On the trail from Lyon to Le-Puy, France 2009.

Making Light – Introduction

A Stroll Through Longwalking Tips & Techniques…

Making Light is a series of articles on observations and lessons learned about how to lighten the load of your backpack. The focus is preparation for a long-distance walk, mainly on trails and back roads, with occasional off-trail forays.

The context is 3-season hiking, from village to village, inn to hotel to guest house to gîte d’etape to chambre d’hote, etc. – or at least, to a dry place to throw down a sleeping bag. The pro forma trip duration is 30 days.

Many of the techniques apply for other types of walks in any season, and obviously, one’s own plans and choices for a specific walk need to be modified based on season, terrain, objectives, skills, needs and wants. Use your own judgment; make your own decisions.

The ideas and examples here are ones we’ve tried that have worked for us, but they might not be the best solution for you, or the lightest one possible. But with any luck at all, you’ll discover a tip or two to help you “make light”.

As always, we welcome your thoughts and suggestions, so please add your comments, or contact us through: info AT longwalking DOT com.