Packing Strategy??

[sharper8]

In what order do you load your pack? do you unpack everything in camp and re pack in the morning? New to hiking need help!!!

[jakedatc]

pack in reverse order of how you use things during the day.

Sleeping bag and night time insulation at the bottom

sleeping pad, cooking stuff inside my pot next layer

my tent fits inside now so i put that on next

food bag and rain jacket and daytime spare clothes on top.

in the lid i have small loose items on the inside and stuff i use during the day on top.. snacks, drink mix, compass, knife

my pack has "back" pockets that i keep TP, First aid kit in one side and my water filter in the other.


it depends on your pack and what type of gear you have. just think about it smartly and then go do it for a few days in a row. you get in a habit and things you end up using more float their way to the top

[sharper8]

Thanks for the advice! seems simple but I'm sure there are some things to work out

[Stir Fry]

Short answer is yes. There are not many things that do not get used every day in camp, so it all gets unpacked.
I started by looking at my pack> If I did not use it on a trip I did not take it the next time. Then if I did not use it ever couple days it did not come with me again. Then if it does not get used every day it stays home. In this way I have reduced my pack weight from 65lb. to 25 now.

[jakedatc]

Just try different stuff. the key for me is to not have to unpack much to get things i need during the day

[Hashbrown]

It's important to find a method that you like best. In general, things that you only use in the evening (like your tent and sleeping bag) are more towards the bottom. I like to keep my whole food bag on top, so I can eat whatever I want whenever without having to unpack too many things.

Some people have an exact spot for everything, which makes it easier to find things. I'm pretty lazy, so I just unpack the bare minimum at night.

[PhotobugFred]

Take a look here - http://blackwoodspress.com/blog/9556/how-to-pack-a-backpack/ . A good overview. If you google "packing a backpack" you will find lots of links and even some YouTube videos on packing. They vary slightly, but the theory remains the same. Try a few out and see what works for you. And if something isn't coming out of your backpack in camp, it means you don't really need it with you :).

["Atlas"]

Above all, get rid of everything that you dont really need. I started the A.T. this Spring with close to 90 LBS! I am down to 35, with pack and water.

Packing order, Sleeping bag on the bottom, because its squishy. Then Clothes bag and Food Bag. Finally Jetboil and Camelback on top of everything. I use the side bag for my at hand items, snacks and meds and First Aid Kit. In the Hood, I keep my rain gear. Easy Peasy. But in all honesty, everything gets taken out when you hit camp anyway, so try to pack to keep the WEIGHT CENTRAL to your pack.

[Starchild]

I keep things that I may need during the hike either on the top (lunch, snacks, steripen, electronics bag, TP) or on the back (extra layers, rain gear), some small items I keep in the hip belt pocket such as compass.

In the main compartment the sleeping pad I usually put in first then sleeping gear/clothes goes in a dry sack towards the bottom, the tent usually on one side of the pack running top to bottom rolled up in the poles - though if wet I may strap it to the outside under the pack. Any other clothes goes on top and all except the tent are enclosed in a plastic garbage/contractor bag. Camp shoes are positioned on both sides to help clear out and hold open the bag for the food bag which also contains the Jetboil.

I also try to pack heavy things towards the part of my pack closest to my back. With almost everything fitting 'in-line' now that doesn't seem to come into play much but I still try.

[RodentWhisperer]

I built my packing system upon Erik the Black's system: http://blackwoodspress.com/blog/9556/how-to-pack-a-backpack/ . Although my pack is different, and thus my system is different, the visual representation really helped my plan.

[sharper8]

Thanks everyone for the help! I'm gonna see what best works for me and my pack. What are those items you started out using that you sent home that you really didnt need?

[88BlueGT]

Packing will really depend on what you are carrying and what kind of pack you have. There are some people who stuff their tents on the OUTSIDE of their bag, some have their sleeping pads on the outside, etc. MY ULA Circuit gets packed like this...

