Backpacking is one of the most liberating ways to experience the outdoors. When you carry everything you need on your back, you are free to explore remote trails, rugged landscapes, and wild terrain. You move at your own pace and follow your own path.

For many, backpacking is a way of life. It brings together endurance, simplicity, and a strong connection to nature.

Types of backpacking

Backpacking can take many forms, depending on your goals, terrain, and comfort preferences. Here are some of the most common styles:

Wilderness backpacking

Wilderness backpacking takes you into remote landscapes where you carry everything you need and depend entirely on your own preparation. It offers a chance to disconnect from the noise and move through nature on its own terms. You cross valleys, follow ridgelines, and camp far from the nearest road. With each day, you grow stronger, more focused, and more in tune with the world around you.

This kind of journey brings a rare clarity. You learn to read the weather, adapt to the terrain, and find joy in simple routines like filtering water, setting up camp, and watching the light shift over distant peaks. The quiet moments feel earned. The challenges remind you what you’re capable of. And the solitude, broken only by wind or birdsong, is something you carry long after the trail ends.

Thru-Hiking

Wilderness thru-hiking invites you to spend weeks or even months deep in nature, traveling full trails from beginning to end. Iconic routes like Kungsleden, Hardangervidda, or Norge på Langs cross rugged terrain and shifting climates. They offer a raw and continuous experience that challenges both your body and your mindset. You move with the rhythm of the land, through forests, over mountains, and along quiet lakes. Each day, you carry what you need and find clarity in the simplicity of the journey.

Each step builds endurance and self-reliance. You navigate remote terrain, adapt to the elements, and live by the trail’s pace. Meals become moments of rest and reward, and even the smallest comforts take on new meaning. There’s a quiet satisfaction in knowing you’ve earned every mile, every view, and every sunrise seen from a sleeping bag. In a world that moves fast, thru-hiking offers the chance to slow down and stay present for the long road ahead.

Fastpacking

Fastpacking is for those who crave speed, simplicity, and wild terrain in one go. It combines the endurance of trail running with the self-reliance of ultralight backpacking, letting you cover long distances quickly while staying deeply connected to the landscape. With only essential gear and a light pack, you move through valleys, over ridgelines, and across remote trails that demand both effort and focus.

Every day brings a new stretch of trail, powered by your own rhythm and decisions. You hike when the terrain steepens, run when it opens up, and camp wherever you end the day. There’s freedom in moving fast, with less to carry and more ground to explore. Fastpacking lets you experience the outdoors in a stripped-back, high-energy way that rewards both strength and restraint.

Base camp backpacking

Base camp backpacking gives you the freedom to explore more while reducing strain. You hike in, set up a central camp, and spend the next few days taking light day trips to ridge tops, alpine lakes, and quiet forests. Each evening, you return to the same familiar and comfortable spot. This approach lets you enjoy the outdoors with more flexibility, better rest, and no need to repack your entire kit each morning.

This approach opens up creative and flexible adventures. One day might be a sunrise summit with just a small pack, the next a relaxed afternoon by the water. You carry your full gear only once, making space for extras like better sleep systems, camera gear, or warm meals. Base camping works especially well in national parks, mountain valleys, and scenic hubs, where each outing can start fresh and end with your boots off and a hot meal ready.

Urban or cultural backpacking

Urban and cultural backpacking invites you to travel through discovery, connection, and movement. Instead of remote trails, you explore lively neighborhoods, museums, local cafés, and historic landmarks. You carry a small pack and follow a flexible plan. Moving between cities on foot, by metro, or by train, you follow rhythm and curiosity through architecture, street food, music, and conversation.

This way of traveling offers freedom without strict schedules. One day might lead you through centuries-old alleyways, while the next brings you to contemporary art or local festivals. By staying light and moving with purpose, you experience cities not just as a visitor but as a temporary local. You blend into daily life and take part in the culture as it happens.

What backpackers love to do

Backpacking offers a way to connect with wild places and follow the rhythm set by nature. It often takes you across alpine ridges, through dense forests, over highland plateaus, and along coastal paths. Each landscape brings its own mix of freedom and challenge.

Nights are usually spent under open skies, with the sounds of wind, wildlife, and silence. There is meaning in the practical routines. You navigate by map, read the terrain, and move with purpose. Some take time to write or capture photos, preserving the raw beauty around them. Others cool off in mountain lakes, washing away trail dust and relaxing tired legs.

Reaching a summit brings wide views and a quiet sense of progress. But it’s often the small moments that leave the deepest impression: walking in rhythm, setting camp, cooking a simple meal, or exchanging stories with fellow hikers. Over time, this way of living becomes something steady, grounding, and quietly transformative.

How backpackers stay fueled with the right food for backpacking

Long days on the trail call for food that provides energy without adding weight. Backpackers choose high-calorie meals that are easy to pack and simple to prepare. This becomes even more important when conditions change or time is limited. Their food needs to stay reliable across rough terrain, shifting weather, and basic gear. That is why meals for backpacking must be both practical and purposeful.

Dehydrated and freeze-dried meals are a common choice. They reduce pack weight and make mealtimes quick and reliable. Breakfast often begins with instant oats or porridge, bringing warmth and a strong start to the day. Trail mixes with nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and a little chocolate help keep energy steady between campsites.

Flatbreads or tortillas pair well with nut butter, cheese, or hard sausage, offering both variety and staying power. Energy bars, jerky, and powdered drink mixes work well for quick breaks on the move, while soup mixes and noodles provide a warm, familiar finish to a long day. These combinations make for consistently good backpacking food.

Open-fire cooking is rare in remote areas, limited by fire bans and the need for efficiency. Most backpackers rely on compact stoves and proven food systems. For those who need reliability, long shelf life, and no-nonsense preparation, REAL Meals have earned their place in the pack.

REAL Meals: Trusted food in a backpack for rugged adventures

REAL Meals are well known in the backpacking community for being reliable, safe, and suited for outdoor use. Their durable packaging withstands repeated compression, shifting gear, and wet conditions. This is exactly what backpackers need from their food in the backcountry.

As a trusted dehydrated backpacking food, REAL Meals offer both convenience and durability on the trail. After a long day outdoors, having a warm, filling meal that doesn’t require extensive prep is a huge morale booster. REAL Meals let backpackers focus on the journey, not the logistics of dinner.

Dietary-friendly REAL Meals: Something for everyone

Outdoor adventure should be accessible to all, including those with dietary restrictions or preferences. REAL Meals offers a range of thoughtfully crafted options that are:

• Gluten-free
• Milk-free
• Lactose-free
• Vegan-friendly
• Vegetarian-friendly

These meals are clearly labeled and made to provide nutrition without compromise. If you have allergies or follow a plant-based diet, REAL Meals helps keep you safe, energized, and satisfied. This holds true even in remote backcountry settings.