my wife wants to try backpacking.

[pointysticks]

my brother and i gushing over the fun we had infected her. she wants to try it. she has the gear, but it is heavier.

i think i need to go slow. maybe a 5-7 mile overnighter. i'll carry her heavier gear and shoulder all the heavy stuff..

any tips? other than dont crush her spirit on the first outing? hahaha.

hell, i'll pack a bottle of wine if i thought it would help.

[elkmtngear]

Best tip ever...stay on a well groomed trail. Biggest mistake I ever made on my first and last backpacking trip with my wife was trying to explore uncharted territory in some pretty rough terrain...had to make up for it with a really nice dinner and a motel bed after the first night out on the mountainside

[RockChucker30]

The secret to keeping my wife happy on the trail is comfort. I have to take plenty of bug spray, don't go traipsing off through briars, have plenty of hand wipes, tp, snacks, and decent food. And don't overdo it physically.

Guys and gals really are wired differently IME. Maybe I've got a wire loose, but the harder something is and the more I suffer going that last mile the more I like it. It seems like a great adventure to me and I love it. That don't fly for my wife. Stick to comfort.

P.S. make sure she doesn't get cold. Oftentimes my wife doesn't know how cool it can get even in the summer so I have to keep an eye on what she packs.

[bnsafe]

I would let her dictate when where and how far. congrats though, that's awesome.

[one_elk]

My wife and I have been backpacking togehter for the last thirty years and I would agree with “bnsafe” letting her dictate when, where and how far and I would add let her decide what she is comfortable carrying. My wife is 5’2” and a quarter (don’t want to forget the quarter…) and about 110# and she can comfortably carry 35 to 40#’s for between 5 to 7 miles a day…..Bottom line is to get her a quality pack that fits her well, let her be part of the decision making process and let her decide what she wants to carry and last but not least don’t underestimate what she can do especially when she is motivated. Best of luck to both of you and hopefully she will be kind enough to wait for you on trail (hahaha)

[Vanish]

Wife and I took a box of wine (1L ?) on one trip last year. Can't remember the brand but it was fantastic! I guess that kind of ruins the post...

My wife started me on backpacking, so I can't help too much there. Somehow I still end up with about 10 more pounds worth of stuff in my pack.

[one_elk]

Oddly or interestingly enough Clif bar also makes some boxed wines that are pretty good….

[Lefty]

My wife was a hardcore backpacker,.. and blew out her knee, she had surgury 9 years ago and a replacement a year ago in December.
We did some hiking and hunting together.
I still prefer to hunt with my daughters or wife over anyone else

Get her involved. keep it at her level.

[BarW]

She sets the pace, she loads her pack ( you take the rest ), she leads on the trail, she decides when to stop for breaks, you make camp and build the fire. Then you get to keep her warm at night. 5 to 7 miles in a day is prolly about the max. Good luck have fun