Rain Gear 'inside' outside mesh pocket
Sleeping Pad Strapped to outside of pack (z lite - small)
Sleeping Bag stuffed in compression sack - stored at bottom of bag
Clothes all clothes in stuff sack - stored neck to sleeping bag on bottom
Misc. Gear On top of ^^^ (FAK, rope, etc.) - stored in stuff sack
Food On top of ^^^ - stored in stuff sack

As you can see, I use three different stuff sacks to organize my gear and I love packing my bag this way. I know exactly where to go when I need something and nothing is ever lost or out of place.

["Atlas"]

What are those items you started out using that you sent home that you really didnt need?
I got rid of most anything that I bought thinking "I might need this." I didn't need them. Trowel, Towel, bungee type cords, extra everything....extra lighter, batteries, knife. I had built in several layers of redundancy should things malfunction. I chalk it up to the Army.

[Tipi Walter]

Nobody can tell you how to stuff a pack. It all depends on the pack design, whether external or internal, and experimentation. Only you will know were things need to go. Ergo the fun of a new pack is playing around with the possibilities.

[ChinMusic]

Camp stuff near bottom
Needed clothes and food for day near top
Soft stuff near back
Hard stuff away from back
Heavier stuff stays in middle

[bigcranky]

I had built in several layers of redundancy should things malfunction. I chalk it up to the Army.

I started out the same way, and for the same reason. Multiple redundant versions of everything, "just in case." Overbuilt "bombproof" pack and tent, which together weighed about as much as my entire base weight now.

So, two things to keep in mind:

1. Limit the amount of stuff you bring to what you actually need, then

2. Make sure those things are as light as possible, within reason and budget constraints.

These sound simple, but really aren't. The only way to figure out part 1 is to get out there and hike. That experience will also help with part 2, as you see what gear is available that will do what you need and not break your back, or your wallet.

A good starting point for a beginning long distance hiker would be the Mountain Crossings Method (http://www.backpacker.com/november_08_pack_man_/articles/12659?page=4).

[jakedatc]

not sure in what world they can get a 2L hydration system, naglene and a water bucket into 12 oz. since well.. an empty nalgene is 8oz. not to mention being cumbersome and unnecessary. 2 1L gatorade, smartwater, powerade bottles (which ever fits your side pocket the best)

[lonehiker]

Stop in and see the guys at Neels Gap. they will help you fine tune your packing system and go through your gear. you will also have 2-4 days under your belt and will already have some idea as to what you can mail home. better yet, get out and do a couple 3-5 day trips to figure this out on your own.

[Malto]

There are three principles that used in determining the pack order. (You should know that I have a very low volume and low weight gear, about 8 lb base and I use a frameless pack which causes the pack out to a bit more critical.). The two principles are:
1) minimize the unload if I need to get something out of the pack. The primary item needed during the day is lunch and afternoon snack refill.
2) keep weight as low and close to the back as possible.
3) have a soft solid surface against my back.

So in order.
1) air at is folded and placed in trash compacted bag. If its looking like rain I use the compacted bag in the whole pack, if not, I fold the bag around my pad to protect it a bit from scuffing.
2) for multiday trip I use two food bags. A day bag which has everything needed for the day and a storage bag which has future days food food in it. If there is overflow beyond what will fit in the storage bag I place that in the day bag. (for my thru hike I was sometimes carrying twice as much food weight as my gear weight). The food storage bag is placed in the bottom of the pack.
3) next comes my quilt and bivy. I do a loose roll of the two together which also protects the quilt a bit from mositure or dirt. This is stuffed loose in the pack.
4) my tarp and cook set is next. My cookset fits into my 850ml pot and is the only real hard item in my pack. Placing this on my quilt gives it a soft surface to conform into the quilt filling all the voids. The quilt is also in this layer.
5) day food bag is next.
6) clothing sack is next. Since this is also soft it fills all the voids in the top of the pack.
7) when the top is clinched down everything compresses to the volume of the pack. I can control how hard or soft the pack is by how hard it is cinched. This eliminates any need for any other compression system and this was eliminated from my pack.

While the exact method I use won't make sense for most on here who are used framed packs with heavier bulkier gear, the principles likely apply.

[Old Hiker]

Nobody can tell you how to stuff a pack. It all depends on the pack design, whether external or internal, and experimentation. Only you will know were things need to go. Ergo the fun of a new pack is playing around with the possibilities.

