REI in Fremont is offering a free backpacking course at 7 p.m. June 10.

Join REI backpacking specialist Joe Schaffer for a review of the fundamentals of selecting gear for a weekend backpacking trip: layering your clothing for maximum warmth; adjusting and loading your pack; and selecting the sleeping bag, tent and stove that best suit your needs. You’ll learn pointers on lightening your load, water filtration/purification, bear-proofing your food and first aid kit essentials. Come find out tricks-of-the-trade to make your backcountry trips safe and fun.

Click the link for similar courses throughout the Bay Area in the next few weeks. REI.com has a snazzy new redesign, if such things matter to you.