This video features the book The Most Crucial Knots To Know
https://aaronrlinsdau.com/nonfiction/the-most-crucial-knots-to-know/
Watch the video:
When I first started backpacking, there are a few skills I really wish I’d learned sooner. One of the biggest is knowing when, and how, to set up your tent quickly. That single skill can shape how the rest of your evening goes.
If you spend half an hour fumbling with your tent and daylight fades, you’re suddenly cooking and eating in the dark while stumbling around camp. That’s when gear gets lost and injuries happen. It’s something you want to avoid.
Your tent setup should be fast and deliberate. Practicing at home until it’s automatic makes a huge difference once you’re tired and reaching camp late.
Before you ever arrive at camp, take care of your feet. Midday foot care is extremely important. While hiking, it’s worth stopping briefly to let your feet air out. I do this at least once a day, usually at lunch, since I’m already stopped, often near a creek or a quiet spot.
I take off my shoes, pull off my Brooks trail runners, remove my Smartwool socks, and let my feet breathe. Even ten minutes of airflow can completely change how your feet feel for the rest of the day.
When you reach camp, pay attention to wind while cooking. A breeze can easily blow out a stove flame without you realizing it, leaving you with cold food or wasted fuel.
Using a proper wind block for your stove helps prevent this and also improves efficiency. Keeping heat focused on your pot means your food cooks faster and with less fuel.
All of these practical skills matter, including knot tying. In The Most Crucial Knots to Know, I cover the knots you’re realistically likely to need for backpacking and camping so you can operate with confidence.
Another challenge I faced as a beginner was learning how to adjust my pack while moving. If something felt off, I’d stop, fiddle with straps, then continue. Those small stops add up quickly.
A single minute lost can cost you 100 yards or 100 meters. Do that fifteen times in a day and you’ve lost about a mile, or 1.6
kilometers. It doesn’t sound like much until you feel it.
I learned this lesson while climbing Gannett Peak in Wyoming’s Wind River Range. I kept wondering why my progress felt slow until I realized how often I was stopping to adjust my belt or shoulder straps. That kind of constant tweaking will slow you down fast.
Beginner backpackers also tend to overlook emergency planning. If your phone has no service and your Garmin InReach or satellite communicator fails, you need another way to signal for help.
Many people don’t think about signaling at all. Do you have a whistle? Do you have a signal mirror? Without them, you’re extremely hard to locate.
Preparation matters out here.
—
Aaron R. Linsdau is a keynote speaker and polar explorer. Book Aaron for your next event or learn more at https://www.aaronlinsdau.com
Read his thriller books at https://www.aaronrlinsdau.com