A pack’s load set up is going to affect how it feels on your back. If you simply stuff everything in without giving it any thought, you may feel discomfort and out of balance.You can’t just toss your stuff into a backpack and call it a day: comfort and balance are essential because you’ll be carrying your stuff for hours, days or even weeks at a time while hiking.No matter the amount of gear you have, there are some basic packing rules on how to pack a backpack for travel.
4 Basic Rules on How to Pack a Backpack
- the heaviest items should be closest to your back
- the lightest items should be placed farther away.
- Items that are used often go on top and
- lesser used stuff goes to the bottom
The basics of how to pack a backpack stay the same whether you’re going hiking, camping, skiing or exploring. Assume that there are three areas in your pack:
Bottom of Backpack: Lighter items, such as your sleeping bag, should be placed at the bottom of the bag. It offers support for the items above it and gives the bottom of the backpack structure. Your sleeping bag’s size can be shrank with the use of a compression sack.
Against The Back: Pack the heaviest items closest to your back, like your tent, food for meals, water, or climbing gear. This is the area where you must put a bear canister if you’re using it to store scented stuff.
Top Of The Backpack: Put bulkier or medium weight items down the front or closer to the top of the pack. This may contain stuff like your first aid kit, water treatment system, or additional layers of clothing.
Side pockets are ideal for holding and placing smaller, more frequently used items. Bring water bottles to stay hydrated while hiking, maps or a GPS to quickly find your destination, and rolled up rain gear to quickly change into dry clothes when the clouds start to roll in.
Avoiding overpacking
Weigh your pack before you exit the house. Generally speaking, your pack weight shouldn’t be greater than 25% to 30% of your body weight. Overpacking and making your bag heavier than needed can happen easily. Pack all that you plan to bring, weigh your pack, put it on, and take a walk around your house to get a feel for how it feels. Look closely at any clothing, food, or camping items you might not need for this specific trip if it’s too heavy. Make sure everyone in your hiking group shares the load by separating your tent into its frame, fly, and poles, allowing each person to carry a bit of the weight.
How To Fix A Zipper on a Backpack
Key Points on How To Pack a Backpack for Hiking:
- To keep everything in place and move the load closer to your body, use your compression straps.
- For better posture, place heavy items slightly higher when hiking on easy terrain.
- Placing heavy items further down improves your balance on steeper terrain.
- Utilise your pots as sturdy metal stuff sacks for storing brittle stuff.
- Place your food above the bottle of fuel.
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