View Full Version : Please help me!!!
I CANNOT fit my stuff into my backpack!! I am just sitting on the floor with my stuff in a heap bawling. My sleeping bag is huge. As soon as I let go of it, it puffs up into a blob the size of the bag. I bought a compression sack but it still takes up too much room. I don't know where to put my tent, clothes,etc etc.. I can fit my sleeping bag and food bag in my pack, and that's it, and it's bulging. I stuffed my first aid kit and toiletry bag on the outside of the pack in the pocket (I also have a silnylon hip pack that is crammed). I can probably put my water in the lid.
Please help me. I'm crashing and burning before I've even set foot on the trail.
:( Mindi
Put your heaviest stuff up against your back. I always put the tent poles vertically up one corner or the other, not across the middle. That helps keep things stacked up a bit. Since your bag won't get smaller, how bout try and put things inside, like toiletries or extra water bottle you can switch out at lunch or something... and hey, if this is the biggest of your worries AND you still get to do a thru, you're very very blessed!! :)
how about putting the sleeping bag in the compression sack and then hanging the compression sack under the backpack? Sort of what is commonly done with an external frame pack.
I may just have to try that, Hog. I was worried about it getting wet though, since I'm not sure if my pack cover will go over everything if the pack is hanging off. Maybe put a garbage bag inside the compression sack?
Thanks for any help, everyone. If it weren't for whiteblaze I think I'd have given up long ago!
I meant, if the bag is hanging off.
mountain squid
02-26-2007, 21:18
Go through your gear and make two piles. "Absolutely must have" and "want to have". Scrutinize the "want to have" stuff to see if you can leave any of it behind.
How much food are you carrying? I don't know if you are planning to do the Approach, but if you don't do it that would be one less day of food.
See you on the trail,
mt squid
Skidsteer
02-26-2007, 21:19
This may be a simple minded question but does your pack have compression straps? Are the loosened as far as they can go?
Just checking.
trash compactor bag in the compression sack for sure and think about getting a larger pack cover
Think of your pack as The Rock, and your stuff as The Hard Place.
Once you get what little extra room can be found by tighter packing and hanging stuff on the outside of the pack, you are left with choosing between:
a) bigger pack
b) less stuff
Oh, and to make matters worse, you will never pack as efficiently on the trail as you do at home, so you will have even less room in your pack on the trail, and a lot less room on rainy mornings.
How many cubic inches is this pack ? Just curious.
RAT
Two Speed
02-26-2007, 21:22
Suggested procedure:
Go back through all your stuff and try to eliminate a few items, bulkier stuff first, of course.
Load the big stuff first, then medium, then small.
Take advantage of any belt pockets, top pocket, etc, to reduce the amount of stuff in the main part of the pack. I really like getting my shelter and rain gear OUTSIDE of the main part; less water migrates into the rest of my gear. Just make sure your external lashing is secure or you'll wind up singing the blues.
Don't sweat it too much. You'll get more efficient at packing once you get a little time on the trail
Don't forget to keep the heavy stuff near your back, or the bag will ride like crap. The reason you load the big stuff first is it's easier to fit the small junk around the big items than vice versa.
Jim Adams
02-26-2007, 21:23
how many ci's is the pack?
geek
Alligator
02-26-2007, 21:24
how about putting the sleeping bag in the compression sack and then hanging the compression sack under the backpack? Sort of what is commonly done with an external frame pack.I've tried this, it can be awkward when walking.
What pack are you using?
hopefulhiker
02-26-2007, 21:27
Mindi, Post a gear list with weights of everything and get a virtual pack shakedown...
Frolicking Dinosaurs
02-26-2007, 21:33
Her gear list says its a gregory g-pack which is 2500 (size small)
Gear list (http://www.trailjournals.com/gear.cfm?trailname=5042)for those wanting to help her.
Hey Mindi, I looked at your trailjournal. Are you using the Gregory G-Pack that's listed in your gear list? The largest size is only 2950 cu in, and I also noticed you have a lot of fleece gear listed on your gear list (which takes up TONS of space).
