Reviews for Camping For Dummies

The average rating for Camping For Dummies based on 53 reviews is 4.0377358490566 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2020-05-24 00:00:00 Georgia Null Although the intro says this is not a book to be read straight through, that\'s exactly what I did. It was a good refresher on topics I\'d forgotten since my Girl Scouting years, and taught me a bit about backcountry camping that I did not know and hope to put to good use in the near future.

Review # 2 was written on 2008-03-31 00:00:00 Lee Bentley I left it out in the rain when we were staying at the beach. Dummy indeed.

Review # 3 was written on 2008-12-22 00:00:00 Andrew Stacy A good starting point for a camping \"dummy\" like me. The author doesn\'t try to sell the reader on certain brands, just gives helpful suggestions.

Review # 4 was written on 2009-10-19 00:00:00 Chris Bowman A perfect reference for newcomers to camping or people like me who just like to read about subjects they love as well as refresh my memory on things I may have forgotten. Love these For Dummies books! Next up- Fly Fishing for Dummies!

Review # 5 was written on 2021-09-14 00:00:00 Jaime Ryan Heintz Far too basic.

Review # 6 was written on 2014-09-26 00:00:00 Omar Ortega This 1884 book has never been out of print. For its first 70 years, that was probably due to utmost relevance. My reading of it still found applicable bits, tons in fact. Yet, there is much that is now distant and foreign, but in an entertaining way. First called, Woodcraft, later editions go by, Woodcraft and Camping. The author, George Washington Sears (1821 � 1890), wrote for Forest and Stream and was an early conservationist. Appearing under the pen name \"Nessmuk\", Sears popularized self-guided canoe camping tours in America�s Northeast and championed what is today called ultralight camping or ultralight backpacking. That is what I find interesting. The tension of being an adventure writer who promotes the great outdoors yet, who wishes no one responds to their prose and calls for exploring, less nature be impacted. Sears starts off hot. He indicts society for its free spending ways when people have money, and even when they don�t. He takes chip shots at the average summer traveler who gets poor return on investment for their leisure dollars. I loved his simple advice of going light when camping. Less is more to carry and for the budget. He emphasizes, never losing one�s cool when lost and never �quarrel with the compass�. Sears talks of bugs and how one young man was bit so bad that his eye closed and the brow hung over like a clamshell. The repellant solution? �Three ounces pine tar, two ounces castor oil, one ounce pennyroyal oil. Simmer all together over a slow fire, and bottle for use. You will hardly need more than a two-ounce vial full in a season.� Sears exhaustively covers knives, canoes, fishing lures, shelters, and camp sites. It is cooking advice that is simply awesome, �Everything has been cooked in a tin pail and a skillet�potatoes, tea, pork, mutton, slapjacks. You wonder how everything would have been prepared in so few utensils.� Great prose here suggesting Sears came from money but later struggled, �It is probably true that nothing connected with out-door life in camp is so badly botched as the cooking. It is not through any lack of the raw material, which may be had of excellent quality in any country village. It is not from lack of intelligence or education, for the men you meet in the woods, as outers or sportsmen, are rather over than under the average in these respects. Perhaps it is because it has been dinned into our ears from early childhood, that an appetite, a healthy longing for something good to eat, a tickling of the palate with wholesome, appetizing food, is beneath the attention of an aesthetic, intellectual man.� Then there is this specific advice: - To make perfect coffee, just two ingredients are necessary, and only two. These are water and coffee. It is owing to the bad management of the latter that we drink poor coffee. - Almost any man can cook potatoes, but few cook them well. Most people think them best boiled in their jackets, and to cook them perfectly in this manner is so simple and easy, that the wonder is how any one can fail. - And do not despise the fretful porcupine; he is better than he looks. If you happen on a healthy young specimen when you are needing meat, give him a show before condemning him. Shoot him humanely in the head, and dress him. But this is the best. �Fried squirrels are excellent for a change, but are mostly spoiled by poor cooks, who put tough old he\'s and tender young squirrels together, treating all alike. To dress and cook them properly, chop off heads, tails and feet with the hatchet; cut the skin on the back crosswise, and, inserting the two middle fingers, pull the skin off in two parts, (head and tail). Clean and cut them in halves, leaving two ribs on the hindquarters. Put hind and fore quarters into the kettle, and parboil until tender. This will take about twenty minutes for young ones, and twice as long for the old.� Sears was not known to have married. Perhaps this passage explains why, �I often have a call to pilot some muscular young friend into the deep forest, and he usually carries a large pack-basket, with a full supply of quart cans of salmon, tomatoes, peaches, etc. As in duty bound, I admonish him kindly, but firmly, on the folly of loading his young shoulders with such effeminate luxuries; often, I fear, hurting his young feelings by brusque advice. But at night, when the camp-fire burns brightly, and he begins to fish out his tins, the heart of the Old Woodsman relents, and I make amends by allowing him to divide the groceries.� Back to food, specifically spices. He suggests keeping it simple, �Do not carry any of the one hundred and one condiments, sauces, garnishes, etc., laid down in the books. Salt, pepper, and lemons fill the bill in that line. Lobster-sauce, shrimp-sauce, marjoram, celery, parsley, thyme, anchovies, etc., may be left at the hotels.� Sears� writing is fun. He calls canoes, �a poor man�s yacht�. Descriptions and the excitement behind running into armies of deer and turkey rival rich fiction but must be believed. His last lines speak to the tension of being both adventure writer and conservationist, �Wherefore, let us be thankful that there are still thousands of cool, green nooks beside crystal springs, where the weary soul may hide for a time, away from debts, duns and deviltries, and a while commune with nature in her undress. And with kindness to all true woodsmen; and with malice toward none, save the trout-hog, the netter, the cruster, and skin-butcher, let us prepare to turn in.� To help you out, here is a glossary of some terms. Duns means dullards. Trout-hog is an over fisher who does not share. Netter is a fisher who does not see the poor sportsmanship in using a net. A cruster tracks game too easily across crusted snow. And the skin-butcher wastes the meat.

