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Once you decide what you will need on the trail (choose wisely), the next challenge is how to carry it without breaking your back. It's important to pack your pack in such a way that the weight will be properly distributed without throwing you off balance or causing aches or pains. And once packed, how the heck do you get that heavy pack on your back. Well, this week, let's look at all the ins and outs of packing your pack in a way that will make your trip even more enjoyable and then getting it on and off with minimal effort.
Packed efficiently, a backpack can swallow an amazing array of gear. But what goes where? There’s no one right way to pack. Lay out all your gear at home and try out different loading routines until you’ve found what works best for you. Use a backpacking checklist to ensure you have everything and make notes on your list about what worked well (or poorly) after each trip.
This article offers packing tips and explains the proper way to hoist your pack when it’s full. A well-loaded pack will feel balanced when resting on your hips and won’t shift or sway as you hike with it.
Packing can be broken down into three zones, plus peripheral storage:
Bottom zone: Good for bulky gear and items not needed until camp.
Core zone: Good for your denser, heavier items.
Top zone: Good for bulkier essentials you might need on the trail.
Accessory pockets: Good for essentials you’ll need urgently or often.
Tool loops and lash-on points: Good for oversized or overly long items.
Visualize stacking cordwood. You’re laying down rows, not building columns: Fill nooks and crannies until you have a solid, stable load—and be sure weight is equally balanced on each side. Tighten compression straps to streamline your load and prevent it from shifting as you hike.
Video: How to Pack a Backpack
Bottom-of-Pack Items
Bulky items you won’t need before making camp include:
Sleeping bag (many packs have a bottom compartment sized for one)
Sleeping pad (especially if it rolls into a tiny shape)
Any layers, like long underwear, that you plan to sleep in
Camp shoes or down booties
Packing this kind of soft, squishy gear at the bottom also creates a kind of internal shock-absorption system for your back and your pack.
Core-of-Pack Items
Heavy, dense gear you won't need to access during your hike includes:
Food stash (entrees, not snacks)
Cook kit
Stove
Water reservoir (unless you prefer bottles for hydration)
Bear canister (containing food and all other scented items, plus whatever bulky items help fill it to the brim)
Packing heavy items here helps create a stable center of gravity and directs the load downward rather than backward. Placed too low, heavy gear causes a pack to sag; placed too high, it makes a pack feel tippy.
Carrying liquid fuel? Make sure your fuel-bottle cap is tight. Pack the bottle upright and place it below (separated from) your food in case of a spill.
Consider wrapping soft items around bulky gear to prevent shifting. Use these soft items to fill in gaps and create a buffer between bulky items and a water reservoir:
Tent body
Tent footprint
Rainfly
Extra clothing
Tip: Trying to slip a full reservoir into a full pack won’t be easy. Even if it has a separate compartment, it’s best to fill the reservoir and put it in your pack first.
Top-of-Pack Items
Bulky trail essentials work well here:
Insulated jacket
Fleece jacket and pants
Rain jacket
First-aid kit
Water filter or purifier
Toilet supplies (trowel, TP, used TP bag)
Some people also like to stash their tent at the top of the pack for fast access if stormy weather moves in before they've set up camp.
Accessory Pockets
Packs differ in what they provide—lid pockets, front pockets, side pockets and hipbelt pockets. Some pockets even have a lot of smaller pockets inside. All of these options help you organize smaller essentials:
Map
Compass
GPS
Sunglasses
Sunscreen
Lip balm
Headlamp
Bug spray
Snacks
Water bottles
Raincover
Car keys (look for a clip inside one of the pockets)
ID and cash stash
Tool Loops and Lash-On Points
Some of the most common gear to strap on the outside of your pack includes:
Trekking poles
Tent poles
Large sleeping pad
Camp stool or chair
Ice axe
Crampons
Climbing rope
Many packs have special tool loops, fasteners or other storage solutions for some of this gear. Daisy chains, lash patches and compression straps can also be used to wrangle gear that simply can’t be carried in any other place.
However, because this gear can snag on branches or scrape against rocks, you should minimize how many items you carry on the outside of your pack.
How to Hoist Your Loaded Pack
A common mistake made by beginners is to lift a pack by a shoulder strap. Not only can this damage and prematurely wear out your shoulder harness, it also makes it difficult to control your pack as you try to wrestle it onto your back.
Instead, follow these steps and you’ll be able to smoothly hoist even a heavily loaded pack from the ground to your back:
Loosen all of your straps slightly to make the pack easier to slip on.
Tilt your pack to an upright position on the ground.
Stand next to the back panel; have your legs well apart and knees bent.
Grab the haul loop (the webbing loop at the top of the back panel on your pack).
Lift and slide the pack up to your thigh and let it rest; keep your hand on the haul loop for control.
Slip your other arm and shoulder through one shoulder strap until your shoulder is cradled by the padding.
Lean forward and swing the pack onto your back. Now slip the hand that was holding the haul loop through the other shoulder strap.
Buckle up and make your usual fit adjustments.
Video: How to Hoist a Backpack
Practice the art of hoisting a backpack at home. If you can easily remove (and rehoist) your pack at every rest stop, you can stretch out fatigued muscles and finish your hike with more energy at the end of the day.
Written for REI Expert AdviceN.A.C. NEWS
(Sunday, March 31, 2024)
HOPPY EASTER!
Good Morning,
Welcome to the 200th edition of Niagara Adventure Club's Adventure Weekly newsletter! I started this little hiking club as a Facebook group nearly 15 years ago and it grew quickly. In 2012, I renamed my group to Niagara Adventure Club, and shortly afterwards moved it off Facebook and onto a private web space. From there it has continued to grow and became what it is today. Today, you're reading the 200th newsletter, and I would like to say thank you! I have had such an incredible time operating this club, meeting so many adventurous people, sharing in life long memories and even writing these newsletters. So again, thank you for being part of this club and reading my newsletters. I hope I have inspired you to take on many challenges, and push your limits to create many memories that you will cherish.
Don't forget to register for the upcoming TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE! Join us at Fireman's Park, outside of the main tourist area, in Niagara Falls, ON. It has been 99 years since the last Total Solar Eclipse over the Niagara Region and it won't happen again until 2044. So pack a cooler full of (non-alcoholic) beverages and snacks, grab a chair and join us in the park to witness this extremely rare event. You'll regret it if you miss it!
There are 3 spots remaining for the GROS MORNE EXPEDITION! You read that correctly, only 3 more spots, so don't wait, register now! This is the chance of a lifetime and a very difficult trip to arrange on one's own. Join Niagara Adventure Club for this extraordinary journey and leave all the details and planning to us.
In 15 days NAC along with 8 awesome and brave backpackers will head to Pennsylvania to complete a section of the famous Appalachian Trail. Over the course of 4 days, we will hike 70 kms with over 6000 feet of elevation change, making this one doozie of a hike. But completing this challenge along with the bragging rights will be the reward. As always, you will be able to follow along as we hike on our Facebook Page.
If you haven't purchased your NAC Season Pass for 2024 as of yet, what are you waiting for. At midnight tonight, the price for the remainder of 2024 drops to $45. As a Season Pass holder, you are eligible not only for free NAC day hikes and discounted events, but also a number of discounts and benefits from the 12 NAC Partners. Please consider supporting Niagara Adventure Club and help keep this local not-for-profit club operating.
I wish you a very Happy Easter and great times spent with Family, Friends and all your loved ones.
That's all the news for this week. As always, stay safe, and happy adventuring!
Lenny Burch