The Ladies' Guide to Backpacking (Secrets Men Didn't Tell You and Don't Even Know About)

Marlis Butcher learned to backpack the old-fashioned way: by getting out there, making mistakes and figuring out what actually worked. In The Ladies' Guide to Backpacking, she shares the female-specific adaptations, routines and small bits of hard-won knowledge that made life on the trail more comfortable, from finding a pack that fits properly to choosing footwear and clothing, managing hygiene and menstruation, and dealing with the everyday realities that become surprisingly important several days from a trailhead.

This is not an encyclopedic wilderness manual. Butcher keeps things concise, candid and funny, drawing on her own experience in Canadian national parks and wilderness areas while addressing subjects that women hikers still rarely find discussed plainly in traditional backpacking books.

Useful for a first overnight trip and entertaining enough to read before one is even planned, this compact guide belongs in the pack of new backpackers, experienced hikers looking for practical refinements, and women who would simply prefer their outdoor advice without the solemnity.