foam pad, and I swear it’s one of the best five-dollar purchases I’ve made. Dry. Warm. Comfortable. My future knees thank me.
Lightweight water bottle instead of insulated metal
Look, I love cold water as much as humanly possible. But insulated bottles weigh a lot. Switching to a lightweight bottle saved my back from carrying an extra half-pound for no reason.
Trail snack pouch
Laugh all you want, but digging for snacks ruins trail rhythm. I now use a small zip pouch for:
- trail mix
- gummies
- granola
- whatever random energy bar I forgot was in there
It’s convenient, and my mood stays much better.
The “less is more” lesson
You don’t need expensive gear. You just need gear that makes the trail easier on your body. Small things add up — and my back definitely notices when I’m using the right stuff.
