Preparing for a Backpacking Trip as a Type 1 Diabetic

Maxime Lagacé says, “By discovering nature, you discover yourself.” Sometimes we need to get out into nature to decompress and relax and find the beauty in life. There have been studies that show that getting out into nature benefit our mental and physical health. Read my blog post to learn more about this topic.

Backpacking and Getting out in Nature

Sometimes people (myself included) choose to backpack to get out into nature and escape. It can be a lot if you haven’t backpacked before. It does take a lot of gear and effort to backpack, and it isn’t for the faint of heart. A lot of planning needs to go into this to make your trip a successful one.

There are a lot of websites and places online you can go to that can help you pack up for a backpacking trip. There are even classes you can take to help you with backpacking basics. But what about what to pack and plan for if you have type 1 diabetes?

Diabetes and Traveling

Diabetes tends to make most plans more challenging. If you have type 1 diabetes, a lot of thinking and plan Bs need to happen before you can travel. This is the same for backpacking. Read my blog post Packing List for a Traveling Type 1 Diabetic for more about general travel packing.

The following questions and steps are what I have used when planning my backpacking trips.

Questions to ask Before Backing as a Diabetic

These questions lead into my five steps to prepare for backpacking as a diabetic. Some of these questions need to be asked by anyone, not just a diabetic. But they are still important for a diabetic to ask.

• How much weight are you willing to carry in your backpack?
• How much glucose do you need to bring?
• How many diabetes supplies and prescriptions do you need to bring?
• How much food do you need to bring?
• How much water do you need to bring and how will you be getting more water?
• How many days can you be gone with everything you need to pack?

Step 1: Decide Where you Want to Go

This is one of those questions that anyone should ask. Where in the world do you want to backpack? This will determine what you need to pack, clothing wise, supplies wise, etc.

If you are going to someplace cold you will need to pack our insulin close to your body so your insulin doesn’t freeze. If you go to someplace warm you need to make sure you can keep your insulin cool so it doesn’t get too hot. This can mean carrying a small cooler pack and ice packs.

Step 2: Determine How Many Days You Can Backpack

Determining how many days you can/are willing to backpack will determine how many supplies you need to bring. If it is your first backpacking trip, I would personally recommend a shorter trip. I would recommend this to a non-diabetic as well. Just so you can get the hang of your gear and the process. I personally wouldn’t want to start off with a week-long trip.

Step 3: Determine How much You Need to Pack

Now that you know where you are going and how many days you will be backpacking, it is time to pack. You will need to know, worst case scenario, how many diabetes supplies and glucose you will need. It is likely you will need more glucose than usual since you will be working out all day long. (At least that has been my experience).

This could be the time that you adjust the number of days you will be gone. It is most important to be able to carry all of your diabetes supplies and stay safe. And if that means cutting back on the days, that is totally okay.

Step 4: Make Sure all Your Supplies Will Fit in Your Backpack

I would recommend to anyone that you lay out all of your supplies and gear you are going to pack ahead of time. This is diabetes supplies, clothes, first aid, sleeping bag, etc. Lay it out and then pack it up to make sure everything fits well in your backpack. This is the chance to change any of your gear or make any alterations to what you need.

Step 4: Inform your Travel Buddy About Your Diabetes Needs

Let your travel buddy/buddies know that you have diabetes (if they don’t know already). It’s important that they know what symptoms to look out for, and what they need to know in an emergency. It would also be a good idea for them to know how to inject you, check your blood sugar number, etc. (depending on what diabetic gear you have).

I don’t know if it would be helpful but I have written a diabetes SOP for a previous employer about my diabetes. Feel free to use it and edit it accordingly. You can find it here.

Step 5: Let Your Friends/Family Know Where You are Going

It is always important to let a friend/family member know where you will be traveling. This is another thing that anyone should do, not just a diabetic. This will ensure that you and your travel buddy are safe in case anything happens.

Unplugging Through Backpacking

I really enjoy backpacking and think it is a great way to get away from regular life and into nature. It can be a great way to unplug, experience nature, and get a nice work out in.

“Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than what we could learn from books,” says John Lubbock. If backpacking is something that you want to do, it is possible to make it happen safely. It has helped me a lot in the past and I cannot wait to get back out there for my next trip.