In the past 50 years, backpacks have significantly advanced from the bulky external frames and limited pockets of the past to today’s variety, including lightweight, vest-style frameless designs and sturdy internal frames.
Understanding how to properly pack a backpack remains essential. Simply filling a backpack without a plan isn’t enough, especially for extended hiking trips where balance and comfort are critical.
Proper packing not only ensures comfort over long durations but is also a safety precaution, helping maintain balance and prevent falls on difficult trails.
In this article, we’ll discuss key tips for efficiently preparing your backpack for a hike.
How Do I Pack my Hiking Backpack?
Packing your backpack is more akin to an art than a strict science. Nevertheless, adhering to a few basic principles will get you most of the way to an ideal pack.
Keep in mind the two C’s: comfort and convenience. Your gear should be packed in a manner that maintains your center of gravity and doesn’t hinder your movement.
It should also be organized for easy access, so you can retrieve what you need without having to unpack everything.
No one appreciates a chaotic, disorganized pack during a hike.
- Packing Your Backpack for Comfort
To preserve your center of gravity and thus your comfort, place your heaviest and densest items as close to your back as possible.
Food, water, and cooking equipment should be positioned near or between your shoulder blades to avoid them swinging and affecting your balance. Secure them in place with lighter items like clothing.
- Packing Your Backpack for Convenience
To prevent a disorganized mess, layer your gear based on how often you’ll use it. Items like your sleeping bag, which you won’t need until you set up camp, should go at the bottom of the pack.
Conversely, items you might need during a break, like a puffy jacket, should be placed at or near the top of your pack for easy access.
What Purposes Do the Various Pockets on My Backpack Serve?
Although backpacks might vary slightly depending on the brand or design, most contemporary models possess several standard features that enhance gear organization.
These features range from facilitating better weight distribution to ensuring quick access to essential items, with specialized pockets playing a significant role in optimizing backpack use.
The Top Zippered Pocket
Often referred to as the “brain” of the backpack, this top-zippered pocket is crucial for quick access on the trail.
It’s ideal for keeping frequently used small items such as snacks, navigation aids, and headlamps.
Utilizing this compartment effectively not only speeds up your breaks but also prevents a disorganized mess every time you need something like trail mix.
Note that some backpacks, particularly ultralight and waterproof models with roll-top closures, may not have this feature.
The Front Pouch
Nothing is more frustrating than having to store a damp raincoat with your dry equipment, or scrambling to find it during a downpour. This issue can be resolved by making good use of your backpack’s front compartment.
Also known as the “kangaroo pouch,” this elastic front compartment allows immediate access to its contents.
In some backpacks, this may be replaced with a zippered compartment; either way, it’s best used as a designated spot for your jacket. Avoid placing heavy items here as they could alter your center of gravity.
The Hip Belt Pocket
It is a convenient feature for storing items you frequently use like snacks and lip balm.
An added advantage: accessing it doesn’t require removing your backpack.
(Note that this feature might be absent or detachable on lighter backpacks.)
Water Bottle Pocket
The most noticeable sections of your backpack are likely the water bottle compartments located at the base of each side.
These are perfect for storing your water bottles for easy hydration.
What Are All These Straps on My Backpack For?
The straps on your backpack play a pivotal role in compressing your gear, ensuring a compact center of gravity and facilitating easier hiking. Before setting out on your hike, ensure all these straps are properly buckled and tightened.
Many backpacks also feature less obvious zippers designed to simplify access to your packed items; these include side and bottom zippers for reaching items buried deep inside.
Some backpacks come equipped with a compartment at the bottom specifically for sleeping bags, complete with a protective flap to isolate the sleeping bag from dirty clothes, food, and damp gear. Unfasten this flap if you need additional space.
Tips to Avoid Overpacking
One essential tip hiking tip for those who tend to overpack: Remember, once on the trail, your backpack and its contents become an extension of you. It’s often wise to adopt a minimalist approach, even if you’re not strictly an ultralight hiker.
Having trouble reducing weight? Consider this method:
- First, lay out everything you’re thinking of taking on your hike, ranging from essential items like sleeping bags, clothing, food, and shelter, to non-essential items like reading materials and extra clothing.
- Next, separate the essential items. Be strict with your definition of “essential,” avoiding the temptation to categorize luxury items as necessities.
- Then, eliminate at least half of the items from your “luxury” pile. Chances are, many of these items are not truly necessary.
If after packing the essentials, your backpack still has ample space, you might consider adding a few luxury items.
However, if your backpack is still overloaded after minimizing your gear, continue to remove non-essential items until everything fits comfortably. Don’t worry, you’ll find the right balance eventually.
Should I Use Compression Sacks?
While clever packing can help keep your gear in place, sometimes additional organizational tools are necessary. Compression sacks are useful in these situations:
- They compress your load by removing excess air, allowing for more items to be packed.
- They assist in categorizing your gear by type.
- Many are waterproof, providing added protection against wet conditions.
However, compression sacks have their downsides. By forcing your items into specific shapes, they can create unused space within your backpack. To address this, consider filling these gaps with loose clothing or a puffy jacket to prevent your load from shifting.
One strict rule: Never store your sleeping bag in compression sacks when not hiking. Prolonged compression can damage the natural loft of the bag, reducing its insulation efficiency.
Preparing Your Backpack for Rain
Don’t let a sudden rainstorm catch you unprepared, leaving you wet and cold. Plan ahead for bad weather when packing your backpack. You have several options to consider:
- Backpack Rain Cover
Invest in a rain cover for your backpack as a primary defense against unexpected rain. This affordable accessory prevents the exterior of your pack from getting wet, thereby protecting everything inside. Keep it in your front compartment for quick access.
- Compression Sacks
Water-resistant compression sacks can safeguard your sensitive items from the inside during heavy rain.
- Trash Bags
A simple and cost-effective solution for waterproofing is using heavy-duty plastic bags. Store your water-sensitive gear in a trash compactor bag before packing it, expel as much air as possible, and secure the bag with a loose knot.
(If your backpack has a separate compartment for a sleeping bag, use a smaller trash bag to line the interior of that compartment.)
References:
- https://backpackies.com/blog/anatomy-of-a-backpack
- https://www.thermarest.com/blog/10-ways-lighten-backpacking-load/
- https://www.worldpackers.com/articles/minimalist-packing-list