Post your gear list and let everyone know if this is what you're dealing with. I'm sure there's a way!
Lone Wolf
02-26-2007, 21:36
pack is too small.
Damn Dino...you're always one click ahead of me! :)
It's a Gregory Z-pack, size small.
I know that it's better to buy the pack after all the other gear, but I received it practically free from a friend, and it fits perfectly, and I was really strapped for cash when buying gear. So this is what I have, like it or not I have to make it work.
I also know that I should have done this all long before now, but I've just finished working and gotten my last paycheck to buy food, etc.
My food bag right now weighs 7 pounds. Too much?!?
Keep the tips coming, everyone! I'm going to read everything you all post and then start fresh tomorrow. Take everything out, go through it all again, and start over with all of your ideas in mind.
Once I figure out where to put everything I'm going to do it 10 times a day until I leave!
Make that a G-Pack. D'oh.
mountain squid
02-26-2007, 21:38
I also would not attach my sleeping BAG to the outside if the bp is not configured that way. Sleeping PAD, yes, I do attach that to the outside and it never got a puncture hole.
In your two piles (that I mentioned earlier), can you bounce any of it? or reduce the quantity of any items? How much clothing are you taking?
Again, see you on the trail,
mt squid
Skidsteer
02-26-2007, 21:42
My food bag right now weighs 7 pounds. Too much?!?
Too much for what? Three or four days? No. Two days, maybe.
Or did you mean the bag itself weighs seven pounds? :D
Whew, glad I got something right, Skeedster. I didn't mention that I still have to add some cheese and pepperoni. I also didn't include the weight of my gorp and snickers, which are in my hip pack (I refuse to call it a fannypack).
Jim Adams
02-26-2007, 21:53
Mindi,
Calm down girl!!!
Your pack is not too small. I love my G pack and in winter mode it weighs 26lbs. List your gear and all of these experienced hikers will help you greatly. COME"ON.... THIS IS WHITEBLAZE damn it!!!!!
geek
Blissful
02-26-2007, 21:53
Our food weighs in right now at 11 lbs for three people for four days (we still need our block of cheese though, so it will likely be 12-13 lb). But we dehydrated a lot and are really watching it. Like Pop tarts are heavy, we found out. Go with granola (we made our own) and cold cereal. Stuff like that.
The Cat's meow is synthetic and they do puff (my Marmot Mavericks takes a ton of space, but I'm carrying my big clunker anyway). With that space of a pack, might need a down bag (?). Though I thought the North face sleeping sack was pretty small (my son misplaced his though or I would check)
I know it's hard. Hope it works out!!!
pack is too small.
Ditto. As Ward Leonard would say " You'll never make it with that pack", lol
Good luck with your shakedown, I can feel your frustration.
RAT
Hey Mindi!
Take a deep breath, go get the comfort beverage of your choice. :) It will all work out somehow. It's normal to be kinda panicky just before you leave, that's part of the fun. :D
It does look like your synthetic sleeping bag is taking more room than you planned for, that's just one of the things about them. And yes your pack is on the small side, but thats not necessarily a bad thing. I agree with others that if you can keep your bag in your pack, that's best, since it's essential to keep it dry, especially this time of year. How small can you get it with the compression sack? You aren't folding it or anything are you (instead of stuffing it)?
Re: food. It should only take you 3 days/2 nights to get to Neels Gap, 7 pounds of food is probably too much for a small female hiker. Plus, almost everyone else also takes too much and often there is food galore being given away in the first few dozen miles. No one's ever starved to death on the AT between Springer and Neels, so you could easily halve your food weight and be fine.
If you are staying at the hiker hostel, they can prob shuttle a box of stuff ahead for you to Neels, since they go there almost every day this time of year. They dropped a box off for me for free last year. So, don't worry too much, some of this you can figure out at Neels Gap after your 40-mile initial shakedown.
Thanks, Jim. I'm going to make this work somehow, damn it!
