Outdoor Knoxville

Starting this February River Sports Outfitters will offer the first of many Backpacking 101 Classes.
River Sports Outfitters will offer these classes several times throughout the year. They will consist of 4 weekly classes approximately 2+ hours in length. On the weekend after the fourth class there will be a private, guided, overnight backpacking trip exclusively for the Backpacking 101 students. This will give you a chance to test your new knowledge and try out your new gear.
The cost of the class will be $10.00 per student. Upon enrollment each student will receive a “Student ID” card that will entitle them to a 10% discount off all purchases of regularly priced items for the duration of the course (with the exception of boats, bikes, and special orders). The classes will be held on Monday nights from 7pm until 9pm. You will not be required to attend the backpacking trip, but you must attend all four classes in order to join the class on the trip.

Here are some of the topics we will cover:

The first class will cover footwear, clothing, and accessories. This is where you will learn about everything from socks to boots, and base layers to rain jackets.

In the second class we will cover backpacks, hydration systems, and water treatment. You will learn how to fit a pack to you and how to pack it correctly. We will also discuss the differences between filtering and purifying water.

The third class covers stoves, cookware, and tents. We will help you choose between white gas and canister fueled stoves and also learn about different types of cookware. You will discover the difference between three season and four season tents, and single wall and double wall tents.

The fourth and final class will cover your sleep system. The majority of this class will be about sleeping bags and sleeping pads. We will also help each other get our packs and gear ready and make plans for our upcoming overnight trip.

Please call River Sports Outfitters at 865-523-0066 with questions and to check class availability. The first class starts February 1st, and is limited to a total of 12 students. You must enroll in person at River Sports Outfitters, you cannot enroll via the Outdoorknoxville website.