You have your backpack. You have all the right gear for your overnight hike. But have you thought about how you pack your backpack? Let me share with you the way I have now refined to pack mine from years of backpacking.
How To Pack Your Backpack
Over the years I have really dialled in my gear kit and backpack so don’t feel you need to have it perfect for your own trip the first time. The best advice I can give is don’t over do it. The biggest mistake many people make is to bring way more than they need. This will cost you both weight and space in your backpack.
One of my most popular backpacking breakdown posts was my Backpacking Gear List for 3-5 Day Trip . That post is an info loaded resource to start if you don’t have your backpack and gear yet. Be sure to check out my post on Easy 3 Day Backpacking Food List as well to see how I keep myself fuelled on my adventures.
Simple Way to Pack Your Backpack for Overnight Hikes
For this article I take all of the great tips in those previous posts and share with you how I typically pack and fit it all inside my backpack. In the video I am using my Hanchor Marl UL backpack. It is a minimalist design bomber ultra lite X-Pac constructed backpack. It is awesome for overnights and multi-day adventures. For mountaineering technical trips I opt to use my North Face Phantom 38L.
When starting to pack your backpack keep your lightest items at the bottom such as clothes, sleeping bag, tent shell and sleeping pad. Then dense items such as food and cook system keep in the middle and close to your back for a solid safe centre of gravity. Lastly on top keep quick access to 10 essential items, rain coat, snacks and maps etc.
Every time you go on a backpacking trip try to keep notes on what worked and what didn’t. Don’t be afraid to sell gear that doesn’t work for you and try something new, it just might totally transform your experience. Make sure your backpack fits well. On Vancouver Island I highly recommend visiting the experts at Valhalla Pure Nanaimo if you need some hands on help.
Subscribe and Follow ~ Mindful Explorer
Join along on this mindful journey discovering the benefits of the outdoors, environmental awareness, sustainable lifestyle and mindfulness on social media as well as here on the blog. My Instagram account is @Stasher_BC , Twitter at @Stasher_BC and Facebook at Chris Istace Mindful Explorer
For more helpful posts click over and check out the Backpacking section of the blog or my Day Hike posts.
Subscribe to the blog and share this article if you liked it and of course I love to read your comments and questions so be sure to leave one below.
I can totally vouch for keeping things you might need while walking at the top of your pack. It might sound really obvious when you’re sitting on a comfy sofa reading this, but I’ve spent quite a few hikes grumbling when I have to try to find that “damn thing” hidden somewhere in the bottom of my pack. When I pack I think about what items I might need to grab before I set up camp, like a spare jumper, a spoon for eating lunch with, tissues etc and pack them last. It will actually make your hike more enjoyable!
Keep up the hiking content. I love the outdoors and I’m looking forward to seeing more of your inspiring photos and videos.
Nothing worse than something you need in a well packed compressed backpack and its not at the top. I’ve learned to make those simple smart decisions and doing my best to give others some good quick tips to avoid some grief.