Glossary B

Articles containing information regarding Glossary B

• Backcountry campsite

  A backcountry campsite is a place used for overnight camping away from developed campgrounds, typically reached by trail or cross-country travel and lacking full vehicle-accessible facilities.

• Backflushing a filter

  Backflushing a filter is the process of running clean water through a water filter in the reverse direction to help remove accumulated particles and restore flow rate.

• Backpack suspension system

  A backpack suspension system is the internal and external structure that supports and distributes the load of a pack, including the frame, harness, shoulder straps, hip belt, and adjustment points.

• Backpack volume

  Backpack volume is the stated carrying capacity of a pack, usually measured in liters, that estimates how much space is available for gear inside the main compartments and sometimes pockets.

• Backsloping tread

  Backsloping tread is trail tread where the walking surface slopes inward toward the hillside rather than slightly outward, potentially influencing drainage and footing.

• Backup water treatment

  Backup water treatment refers to a secondary method or device that hikers carry in case a primary water treatment approach becomes unavailable or less effective.

• Bail-out route

  A bail-out route is a pre-identified or opportunistic path that allows hikers to leave a primary route and reach roads, towns, or lower-risk terrain if conditions or circumstances change.

• Balcony campsite / ledge campsite

  A balcony campsite or ledge campsite is an informal term for a small, often exposed site located on a narrow bench, ledge, or open slope with significant drop-offs nearby.

• Base layer

  A base layer is the layer of clothing worn next to the skin, typically designed to manage moisture and provide a comfortable interface between the body and outer layers.

• Base weight

  Base weight is the total weight of a hiker’s pack and gear excluding consumables such as food, water, and fuel that are expected to be used up and replenished.

• Bear bag

  A bear bag is a bag or sack used to store food and other scented items, traditionally hung from a tree or structure to reduce the likelihood of wildlife access.

• Bear cable / bear pole

  Bear cables and bear poles are fixed installations at some backcountry sites that allow hikers to suspend food and scented items using provided infrastructure rather than improvised tree hangs.

• Bear canister

  A bear canister is a rigid, typically cylindrical food storage container designed to resist access by bears and other wildlife when closed and used as intended.

• Bear hang (general term)

  Bear hang is a general term for any method of suspending food and scented items off the ground using lines, branches, or structures to make them harder for wildlife to access.

• Bear line / bear rope

  Bear line or bear rope refers to cordage used to suspend food or gear, commonly associated with bear hangs or other elevated storage methods.

• Bear-resistant container

  A bear-resistant container is any food storage device that has been designed and, in some cases, tested to reduce access by bears when closed and used as directed.

• Bedrock water source

  A bedrock water source is a spring, pool, or flow that emerges directly from or over exposed rock, often with limited sediment or soil around the point of emergence.

• Bivy sack

  A bivy sack is a compact, single-person shelter that encloses a sleeping bag and sometimes a pad, providing weather and wind resistance with minimal interior space.

• Blowdown

  Blowdown refers to trees or large branches that have been toppled or broken by wind or storms and now lie across the landscape, sometimes obstructing trails.

• Bog bridging / puncheon

  Bog bridging or puncheon is low, often timber-based walkway construction installed across wet or sensitive ground to provide a more stable walking surface.

• Bounce box

  A bounce box is a package that a long-distance hiker repeatedly mails ahead to future stops on a route to reuse items that are needed periodically but not at every segment.

• Boxed resupply / mail drop

  Boxed resupply or mail drop refers to sending food and other hiking supplies to a location along the route so they can be picked up during the hike.

• Break-in period (footwear)

  The break-in period for footwear is the initial span of use during which shoes or boots and the wearer’s feet adjust to each other, often resulting in changes in comfort and fit.

• Breathable waterproof membrane

  A breathable waterproof membrane is a thin layer used in fabrics that is designed to resist liquid water penetration from the outside while allowing some water vapor to pass from the inside.

• Bridge tent

  A bridge tent is a shelter design that uses arched or U-shaped support elements at the ends, creating a relatively flat, rectangular floor with tensioned sidewalls.

• Bushwhacking

  Bushwhacking is off-trail travel through vegetation or rough terrain where no clear path exists, requiring navigation and movement around natural obstacles.