How to Properly Pack A Bushcraft Backpack, by Coalcracker Bushcraft on YouTube. 7 min 28 s.
- Video length
- 7 min 28 s
- Time to do it
- 20 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Check the forecast and lay every item on the floor. Sort gear into sleep system, shelter, clothing, food and tools so you can see what you have and drop anything you will not use.
Line the pack with a large dry bag or trash bag. Push your sleeping bag into the bottom compartment and add spare clothing in a separate stuff sack beside it.
Pack the heaviest items, usually food and water, against your back at shoulder-blade height. Keep them centred so the load sits over your hips rather than pulling you backwards.
Slide your tarp, tent or hammock in just above or beside the sleep system. Keep the stakes and cordage in a small bag so you can pitch shelter without unpacking everything.
Fill the middle and upper body of the pack with lighter gear like your stove, cook pot and wash kit. Push soft items into gaps so nothing shifts when you walk.
Put your knife and axe in their sheaths and strap them to the outside of the pack or bury them deep and secure. Never carry a bare blade loose in a pocket.
Place map, headlamp, snacks, gloves and rain jacket in the top lid or a hip belt pocket. These are the things you want without opening the main compartment.
Tighten the compression straps until the load feels firm, then fit the pack. Set the hip belt on your hip bones, snug the shoulder straps and adjust the sternum strap.
Lift the pack with bent knees and one hand on the floor. Walk around for a few minutes, then loosen and retighten the straps until it sits steady with no sway.
Tips and common mistakes
Keep the load to roughly a fifth to a quarter of your body weight so you can still walk and scramble comfortably.
Use one dry bag per gear group so you can find things fast and keep the rest of your kit dry in rain.
Put the rain cover on before the rain starts, not after the pack is soaked.
Anything strapped outside the pack can snag on branches, so keep dangling straps short and tucked in.
Questions
How heavy should a bushcraft backpack be?
Most people do well around 10 to 15 kg for an overnight trip, which is roughly a fifth to a quarter of their body weight. Weigh the pack at home and cut gear until you can carry it without leaning forward.
Where should an axe go on a backpack?
Strap a sheathed axe to the side or under the top lid, head up, with the handle secured so it cannot swing. Some packs have a dedicated axe loop and a shock cord lower down.
What goes at the bottom of the pack?
The sleeping bag and spare clothing go at the bottom because they are light and you rarely need them during the day. Heavy food and water sit higher, close to your spine.
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.
