How To

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How to best pack a backpack

Here are a few ideas to consider and quick tips when loading your pack:

Ease of access: Take a look at your pack and see where the quickest access points are. That’s where you want to pack things that you might want on the trail, such as chapstick, camera, pocket knife, raincoat, etc.

Talk to your buddies and discuss your group gear. Not everyone needs their own tent, stove, and water purifier. Work together to save weight.

Contaminants: What would you do if your water or fuel bottle just broke open and leaked all over your sleeping bag? Yeah. Always put your fuel at the bottom of your pack. The same goes dirty clothes.

Rain covers are great, and completely worth their weight if you think it might rain. But keep in mind that some water can still get in, so double bag your down jacket.

Weight distribution: This is the big one. Modern internal frames to a great job of increasing comfort, but nothing will change the center of balance of your load. And even a slightly lopsided pack can cause a lot of back pain after a full day of hiking. So take the time to make sure your pack is balanced. In general, keep denser things (water, tent poles, stove) high and close to your back. Fluff can stay low and out behind you.

Bring some lightweight sandals for hanging out at camp. Strap them on the outside for quick access if you expect to cross any streams!

Filling the void: Your pots and mug take up a lot of space, so make the best of it. Stuff little things like socks and your first aid kit inside you cookware. You’ll conserve space, protect breakables, and make some things easier to find.

Try putting your sleeping pad in the pack first, in a wide, hollow roll. Push it out so it runs around the rim of your pack. It’ll make the pack more rigid, water resistant, and easier to pack!

Compartmentalize: Stuff sacks are cheap, lightweight, and outrageously useful. Put your food in one, clothes in another, and finding things in your pack will become infinitely easier. They also double as trash bags, bear bags, and laundry bags. Use different colors to make things even easier!

Sometimes your 93 liter pack is way too big for a weekend trip. Filling the space makes your pack ride much more comfortably, so pack a full-size pillow in and make your companions jealous.

How to dial in your campsite

Some backpackers want to cover 30 miles each day and cut the tags off teabags to save weight. Others just want to walk a few miles for the night to get some separation from the RV crowd. If you’re the latter, here are some ideas for tricking out the perfect campsite and still saving your legs.

Bring a spare tarp and lots of p-cord. Pitch the tarp high to give you shade or rain coverage you can stand under.

By carrying an extra few ounces, you can bring the kit that turns your sleeping pad into a comfy chair.

Make your campsite feel like home with a pet rock. But don’t bring one, rocks are heavy. Just bring the paint and make your own. In interest of weight, you might only bring the three primary colors and do some mixing. Be sure to clean up after yourself.

Everyone loves hammocks. You do to. So bring one!

For dinner, try a hobo packet. At home, chop up a bunch of your favorite vegetables and even pre-cooked meat. Add the appropriate spices and wrap everything in aluminum foil. When you’re ready for dinner, throw the whole packet in the fire for a few minutes to warm it up and prepare eat like a hobo.

Absolutely never, ever, under any circumstances, can you forget toys! Bring a disc, a hacky sack, and a deck of cards. Even throw in a sling shot.

Get the necessary gear, practice setting it up at home, and then pack your slack line out there. Even if you don’t use it, at least you’ll be trendy.

Before you leave the trailhead, check out the creek nearby. Find a discreet spot to stash your beer in the water. When you get back to the car after roughing it, no one really wants warm beer, so be the hero. Everyone will thank you and remember that beer when they write their wills.