How to pack a backpack: Organization & load distribution, by SierraDesigns Gear on YouTube. 4 min 35 s.
- Video length
- 4 min 35 s
- Time to do it
- 15 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Empty your pack and lay all your gear out. Group the heavy items like food and shelter, the light bulky items like your puffy jacket, and the things you need during the day.
Put your sleeping bag and sleeping pad in first, at the bottom of the main compartment. You will not need them until camp.
Place your heaviest items, the food bag and shelter, against your back. This keeps the load close to your spine and steady.
Pack lighter, bulkier items like your puffy jacket in the front area of the pack, away from your back.
Put rain gear, today's food and your water bottle at the top of the main compartment or in exterior pockets.
Use stuff sacks to group small items and compress your sleeping bag. Keep similar gear together so you can find it.
Tighten the compression straps and the lid. The pack should feel firm, with no gear shifting when you shake it.
Lift the pack and check the fit. Adjust the shoulder straps and hip belt so the weight sits on your hips, then loosen or repack if it pulls.
Tips and common mistakes
Keep your heaviest items within a few inches of your spine, not at the very bottom or the very top.
Do not hang heavy gear off the outside of the pack, it swings and strains your shoulders.
Line your pack with a trash bag or pack liner before loading to keep your sleeping bag dry.
Weigh the loaded pack before you leave and remove anything you did not use on the last trip.
Questions
Where does the sleeping bag go in a backpack?
At or near the bottom, since you do not need it during the day. Use a stuff sack or the sleeping bag compartment if your pack has one.
Should the heaviest items go at the top or the bottom?
Against your back, in the middle of the pack's height, so the load stays close to your center of gravity.
How do I keep my water bottle easy to reach?
Put it in a side pocket or a hip belt pocket, or use a hydration bladder with the hose clipped to your shoulder strap.
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.
