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Making It All Fit

Several things can make your backpacking more comfortable, like the correct footwear and a pack with plenty of padding on the various straps.

Another important factor to improve your comfort, is the proper loading of the pack itself. We’ve put together a list of guidelines, as well as an illustration, below to help you figure out where everything should go.

• Place your sleeping bag at the bottom of the pack.
• Next your tent and accessories should be placed above the sleeping bag.
• Above those items, should be your heaviest gear like stove, fuel, and food placed next to your back.
• It's important NOT to pack the heaviest equipment above your shoulders.
• The remaing space in your backpack can be used for carrying lighter items such as clothing.
• Keep things you may need to access quickly at the most accessible areas of the pack. Things like snacks, maps, and water bottles can be kept in exterior pockets.

Illustration

After your trip, take a look at all the items you carried , and see if there were some things you didn't need. On your next trip, you may be able to leave these items at home. I would restrict that to non-safety related items. For instance, did you really need a pack of glow sticks and a flashlight? Could you have gotten by with just a headlamp instead, which would typically be lighter and more compact than most flashlights. Normally, I carry a flashlight, so I look for one that uses nothing larger than AA batteries.

You may also be able to reduce the amount of cookware you use as well. Eliminating a few unnecessary items not only makes packing easier, but reduces the weight of your pack as well.

This article was written by Mark Allen of Hiker's Corner.