3 Day Backpacking Gear List + Food, by Move With Murph on YouTube. 9 min 16 s.
- Video length
- 9 min 16 s
- Time to do it
- 1 hour
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 10
What you need
Steps
Sort your gear into systems: shelter and sleep, cooking, clothes, electronics and first aid, and food. Keeping each group together makes packing and daily repacking much faster.
Line your pack with a 50L pack liner before you put anything in. It keeps your sleeping bag and spare clothes dry even if rain gets into the pack.
Add the sleep system next: tent, stake kit, sleeping pad and sleeping bag. Keep the heaviest items close to your back and the tent near the top.
Pack the cooking kit: stove, titanium pot with lid, long handled spoon, water filter and a small towel. Nest small items inside the pot to save space.
Put electronics and first aid in one small pod: headlamp, power bank, cable, e-reader, repair tape, water treatment tablets and a trowel.
Roll your camp clothes and layers into a stuff sack: rain jacket, thermal top and leggings, fleece hoodie, beanie and gloves.
Wear your hiking clothes instead of packing them: sun hoodie, shorts, merino briefs, socks, trail shoes, watch and sunglasses.
Weigh the packed pack without food, water or fuel to get your base weight. Write the number down so you can compare it next trip.
Pack food by meal in a food bag: breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner, plus fuel for your stove. Repackage meals at home to cut packaging weight.
Add toiletries, then weigh your food, water and fuel for your consumable weight. Add that to your base weight to get your trail weight.
Tips and common mistakes
Weigh each item on a kitchen scale as you pack so you know exactly where the weight comes from.
Keep snacks in a hip belt pocket so you can eat on the move without taking the pack off.
Tell someone your route and return time, and carry a headlamp and first aid kit even on a short trip.
Check water sources and fuel canister rules for your route before you leave.
Questions
How heavy should a 3 day backpack be?
Many backpackers aim for a base weight of about 4.5 to 7 kg (10 to 15 lb) and a total pack under roughly 11 kg (25 lb). Fitness and comfort matter more than hitting an exact number.
Do I need a water filter on a 3 day trip?
Yes if you plan to refill from streams or lakes. A squeeze filter plus backup treatment tablets covers most trips and weighs very little.
How much food should I bring per day?
Plan roughly 2,500 to 3,000 calories a day of light, high energy food, split into breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner. Repackage it at home to save space and weight.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
