A Review of The Backpacker’s Field Manual

Are there certain books that are a must for those that love the great outdoors? Of course there are and The Backpacker’s Field Manual by Rick Curtis proves can be considered an absolute must have. It is the definitely resource for those hoping to get the most out of their backpacking excursions.

At one time, backpacking was a sportive endeavor entertained mainly by “hardcore” outdoor enthusiasts. To a certain degree, it still is. Now, thanks to the great expansion of the awareness of the fun of backpacking, more and more people are looking to venture into the hobby. Of course, “venturing” along is not going to make any backpacking trek safe or enjoyable. To make such excursions as enjoyable as they can be, you do need to invest a little time in learning the basics.

Okay, you need to invest more than just a little amount of time. You need to become well aware of what is required to learn the basics of what constitutes safe and effective backpacking. Such an approach assuredly will make things a lot more fun.

This does raise a question as to how you can learn such basic points. Probably the best first step is to acquire a reliable book on the subject that covers all the needed points. This is where The Backpacker’s Field Manual, Revised and Updated: A Comprehensive Guide to Mastering Backcountry Skills by Rick Curtis proves to be the perfect tome on the subject.

At 384 pages, this is not a work that covers its subject manner in a cursory way. Mercifully, it is also not a publication that is weighted down with extra, unnecessary details. Instead, The Backpacker’s Field Manual provides the necessary amount of information required to learn the subject as best as possible. It can be considered the perfect reference guide that can be read and reread frequently in order to truly familiarize yourself with the subject. Consider this work the best of the best in terms of being the perfect “owner’s manual” for the backpacking enthusiast.

The book covers important topics such as how to care for a backpack, how to select the right one, what you need to keep in your backpack, properly planning a backpacking trip, and basic issues of safety. All of these points are enormously helpful for succeeding in a backpacking/camping excursion and Rick Curtis definitely covers these points quite well.

Keep one thing in mind here, this book is the eternal guide to backpacking. That means it is not just an introductory work on the subject. Those that are new to the hobby of backing will certainly find this to be an enormously helpful introduction. However, it is not a publication just for newbies. Even those that have been involved with backpacking for years and years will find much of what is presented in this text to be highly enlightening. In fact, you could say it is an absolute must to perennially return to this field manual time and time again to perpetually boost your knowledge base on the subject. Whenever you have a question on backpacking, this will assuredly be the text that you return your attention towards. And why should you not? It is loaded with expert information and technical advice. Consider all these points a tremendous help for those in need of a helpful textbook that covers this exciting outdoors hobby.

The Backpacker’s Field Manual, Revised and Updated: A Comprehensive Guide to Mastering Backcountry Skills by Rick Curtis is THE book on the subject. Even those with a mere passing interest in the subject need to own this title in their collection.