Pack a Light Backpack for Backpacking

Are you ready for an outdoor adventure? Packing may be the trickiest part. You no doubt have ideas for items you’ll need on your trip, but worry about carrying too much. Opt for lightweight gear and versatile objects that fulfill more than one purpose. Limit the amount of food and water to what you’ll need to get to the next restocking point. Finally, test out your pack to ensure it feels light and comfortable to wear.

Steps

Choosing a Pack, Shelter, and Tools

1. Try out a smaller backpack. Backpacks of a smaller size force you to leave more at home. Some come with less excess material, such as belts, pockets, padding, and a weight-distribution frame. Choose a pack that is an appropriate size for your trip.
   • Keep in mind, however, that larger packs, such as those with frames, might feel better to wear due to better weight balancing and more comfortable strap material.
   • You may also cut excess features off the pack, such as extra pockets and buckles, to reduce weight.
2. Opt for lighter shelter. In warm, dry climates, you can get by with a hammock or a sleeping bag. When there’s rain, take a lightweight tarp. Ultralight tents, though heavier than tarps, offer more privacy and better protection from the elements. Determine the type of shelter that matches your needs and find its lightest variety.
   • When bugs are a problem in the area, you can bring a mesh shelter. Use the tarp or tent poles to hold it up instead of carrying separate poles.
3. Pack a down sleeping bag. Down sleeping bags are the warmest option at night. These bags are easier to pack and weigh less than synthetic bags. Down bags are susceptible to water, but many companies now treat the bags to be more water-resistant.
   • Down bags can be protected from wet weather by lining the inside of your pack with a garbage bag.
4. Bring multifunctional items. Every item in your pack must be a necessity. Many items can be used in more than one way. Think of a Swiss army knife. With a Swiss army knife, you wouldn’t have to bring both a knife and scissors. Similarly, you won’t need to bring a spoon and a fork in order to eat. Also, dental floss can be used for teeth as well as thread for sewing up damaged gear.

Gathering Food, Clothing, and Emergency Items

1. Determine how much food and water you need. Take time to figure out how much of each you will require between checkpoints. Water in particular is a heavy weight. If there are streams or other refilling points on your route, you won’t have to lug around so much water.
   • Bring a water filter instead and hydrate at home and at water sources.
2. Bring dry food. Dried food saves you space and weight. Plan out calorie-dense meals using granola bars, tortillas, nuts, dried fruit, jerky, instant oatmeal, and other foods. On longer trips, you may be able to leave the stove at home or bring less fuel.
   • With calorie-dense foods, such as granola or peanut butter, you need less food to keep up your energy.
3. Limit the amount of clothing you bring. Consider reducing your load to as little as two whole sets of clothing. This way, you’ll always have a dry set. Keep your clothes multifunctional and durable. Convertible pants can be adjusted for hot and cold weather. Instead of bringing multiple shirts, try combining short-sleeve shirts with armwarmers.
4. Avoid cotton clothing. Cotton doesn’t resist water. When it gets wet, it won’t insulate you from the cold and will feel heavier. Instead, opt for wool or a synthetic material such as polyester for your inner layer. Get socks, underwear, and overshirts in these materials. Your convertible pants, rain pants, and rain jacket can be nylon.
   • Keep protective clothing light too. Select a down jacket and other lightweight material.
   • Look for quick-drying fabrics, like fleece, polyurethane, and Gore-Tex. Examples include Event, Marmot Membrane, and Polartec NeoShell.
5. Layer your clothing. You don’t need to bring a bulky coat or heavy clothing to stay warm. Instead, choose warm, lightweight fabrics. Wear long underwear to protect your skin. This can be used as pajamas and can be zipped down from the neck in warmer weather. Build upon this protective layer with a layer of clothing for walking, then a layer for insulation.
   • Socks, gloves, and hats should never be doubled. Choose thin, lightweight material such as wool or synthetics. You will only need one set of lightweight gloves and one hat.
   • Remember that during the day, moving will make you warmer and cause you to sweat more. At night, you’ll stay warm inside your sleeping bag.
6. Bring limited emergency supplies. Try to find ways to treat emergencies with the supplies you already have. Duct tape can help you treat wounds, so you can cut down on medical bandages. Parachute cord used for clotheslines or fastening gear can be wrapped around spare clothing to set injured limbs.
   • Dental floss can be used to repair gear. Store it in your medical kit with a needle instead of bringing a sewing kit.
   • Other emergency gear you may wish to bring include a compass, a map, emergency kindling, and a lighter. A cell phone can serve functions such as being a light source, but should not be relied upon for long outdoor trips.

Packing Your Supplies

1. Spread out your items on the floor. Go one by one through every object you plan on bringing. Consider how much of a necessity the object is and if there is another object that can fill in for it. For example, duct tape can be used to repair gear and wrap wounds, so you don’t need to carry medical bandages too.
   • Remember that you can also cut your objects to reduce weight. File down the handle of your spoon and toothbrush. Cut labels and excess material off your gear. These small weights add up when you have to carry them.
2. Check the weather. The forecast can help determine how much you need to carry. If there’s no rain on the way, you can leave behind the rain fly on your tent or sleep in open air. In cold weather, you won’t want to carry light clothing and vice-versa.
3. Keep small and important items in your pockets. Make the items you’ll use throughout the day easily accessible. Snacks, such as granola bars, and necessities, such as bug spray and sunscreen, can rest in the pockets on your hips and pack straps so you don’t have to disturb your pack.
4. Line the inside of your pack with trash bags. Trash bags are cheaper and lighter than pack covers but still resist water. Place one at the bottom of your pack and, as you add items, place them between the items and the pack. You can also store your items inside the bags.
5. Place heavy items in the center of your pack. When using a frameless backpack, you have to take extra care to balance the pack’s weight. The items you don’t need until you camp should be at the bottom. Big items, such as a stove or your shelter, should be balanced between lighter objects.
6. Compact items to fill space. While you can hang items from your pack’s straps, this makes your pack more cumbersome. Instead, adjust the items to take up as little space as possible. Anything that appears unnecessary or disrupts your balance should be moved. For example, you can reorganize your food into sealed bags. Remove your floss from the plastic container. Make sure everything you think you need fits into your pack.
7. Test out your backpack. Strap on the pack. Hit a local trail or carry the pack up a flight of stairs. You will be able to feel how heavy it is and figure out how to rebalance the load. Take this opportunity to discard any objects you determine aren’t a necessity.

Sources and Citations

See also

• Wear Gaiters
• Clean Hiking Boots
• Build a Tarp Shelter
• Prepare for a Trip to the Jungle
• Be Prepared for a Hike
• Pack for a Desert Hike
• Start Barefoot Hiking
• Fend off a Mountain Lion
• Backpack in the Rain
• Plan a Backpacking Trip

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