Talk:Fastpacking

Trail running

Re the recent revert there was no discussion of this topic on Trail running and this subject has a much in common with the articles Backpacking (wilderness), Hiking, and Camping as running. This is distinct topic that deserves an article, like orienteering, rogaining, etc. I plan to gradually expand this article, and already have sources for this. Rwood128 (talk) 16:14, 7 December 2018 (UTC)

It is not "the same as trail running" but, as that article indicates, a "related" activity. Rwood128 (talk) 16:27, 7 December 2018 (UTC)

To me it just looks like another hybrid thing, or thingy, whose best coverage is a guidebook put out by a minor publisher. Drmies (talk) 16:31, 7 December 2018 (UTC) A major UK publisher of hiking guidebooks and on related topics, Drmies. Rwood128 (talk) 18:58, 7 December 2018 (UTC)

It's basically the same thing. It's trail running while wearing a backpack. There is nothing about trail running that mean it cannot be done while wearing a backpack and still be called trail running. Natureium (talk) 17:41, 7 December 2018 (UTC)

You may be right Natureium, but you could have handled this better. I enthusiastically started this article, in which I have no vested interest, and you deleted my work without any discussion. I see this more as a fast form of the walking tours I do over a week or longer. But as the name suggests it could also be described as fast backpacking. It may be that this article will not develop, and in that case I will merge with another article, but maybe that should be backpacking (wilderness)?

Anyhow let me complete my research. This is somewhat ironic, because two editors have objected to my suggestions for merges recently! Rwood128 (talk) 18:58, 7 December 2018 (UTC)

I have a suggestion. Often, the best way to develop a new article is by first writing it as a section of a more general article. As that section grows and develops, you split that out of the parent article, and leave behind a summary. This is described at WP:SUMMARYSTYLE. I would suggest starting a “Fastpacking” section at Backpacking (wilderness), then if that section gets long enough, split it out back here. In the meanwhile, this article can redirect to that new section.

Does that sound good to other editors? —hike395 (talk) 08:14, 8 December 2018 (UTC)

Thanks hike395, that's acceptable to me. Rwood128 (talk) 12:00, 8 December 2018 (UTC)

I disagree and have reverted the merger. The article cites sources that distinguish it from other sports; in particular, it involves overnighting, in contrast to trail running, and running, in contrast to trail walking/backpacking. It has grown into ashort article but not a substub, and insofar as sources distinguish it, we should not try to shoehorn it into another page out of some sense that it is not yet a long enough article. The topic is presented in reliable sources as distinct, and there is no ideal length. Yngvadottir (talk) 20:10, 9 December 2018 (UTC)

I found hike395's actions reasonable. The section created on Backpacking (wilderness) could have been expanded over time by Yngvadottir, myself and others, and later converted into an article. However, Yngvadottir editing record is impressive –enthusiasm should not be discouraged. Rwood128 (talk) 20:27, 9 December 2018 (UTC)

I don't mind being reverted, per WP:BRD. However, I think it's unwise to have an exact duplicate of information both here and at Backpacking (wilderness). That is a content fork, and will be difficult to maintain in the long-term. I would encourage editors to expand this article --- when it's longer, then we can have a summary at Backpacking (wilderness). For now, I'll remove the content at the other article. —hike395 (talk) 08:46, 10 December 2018 (UTC)

@Hike395: Thanks for removing the other. It was an unwise choice of target given the definition the sources use, and I disagree that there is an ideal minimum length or indeed that a new article should always be started as a subsection of an existing one. The world is messy and we should go by the sources. (Which is the only way I know about these topics anyhow!)

What I see as most necessary for this article right now is substantiation of the claim that it started in the UK. @Rwood128: do you have a citation for that? maybe from the book or from specialist magazines? I haven't yet found info on where this arose. Yngvadottir (talk) 15:55, 11 December 2018 (UTC)

Yngvadottir, I've removed the category "Sports originating in the UK". Rwood128 (talk) 18:34, 11 December 2018 (UTC)