When properly packed, a backpack may hold a surprising amount of equipment. There is no one optimal packing strategy, but there is a general strategy that is effective. Make sure you have everything you need for your trip by using a backpacking checklist, and follow these tips on how to pack your backpack for a hiking trip like a pro.
This article provides advice on how to pack efficiently and how to carry a heavy backpack. If you’ve packed your backpack correctly, it should sit comfortably on your hips and not move about while you walk.
Start From the Bottom
The goal of packing your backpack well is to move from the bottom up. Putting your bulkier, squishier items at the bottom gives your pack a shock-absorption system that acts as a protected barrier for your more delicate items. Things like your sleeping bag, sleeping pad, shoes, boots, and clothing items are perfect for the bottom. Otherwise, it will be a challenge to fit everything in your pack without a struggle.
Fill Up the Middle
After you’ve set your cushiony foundation, you can set your sights on the core of your hiking backpack. This area is ideal for your heavier, denser items that you won’t be needing during the hike. For example, you won’t need your meals, water supply, and cook kits when you’re trudging along the trails.
Loading large objects here shifts the center of gravity forward, creating a more secure base of support. When loaded too low, a pack will droop; when loaded too high, it will feel unstable. Weight distribution is vital for backpack ergonomics, ensuring you won’t be aching during your outdoor adventure.
Place Bulkier Items on Top
The top layer is ideal for bulkier items that you will likely use during your hike. Such items include a rain jacket, a first-aid kit, an insulated jacket, and toiletries. Some folks may even store their tent toward the top in case Mother Nature decides to open the sky unexpectedly and begin to downpour. You don’t want to empty the entire contents of your hiking backpack to get to your tent if you need to set up camp quickly in an emergency.
Keep Things Close
Most hiking backpacks come equipped with various compartments to have things ready to go at a moment’s notice. Obvious things include snacks, water bottles, and navigational equipment. But you don’t want to forget things like sunglasses, sunscreen, and lip balm if the wind is wreaking havoc on your lips.
Use Loops
You may attach the following items to the exterior of your backpack: walking sticks, tent stakes, a sizeable foam mattress, an outdoor chair or stool, an axe for cutting ice, crampons, and a suspension device.
Many backpacks come with dedicated tool loops, fasteners, or space for some of these items. You can also employ compression straps, lash patches, and daisy chains to corral stuff that doesn’t fit anywhere else. However, you should keep the number of objects on the outside of your pack to a minimum because you could damage them in branches or scrape them against rocks.
Learning how to pack your backpack for a hiking trip like a pro allows you to include everything necessary without hurting your back and the rest of your body. The more comfortable and prepared you are for your hike through the wilderness, the more fun you’ll have.
