As the main of mode of transport on a backpacking trip you should really take care of your feet. Choosing good quality footwear is the first step. The next step is to break in the boots. Ideally, you should break-in your boots slowly over a period of weeks. Breaking in softens your boots and hardens your feet.

What you don't want on a backpacking trip are blisters on your feet. Blisters are your worst enemy because once you get a blister it can only get worse unless you're not going to walk anymore.

It's important that you stop and check your feet as soon as you feel the slightest amount of pain or discomfort. It starts with a small inflammation which can quickly escalate into a full blown blister if you don't take care of it.

You should also check your feet at each rest stop. Taking off your shoes and socks gives your feet a chance to air and dry, which in turn help to prevent blisters.

If you need a camp mattress, camp pillow and a down sleeping bag to sleep well at night, then take them with you. However, a few people carry a camping cot if they can't sleep on the ground because they're usually too heavy for backpacking.

There are limitations as to how much you can carry on a backpacking trip. You obviously can't take your bed with you even when you can only sleep on a bed. In such extreme cases, one of the things you can do is forget backpacking.

But if you still fancy an adventure, you can try to condition your body by sleeping on the floor at home using your camping mattress or bare depending on how you would want to sleep on your trip.

If you only have an hour left before sunset and you've found a place to camp, stop and set up your tent. If you still haven't found a suitable place to camp, either go back to the last place where you last saw a great place to camp if it near or you can push your luck and hope you find a place to camp as you go forward.

A map may be handy but you may not know if a place is suitable for camping until you see it for yourself.

If you don't know what you're doing, setting up a tarp tent can be quite difficult. The first time I went backpacking with a tarp tent was in Scotland. We were in group and it turns out that none of us was skilled at setting up a tarp tent.

We set up the tent the way we thought was right, we didn't really know what we were doing. It turned out to be a disaster every single time. We didn't even have stakes to set up the tent right.

If for whatever reason you want to use a tarp tent, be sure you learn how to set one up and practice setting it up at home.

In hot weather, it is vital to stay as cool as possible to avoid heat exhaustion and even worse heatstroke. Choose breathable fabrics that keeps you cool while protecting you from the sun.

Clothing gets a little bit more complicated in cold weather. When you're on the move your body warms up and it can get so hot that you sweat quite a bit. The natural function of sweat is to cool you down so when you're not moving, your body might cool too quickly and you experience what is called an exercise chill.

That's why we dress in layers in cold weather. The first layer to remove the sweat, the second for insulation and the third is the waterproof layer. A different type of fabric is used for each layer but whatever you do, never use cotton because it absorbs sweat.

How much will depend on the weather and you. You'll need more water in hot weather and each person will have different water requirements.

It's important that you know where the next water source is so that you can refill. Remember to take something to treat and filter the water.

Why suffer when you don't have to? It's so much easier and more fun to hike when you're not burdened by a heavy pack. You'll go faster and further too and you won't be as tired at the end of the day.

If you have a light pack you won't need to wear heavy boots to support your ankles. You can wear light hiking shoes or even your favorite tennis shoes. They're much more comfortable, your feet are less prone to blisters and overall you're less prone to injuries.

The Ten Essentials include navigation, sun protection, insulation, illumination, first-aid, fire, repair kit and tools, nutrition, hydration and emergency shelter. These are the minimum you need to survive if you're going to spend the night in the outdoors.

If you start early you give yourself more time to reach your target destination. Not only that but it's a great feeling when you start early in the morning.

Trekking poles increase your hiking efficiency by as much as 70 percent. The effort of hiking with a full pack is spread out to upper body instead of just your legs and as a result you feel less tired and yet you burn more calories.