Re: Day hiker interested in camping, where to start?

There are dozens of sources of gear online, but first I think you need an understanding of what you need and why you need it. Tents, stoves, sleeping bags, clothes, boots, etc. come in every size, shape, color and price range imaginable. It is easy to spend a lot of money and still have the wrong gear for what you want to do.

There are a lot of good books on backpacking and camping, plus websites such as this one. Some of the books and websites will have gear lists, but it is just as important to know how to use gear as it is to have it in the first place.

One book I highly recommend is The Complete Walker-get the latest edition-4th, if I remember right (I have an old one). TCW will give you a complete introduction to camping. REI, as Speacock mentioned, often has classes for beginners. Check out store events on their website.

Spend some time reading to get a feel for what you need to know, such as basic navigation and what kind of gear you may want to purchase. If you have an REI near you, go in and spend the day just looking around at stuff. You may not know what is good, bad or indifferent, but at least you may recognize something when you read about it.

Read about places you want to visit. Some websites, like right here at Trailspace have forums where members post trip reports or can ask questions about particular places to go.