Review # 7 was written on 2021-04-07 00:00:00 Kimberly Gilbert Everyone with an interest in the outdoors: camping, fishing, hunting, etc... should own this book. It isn't very long, can be read in one afternoon really. It is full of wonderful tips trick and anecdotes regarding getting along in the out doors. What to bring and not to bring, how to dress, etc. There are even some moral tips about not taking too much that I wish the vast majority of folks going out into nature would observe though, sadly, I know they do not. Add this one to your library!

Review # 8 was written on 2011-12-15 00:00:00 Melanie Davies Everyone with an interest in the outdoors: camping, fishing, hunting, etc... should own this book. It isn\'t very long, can be read in one afternoon really. It is full of wonderful tips trick and anecdotes regarding getting along in the out doors. What to bring and not to bring, how to dress, etc. There are even some moral tips about not taking too much that I wish the vast majority of folks going out into nature would observe though, sadly, I know they do not. Add this one to your library!

Review # 9 was written on 2013-01-02 00:00:00 Thomas Kolar Wow... What an absolute hidden gym. For context, I stumbled upon this book in learning about different historical outdoor tools and knives, and found the Esee JG5 (Nessmuk style) knife where I learned of a gentleman named George Washington Sears who's considered the father of this style blade and inventing the concept of ultralight backpacking. I decided to learn more about this man, and found this book he'd written back in the 1800's, and man I'm glad I did. This was a special read. I've been l

