How to pack your backpack for hiking

When you’re out in the wilderness and fending for yourself, it’s easy to understand why having all of the essentials available to you is a good idea; however, a good idea isn’t always the most practical.

While it’s a good idea to have absolutely everything available to you in the trail, it’s the BEST idea to have just a small selection of specific items in your bag to keep your load light, dependable, and manageable all at the same time. Packing a light bag may seem simple in concept, but you may find yourself slightly challenged in finding out how to get only the best and most useful items in your pack without becoming overloaded and overwhelmed.

When you pack lightly for a trip through the woods or mountains, you not only save yourself the physical distress of excess weight, but you also provide yourself with a greater opportunity to appreciate all the great outdoors has to offer. With a bag that is far too heavy to manage without focus and strain, you would not be able to completely appreciate all of the sights to see on the very hike you set out on in the first place.

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No matter what you feel that you have to prepare for on your hike, you must always stick to the motto of “less is more”. Packing light is absolutely key, no matter how many scenarios you envision that you believe may necessitate bringing along more things. In order to get the best idea about which items are the best to take on your trip, you can begin by spreading out all of items that you’d consider bringing along with you on the living room floor.

Once all of the items are spread out on the floor, take the time to examine each and every one carefully in order to determine just whether or not you feel it’s really necessary to bring along. Imagine a bag that is so heavy you can barely move, and then look at the item and determine whether or not having that thing would make the weight worth it. It’s easy to get caught up in the act of packing and bring up to three or four more times what you actually need without even realizing it; having a solid visualization of all of the things that you initially put into your bag can save you a lot of trouble in the immediate future.

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Pack for the Best Case Scenarios

It may seem wise to pack for every little thing that could go wrong on the hike, but in reality, the opposite is true. It’s best to pack your bag with all of the things that can help you out of any potential complications that may arise from a load that is too heavy. Instead of bringing a large and heavy poncho, for example, you’re far better off cutting out the middleman and simply layering up. You want to be able to work out a certain science of packing for a hike that allows you to create an identical formula for every hike that you’ll go on in the future, no matter where those hikes may be.

The Essentials

It’s very likely that you already know how to pack your backpack for camping, as most of the essential items are relatively self-explanatory. Trail mix, small flash lights, fire-starting materials, and a light sleeping bag are all things that should immediately come to mind as soon as the word ‘camping’ is thought of. What also needs to be considered are the items that are easy to overlook and underestimate the importance of; for example, water purification tablets. A lot of people may romanticize the ideas of ‘roughing it’ to the extent that they’re tempted to simply take their water from any natural source that they can find along the way. While this will certainly save you space in packing, it won’t save you from needing a trip to the hospital. Animals in the wild more commonly die from diseases and parasitic infections than any other cause, and a lot of them are water-borne. All kinds of waste and organisms could be floating about in even the most picturesque body of water, and so above all else, make sure to have a way of purifying or boiling water you come across if you are so inclined to attempt drinking it.

Light and Tight

It’s also important to make sure that all of your belongings are constantly sealed up and protected from the elements to the best of your ability. On a hike, water can be both your greatest asset and worst nemesis; it’s invaluable to stay hydrated, but a backpack that isn’t prepared for rainfall can result in damaged supplies, soaked food and un-wearable clothing. Your motto should be “light and tight”; a perfect hiker’s backpack will be light enough to move briskly and comfortably in, and its contents will be sealed up in protective plastic bags to defend from all natural impediments.

That is all for this edition of how to pack your backpack for hiking. As you can see, every trip requires different way of packing. If you intend to travel to a foreign land and plan to carry your backpack often, check out our guide on how to pack for easier traveling experience.