next step - 1st time packing up

[squeezebox]

Could not get to sleep tonight. Did not want to sit and read trail journals for some reason, The past few days I've been thinking about how to pack a pack. So tonight I thought about how to pack up. So I got out a bunch of gallon and quart zipp locks and a sharpie. food/kitchen stuff in one pile, sleeping stuff in another, rain gear in another, etc. So after 2 hours I'm tired.
But emotionally it has been different, the step from researching & buying gear, to figuring out how to pack it up is a step towards
"I'm not thinking about it, I'm working on making this happen"
Tomorrow I'll join the gym and start working out.
Next week, stop drinking and eating right.
I'm going to make this happen for me !!!

[10-K]

Are you going to thru hike? If so, it will be over before you know it. All that planning and research, then a huge sustained effort, then *poof* - you're back in your recliner reading WB again before you know it.

It goes by quick, and if you get your head right it'll be the best thing you ever did.

So.. enjoy!

Suggestions for thru hiking:

1. Never complain about the trail. Trust me, nobody wants to hear it. I actively avoided complainers and so do others.

2. Find something positive to think about while you hike, every day.
3. Eat anything you want whenever you can.
4. If you're at a place that accepts donations, donate a reasonable amount.
5. Keep moving. Hiking gets old and boring sometimes but nobody is coming to get you.

[daddytwosticks]

Are you going to thru hike? If so, it will be over before you know it. All that planning and research, then a huge sustained effort, then *poof* - you're back in your recliner reading WB again before you know it.

It goes by quick, and if you get your head right it'll be the best thing you ever did.

So.. enjoy!

Suggestions for thru hiking:

1. Never complain about the trail. Trust me, nobody wants to hear it. I actively avoided complainers and so do others.

2. Find something positive to think about while you hike, every day.
3. Eat anything you want whenever you can.
4. If you're at a place that accepts donations, donate a reasonable amount.
5. Keep moving. Hiking gets old and boring sometimes but nobody is coming to get you.

I have to agree! The older and more cranky I get, the more I realize how important positive thinking is and spreading good kharma. My wife, who is an eternal optimist, is finally rubbing off on me after 27 years together. :)

[Gambit McCrae]

Are you going to thru hike? If so, it will be over before you know it. All that planning and research, then a huge sustained effort, then *poof* - you're back in your recliner reading WB again before you know it.

It goes by quick, and if you get your head right it'll be the best thing you ever did.

So.. enjoy!

Suggestions for thru hiking:

1. Never complain about the trail. Trust me, nobody wants to hear it. I actively avoided complainers and so do others.

2. Find something positive to think about while you hike, every day.
3. Eat anything you want whenever you can.
4. If you're at a place that accepts donations, donate a reasonable amount.
5. Keep moving. Hiking gets old and boring sometimes but nobody is coming to get you.

Well said! Things I dont like seeing trail side are complainers and those sorts of hikiers lingering at a hostel or shelter for days pondering to go further etc.

[Gambit McCrae]

Ussually I like to pack my stuff according to when Im going to need what. For instance I wouldnt want to put my rain jacket or my food back under my sleeping bag and pad. Roughly this is from bottom to top how I pack it:

Sleeping bag, thermo pillow and exped pad go in first
Kitchen and mid layer(Fleece) go in next along with compressable down jacket and any other winter clothes like fleece pants
food, rain jacket on top

in front pocket(back of the pack) I keep my toiletry bag and water filter

Only ammendment to this is if I have a heavy food bag packed for a lengthy amount of time I try and put it near the bottom and just get out my daily ration of snacks

[Slo-go'en]

Next week, stop drinking and eating right.

I don't think it's a good idea to stop drinking or eating right :)

As for packing a pack, everyone has their own system and to some extent it depends on the type of pack and it's features. In general, you want to try and keep the center of gravity near the middle section of the pack. For most, that means sleeping stuff goes in the bottom, food in the middle and clothes on top. Stuff you want handy goes in the top pocket or "brain" of the pack, but don't put too much up there.

But it's not until you actually get out into the field and start using the gear that your packing scheme gets fine tuned.

[Coffee]

First of all there is something liberating about having less stuff and one of the advantages is that it is simpler to pack up the pack. My routine is similar to what others do. First to go in is my zPacks liner. Then I fold my thermarest prolite in fifths and put it up against the back panel of the pack (ULA circuit). Sleeping bag goes directly into the liner at the bottom of the pack and I compress it based on how big my food bag happens to be. Food bag goes on top of the sleeping bag. The little spare clothing I have goes on each side of the food bag. Ditty bag with stuff I use only in camp goes on top of the food bag along with my down parka. Then I close the pack liner. Tent goes in above the pack liner (so if the tent is wet it won't get the contents within the liner wet). Stove goes in next to the tent for each access (I make coffee most days mid morning). Food to eat prior to dinner goes into my hip belt pocket and the large front mesh pocket. Rain gear in large mesh pocket along with pack cover. Toilet kit, first aid kit, and repair kit goes into a cuben stuff sack in one side pocket. Water bottles in the other side pocket. If I'm not eating a hot breakfast, I can usually be packed up and ready to go within 20 minutes of waking up. I've been able to get this down from 45 minutes to one hour over the past couple of years by reducing what's in my pack as well as getting better at the process.

[flemdawg1]

http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/loading-backpack.html

I use a trash compactor bag as a liner, it goes in first. Into that I put: Sleeping bag, clothes, sleeping pad and hammock (after a heavy down pour got these last 2 wet I decided I prefer them inside the liner). Close the liner(twist shut and tuck end to keep from untwisting). Next is my tarp, water carrier (Nalgene Cantene 96oz) and cook set. Then 1staid/misc bag, electronics bag, food bag, and then my rain jacket. In the bladder pocket is a gallon ziplock with my wallet, maps, cell phone, sunglasses, car keys, and TH Companion pages. My water bladder and tyvek ground sheet are in laft hand side pocket, and right hand side pocket is gatorade bottle and TP kit (TP, Hand sanitizer, Body glide).

[squeezebox]

Sounds a lot like Maslow's hierarchy of needs, Whatever you might need the most goes on top. Whatever can wait goes on the bottom.
Heavy stuff towards center of gravity.
Rain gear on top if it's cloudy and rained the last few days, Rain gear on the bottom if it has not rained for 2 weeks.
Thanks Folks !!

[Bronk]

Don't overthink it or overplan. The reality is that after a couple weeks on the trail you will figure it all out. You'll find that you end up abandoning many of the plans you make, so don't waste too much time planning things out in fine detail. It will all work itself out once you get out there.

[rafe]

Sounds a lot like Maslow's hierarchy of needs, Whatever you might need the most goes on top. Whatever can wait goes on the bottom.
Heavy stuff towards center of gravity.
Rain gear on top if it's cloudy and rained the last few days, Rain gear on the bottom if it has not rained for 2 weeks.
Thanks Folks !!

That's it in a nutshell. Stuff I only need in camp goes "deep" in the pack. The more likely it is to be needed on the trail, during the day, the closer to the top it wants to be. If rain seems likely, rain gear and pack cover stay up top so they can be accessed quickly.