Review # 10 was written on 2019-10-28 00:00:00 Nicholas Denham Wow... What an absolute hidden gym. For context, I stumbled upon this book in learning about different historical outdoor tools and knives, and found the Esee JG5 (Nessmuk style) knife where I learned of a gentleman named George Washington Sears who\'s considered the father of this style blade and inventing the concept of ultralight backpacking. I decided to learn more about this man, and found this book he\'d written back in the 1800\'s, and man I\'m glad I did. This was a special read. I\'ve been largely cooped up inside with a new baby and my wife struggling with some health issues the past month, so this book was actually a very special read to me as it filled some of my yearning to be outside void. This book is packed full of some of the most profound timeless wisdom I\'ve ever read, especially for someone who has a love for sleeping under the stars, and even someone who feels a closer connection to our creator when surrounded by trees and wild life. While there are some sections that have specifics on dated concepts, such as building a cedar canoe, I didn\'t mind it one bit. Those sections were typically very short, and also surrounded by interesting stories. Overall, I was completely shocked with how relevant much of Mr. Sears\'s wisdom and advice still is. I also absolutely loved the poetry and literary genius he composed. Anyone who loves all things outside, and appreciates history, should read this. Favorite quotes: -\"I have found that nearly all who have a real love of nature and out-of-door-camp-life, spend a good deal of time and talk in planning future trips, or discussing the trips and pleasures gone by, but still dear to memory.\" Amen! No truer words have been said, brother... -\"For brick and mortar breed filth and crime, with a pulse of evil that throbs and beats; and men are withered before their prime by the curse paved in with the lanes and streets. And lungs are poisoned and shoulders bowed, in the smothering reek of mill and mine; and death stalks in on the struggling crowd-but he shuns the shadow of oak and pine.\" -He called \"over carries\" what we now call back packing. -\"Roughing it. The last phrase is very popular and always cropping out in the talks on matters pertaining to a vacation in the woods. I dislike the phrase. We do not go to the green woods and crystal waters to rough it, we go to smooth it. We get it rough enough at home; in towns and cities; in shops, offices, stores, banks-anywhere that we may be placed-with the necessity always present of being on time and up to our work; of providing for the dependent ones; of keep up, catching up or getting left... ...I am not writing for them; but only to those of the world\'s workers who go, or would like to go, every summer to the woods. And to these I would say, don\'t rough it; make it as smooth, as restful and pleasurable as you can.\" -\"Why should any sensible man spend years in acquiring an education that shall fit him for the struggle of life, yet refuse to spend a single day in learning how to cook the food that must sustain the life? It is one of the conundrums no one will ever find out.\" -And many more! Book rating criteria; to help objectify my ratings. 1. Will I read it again? Yes, certainly. 2. Would I recommend this to others? Yes, especially outdoorsy people, or people who appreciate history. 3. Am I smarter, better or wiser as a result of this book? Yes. 4. Was I entertained while reading this/it kept my attention? Yes, loved every minute of it. 5. This book was just the right length? Yes.

Review # 11 was written on 2021-02-23 00:00:00 Kenneth Deill I do not think I will be following all of this 19th century advice when I go into the woods, but the book was beautifully written. He bemoans the loss of wilderness, and I know that he would be worse than dismayed to see what's happened in the century (and change) since... in some ways. There was one sad incident in the book in which he goes to visit his friend in the woods, who was camping there for the summer with his wife and two small children. Who were sick. The children died. He remarked o

Review # 12 was written on 2019-11-29 00:00:00 Jeff Kuiper I do not think I will be following all of this 19th century advice when I go into the woods, but the book was beautifully written. He bemoans the loss of wilderness, and I know that he would be worse than dismayed to see what\'s happened in the century (and change) since... in some ways. There was one sad incident in the book in which he goes to visit his friend in the woods, who was camping there for the summer with his wife and two small children. Who were sick. The children died. He remarked on it as a sad incident, but it wasn\'t an unusual occurrence at all in those days. I would recommend this for reading for fun, more than for practical advice -- I was far more engaged by the storytelling than I expected to be.

Review # 13 was written on 2018-07-26 00:00:00 Richard Converse A classic work by a classic woodsman What can I say that others haven't? Little more if any. To each of us a classic such as this, crafted by no less than a legend, presents itself uniquely as an overlay to our own unique experiences. This there's nothing of likeness to compare it to. And thus it's common ground found with so many of us continues to make it a timeless classic.

Review # 14 was written on 2020-03-27 00:00:00 Andrew Childs A classic work by a classic woodsman What can I say that others haven\'t? Little more if any. To each of us a classic such as this, crafted by no less than a legend, presents itself uniquely as an overlay to our own unique experiences. This there\'s nothing of likeness to compare it to. And thus it\'s common ground found with so many of us continues to make it a timeless classic.