I agree. It is a LOT of hit or miss for the first week or two. The AT was a LOT different from just a weekend or week long trip.

My JanSport Klamath has outside pockets where all the small stuff went. It has a sleeping bag compartment on the bottom where my bag and kitchen stuff went. I dislike having to paw through or unpack the entire pack to get to something.

Top lid: maps, guidebook pages, phone, journal, paperback book if I had one.
Side pockets: water filter in one, TP supplies in the other.
Front pocket: first aid, meds, trowel, extra bandanas. Anything else used a lot.
Mesh side pockets: water bottles.
Main compartment: extra clothing in the bottom (didn't use them much), food bag in the middle, tent on top - tent was packed last usually.
Everything in plastic bags or waterproof bags, of course.

After a couple of weeks, this setup seemed to work for me.

[kayak karl]

i found the lighter my pack got the easier it is to pack. after taking something out of my pack and putting it back for days and not using it, i quit carrying it (excluding first aid).
the only thing that never changes in my food is high, in center, against my pack.
my pack only has 2 little zip pockets and pack section. Equinox (https://www.google.com/shopping/product/2585556707139622689?q=equinox%20backpacking%20gear&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=QGJ&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=ee34110729c58d3c&bpcl=38626820&biw=1138&bih=566&tch=1&ech=1&psi=h5ajUO2dNvO-0QGXhoDgAw.1352898169007.3&sa=X&ei=jZajUJ7NG-qy0QHu8oGYAw&ved=0CF8Q8gIwAA)

[Raymond James]

Good advie on here. Just want to amplify a bags inside a bag. Now days that is zip locks. Pill bags sold at a pharmacy, larger bags at grocery stores. Push the exscess air out they make it easy to keep like items together, clean and dry. If you use nylon stuff sacks get them in different colors. They make heavy clear vynal water proof bags that I use for boating find them to heavy to carry. I use a stuff bag for my sleeping bag lined with a plastic bag to keep it dry in the rain.

[mgeiger]

I'm just a weekend warrior so take this w a grain of salt: One thing I didn't see as I was scanning these replies was putting the sleeping pad (if you use a thermarest or sim) in first and "unrolling" it basically lining the walls of the pack. Everything goes inside the core. Give the pack more structure.

[bannerstone]

I pack in (3) major sections which are cuben dry bags inside my pack, these three fill up the main compartment:


Sleeping insulation & hammock in the bottom. (sized to match my pack opening)
Food bag w/cook kit & smelly items (tall slender critter resistant poly/cuben roll top dry bag)
Clothes bag (tall slender roll top dry bag)


The insulation goes in first, then the food and clothes side by side at the top.

Everything else goes in the outside pockets and mesh pouch (ULA Ohm):

Water bottles, fiter
Tarp
Headlamp
Toiletry pouch
Camera
First aid
Rain gear
Misc. (map, glasses, etc.)



This setup allows me to access my food and clothes directly from the top of my pack during the day without removing anything. If I need to stow away things for a rain, the top of my clothes bag is where I stash camera, phone, paper, etc. I don't stored food anywhere else in my pack except for my food bag, the thought being that maybe my pack will be likely to get chewed up by critters at night.


David

[FarmerChef]

The type of pack you have/choose will help dictate the pack order. For a frameless backpack, especially one without any suspension it's important to create a frame sheet with something you use already. Your bedroll (assuming it's foam) can be unrolled inside your back creating a spine. You can use a sitpad if you have one. In my case, I fold my Tyvek groundcover up tight and flat, about the size of the "back" of my pack such that it provides structural support from my hipbelt up to my shoulders and right along my back. If you have a backpack with an internal or external frame this is not as critical.

I'll second those who recommend some form of ditty bag system, whether it's ziploc baggies or nylon sacks. It is a PAIN to dig every little thing out of your pack to get something at the bottom. And it's SO much easier to just reach in and pull out 5 ditty bags/stuff sacks/compression sacks/whatever and open the one you KNOW has the item you're looking for.

Finally, when I first started hiking long distances I tried planning out my pack order. This was good for about 30% of what I packed. The rest I learned out on the trail. The best advice I can give you is to at least go spend a long weekend hiking. Distance is not important, just practicing your camp set up and tear down routine and having to stop to check a map or grab a snack/refill your water will teach you tons about YOUR pack system.

