Backpacking!
 

A girlfriend and I are going backpacking this weekend near Tucson. I've been camping plenty of times, but never backpacking. Any tips? We're going for two nights. I'm not sure if we're bringing a tent. I'm afraid to ask. What kind of food is good for backpacking?

A tent would be good.

As for food I would pack a few club sandwiches. They're tasty, filling and the frilly toothpick will keep the triangular slices together during the hike.

I think Tref has it covered

Take a gun or a knife and find your own food.

Tents are good for storing stuff or hiding from Kevy.

In most sporting shops, you can find ready-to-cook meals that are freeze-dried, so they're light-weight. Reconstitute with a bit of water, cook in a small pan/pot over a fire and voila! Instant backpacking gourmet. Most of it is really yummy too. I have some friends who swear by them on backpacking trips.

I prefer to hire a caterer for my backpacking trips.

Escalators come in handy as well.

Beef jerky. Trail mix. Isn't that what you're supposed to bring? And a hat (although not to eat.)

Pack light. You won't have showers, so you're going to be kind of stinky anyway.

Take a water filter rated for giardia, or buy iodine water purification tablets so you can have drinkable water without getting any nasty illnesses.

I second the freeze-dried meals. They're lightweight and generally pretty tasty. The price can add up though. Have a way to secure your food that will keep it out of reach of scavengers. In a bag with a rope over a tree branch usually works unless you have to worry about big bears, which I don't think you do near Tucson.

Let someone know where you are going and when they should expect you to check back in, just in case something happens along the way. Take a basic backpacker's first aid kit with you.

Don't forget to pack out what you pack in. Take a big resealable bag to store your trash.

I'll second the first aid kit. We've used ours over and over again camping and off roading.

We also have a package of biodegradable wet knaps. No, it's not a shower. But sometimes you need a little refreshing here and there and they're better then nothing - and fresher then using a wash cloth and water over and over again. Small and compact too.