Review # 15 was written on 2021-08-06 00:00:00 Cary Grant So fun! The illustrations don't show up in this version, and most of the material is useless for modern camping. Even still, this book is a blast. It's so fun to read stories from over a hundred years ago and find so many recognizable personalities! The author tells stories of his adventures and adds in advice from years of outdoor experiences. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

Review # 16 was written on 2019-07-29 00:00:00 Dale Dashiell For a book written in the 1890's it's still a pretty good read. Feels somewhat incomplete of knowledge but combines story and technique in a way that still reads well today. I would consider it a classic outdoorsmen novel.

Review # 17 was written on 2021-03-06 00:00:00 Sharon Liccardo For a book written in the 1890\'s it\'s still a pretty good read. Feels somewhat incomplete of knowledge but combines story and technique in a way that still reads well today. I would consider it a classic outdoorsmen novel.

Review # 18 was written on 2017-07-07 00:00:00 Anguts Sadalak Good read for one who enjoys the outdoors This version does not have illustrations which takes a lot away from the reading experience. Still, the stories make one long for days gone by, and the advice gives a fascinating to into how camping was done without modern tools and toys.

Review # 19 was written on 2018-08-20 00:00:00 William Frashet Much more than camping and woodcraft. Starts off a guide on camping and woodcraft, and by degrees, transforms into a philosophical guide to life. "Ah, that thou couldn't know thy joy, are it passes barefoot boy!"

Review # 20 was written on 2018-09-05 00:00:00 Robert Sorrow Good stuff in here. Practical and enjoyable.

Review # 21 was written on 2017-09-15 00:00:00 Robin Foster interesting and inspiring. what a tough and practical charater. it was interesting to get his perspective on being in the outdoors and surving/living off the land. Oh how times have changed.

Review # 22 was written on 2017-11-13 00:00:00 Emily Cullings Entertaining and full of good knowledge. Would refer others to it. Easy read and has a nice flow to it. We should all take a 10 day trek on our own.

Review # 23 was written on 2019-03-06 00:00:00 Ernst Anderson Compared to other dated how-to books I do not understand why Nessmuk gets the praise he does. Important milestone, not needed anymore.

Review # 24 was written on 2020-04-19 00:00:00 Peter Moua Interesting read on 19th century camping, canoeing and fishing. This is more of a book of stories than it is a how-to: however, it contains great insight for the outdoorsman.

Review # 25 was written on 2020-11-22 00:00:00 Cor Enfa Want to see how your grand pappy did it? Sears is a unique historical perspective on adventure as the frontiers closed and we entere into a more modern era of interaction with nature.

Review # 26 was written on 2021-04-07 00:00:00 Stephen Kronshagen Excellent A must read for genuine outdoorsmen and woodsmen. Full of experience, wisdom, information and sound woods lore. You will not regret this purchase.

Review # 27 was written on 2021-04-15 00:00:00 Alethea Weese Underwhelming. It's so much tied up in overly specific and old fashioned jargon that the useful anecdotes and bushcrafty advice get lost. Glad I read it, but equally glad I'm done.

Review # 28 was written on 2018-05-23 00:00:00 Joseph Charlot Underwhelming. It\'s so much tied up in overly specific and old fashioned jargon that the useful anecdotes and bushcrafty advice get lost. Glad I read it, but equally glad I\'m done.

Review # 29 was written on 2021-07-05 00:00:00 Jason Newton I want to go camping with the author. I know, he's long since passed on from this mortal coil, yet I still would go camping with the old woodsman. At the start of the book I didn't realize the author had quite a dry, and somewhat cutting, wit. Mt first experience with his wit had me scratching my head a bit. I wasn't sure how serious, or not, he was. I figured out his style fairly quick and proceeded to enjoy his dry asides. For example "If you go to hunt, take a solemn oath never to point the sh