Again, with the bag, I got it cheap from a friend and it's pretty much what I have to work with. I got nearly all of my gear at a deep discount online or cheap from friends, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to afford this hike in the first place. I don't have a choice but to figure out a way.
It sounds as though I could probably cut down on my food a bit...I'm pretty sure I've overdone it. I was assuming that I would ditch some of it before I leave but I wanted to wait until I got everything packed and weighed up before I decided for sure what I need to toss.
Tomorrow it's back to the two piles, see what else I can ditch, and start over. I really think that once I figure out where/how to pack my sleeping bag I will be able to work out the rest. I'm hoping, anyway!
I keep reading about stuffing the bag rather than folding/rolling it up. Does that really work with a synthetic bag? On my first go-round I tried just stuffing it straight down into my pack, but it puffed up and ended up huge.
?
mountain squid
02-26-2007, 22:06
Looking at your gear list on TJ:
if you haven't already, pack your silk liner with your sleeping bag and compress the whole thing
attach waldies to outside of pack with sm carabiner
when not wearing fleece, pack it under lid (overhanging)
red ledge in outside mesh pocket
platypus and aqua mira in outside mesh pocket
seperate snacks from meals, place snacks in outside mesh pocket in own sil-nylon bag
See you on the trail,
mt squid
Skidsteer
02-26-2007, 22:10
I keep reading about stuffing the bag rather than folding/rolling it up. Does that really work with a synthetic bag? On my first go-round I tried just stuffing it straight down into my pack, but it puffed up and ended up huge.
?
Yeah, it works. Try it again; The first few times it feels like you need three hands but a little practice and no worries.
maxNcathy
02-26-2007, 22:10
Mindi, Take your pack and gear to an outfitter and get help...trade in your pack or whatever. Good Luck
hopefulhiker
02-26-2007, 22:16
One thing, you might drop the t shirt to start out with and swap it in later on.. I did that... Also if you go with a down 30 degree bag instead of the synthetic you would save some space.. The squall is a really good tent and set up right it will keep your down bag dry.. Plenty of room too.. Think about dehydrating food.. Also you might be able to carry two platies instead of the water bottle at first.. In the spring there is generally a lot of water on the trail.. Add a water bottle later when you drop the clothes and have more room... Also you might want to sew in some pockets or even consider some kind of front pack...
Mindi--I used a Gregory G as my big pack for my winter gear. You can do it. Probably you can cut way, way back on your clothing. Only take what you need to wear at one time to keep warm at the coldest temperature you expect, plus one thin long undershirt and thin long underpants and one small pair of clean socks. Those are the clothes you put on if you are soaking wet, in which case you will stop before you get chilled, pitch your tent, change into dry clothes, and get in your sleeping bag.
Food--Probably you should be able to get by with a pound a day for your first few days. Later you will need more, but you won't to start with. (You'll be too excited and nervous to be very hungry.) If you take three days to get to Neels Gap, plus one day on the Approach Trail, that's still only four pounds of food. Make sure it's dense food, like cheese and peanut butter, rather than fluffy stuff like cereal and bread. My personal favorite is candy. Chocolate makes me smile. Especially when it has almonds in it.
Toiletries--you really don't need much. If you haven't already, toss the hairbrush and go with a small comb. Travel toothbrush and toothpaste. Travel dental floss. Five or six BandAids instead of a box. You won't need insect repellant for a while. Do you have large bottles of anything, like soap? If so, decant a small amount into a teeny tiny bottle. Do you have a large bottle of ibuprophen? Just take a dozen pills and put them in a small plastic bag.
If worse comes to worst and you still can't figure it out, stop by the shop in Neels Gap on your way to Springer, before you start, and ask for professional help, or throw yourself on the mercy of an experienced hiker in your area.
