MamasHealth.com Home Hiking Accessory Pages Hiking Backpack Hiking Boots Hiking Safely Walking Sticks Links Email Mama Clothing Care Tips Fitness Accessories	What is a Hiking Backpack? A hiking backpack is a backpack specifically designed to meet the physical demands of hiking. Most will provide stability and comfort to the hiker. What to look for when Buying a Hiking Backpack? Some features to look for are: Padded shoulder straps Too soft foam can pucker and cause hot spots. Curves and bends without creases will help prevent hot spots A waistbelt The waistbelt places the weight of the pack on your hips instead of on your shoulders. A waistbelt that cups over your hipbones maximizes the amount of weight-bearing surface area. A framesheet across the back. The framesheet is usually made of high-density polyethylene. The framesheet is designed to stiffen the back of the pack for better weight transfer. Prevents sharp, bulky items from poking your back. Back panel A back panel made of cooling material is best. The cooling material will help prevent a sweaty back. Top-loaders Top-loaders are backpacks designed designed for more than a weekend of hiking. Weight Cost Size Water resistance Number of zippers and pockets What To carry in your Backpack? When hiking, it is important to keep the backpack light and carry as few items as possible. The type of items you will need will depend on the duration of your hike. Some essential items are: Compass Waterand purifying tablets Extra food Rain gear Extra clothing Firestarter and matches First aid kit with blister treatments Swiss Army knife or multi-purpose tool Flashlight Sunglasses Sunscreen Orange Vest (For hunting season) Whistle (three blasts is the international signal for help)	Featured Book Advertise on MamasHealth.com Sign up for our Email Newsletter For Email Marketing you can trust
	Hot Topics: Domestic Violence: A pre-existing condition? Serena: The wanna be vegetarian Personal Story: How I recovered from my Eating Disorder Mama wants to help: Food Bank programs and shelter assistance Lucy Goes Green: Talk dirty to me How to avoid Swine Flu What no one will tell you about tummy tuck surgery Mama's favorite item of the week: Trees for the Future Foods for weight loss Win a Gift Bag filled with Goodies from Stonyfield
	Information obtained from MamasHealth.com™ should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or attention by a qualified practitioner, nor should it be inferred as such. Always check with your doctor if you have any questions or concerns about a specific condition. Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the Terms of Use. Contact us: PO Box 2170, Pasadena, CA 91102-2170 ©2000 - 2009 MamasHealth, Inc.™. All rights reserved