Review # 30 was written on 2021-04-13 00:00:00 Gerald Panneton I want to go camping with the author. I know, he\'s long since passed on from this mortal coil, yet I still would go camping with the old woodsman. At the start of the book I didn\'t realize the author had quite a dry, and somewhat cutting, wit. Mt first experience with his wit had me scratching my head a bit. I wasn\'t sure how serious, or not, he was. I figured out his style fairly quick and proceeded to enjoy his dry asides. For example \"If you go to hunt, take a solemn oath never to point the shooting end of your gun toward yourself or any other human being. In still-hunting, swear yourself black in the face never to shoot at a dim, moving object in the woods for a deer, unless you have seen that it is a deer. In these days there are quite as many hunters as deer in the woods; and it is a heavy, wearisome job to pack a dead or wounded man ten or twelve miles out to a clearing, let alone that it spoils all the pleasure of the hunt, and is apt to raise hard feelings among his relations.\" Here\'s another: \"Rods, reels, casting lines, flies and fish are described and descanted on in a way, and in a language, the reading whereof reduces me to temporary insanity.\" A couple of things struck me while reading, he doesn\'t concern himself at all about hunting or fishing licenses. He doesn\'t concern himself with hunting seasons as defined by the some state\'s Department of Wildlife. I assume such things were newly minted at the most, and possibly didn\'t exist at all during his time. Another was he didn\'t talk about water except how to fish in it or cook with it. Again, I assume he didn\'t talk about it because it was a non issue. Water was drinkable, by and large, wherever he camped. So no need to discuss how to purify it because it didn\'t need it. I was impressed on how light he packed. \"I made calculations on losing the trail the first day, and being out a full week. The outfit consisted of rifle, hatchet, compass, blanket-bag, knapsack and knife. For rations, one loaf of bread, two quarts of meal, two pounds of pork, one pound of sugar, with tea, salt, etc., and a supply of jerked venison. One tin dish, twelve rounds of ammunition, and the bullet-molds, filled the list, and did not make a heavy load.\" That\'s all he packed for a 10 day hike across nearly uncharted territory at the time, with no GPS, or a chance of running into another single soul the entire trip. He made the trip successfully then warned the reader to never be as foolhardy as he was. Technology has changed; newer, lighter materials make up a plethora of equipment, and yet the desire to \"get away from it all\" remains. Something ancient in the soul still touches a few, and merely asks them to commune with nature outside the comforts we\'ve painstakingly created for our society. Something insides asks to rub against Nature in a most unfiltered state and enjoy her offerings as they come. The author sits on a fallen log, enjoying a smoke while someone like me flails about the campsite, trying to capture, even for a brief moment, what the old woodsman effortlessly exhibits. It\'s old, it\'s dated, it\'s a quite gem, a classic in it\'s own right.

Review # 31 was written on 2014-04-30 00:00:00 Joseph Carmeci This slim volume is written with surprising erudition and humility and is frequently humorous and full of the wisdom and confidence that is the fruit of direct experience. Nessmuk's diagnosis of our propensity to over-work and the failure to balance this with restorative recreation (rather than frenzied consumer-driven "vacations"), along with his casual but clear-eyed criticism of wasteful practices (taking more than one needs - be it wood or game) gives the book a subtle moral stance. He advis

Review # 32 was written on 2021-05-15 00:00:00 Lol Lol This slim volume is written with surprising erudition and humility and is frequently humorous and full of the wisdom and confidence that is the fruit of direct experience. Nessmuk\'s diagnosis of our propensity to over-work and the failure to balance this with restorative recreation (rather than frenzied consumer-driven \"vacations\"), along with his casual but clear-eyed criticism of wasteful practices (taking more than one needs - be it wood or game) gives the book a subtle moral stance. He advises certain techniques or materials to ensure that camp is safe and comfortable and that campers maximize their leisure in and enjoyment of their surroundings - but it is easy to conclude that the general push towards simplicity builds a sort of ethics in those who practice it (at least, during their stay in the woods) as well. Some of the things he talks about seem amusingly or wistfully outdated (e.g. going \"frogging\" with a piece of red felt on a fishing line) since it is nearly 90 years on from the time of his writing (and many of his woodland treks that he describes were taken 40 years before that). While clever, some of his cooking methods may seem outmoded, and some of his shelters may seem overly-elaborate since we have lost the need or knowledge for many of the skills a person would likely have had in his generation (waterproofing your own cotton using lye?). He also seems to go back and forth either providing excessive detail, or more often insufficient detail depending on the task. That said, there isn\'t anything described that seems foolish or unworkable, and the majority of his advice remains just as helpful and true as it was when he first published it. He also provides plenty of wry anecdotes to explain why you might want to heed his suggestions (usually by highlighting the humorous folly of other campers, hunters, etc. in contrast) which alone make this book a simple pleasure to read.

