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View Full Version : Hiking vs. Backpacking



funbun
05-29-2006, 10:54
What's the difference between hiking and backpacking? Is backpacking more like camping or what?

Footslogger
05-29-2006, 11:00
Pretty much symantics in my opinion. What do you think the difference is ?? If YOU don't think there's any difference that's probably all that matters.

'Slogger

Ender
05-29-2006, 11:09
I've always thought of it this way... hiking can be with a backpack or not, but backpacking is with a backpack. That's just me though... other people will probably have different ideas on this.

funbun
05-29-2006, 11:09
Yeah, for me hiking, backpacking, camping, and bicycle touring are all the same to me. An outdoorsman is an outdoorsman.

Seeker
05-29-2006, 12:15
to me, hiking is walking outdoors, while camping is sleeping outside, even in your back yard. backpacking is 'walking camping' as opposed to car- or bike-camping.

Programbo
05-29-2006, 12:38
I have to go along with the "walking camping" idea....Backpacking is "hiking" combined with camping and you carry all your gear on you back...And if I may add.."Hiking" to me implies more than simply covering a distance on foot...Thus I don`t consider many of the extreme sports type people who only use the Appalachian Trail as a course on which to stage their ultra marathon events to be "hiking" or to be "hikers" (At that particular time..They may be hikers normally but during those type of events they are not "Hiking")

Blue Jay
05-29-2006, 20:44
Hiking is completely different from backpacking. Hiking is the same as going to the mall or bowling, because you remain hopelessly chained to a several ton piece of plastic and steel. In most cases, unless you are hiking inn to inn, you have to get back to it before too long or you die from oil withdrawl. It's an addiction more powerful than most drugs, in fact people are dying every single day to provide you with this piece of steel. Backpacking you have the opportunity to cut this chain, if only for a day, in some cases for the first time in your life.

ANHINGA
05-29-2006, 20:58
That "oil addiction" extends to the various plastics and synthetic materials you wear and carry with you into the woods under the delusion you've broken free, so try not to be overly sanctimonious. We are all deeply complicit in our addiction to a world transformed by aromatic chemistry. That said, backpacking and hiking are less injurious to the environment than, say, motor racing for a hobby. Going in circles dangerously, now there's a novel way to spend your disposable income.

Walkingdude
05-29-2006, 22:09
Good grief. There's a huge difference between backpacking and hiking! It's the freaking backpack! I do lots of both. When hiking, I may take a water bottle and a belt pouch with emergency stuff. Hiking is also rarely an overnight kind of thing. At least not so much here in the States.

Just Jeff
05-29-2006, 23:51
I think backpacking means you have to hike in, with a backpack, and camp with what's on your back.

If you go on a day hike with a backpack, you're still not backpacking. You're day hiking.

Great first post, anhinga.

Blue Jay
05-30-2006, 07:21
That "oil addiction" extends to the various plastics and synthetic materials you wear and carry with you into the woods under the delusion you've broken free, so try not to be overly sanctimonious. We are all deeply complicit in our addiction to a world transformed by aromatic chemistry.

My point exactly. How did people walk prior to synthetics, it'd clearly impossible. No sanctimony, just fact.

icemanat95
05-30-2006, 08:38
Semantics can be fun...it can also be a bastard. Get on a martial arts board some time and ask about the difference between budo and bujutsu...things get messy from there.

I've always considered hiking to be a general term referencing any sort of walk in the woods or mountains or wherever, irrespective of distance, terrain, intention to camp overnight, etc.

Backpacking is a more specific subset of hiking in which at least one overnight stay on the trail is intended and all appropriate gear for said stay is carried. That's only my interpretation though and others may have different opinions....

Gray Blazer
05-30-2006, 09:33
One difference-a store can hike up prices but they can't backpack prices.:rolleyes: