And how did you get started? Are there good places in Alabama to go? How much gear do you actually need? I’ve been looking in to the subject lately and think I would like to pick up the hobby. I’ve been watching videos on YouTube specifically a channel called Sintax77 he goes all over the country and does overnight backpacking style hikes. It looks like a neat way to see the country.

It's been a hot minute since I have, but I've done tons of overnight and extended backpacking trips. For me it started with Scouts as a kid...then my boys and I did many scout trips. After we left Scouts we continued trips. My favorite was a 6 day backpacking and trout fishing trip in the Cranberry Wilderness in West VA.

Gear....it all boils down to how much do you actually want to carry and the weight will make some trips brutal. But the pack is always lighter on the last day.
Gear...lightweight, high quality gear that lasts is expensive. But there are good thrifty ways to get dependable gear and manage weight of the pack.
Time...time will teach you what you need and what you will actually use. My last trip my pack was 13 pounds lighter than my first trip as an adult.
I don't like doing the minimalist gear thing...but have learned to not be a maximus either. Learn how to multi purpose gear. Example: Fleece jacket for a pillow, first aid kit inside a nalgene bottle as your spare water bottle, etc...).

Have to have gear for any extended backpacking trips:
A Good backpack that actually fits you and is comfortable.
Same with hiking boots/shoes.
Sleeping bag that packs small and keeps you warm...technical bag, not Walmart.
Sleeping pad
Lightweight tent or a hammock system.
Water purification or filter system
Nalgene type bottles
Small backpack stove and gas
Small cookset/utensils
Headlamp
Rain gear/poncho
Instant coffee from Africa or Starbucks Via...french press if you don't mind extras.
Multitool, paracord, zip ties, wrap bic lighter with ductape roll, first aid kit, compass, fire kit (flint/steel, rod,cotton balls with vasoline,etc...)
Food: lightweight, freeze dried, or carry weight and bring regular and eat first do pack lightens quicker.

Alabama has some awesome places, many really good for just a few nights without much planning: Walls of Jericho is my favorite spot, followed by Sipsey Wilderness and then the Pinhoti Trail. Not too far away is Frozen Head up in Tennessee. Several you can just hike in for 1 night...set up base camp, then day hike explore for as many days as you want. Pinhoti is more linear. North Georgia has lots of places too.

USED GEAR: Ebay and other backpacking sites have classifieds where you can get good gear after people try and then upgrade....discounted prices.

I've been wanting to go do a couple nights at Walls of Jericho....we should get an Aldeer group together for one weekend before it gets hot!

On most of my out of state hunts.....Alaska, Idaho, New Mexico.
As I get older, 53 this year, showers and real beds are becoming
more important. However, if I draw a tag, I'll be sleeping on the
ground again this fall.
How much gear depends on the environment and how comfortable
you want to be. Buy the lightest things you can. The more you do it
the more you will realize what you DONT need.

Stray cat is all over it. Definitely don’t go cheap on certain things like sleeping bag or tent. You want something that will last and won’t leave you wet or cold when you are a long way from the truck.

I started backpacking in 1983. I was 35 years old, and decided it was time to see the West. As a teacher, I had the luxury of summer vacation, so I signed up for a backpacking course with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). They took me on a month-long pack trip in the Beartooth/Absaroka Wilderness area north of Yellowstone. I was hooked --I spent most summers backpacking somewhere in the West, and when I retired I moved to Oregon. Haven't been able to do it the last few years--I'm 70 with a bad heart and an injured back. Still do a lot of truck camping and day hiking. My advice-get a good pack from a reputable dealer like REI or Alabama Outdoors. A good pack salesperson will help you get one that fits your body. They can show you how to rig it so the weight is on the hip-belt, not the shoulder straps. The shoulder straps just keep it upright. The next comfort item is good boots that fit. Tell the salesperson what you plan to do. REI carries good boots and has knowledgeable sales staff. Once you have a pack and some boots, put a 50 pound sack of corn in the pack and start walking the neighborhood. A set of trecking poles will let your arms give you an assist, and will improve stability.

Most people have never been more than a day's hike from a road. A backpack will let you access some beautiful places that few have seen. I highly recommend it.

Used to backpack the Pecos Wilderness in NM and the area around Platoro, CO. This was where I learned gold panning is not a way to make a good living. But I did enjoy the remoteness. I doubt (know) my back would not allow me to this anymore.

We've been doing a little here and there as a family for about a year (me, wife, daughters ages 10 & 11). We actually drew permits for a 4 day/3 night Grand Canyon hike that we'll tackle over Spring Break next month. Best suggestion I can offer is to echo StrayCat regarding multi-purposing your gear. There should be as few "single use" items as possible in your pack. Also, I prefer tents built for 1 person more than you plan to have (ex: 2 man for solo, 3 man for a couple, etc.) The weight is typically marginal but the added coverage space can be clutch when you get rain in camp.

Ive been wanting to go on an overnight float trip. Float a ways, camp overnight, float a ways further and get out. Just havent done it yet..

I've been all over the place even done the Eiger.