[MuddyWaters]

dinky stuff goes in hipbelt pockets

sleeping pad goes in pack, could be folded, could be burrito
liner goes in pack
sleeping bag/insulation layer/clothing goes in liner, twist up
food bag goes on top of that
cook kit goes on top of foodbag if sturdy 2P pot
put snacks/electrolyte for next stop in outside pocket
water bottles in side pockets
tent , raingear, stakes, in outer pocket\
Fragile foster can pot goes on top in outside pocket if its the pot

[Drybones]

Put the heavier items close to your back and toward the top as much as possible. Put the items you'll need during the day on top or in an outside pocket. Put tent, rain gear and ground cloth (used to sit on at breaks) in back stretch pocket so they can be gotten quickly and easily without opening the pack during rain.

[Firefighter503]

Ohm 2.0 here. How I pack (in order):

In main compartment (in pack liner):
Sleeping Bag (no stuff sack)
Clothes bag (in stuff sack, but loose)
Sleeping pad (neo air, rolled)

On top of pack liner:
Food bag/mess kit.
Tent (no stuff sack)

Back Mesh Pocket:
Ditty bag (IFAK, TP, car keys, etc.)
Rain Jacket

Left pack pocket (as I wear it):
Fuel container(s)
Rolled up/unused water bladders (collapsible)
Bourbon (!!!)

Right pack pocket (as I wear it):
Drinking water (collapsible)

Left hip pocket:
Bear bag cord
Head Lamp
Tent Stakes
iPhone (used as camera)
Guidebook Pages

Right hip pocket:
Hand Sanitizer
Aqua Mira
Lighter
Knife
Snacks for the day

Packing like this keeps the things I need during the day/in a hurry easily accessible, and the gear I won't need except in camp dry/out of the way. I can get to camp, put on my rain jacket if its a little chilly/wet, set up my tent, and then unpack everything else under cover/out of the rain. I used to use a lot of stuff sacks for all the different pieces of gear, but the pack doesn't pack near as nicely with all of the hardish shapes. With one bag for food, one bag for clothes (bonus: pillow), and one bag for small items, I still know where everything is when I need it, but the pack is much more uniform in shape. It takes a little time to find a system that works for you, but once you find it, it's smooth sailing... er... hiking.

[Drybones]

Good advie on here. Just want to amplify a bags inside a bag. Now days that is zip locks. Pill bags sold at a pharmacy, larger bags at grocery stores. Push the exscess air out they make it easy to keep like items together, clean and dry. If you use nylon stuff sacks get them in different colors. They make heavy clear vynal water proof bags that I use for boating find them to heavy to carry. I use a stuff bag for my sleeping bag lined with a plastic bag to keep it dry in the rain.

+1 on the different colors. I put my dinners, breakfast, and lunch/snacks in different bags. It makes it easier to find what you want without going though everyting and also packs better. I also put electronics in a small bag and all other small stuff in a bag. This method also helps me account for everything.

[prain4u]

Camp stuff near bottom
Needed clothes and food for day near top
Soft stuff near back
Hard stuff away from back
Heavier stuff stays in middle


I agree (must be the Illinois system!)

[prain4u]

What are those items you started out using that you sent home that you really didnt need?

Not based on an AT thru hike--but on 40ish years of hiking....

1) Too much cooking gear and eating utensils. I don't need most of it. At my current HEAVIEST setup--I carry a small 900 ml cooking pot with a cover that can be also be used as a small cup or as a very small "second cooking pot". I carry a spork (not a knife, fork, spoon). I can actually get by with as little as just the one small pot and use an even smaller cover, and my spork. I tend to do "bag cooking" --commercial or homemade. So, I really just need to boil water. However, I am also doing more and more "cookless" meals and can actually get by without a pot, stove, cup. Just need a spork and a maybe pocket knife. With none of these methods do I have to carry items to wash dishes!

2) Rope or similar cord. Bear bag rope does not have to be super long or very heavy--a thin cord (similar to heavy-duty string) will generally do the job. The same bear "rope"--and your tent lines--can double as a clothes line and virtually eliminate the need for much additional cord of any kind. You are not Scouts doing a great deal of lashings and knot work.

