How Pack your Pack So you've got the gear. You've bought the tent and a neat little stove. You're ready for that grand adventure off the beaten track but one last question nags: how do go get it all in the bag? More importantly, how do you pack the weight in a way that won't cost a trip to your chiropractor? Don't worry, the answer isn't hard.
Your shoulders and hips are the parts of your body that carry the weight of your backpack. To avoid back strain, place the heaviest items you will be carrying high on your back between your shoulder blades and centered over your hips.
|
Light items |
Medium items |
Heavy items |
|
Sleeping bag |
Stove |
Tent |
|
Pillow |
Water filter |
Food |
|
Clothing |
Canister fuel |
Water |
|
Foam pad |
First-aid kit |
Liquid fuel |
Start by placing lightweight items in the bottom of the bag--for instance: your sleeping bag and the clothing you won't need until night. Next, put in your medium items, making sure that any liquids are firmly secured. Finally, top your bag off with the heaviest items. Keep in mind that you should be carrying no more than 30% of your weight.
Many multi day packs have a sleeve for suspending a hydration bag high inside your pack. A hydration bag (such as a Platypus or Camelbak bag) has a hose that comes out of the top of your pack and clips onto the shoulder straps. This feature gives you easy access to water and encourages you to drink more as you hike. Staying hydrated as you backpack gives you significantly more energy for the trail ahead.
Use the compression straps on your bag to synch the load securely into place. A shifting load not only causes greater back strain, it can throw you dangerously off balance as you scramble across tricky terrain. For the same reason, try to minimize the amount of gear you lash to the outside of your pack. Make sure this gear is distributed with the heaviest items on the top of the pack.
Because women have a lower center of gravity, they may prefer to pack some of the heavier weight items lower towards their hips. As well, if you happen to be crossing extremely rough terrain, dropping the heavy part of your load lower in your bag may help you balance better.
The best way to organize your gear is with stuff sacks. These brightly colored waterproof sacks are the perfect way to separate and identify the items you need. They help you guard against fuel leak and insure that your food and dirty laundry aren't going to mix.
So now you know--don't waste another drop of sunshine.
Go play outside.
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