Written for Florida Hiker magazine, 2001

The season is just right—winter in Florida, with a touch of chill at night and crisp clear days. Few mosquitoes. Fewer chiggers. Little rain. Why not try backpacking a try? The concept is simple. Load up a backpack with the appropriate equipment, strap it on, and take off into the woods. The reality is a bit tougher. Magazines like Backpacker and Outside tout the latest gear, but how do you know what will work for you? If you haven’t backpacked before, how do you decide what you need?

Backpacking in Florida isn’t like backpacking in the Appalachian Mountains—and that’s not to say it’s easier, but different. In Florida, you need to worry about sand, insects, temperature extremes, and water (too much and too little). Ask a Florida hiker for advice, and you’ll learn a great deal. When I started my Florida hiking, I learned right off the bat that boots didn’t work for me; I had blisters all the time. I switched off to running shoes (New Balance 470s) to regain happy feet. I learned that sock liners were a good idea, but were too thick and made my feet sweat. I switched to using cheap knee highs as liners, and solved that little problem. Wearing a daypack off my shoulders made me sweat, too, so I switched to a fanny pack. Problem solved! By trial and error and asking lots of questions of my fellow hikers, I learned what would work and what wouldn’t.