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Product Description
Product Description
Winner of the Outdoor Writers Guild award for excellence, this inspired guide from one of the world's best-traveled adventurers offers essential, up-to-the-minute information and advice on all aspects of backcountry trekking for hikers and backpackers of every stripe. From planning and techniques to gear, it's all covered in succinct, highly readable fashion in an expanded, visually arresting update of a proven bestseller. "The Backpacker's Handbook" is the only major guide to deliver an in-depth look at all backpacking styles, from ultralight to long-distance hiking. New material on trekking in challenging environments such as deserts and mountains will appeal to hikers who love to push the envelope. Chris Townsend's anecdotal style makes for a book that invites reading from cover to cover, yet is designed to let readers find specific topics quickly. "The Backpacker's Handbook" teaches us how to make traveling through the wild truly enjoyable and fulfilling while protecting its natural beauty.
From the Back Cover
" . . . the joy of walking through the ever-changing, ever-constant natural world, the magic of waking to sunlight glinting on a mist-wreathed lake, the excitement of striding through a mountain storm. . . . " These, wrote Chris Townsend in the universally praised first edition of The Backpacker's Handbook, are but some of the reasons to backpack. Here is all you need to do so safely and comfortably.
In this thoroughly revised and updated Second Edition, Townsend uses his gently encouraging tone and his own experiences to show what can go wrong. He is slave to neither tradition nor to technology: He recommends pile and Gore-Tex, and has long since abandoned his tarp for a tent, but he still prefers wool socks. And because he believes that "wilderness needs defending from those who love it," Townsend's emphasis throughout is on low-impact camping.
The First Edition's success was due to its enormous practicality for backpackers of all skill levels, with everything from essential techniques for every backpacking trip such as map and compass work to the skills needed for more remote wilderness journeys such as how to ford rivers safely and how to choose a route in untracked terrain. To this now add such topics as hiking in deserts, ultralight backpacking, and adventure trekking in distant corners of the globe.
The Backpacker's Handbook teaches us how to make traveling through the wild truly enjoyable and fulfilling while protecting its natural beauty. Townsend's advice is always sensible, rarely doctrinaire, never condescending.
"Every imaginable topic, from choosing and using equipment, to wilderness nutrition and cooking, to backcountry skills and hazards, is covered thoroughly and engagingly." Backpacker
"The novice as well as the experienced hiker should benefit from this book." Travel Books Worldwide
"Townsend has written a clear and comprehensive primer on backpacking gear. His knowledge in this area is immense." Sierra
"For those thinking of taking a backpack journey, The Backpacker's Handbook is required reading." Daily Local News (West Chester, Pennsylvania)
"The most up-to-date and comprehensive guide to equipment and technique available anywhere. Highly recommended." Backpack (UK)
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
Backpacking isn't difficult, but it does require both physical and mental preparation. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Backpacking isn't difficult, but it does require both physical and mental preparation. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Backpackers lost a great tradition with the ending of Colin Fletcher's "The Complete Walker" series; the third edition was published in the mid-80s. Chris Townsend has continued the tradition, however, with a classic text for the beginning (or advanced) backpacker. Townsend's clear writing, love of the outdoors, years of experience and clear opinions shine on almost every page. It is simply impossible for one person to test and evaluate every piece of backpacking equipment on the market. So what criteria to use to judge if the text has accomplished its goal? First, the coverage of equipment is extensive. Footware, packs, clothes, shelter (tents, etc.), sleeping bags, kitchen items, food and other necessary items are all discussed in the various chapters. Second, within each category a reasonable number of different items have been tested. An example is the section on backpacking stoves. Virtually all kinds of stoves are mentioned and discussed. Third, the evaluations are clear, reasoned and blunt. For these reasons, as well as being based on years of experience, the evaluations come across as fair and trustworthy. Fourth, the author's bias are clearly indicated. For example, side bars read like this: "Lightweight Rain Jackets: My Choices". Having the author evaluate the alternatives, then justify his own choice of a particular piece of gear adds greatly to the text. Townsend is not afraid to take what might seem to be unpopular stands. For example, in the section on water treatment in the wilderness (p. 199-201), he downplays the need to treat every drop of water you drink using some type of purification system. He does, however, mention a far more important health problem of not washing your hands and keeping cooking utensils clean. The latter two probably contribute more to sickness than untreated water. Such frank and concise opinions are woven throughout the text. Both the beginning backpacker and the seasoned pro who want a wonderful summary of the state-of-the-art of backpacking equipment and procedures will have to hike a long trail to find a better book than this. My only suggestion for the next edition is to double the content and halve the weight so that I might carry the book with me for reading in the outdoors! The book is an essential piece of backpacking gear!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Chris Townsend is vastly experienced and knows his subject backwards. This would be a wonderful book, EXCEPT for one thing: it is very, very US oriented.
The language, spelling etc. are one thing. There is much reference to US locations. Many problems dealt with at length [eg: bear proof food caches] seldom apply in Europe. Worst of all, the book devotes much space to reviewing types and makes of equipment and gear - clothing, tents, packs, cookware etc etc - and this is all of very limited value unless you live in the USA.
Great book for AmericansTHE BACKPACKER'S HANDBOOK
The language, spelling etc. are one thing. There is much reference to US locations. Many problems dealt with at length [eg: bear proof food caches] seldom apply in Europe. Worst of all, the book devotes much space to reviewing types and makes of equipment and gear - clothing, tents, packs, cookware etc etc - and this is all of very limited value unless you live in the USA.
Great book for AmericansTHE BACKPACKER'S HANDBOOK
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Thoroughly compehensive in detail and enjoyable to read. Mr. Townsend covers all aspects of backpacking with very informative knowledge and excellent suggestions from camping gear to proper fitness. Highly recommended reading to anyone who is interested in this area.
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