Review # 33 was written on 2009-03-26 00:00:00 Sandy Morgan This book, which is was originally written in 1884, will seem dated to most readers... and not merely because of the writing style. It also describes a kind of camping that is nearly extinct, in part because the backcountry wilderness in which it took place is also all too rare. Many 'modern' campers are so indoctrinated in Leave No Trace principles (whether they know it or not), they would be unable to conceive that the forest could once have been so bent to man's will and for his comfort. Whil

Review # 34 was written on 2021-07-01 00:00:00 Gregorio Vetol This book, which is was originally written in 1884, will seem dated to most readers... and not merely because of the writing style. It also describes a kind of camping that is nearly extinct, in part because the backcountry wilderness in which it took place is also all too rare. Many \'modern\' campers are so indoctrinated in Leave No Trace principles (whether they know it or not), they would be unable to conceive that the forest could once have been so bent to man\'s will and for his comfort. While most backwoods campers would not wish to cut down so many trees as Nessmuk describes, most would appreciate more than one tip or technique that the old backwoodsman details in his book. I discovered an old way of cooking campfire bread that I plan to try, and any fisherman who picks up this book will find a trove of tricks and advice. The most striking thing about this book is its description of a natural world that is long gone, and which was rapidly going even when Nessmuk was writing about it. I wonder if he would be pleased with our National Park System, which was years from being established when Nessmuk died in 1890. No, we really cannot camp exactly like the woodsman of the 1800s, but backpackers and car campers alike can all take away some lessons from this book, which is infused with a lifetime of experience and passion for the outdoors.

Review # 35 was written on 2016-08-19 00:00:00 Jonathan Ruiz I was looking for a decent book about some survival skills that might become useful in the wilderness but was very disappointed. The outdoor camping skills in this book are very outdated and only cover the very basics. The first two chapters are about what types of clothes to pack. I was very disappointed in this book, but what can I expect from a free kindle download. If you want to read a about wilderness experiences with boys and white haired men that set up camp and go fishing this is the bo

Review # 36 was written on 2014-01-06 00:00:00 Henry Jennings probably more like a two and a half. it was well written and thorough. it was a little dry, but had a lot of useful information for a professional camper. he did relay a couple of incidents but the book was mostly how to prepare camp, how to cook, which foods are most useful. he also had a lot of not to dos. did most of his camping in pa and ny. the Adirondacks ARE awesome. I think Adirondack state park is the biggest state park in the country. don't read unless you are a crazily avid camper or

Review # 37 was written on 2020-04-08 00:00:00 Allan Davis probably more like a two and a half. it was well written and thorough. it was a little dry, but had a lot of useful information for a professional camper. he did relay a couple of incidents but the book was mostly how to prepare camp, how to cook, which foods are most useful. he also had a lot of not to dos. did most of his camping in pa and ny. the Adirondacks ARE awesome. I think Adirondack state park is the biggest state park in the country. don\'t read unless you are a crazily avid camper or in a reading contest.

Review # 38 was written on 2014-07-20 00:00:00 Harold Wilcox A good book to take a look at how camping was a hundred years ago or more when meals did not come prepackaged and gps didn't exist. Contains the invention of a certain type of canoe that can still be seen in the Smithsonian. I wouldn't recommend buying this version though because it doesn't have any illustrations. So, trust me and get the 99 cent version with illustration so you better understand what the author is going on about. Otherwise it's a good bet you'll get lost with the author's techn

Review # 39 was written on 2015-05-06 00:00:00 Jack May Very interesting to see an advocate an practitioner of lightweight backpacking from the early 1900s. Didn't even know that was possible (he talks about carrying 26 lbs - including a canoe). But it does depend on things most can't really duplicate these days: cutting down half the forest for warm fires, being really small, lots of work building shelters, etc. Incidentally, it's apparently out of copyright. E.g.