A lot of stuff can be put in the outside pockets of the G. I typically carry on the outside: my tent pole and stakes, rain gear, fleece jacket, any hats, gloves, etc. that I'm not actually wear at the moment, two water bottles, liquid fuel bottle, all food that will be consumed before making camp, glasses in a case, guidebook, maps, folded-up Z-rest, Aqua Mira, cell phone, camera, tissues, lip balm, cup, and more. About the only things inside the pack are the sleeping bag, clothes, and food.
Marta/Five-Leaf
Programbo
02-26-2007, 22:24
That`s barely a large overnight pack you are trying to use for your trip...Perhaps straping the sleeping bag under the pack (If it even has that feature) will help some as has been suggested but there`s no way I`d ever have sent someone out on a thru hike or even on a 3 day hike with a pack that size back when I was in the business...I`d be way up there near 5,000-6,000 Cubic Inches
Jim Adams
02-26-2007, 22:27
Mindi,
don't use the compression sack. Again try to stuff the bag into the bottom of your pack and keep stuffing until it is as small as you can get it THEN put in large things and stuff them down as tight as you can THEN stuff small things around the large things, socks, shirt, any clothing not being worn at the time and keep stuffing until about 4/5ths full then add your food bag. Lay your fleece jacket and or rain jacket across the top and then fasten the over the top compession strap. Put personals, matches, lighter, TP, gloves, warm hat, headlamp, etc, etc. into the top pouch. Carry water, croc's, tent, etc in the outside netting pouch and your tent poles under the side compression straps and with the bottoms of the poles in the net pouch.
My G pack is a large but I carry alot of things that most hikers don't. My bag is down but it is 0*, my mat is a Ridge Rest but it is full length, I have a down jacket AND a rain jacket and I carry a liter of whiskey with me. With 4 days of food and 1 liter of water, it is tight but only weighs 26lbs. Once north of the Grayson Highlands, the bag gets changed to a 32*, the down jacket gets sent home and I add another liter of whiskey!
It will work. List your gear!
geek
Your gear should fit....it will be tight but it will fit.
Programbo
02-26-2007, 22:27
Oh and stuffing the sleeping bag in works best..Grab small handfuls at a time and work from side to side...But it will expand to be the size of whatever you put it in..That`s why a pack with a bottom compartment works best if you are going internal frame
Thanks, Marta! I did plan on stuffing an awful lot right into that mesh pocket on the outside. I think I can get this figured out with a little help from you all :)...
I had my drink, I finished crying, I feel much better. Tomorrow is another day, I'll start over and I'll make it work somehow. It's a good thing it's almost time for me to get on the trail, I'd probably have a nervous breakdown if I had to wait much longer.
I wish I had Stretch Armstrong arms so I could hug you all.
I will not be this big of a p**sy on the trail, promise.
:D
Mindi, Take your pack and gear to an outfitter and get help...trade in your pack or whatever. Good Luck
Tossing out comments like this isn't going to help someone who is on a tight budget, was obviously resourceful in getting all kinds of great used gear, and is leaving for Springer in 48 hours. Like many other young thru-hiker hopefuls, she probably can't afford to just walk into an outfitter and buy a new pack. Which she doesn't need anyway. She has a good pack and perhaps a wee bit too much gear. No biggie, it will work out.
Jim Adams
02-26-2007, 22:48
Mindi,
I may be able to help you make the stuff fit. PM me.
geek
Thanks, norub. I'm trying my best to work with what I have. I got all my gear for less than $300. God knows people have hiked the whole trail and then some with much worse gear than what I have to work with. I did have a momentary freak-out, but I'm determined to make this work. Luckily there are plenty of you willing to help me out!
I do have a little more than 48 hours, luckily. (Although it feels like it's coming fast, now).I start the trail on the 12th. I can't wait! I hope I'll be back here in the fall telling all of next year's thrus that they can do it. I really think that once I get out there and actually get HIKING it'll all work out.
Back to the matter at hand, I just tried the 'stuffing' method, and I think I actually get it! It really does work and I think that was half my problem. I think I just need to get a smaller stuff sack or compression sack to put my sleeping bag in. The sacks I have are too big, so the sleeping bag puffs up to fill them when I get it inside. I'm going to make a rough measurement of my smooshed-down bag and head out tomorrow to look for a smaller stuff sack. I'll keep you all posted!
