Right Way to Pack Your Backpack: 10 Professional Lifehacks

Photo: Sayan Nath for Unsplash

Forget all the grandpa’s tales about packing all heaviest things on the bottom of your pack. Modern tendencies are – to pack hefty stuff in the middle of the pack. At the bottom you may locate the tent and sleeping bag.

Lifehack: emplace the belongings in a such an order, as a result of which you can sit on the backpack during a rest, knowing that you will not break anything.

Remember, that in the ideal situation backpack weight should not exceed 30% of your weight.

3. Reduce weight of the backpack

The novices in outdoor camping often do not know a hack – how to reduce the weight of ordinary gear. Sure you can buy light-weight things in sport store, but with the short budget you can do it yourself. For example, separate the hand from your toothbrush. Instead of heavy metal flask use plastic water bottle. And the spare t-shirt cope with easy with the role of the towel. For sure you shouldn’t take the whole bottle of the favorite shampoo or soap, use small bottles or single-use packs.

As for the meals, take sublimated food, it will decrease not only the weight of backpack, but a capacity also.

4. Use waterproof cover

Photo: Danka Peter for Unsplash

The outdoor gear manufacturers like to state “waterproof” about the goods, but experienced travelers know that not all the words should be trusted. If the weather cast is questionable, take the ultralight raincover (they made it from siliconised ripstop nylon). One can choose from different sizes and color; and if you are desperate for the money, use the simple garbage sack. And your sleeping belongings say “thank you” in the case of the unexpected rain.

5. Choose the pack with the accurate harness

If you have a few trekking days ahead, choose the backpack with the correct harness; adjust it and the hip belt before the trip. The correct customizing will help you to save the back muscles and overall impression of the hike.

Adjust the straps with the loaded pack, in this case you can correct the contents and avoid problems during vacation.

6. Keep the basic things in an accessible place

Photo: Nathan Dumlao for Unsplash

All your friends have an earned rest, and you are still can’t find flip-flops? That’s why you should put all the needed gear in an appropriate place. The better choice is to complete the things according to the activity. Morning procedures? Put all the belongings in the shower bag. Overnight stop? Keep the underwear and the spare socks inside the sleeping bag. For the quick access use the upper zipped pockets of your backpack.

7. Wrap soft things around hard gear

This lifehack will save your nerves during long trekking: no one likes the clinking sounds inside backpack. So try to divide the hard things with wrapping it in a t-shirt or spare shorts. And do not forget to jump up with the pack before moving off: it will be easy than shake it by hands.

All the good scouts and ranges check their gear in such a manner for decades.

8. Do not carry your pack by the top lead

Photo: Andrew Ly for Unsplash

The top lead is a useful thing for the quick access to your belongings, but do not lift the pack by it. The result may end up with the teared gear (and you pay a lot for this fancy model, didn’t you?). Take into the account, that in several samples the top lead is removable, not sewed. Instead use special load lifters, every manufacturer tries to make them noticeable and strengthened.

9. Do not forget to take the medication

If you use some medicine continually, we will not recall to take it into the wild. But do not forget to bring additional sunscreen, repellent, Band-Aid and decontaminant. Medical supplies in the general first-aid kit may end, and the mosquitoes always want to eat.

Also put the reserve elastic band, it weighs almost nothing, but some of your friends can use it in the emergency.

10. Check the visual view of backpack

Photo: Aneta Ivanova for Unsplash

Finished the packing? Congratulations! Then inspect backpack from the different angles: it sides should not bulge, and all the construction mast be symmetrical. The top of the pack should not be higher than your head (at maximum – at one level).

And an icing on the cake… Extract all the things and pack them back for the second time. This training will help you to be the best tourist in the outdoors!

Have a good trip!

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