Hawaii Camping And Hiking Equipment

Good camping equipment is both sturdy and light. North American suppliers tend to offer the most competitive prices.

Sleeping Bags: Most sleeping bags are rated by season; “summer” means 30-40°F (around 0°C) at night; “four-season” or “winter” often means below 0°F (-17°C). Areas of high elevation in Hawaii tend to get chilly at night; four-season bags are a safe bet to keep you cozy. Bags are made of down (warm and light, but expensive, and miserable when wet) or of synthetic material (heavy, durable, and warm when wet). Prices range $50-250 for a summer synthetic to $200-300 for a good down winter bag. Sleeping bag pads include foam pads ($10-30), air mattresses ($25-70), and self-inflating mats ($30-120). Bring a stuff sack ($5-20) to store your bag and keep it dry.
Tents: The best tents are freestanding (with their own frames and suspension systems), set up quickly, and don’t generally require staking. Low-profile dome tents are the best of these. Worthy 2-person tents start at $100, 4-person start at $160. Make sure your tent has a rain fly, and seal its seams with waterproofer. Other useful items include a battery-operated lantern, a plastic ground cloth, and a nylon tarp.
Backpacks: Internal frame packs mold well to your back, have a lower center of gravity, and flex adequately to allow you to hike difficult trails, while external frame packs are more comfortable for long hikes over even terrain, as they carry weight higher and distribute it more evenly. Make sure your pack has a strong, padded hip belt to transfer weight to your legs. Some models are designed specifically for women. Any serious backpacking requires a pack of at least 4000 cu. in. (16,000cc), plus 500 cu. in. for sleeping bags in internal frame packs. Sturdy backpacks cost anywhere from $125-420. Your pack is one item you won’t want to skimp on. On your hunt for the perfect pack, fill up a prospective model with something heavy, strap it on correctly, and walk around the store to get a sense of how the model distributes weight. Either buy a rain cover ($10-20) or store all of your belongings in plastic bags inside your pack.
Boots: Regular sneakers should be sufficient for all but the most hard-core hiking trails in Hawaii. If you buy boots, be sure to get ones with good ankle support. To spare yourself from blisters, break in boots several weeks before you go.
Other Necessities: Synthetic layers, like those made of polypropylene or polyester, and a pile jacket will keep you warm even when wet. A space blanket ($5-15) will help you to retain body heat and doubles as a ground cloth. Plastic water bottles are vital; look for shatter- and leak-resistant models. Carry water purification tablets for when you can’t boil. Although some campgrounds provide campfire sites, you may want to bring a small metal grate or grill. For those places that forbid fires or the gathering of firewood, you’ll need a camp stove (starting at around $50) and a propane-filled fuel bottle to operate it. Also bring a first-aid kit, sunscreen, pocketknife, insect repellent, and waterproof matches or a lighter.

Where To Buy It

The mail-order and online companies listed below offer lower prices than many retail stores. A visit to a local camping or outdoors store will give you a good sense of the look and weight of certain items.

Campmor, 400 Corporate Dr., P.O. Box 680, Mahwah, NJ 07430 (☎888-226-7667; www.campmor.com).
Discount Camping, 833 Main North Rd., Pooraka, South Australia 5095, Australia (☎08 8262 3399; www.discountcamping.com.au).
L.L. Bean, Freeport, ME 04033 (US and Canada ☎800-441-5713, UK 0800 891 297; www.llbean.com).
Mountain Designs, P.O. Box 824, Nundah, Queensland 4012, Australia (☎07 3856 2344; www.mountaindesigns.com).
Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI), Sumner, WA 98352 (US and Canada ☎800-426-4840, elsewhere 253-891-2500; www.rei.com).