Better Packing Scheme

[Saluki Dave]

This probably applies more to conventional backpackers more than ultralighters, but all input accepted:

What sort of packing scheme do you use beyond the rule of thumbs heavy items high and close to the body? Using a Gregory Palisade, I can get everything inside except bits and pieces in the mesh pocket and under the stabilizer straps. I place my Thermarest upright in the middle, with the tent on one side and foodbag on the other. Clothes go underneath the tent and food. Cooking, snacks and miscellaneous items go on top of this. Snacks and accessibles in the outside pocket and a Platypus in the top pack. Sleeping bag in its spot underneath (duhhh!). It seems pretty balanced but maybe someone out there has a better scheme?

[hungryhowie]

Actually, I use heavy items low and close to my back. Lower weight = lower center of gravity = less likely to pull YOU over when you trip or duck under a blowdown.

Here's how a pack my pack. It is a frame-less pack, so I put my folded-up thermarest right next to my back for padding. Everything else goes in a waterproof pack liner. At the bottom of the pack liner goes my foodbag (without a doubt, the heaviest bag I carry out of town). Stuffed around and on top of that are my clothes (note: my rain gear usually goes on top) and quilt. My tarp and bug net go on next along with my rain gear (and maybe my fleece depending on how cool it is). On top of everything goes a plastic grocery bag (double bagged...of course) filled with my lunches and any fresh veggies or fruits that I'm carrying. My Camelback slides between the thermarest and the pack liner.

My pack (It's a highly modified Golite Gust...in case you cared) has one outside bellows pocket. In that is a ziplock filled with my first-aid, grooming, headlamp, wallet, knife, guidebook/map, pocketmail (if I'm using it), rain cover, tent stakes, and other misc. stuff. My camera attached to my shoulder strap. That covers everything, I think.

-Howie

[snuffleupagus]

I’ve found that by attaching my thermarest to the outside of my pack, usually on the top of all my gear, that I’m able to get just one or two more items of luxury into my pack. I have also found that by using appropriate sized compression sacks for my most important items (food, shelter, clothes, sleeping bag) that I can quickly adjust where things are in respect to comfort.
My sleeping bag is the largest item I carry. That goes in my pack first, fully compressed.

When I carry a tent, it is usually an OR bivy sack, or my Eureka Solitaire. I usually like to my tent right in the middle of my lower back. Both those shelters (when compressed) are longer than they are wide, so I tend to like have them lay sideways in my pack. It adds to the support of my pack in respect to the contour of my body.

Next in my pack is my 2Liter MSR cloudliner water bag.

Food goes in my pack next. My food is the heaviest of all my items. I like to have my food right between my shoulder blades because, when compressed, it can be a little rigid and is less likely to rub me raw than if in another spot. I also like my food closer to the top of my bag because, it helps me stand up straight and keeps me leaning forward less.

Lastly is my clothes, which I usually have enough room to place on either side of my food in a horseshoe fashion surrounding my food bag.

Depending how far I’m going to hike, if I take a tent or not, plus the amount of food I have. I can then compress or de-compress my sleeping bag to keep all the other items tight in my pack. I find that as my food goes I can de-compress my bag more and more. If I need more room for additional items I can adjust the compression of each item in my pack for more or less slack.

Did I mention I love compression bags...

[SGT Rock]

I use a Gearskin, but this system would basically work with a number of other packs with some slight modification. Basically I put the heavist items on the bottom where the hip belt ties it directly to my hips for a better feel. I used to do the heaviest items on top, but find this works better and less sore backs.

1. The pad is the "frame" It could be folded and placed against the back, but I prefer using it more like a taco and going all the way around my gear.

2. Heaviest items lower. I put my food bag since it alone is almost half my pack weight when full. My mess kit is inside the bag.

3. Inside a liner (I use a trash compactor bag) goes a sil-nylon bag with my quilt, liner, and underquilt; then on top of that goes the bag with my clothing.

4. On top of the liner goes my hammock inside the snakeskins and beside that is my first aid/repait kit/navagation stuff/hygine bag (it is a very small bag).

5. between the pad and the Gearskin near my back I place my rain pants where thy provide some padding. Between the pad and the Gearskin to the outside I put my platapus in case I need to carry it with water in it.

6. On the outside of my pack is a mesh pocket where I keep the tarp for my hammock in case it is slightly wet when I pack so it can dry and not mildew inside the snakeskins. I also put my steak bag in there so I can set the tarp up in a pinch for a shelter to eat or whatever (this takes me about 1 minute of work). Finally my rain jacket also goes in this pocket where it is handy.

7. Using a piece of 550 cord I attach a waterbottle to my hip belt where it is easy to get to.

Packing this way, the Gearskin feels like a pillow strapped to my back instead of a torture rack.

[chris]

I use frameless packs now, with limited space, so I tend to jam things in very solidly. Here is the plan:

1) Sleeping bag in stuff sack goes in vertically.
2) Clothes bag get jammed in next to it.
3) Olive oil and alcohol bottles get wedged in in the little formed between 1 and 2.
4) Groundcloth with stakes goes in the other little gap formed by 1 and 2, next to my back,
5) Journal gets slid in between 1 and the side of the pack.
6) First aid kit and tarp get smashed on top of 1,2.
7) Stove, pot, along with any extra clothing go on top of it all.
8) Food bag gets wedged around 7.
9) Water, tarp pole, maps, compass, iodine, etc. gets carried in the external superpocket.

Note that the food is riding high on my back, near my shoulders. I like to have it
accessible quickly, for when I want a Nutella burrito, I want it right away. Carrying the water in the superpocket isn't super efficient, as it can put a lot of weight far out from my body. On the PCT, it really sucked having 5 liters of water out there, plus another 2.4 inside the pack, but I'd rather have the water than not. This isn't an issue, however, on the AT.