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Backpacking: A Woman's Guide
by Adrienne Hall
Available from Amazon
$10.17
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Features
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: 11.2 ounces
Product 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.
Reader Reviews
This is an excellent "how to" book which is geared towards the novice backpacker. But it's also fun to peruse even if you're a veteran of the trails. Hall writes well and has a good sense of humor about the topic. The way the book is organized is exceptional: each chapter is fairly brief, and there are small "side bars" with additional information on various subjects, such as hydration, bears, food preparation and tending to your gear. If you have never backpacked previously, this is essential reading. I can't imagine attempting any lengthy trek without knowing the info presented here. While much of it is common sense material, there is an abundance of other topics which don't seem to be addressed in other backpacking guides. As for the title, it's misleading. Men can get just as much enjoyment from the book as the ladies. There really is not much gender-specific commentary in the book. If you want a funny, yet absorbing, look at backpacking, this is your book.
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