I started out hiking Skyline deer hunting before people had 3-wheelers.

Good Stuff

Thanks for the info. I don’t know that I’ll be able to go any this summer. I’m supposed to be taking 2 classes. I’m thinking about slowly starting to collect some gear like starting with a back pack and then a sleeping pad, tent, etc.. And then I was thinking about taking some day hikes on my days off, I know lake Martin has a few good trails and is close by. That way I can start getting into “hiking” shape. Then hopefully next summer I’ll be graduated and can start taking some overnight trips.

Hammock camping seems like it would be fun but I’m guessing it’s not as practical as a tent since you can set up a tent anywhere and you have to have mosquitoe netting and a tarp set up for hammocks.

I like hiking, and I don't mind carrying a backpack. But I want to hike somewhere where there is a 12" memory foam mattress and an air conditioner waiting for me.

I do a ton of backpacking trips every year. Really got into it about 5 or 6 years ago when I first started travel nursing. I work about half the year out here in California and have gone all over the state. Actually have a 4 day trip planned next week in the Los Padres National Forest outside of Santa Barbara. Haven't done much hiking back home, but I'm normally too busy with deer season when I'm back in AL. I've worked at camping stores and spend a lot of time researching and testing out new gear, so if you have any questions, feel free to ask me. I've gotten more into ultralight backpacking the last couple years, which keeps my pack weight down to around 10 pounds before food and water. Makes a big difference on my knees climbing up mountains haha.

Wish I still did it as much as I used to. Got into it with the Scouts, did plenty of weekend trips around the state and also did a 2ish week trip at Philmont. Continued to do it with my dad and brother. Our favorite trip so far has been backcountry around Yosemite. People love the hammock camping thing, and it's been discussed on here before, I just can't do it. Someone on here offered to make me a hammock but I don't remember who.

Sipsey and other places around the state have great "weekend" or overnight trips to test out gear or just see if it's something you really want to dive into.

Yeah I’ve been looking into the Pinhoti Trail specifically skyway loop, and Walls of Jericho as starter overnight hikes. There’s also a lot of overnight hikes around Gatlinburg. Like I said this isn’t something I’m planning on jumping into right away right now. Just something I think would be fun to do.

That’s awesome. I’ve read a little on ultra light backpacking. Some of those guys are to extreme but I definitely see the benefits of your pack being under 10 pounds

Yeah some people definitely go overboard with ultralight, but my process was getting the big items down as low as possible and then building off of that. Having lighter gear means you can go faster and more room for beer haha.

-Osprey is a good company to look at for backpacks. They aren't the lightest but they have a great warranty and would be a good starting point to see if you really want to get into it. If it turns out you don't like it, you can sell it for close to what you paid. I have a ULA pack that has a little less than 40L capacity and thats my go to for everything from a few days to weeks. Z-packs and Superior wilderness designs are a couple other really popular companies that make great stuff.
-Thermarest makes some awesome sleeping pads. The neoair xlite is pretty much the standard for inflatable sleeping pads. Great warranty too. They also make some of the closed-cell foam mats that have been around forever if you are comfortable enough on one.
-A lot of people are going away from the traditional sleeping bags and using lightweight down quilts. It's a lot more like sleeping at home and you aren't as confined. Enlightened equipment is a good company, I have their 20 degree quilt and use it for spring and fall out here. I have different quilts for different seasons.
-Tents get a lot more complicated. I have a zpacks duplex that weighs about 19 oz and is made out of a fancy material called DCF. It's expensive though, There are tons of companies that make really good tents. Sierra designs, MSR, Big agnes are a couple more companies to look into.

These are the most important pieces of gear and then you can add the other stuff to it.

Straycat covered it pretty well. I would keep the first overnight fairly tame so as to get a good feel for your gear. The ultralight setups are a bit minimalist for me, think my version of ultralight is around 40-45 pounds with food and water. Tent vs hammock is personal preference, I used to hammock but for me I sleep better in a tent especially in the cold.

This could easily be a 10 page thread as there is a vast amount of information. TraumaRN looks to have tons of experience and has great advice and suggestions.

If I were you, I'd focus on the backpack, tent, sleeping bag + pad, stove, and water purifier as #1 top priorities. Everything else you need you probably already own or can pick up at Walmart or Academy/Bass Pro...but home and traditional camping stuff is heavy but for just your first short adventure you can handle it.

Ask around to borrow things.

I was on a restricted budget for gear always. So I purchased middle grade gear. Kelty backpack, Cabela's lightweight tent (not ultralight), Northface sleeping bag, Themarest pad, MSR pocket rocket stove. Everything else is just regular stuff I already had in my hunting closet or kitchen. It's good gear and has been durable but there are far better brands that are more comfortable, much lighter and better quality...but the price tags are insane. The way my knees are today I'm going to have to invest in lighter gear soon....plus quit overpacking. Hauling too much stuff is normally the #1 culprit by novice backpackers.

My Kelty pack is enormous which invites me to pack way too much. But I like a bigger pack so everything is inside it, not strapped to the outside. Bigger is not always better.