Welcome and thanks for reading. You have entered the world of “The Woman Gone Wild”. This is one article in a series written about women’s issues by a woman with issues. My issues stem from this deep down desire to be out in the wild, backpacking and hiking and now, I am finally going to put it to good use. Here I offer some of my best (and simplest) tips to help make women more comfortable and enjoy being on the trail.
Let’s get started at the beginning and assess the situation. Most people, when they go for their first backpacking trip, go with someone who has more experience and has been out before. It is also common to borrow or rent gear for ones first outing. That being said, it is important to take into consideration two key women specific issues to facilitate a positive backcountry experience: 1) when possible, use women specific gear or at least try it out, and 2) distribute any group gear not by equal weight but by equal percentage of body weight.
Using women specific gear is important for two main reasons. First, it can be a huge weight savings which will make anyone more comfortable carrying their load. Second, it is made to better suit a woman’s specific needs. The best example is when a woman who is 5’6” tall or shorter is using a men’s size regular bag. It’s absolutely crazy to be carrying around an extra 6 inches of sleeping bag. Its extra weight (or weight that could be used for extra insulation) and its extra energy needed to warm that space. Plus, women’s bags are usually stuffed so that there is extra insulation in the foot box, the core and the hood, as women are typically colder in those places. Now you’ve got a cold woman, carrying around extra weight. Not the best way to get someone to come back out for trip number two. Other women specific features to be on the look out for include: extra padding on hip belts, a more “v” shaped hip belt, narrower shoulder straps (although some women are more broad shouldered and might not like that option as much), and smaller (and typically lighter) carrying capacities for packs.
Distributing group gear by percentage of body weight as opposed to equal weight is important as well. Many women are typically smaller and lighter than their male counter parts, which seems to be who women go out with for their first trip. It is silly to think that group gear should be split evenly by weight. Calculations should be made so that everyone carries an equal percentage of their body weight. It’s also important to make novice women backpacker’s feel empowered and by “carrying their own weight” you are making them feel like a capable member of the team. This is a critical point with not just women but will all novice backpackers.
When it comes down to it, with any novice hiker, the main goal is to get them to want to go on another trip. These tips will help them be more comfortable on their feet but it’s the leader’s job to make sure that solid planning and reasonable expectations are set ahead of time to ensure the success of the back country experience.
Happy Trails,
“The Woman Gone Wild”