Review # 40 was written on 2015-08-15 00:00:00 Luan Huynh Very interesting to see an advocate an practitioner of lightweight backpacking from the early 1900s. Didn\'t even know that was possible (he talks about carrying 26 lbs - including a canoe). But it does depend on things most can\'t really duplicate these days: cutting down half the forest for warm fires, being really small, lots of work building shelters, etc. Incidentally, it\'s apparently out of copyright. E.g.

Review # 41 was written on 2013-01-06 00:00:00 Viviana Villarreal If you admire nature and the great outdoors at all, this book is where you should start off all the rest of your nature-literature readings. Read Nessmuk before you read John Muir, before you read Aldo Leopold, before you read Edward Abbey; and even before Thoreau, Whitman, and Emerson. You will probably still find that this is still the best of them all.

Review # 42 was written on 2012-06-21 00:00:00 John Stepp This is a very fun read. Nessmuk (Sears) is humorous at times as well as informative. Sadly his world has been destroyed by human expansion. Our forests can no longer be roamed freely for weeks on end living off the bounty Mother Nature provides. His lessons are still relevant: although they will require some modification relative to local law.

Review # 43 was written on 2013-04-11 00:00:00 Sharyn Sytsma An absolutely excellent book on the basics of backpacking and being outdoors. Each section was copiously detailed with the general knowledge and more in depth knowledge where needed. The author provided many tertiary resources to continue the learning. In particular, I loved the middle of the book the most. This included the Leave No Trace chapter, Wilderness Travel chapter, and the Weather chapter. I learned the most from them as I was the most ignorant in those areas. I highly recommend this book if you have gone on a few trips or looking to backpack.

Review # 44 was written on 2015-09-21 00:00:00 Tina Maeder Extremely useful backpacking/camping/wilderness survival book. Small enough to be taken with you when go hiking, but you'll need to keep it from getting wet obviously. Very comprehensive section on wilderness emergencies and injury treatment that was quite useful on a recent wilderness survival course.

Review # 45 was written on 2011-07-30 00:00:00 Julia Aleman While the book is pretty thorough, I was disappointed that it didn't cover hot-weather backpacking in more detail. There's a lot of emphasis on winter backpacking (which is reasonable since there's so much that's different from typical three-season trips), but high temperature/high humidity trips are only covered in a line or two here and there. Otherwise, this is a great resource.

Review # 46 was written on 2012-03-29 00:00:00 Jessica Lowrie Nice guide for backpackers. I am new to backpacking and camping and this book is a good reference guide of what i need to know. The book covers skills on all of the basics - picking out your gear/equipment, nutrition, navigation, weather, first aid, etc, etc. I will be adding this book to my pack until i am no longer a newbie.

Review # 47 was written on 2012-12-09 00:00:00 Juan Gonzales Excellent backpacking and outdoors skills info by the man who developed Princeton University's outdoor education program (the backpacking freshman orientation week before starting college there. His program became a national model for other colleges.)

Review # 48 was written on 2008-03-29 00:00:00 Terence Mullins Good reference book. I would recommend for anyone thinking about taking their first backpacking trip. The book covers all the major topics for backpacking. The section on first aid could have been more concise, but would rather have a thorough book than one without any detail.

Review # 49 was written on 2016-01-24 00:00:00 Richard Mac Dowell This is the backpacking book that I carry around the most. It can truly be considered a handbook� it�s compact but quite information-packed. (However, I don�t know if any handbook can truly be comprehensive.)

Review # 50 was written on 2019-09-12 00:00:00 Star Blanche Pretty good... Filled with info for anyone preparing a trip "Into The Wild..."

Review # 51 was written on 2008-04-04 00:00:00 Anthony Edwards Really good skills/basics for camping/backpacking. As I want to camp more often, and have zero skills in the realm this book will be my main resource.

Review # 52 was written on 2010-02-23 00:00:00 Chris Reed thorough review of backpacking skills. another essential for first time backpackers.

Review # 53 was written on 2010-08-08 00:00:00 Jason Coler Wouldn't have known where to even start my first long distance hike without the knowledge I gleaned from this book. Terrific source and written in a way that makes it not so textbook like and boring.