3) Your knife needs are minimal. You don't need the 20 blade Swiss Amy knife or a big "Rambo Knife". (You also don't need a hatchet, ax or saw). Some people would say that you don't even need a knife.

4) A trowel or shovel is unnecessary in almost all circumstances. A tent stake or a stick can be used to dig a "cat hole" for going to the bathroom.

5) People tend to carry too many clothes (or too heavy of clothes). For "regular" clothes--you can minimally get by with what you are wearing and one change of clothes. You can expand that to include a "base layer" or "thermals". You can get by with the pair of socks you are wearing and just 1-2 pair more. One change of underwear--at most two. For cold and rain clothing--you don't need ALL of the following items--just pick the right combo that works for you---layer them in bad weather--and leave the rest home: sweater, sweat shirt, sweatpants, fleece top, rain coat, rain pants, poncho, windbreaker, wind shirt, lightweight parka, multiple base layers--etc.

5) Think twice about how many maps, trail guides, and similar things that you carry. Many threads on WhiteBlaze address the pros and cons of each. (However, you definitely don't need maps and guide books for Maine--when you are in Georgia. You probably don't need BOTH a map and a guide book--unless you want them.

6) Don't carry more stuff than you need for "RIGHT NOW". If it is three days until your next resupply. You don't need to carry six days of food and six days of fuel "just in case".

7) Water. Water weighs 2.25 lbs per liter. (2 liters is 4.5 lbs, 3 liters is 6.75 lbs--4 liters is 9 lbs!). When you are at a water source--"camel up"---i.e. (over) hydrate yourself while still at the water source in order to help ward off dehydration. Then carry less water while hiking between dependable water sources. Resupply water--and 'camel up"--at water sources more frequently throughout the day--and carry less water while you actually hike. You do not have to start your day by carrying all of the water that you will need throughout that day.

8) Carrying gear that is simply heavier than it needs to be. Why carry a 4 lb sleeping bag or 5 lb tent--when a better quality 2 lb one will do the same thing.

9) Multiple pairs of shoes. I wear trail runners--and I pack a light pair of water socks (or water shoes) for use around camp and in water or showers. Many people would say that I pack too heavy by bringing them. Some people will even bring an extra pair of hiking boots (or extra trail runners) "just in case". They bring a pair of sneakers for around camp or in town. That is all way too much.

10) Too much recreational and electronic gear. Examples: Multiple books, Full books--when maybe just certain pages need to be carried at this particular time. Musical instruments, pocket video games. Ipad, laptop computer, iPod, Mp3 player, board games. radios, walkie talkies, ham radios, too much camera equipment, telescopes, star charts, binoculars, CD players and CDs. multiple portable computer drives, video cameras, solar panels, lots of batteries and battery packs.

11) Too much health and beauty gear. Examples: Real towels and wash cloths (When you can get by with a bandana or a small backpacking towel--or nothing at all), makeup, deodorant, big tubes of tooth paste, big bars of soap, shampoo, conditioner, colognes and perfumes, curling irons, hair dryers. camp (or solar) showers, portable camp toilets, too much toilet paper, mirrors, wash basins, 1 to 5 gallon water containers, a months supply of baby wipes.

12) Portable chair and/or table.

13) Hunting or fishing gear.

14) Too big of a first aid kit. You are not a paramedic!

[10-K]

I didn't read the entire thread so my apologies if this has been said.....

I think how I pack my pack is not as important as packing it the same way, every time, no exceptions. This is the surest way I've found to make sure I don't forget anything and stay organized.

That, and whenever I use something I immediately put it back in its place. Even if I'm going to use it again in 10 minutes.

[Old Boots]

If you do some preliminary hikes over a 3-4 day period you will quickly learn what is needed and how to pack it. When I started at Amicola I wisely went to Mountain Crossing b4 I started. They helped initially, and I left some stuff with them for re-supply and sent some on ahead. And yet after hiking there I found still more to set aside. Experience is the best teacher.

[dontjoice]

While the exact method I use won't make sense for most on here who are used framed packs with heavier bulkier gear, the principles likely apply.




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