Thanks to all of you again for all of your help.
Thanks, norub. I'm trying my best to work with what I have. I got all my gear for less than $300. ...going to make a rough measurement of my smooshed-down bag and head out tomorrow to look for a smaller stuff sack.
Awesome. The kind of attitude that has you focused on getting used, top-quality gear at rock-bottom prices and engaging in problem-solving will fare you well on the Trail.
Good idea on the smaller stuff-sack. I made a sack for my bag that is about half the size of the manufacturer's one. Then I sewed two criss-crossing compression straps to it. You can get the straps and buckles dirt cheap by cutting them off a used kid's daypack/bookbag bought at the thrift store. I now have my 10-degree bag down to slightly smaller than a volleyball. :)
You're gonna have great time, Mindi!
I agree with Marta, a pound of food a day is a good estimate for the first week or two of hiking. After that you'll probably need somewhat more. Most hikers carry way too much food.
4eyedbuzzard
02-27-2007, 01:07
Mindi,
Don't estimate. Just take the bag to the store and stuff it into the smallest it will fit. The store shouldn't mind.
I keep reading about stuffing the bag rather than folding/rolling it up. Does that really work with a synthetic bag? On my first go-round I tried just stuffing it straight down into my pack, but it puffed up and ended up huge.
?
Mindi,
Try placing a plastic garbage bag into your pack, stuff your sleepingbag into it, starting at the foot end of the bag. Make sure to keep stuffing it as far down into the pack as you can get it, right into the bottom corners of the pack.
Now, once you have it as tight as you can get it that way, gather the plastic snuggly over the sleeping bag and twist the plastic bag one or one and a half twists closed, but not too tightly, you still want air to be able to escape the plastic bag.
Now kneel on the bag/pack while holding the plastic bag. Allow the air to escape, then tighten the twist to keep air from re-entering, reposition your knees to a slightly different position, and kneel again, allowing the air to escape. Continue like this until you get the bag as tightly packed as possible, when you are satisfied, twist the plastic bag tightly closed, and place some heavier objects on it, the plastic will keep the sleeping bag from re-fluffing until you get everything else packed.
This sounds complicated, but isn't really, you'll get the hang of it. I used this method many times when dealing with sythetic bags. Also, my experience is that you will make better use of your space if you avoid using the compression sack, but if you want to experiment, try the kneeling and plastic bag method when stuffing into the compression sack, helps there too.
You'll eventually figure it all out. It's just part of the challenge.
Lyle
Good ideas, everyone! I think I may be able to cut the straps off the too-big compression sack and wrap them around the smaller sack if I need to smoosh it more. I'm also going to cut down a little on my food. I can always have an extra tortilla or gorp if I'm still hungry after dinner.
OntheRoad
02-27-2007, 01:30
I used to have the same problem. You really need to take your time with it and first get everything down to as small as it will possibly go, even if that means re-rolling your bag and other items a couple of times.
After everything is compressed down then start placing things in your bag, thinking about filling every gap. You need to pack your backpack like a game of tetris, also keeping in mind that your heavier items need to be closer to your back and the top of the pack.
You can fit everything in your pack, it's just about taking your time/getting used to packing things in that tetris-like way.
canoehead
02-27-2007, 08:17
before you take off on your long AT hike,
I would do a few shakedown hikes just to figure out what to do and how it works, what not to bring and what to change. maybe a few trips with a guide or club could help you out.
Florida. If you have been there long, you will have thin blood. Remember this when you are ditching extra clothes. It's all about the wind...
Have a ripe tangerine for me before you go. They in season now? I have not had decent citrus in years, but the apples are good. Be Well.
Guess what?!?
I just got it all in!! It looks positively ridiculous :D..but it's all in there. I can even get my pack cover over it, which may come in handy to cover the ridiculousness of it all.
