Expert Backpacking Habits EVERY Beginner Should Master, by Backcountry Exposure on YouTube. 13 min 23 s.
- Video length
- 13 min 23 s
- Time to do it
- 30 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 10
What you need
Steps
Lay every item on the floor and check the forecast for the two days. Leave behind anything you did not use on your last trip.
Sort small gear into ditty bags by job: one for cooking, one for hygiene, one for repair and electronics. This keeps you from digging through the whole pack.
Line the pack with a pack liner, then put your sleeping bag in the bottom compartment. Keep it in its own stuff sack so it stays dry.
Place the heaviest items, like food and water, against your back at shoulder-blade height. Heavy gear high and close to your spine keeps you balanced.
Add the tent body and fly above or beside the food bag. Bulky light items such as your puffy jacket go lower and further from your back.
Put snacks, sunscreen, headlamp and map in the lid and hip belt pockets. These are the things you reach for without stopping.
Slide water bottles and your filter into the side pockets so you can drink without unpacking.
Cinch the compression straps and shake the pack. Nothing should swing or rattle, and the load should feel like one solid block.
Stow the rain cover in the lid or a front pocket, not at the bottom of the main compartment.
Put the pack on and tighten the hip belt over your hip bones first, then the shoulder straps, then the sternum strap. Walk around the block to test it.
Tips and common mistakes
Aim for a total pack weight under about 20 percent of your body weight, and weigh it before you leave.
Skip hanging gear off the outside of the pack. It snags on branches and throws off your balance.
Pack and unpack your bag once at home before the trip so you know where everything lives in the dark.
Leave your route and return time with someone, and carry a headlamp and map even on a short overnight.
Questions
Where should the heaviest items go in a backpack?
High and close to your spine, around shoulder-blade height. That keeps the weight over your hips and stops the pack pulling you backwards.
Do I need a sleeping bag compartment?
Not always. Many hikers just stuff the bag into the bottom of a lined main compartment, which fills dead space better.
How much water should I carry for a weekend hike?
Carry one to two litres and a filter or purification tablets so you can refill from streams. Check the route for water sources before you go.
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.
