Solo backpacking safety

Hey everyone, I have been going backpacking for a good part of my life and have done many trips over 4 nights long. But I have always been with a group of people and at least one very experienced adult. I want to start going solo backpacking for 1-3 nights at a time specifically near the Shenandoah’s. How should I handle the safety of backpacking alone? Would it be overkill to get a garmin in reach? Im a little scared of wild animals, but mostly scared of other people due some stuff that happened in my past. Also what kind of safety tools do you recommend I carry in my backpack? Thanks! --- **Post Details:** - **Subreddit:** r/backpacking - **Author:** u/EfficientElevator941 - **Score:** 5 upvotes - **Upvote Ratio:** 86.0% - **Comments:** 27 - **Posted:** 7/12/2025 - **URL:** https://reddit.com/r/backpacking/comments/1ly8jx3/solo_backpacking_safety/