8 Pros and Cons of Fastpacking

Pretty much we all strive to be better humans and experience new things. One of those things could be fastpacking, an outdoor activity involving hiking, running, and camping, but does that mean it’s right for you?

There are many fantastic advantages to fastpacking. Fastpacking is a great way to spend your free time since it allows you to experience other places and cultures outside of your neighborhood. In this article, we discuss reasons you may like it or not!

Fastpacking Lifestyle

If you like long-distance running and hiking, you might be interested in trying fastpacking. Fastpacking, for the uninitiated, is the practice of taking only the essentials with you on a trip, then running and hiking on trails to experience a great adventure. 

Combined running and trekking will help you travel much further than hiking by itself. If you plan to camp on the trip, you will need to carry all your equipment.

Certain people may not be suited to fastpacking, so it may help to weigh the pros and cons.

Pros of Fastpacking

I’ve listed the most remarkable things about fastpacking to get you excited about this outdoor activity! Check them out.

Fitness lifestyle

It’s a great way to be healthy and remain active since it forces you outside and keeps you there. Although using a treadmill or lifting weights at a gym has its benefits, most individuals spend too much time indoors as it is.

Running or walking after work isn’t training for me because I like running and hiking. Basically, I’m just living my life and having fun, but it also means I’m constantly training for a fastpacking trip, but I never actually think of it as training as such.

In fact, I wrote this article outlining a fastpacking training regiment that you may find useful.

Limitless trails

There is almost an endless supply of trails you can do; within your state and country, there are likely enough trails to keep you interested for decades without having to experience the same trail again. 

Then if you factor in trails in other countries, it is basically impossible to do every marked trail in the world. So, you almost have unlimited adventures ahead of you. 

Within 100 miles of my house, I probably have over 100 properly marked trails for me still to try.

It can be cheaper than a typical vacation

Fastpacking trips are often more cost-effective than conventional vacations, even if they last a few weeks. The reasons for this are manifold.

Even if you are traveling for an extended period, the cost of a tent pitch or hostel will be less than that of a regular hotel. This is especially the case if you are wild camping. 

If you like having spells alone or challenging your own skill set, then Fastpacking could be perfect for you. Even if you think you might get lonely, you can meet like-minded people on the trail and make friends for life. 

Drop all your bad vibes.

Regardless of age, it’s safe to assume that everyone understands that life has its flaws. Every day, all it takes is turning on the television to see reports of war, poverty, terrorism, discrimination, illness, and death.

Maybe you’re going through a rough patch in your own life right now. When you go Fastpacking, you may easily disconnect from your phone and the news, reducing your exposure to the seemingly endless supply of negative news. 

Fastpacking allows you to go back to a more straightforward way of living where it is about you and what you can achieve in the great outdoors. Fastpacking can be stressful, but it is good stress, a stress that improves you; it is not like the chronic stress that people can suffer with nowadays. 

Cons of Fastpacking

Not everything about fastpacking is fantastic. Here are some significant points to consider before getting into this hobby.

You can’t take much

On a fastpack, you can only bring as much stuff as will fit in your pockets and backpack. It’s OK to be a little materialistic, but fastpacking is even harder to pack for than backpacking.

In this article, I discuss how people pack for fastpacking trips and how much weight is too much.

You can only carry a small number of clothes, so you’ll have to wear them multiple times before washing them, and you’ll have to leave behind anything you don’t absolutely need.

The good news is that I’ve created The Ultimate Fastpacking Kit List…check it out before you hit the trails.

Cost of equipment

For fastpacking, you need equipment lighter than standard gear that can pack down smaller than their counterparts yet still perform the same function as “normal” equipment.

This costs you money; ultralight camping and clothing are a lot more expensive than the already sometimes costly running and hiking gear. 

I do find it funny how expensive so-called minimalist hobbies can be nowadays. One hundred years ago, a person would have probably just taken a wool blanket to sleep on and under.

Nowadays, we have to have ultralight sleeping quilts made from space-age technology!

The lack of a structure may scare people

On a typical trip, you know when you can expect to check in and when you must vacate your room.

People who prefer routine and well-defined plans may find fastpacking upsetting because they never know where they will be sleeping each night unless they have done much planning and research.

Here is a brief article on planning you will find helpful:

• How to Plan Fastpacking Trips | 10 Essential Tips

Hygiene may be a problem

If you’re the kind to wash up after every meal and hop into the shower every day, a camping trip will be a rude awakening.

There’s a good chance you won’t be taking a bath for a very long time, if ever unless you count a cold water stream as a bath.

You will be wearing the same smelly clothes for days on end, so get used to it. 

Safety Considerations

Like all things sports and hobbies outdoors, they do come with risks. That’s very true with fastpacking as well. If fastpacking is new to you, then it’s probably a good idea to get acquainted with the dangers. Before you head out on your trek, consider reading this:

• Is Fastpacking Safe? 10 Things to Consider
• 16 Most Dangerous Fastpacking Mistakes
• Fastpacking & Nutrition | Must-Have Food List

Final thoughts

Fastpacking has its unique appeal despite the many different types of vacations you can have. 

You won’t just visit a location and see the attractions; instead, you’ll have a genuine encounter with it. Fastpacking allows you to see and do more than a traditional running and hiking trip. 

Fastpacking is a great way to see the world, but it’s not without its pitfalls. First, you should weigh the pros and cons of fastpacking to know if it’s something you’d enjoy doing before committing to anything.

For a more in-depth dive on fastpacking, check out this post:

• What is Fastpacking? The Ultimate Guide

See you out on the trails!