If you see a 5 foot tall girl struggling up the trail with a pack that looks bigger than she is and ready to burst, you'll know it's me.
Thanks for the help, everyone! Now to go truck up and down the hill with it on.
Forgot to add, it comes out to 23 pounds with food.
Footslogger
02-27-2007, 12:31
Guess what?!?
I just got it all in!! It looks positively ridiculous :D..but it's all in there. I can even get my pack cover over it, which may come in handy to cover the ridiculousness of it all.
If you see a 5 foot tall girl struggling up the trail with a pack that looks bigger than she is and ready to burst, you'll know it's me.
Thanks for the help, everyone! Now to go truck up and down the hill with it on.
===========================
Mindi ...you'll get it all under control as time goes by. Just keep experimenting with different packing methods/order. No doubt you will weed through some of your gear/clothing the further you get into your hike and the weather warms up a bit.
Hang in there ...and enjoy your hike !!
'Slogger
Mr. Parkay
02-27-2007, 13:35
Guess what?!?
I just got it all in!! It looks positively ridiculous :D..but it's all in there. I can even get my pack cover over it, which may come in handy to cover the ridiculousness of it all.
If you see a 5 foot tall girl struggling up the trail with a pack that looks bigger than she is and ready to burst, you'll know it's me.
Thanks for the help, everyone! Now to go truck up and down the hill with it on.
Hey Mindi, it's good to hear that you got the pack under control... and I must say, it's awesome that you got such nice equipment for so cheap. Perhaps I'll see you out on the trail, since I'm starting just a day or two earlier. With Geek, who's been posting above, and some other friends. We'll be moving at a very leisurely pace. :)
--Mr. Parkay
Gray Blazer
02-27-2007, 13:52
Forgot to add, it comes out to 23 pounds with food.That's good!! Extra food is good. You never know what could happen. Be prepared. Have a good time. People from FL may have thin blood, but I know (I feel it) we have a higher thru-hike completion ratio than any other state. 90% completion rate from FL (you know what they say about statistics). Yes, I made that up. But I have a good feeling about Mindi. I liked your TV show. I really miss Mork. Nano, nano.
Forgot to add, it comes out to 23 pounds with food.
With food? That's awesome, Mindi! :)
Thanks! It's a bit awkward but I think after some time having to haul it all day long I'll get better at loading it in a more balanced way. It's going to look funny regardless.. :) I think part of the problem is that I'm such a small person, a bulging backpack and hip pack just looks silly on me. I have the same problem with scuba gear. I generally always look like I'm going to tip over.
Luckily I think most of the weight is in food. I'm going to carry the platy in my pack lid and use my gatorade bottle for water and the platy for filling up in the evening for the night's/morning's meals. I can always fill up both during the day if I get to an area with a long distance between water sources.
Trailwind
02-27-2007, 16:51
Mindi,
Glad you got the pack done. You might get a trail name of PackRat or something like that. It sounds like you are heading to Springer late this week or weekend. I live just North of Atlanta and I am driving up to Springer Friday evening for a weekend outing. Since money is in short supply for you I can offer a free ride for you and your hiking partner if the timing works out to your schedule. Just a little trail magic to start you off on the right foot.
Thanks, Trailwind! I'm staying at the Hiker Hostel on the 11th and starting out on the 12th, so my ride is taken care of..but thanks for the offer!
I've said it a million times, but you all are so great. Thanks!
:) Mindi
Also, the link to my journal is fixed.
Get yourself a hammock, get rid of tent and sleeping bag etc.:D
trlhiker
02-27-2007, 20:43
Good luck to you Mindi, will look forward to reading you trailjournal.
ric2hunt
02-27-2007, 20:46
Mindi,
I use the Z pack, Rainbow Tarptent, and have a Cats Meow, Stove, water pump, sleeping pad, clothes & water bottles(carried on the outside-d clips & OR bottle holder. Approx 23lbs with everything including water.
Practice makes it better.
Yeah, I'll be carrying my water bottle with a clip, too. No way I can stuff it into that pack! :D