Description:
It's not every day you find a how-to guide that's laugh-out-loud funny--which is why, in addition to being a handy resource, The Outward Bound Backpacker's Handbook is such a treat. Author and mountaineer Glenn Randall entertains as he teaches, using witty accounts from a lifetime in the outdoors to illustrate lessons on packing light, planning a route, keeping warm in the cold, and steering clear of mosquitoes, bears, and poisonous plants. A beautiful alpine hike spoiled by "toilet paper flowers" along the trail highlights, for instance, the need for sanitation in the backcountry; a miserable, soggy night spent in a down sleeping bag shows the importance of choosing the right gear. Veteran backpackers will recognize the accuracy of Randall's advice (and even learn a few things), while greenhorns will find excellent instruction on the essentials, from reading a topographic map to cooking outdoors to crossing a mountain stream. Randall devotes half the pages to shopping for gear, which might seem odd considering this is a book on exploring the great outdoors. But, as the author notes, choosing the right equipment can be half the battle. The Handbook addresses questions like: How warm a sleeping bag do you need? Is Gore-Tex gear really worth it? Why is cotton fabric a no-no in the outdoors? What are the pros and cons of internal-frame backpacks? After covering equipment, the Handbook turns to outdoor instruction, offering advice on map-and-compass orienteering, selecting a campsite, purifying water, camping cleanly, hiking with children, and first aid (for a thorough examination of this last topic, try The Outward Bound Wilderness First-Aid Handbook). Throughout, Randall's tone remains laid-back and conversational, as if he were sharing his expertise around the campfire. Fellow mountaineer and Into Thin Air author Jon Krakauer calls this "without question the best backpacking manual I've ever seen," and after reading The Outward Bound Backpacker's Handbook, you may well agree. --Demian McLean
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