Please help me!!!

[mindi]

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

[Webs]

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!!

[jlb2012]

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.

[mindi]

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!

[mindi]

I meant, if the bag is hanging off.

[mountain squid]

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]

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.

[jlb2012]

trash compactor bag in the compression sack for sure and think about getting a larger pack cover

[Frosty]

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.

[RAT]

How many cubic inches is this pack ? Just curious.


RAT

[Two Speed]

Suggested procedure:

1. Go back through all your stuff and try to eliminate a few items, bulkier stuff first, of course.
2. Load the big stuff first, then medium, then small.
3. 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.
4. 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]

how many ci's is the pack?

geek

[Alligator]

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]

Mindi, Post a gear list with weights of everything and get a virtual pack shakedown...

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

Her gear list says its a gregory g-pack which is 2500 (size small)
Gear list for those wanting to help her.

[Michele]

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]

pack is too small.

[Michele]

Damn Dino...you're always one click ahead of me!

[mindi]

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!

[mindi]

Make that a G-Pack. D'oh.