⛺Hiking 22,000 MILES Taught Me: PACK LIKE THIS | Ultralight Hiking Tips, by Dave Morrow | Photography & Hiking on YouTube. 30 min 38 s.
- Video length
- 30 min 38 s
- Time to do it
- 30 minutes
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Empty your pack and line the main compartment with a dry bag or pack liner. Skip a rain cover, which is heavy clutter and leaves gaps where water gets in.
Put your food bag in the center of the pack, right against your spine. Heavy items close to your back keep the load stable and stop it swinging.
Pack your quilt or sleeping bag around the food to fill gaps and lock the food bag in place. Push gear down so nothing shifts as you walk.
Add camp layers above the sleep system, then lay your sleeping pad against the back panel or across the top. Keep the heaviest items near your spine.
Place your tent or shelter so it can come out fast in a storm. Pack it where you can reach it without unpacking the whole bag.
Tuck your toilet kit and small essentials into fixed spots you can find by feel. Repeat the same location every trip so it becomes muscle memory.
Keep outside pockets for trail gear only: water, snacks, map, gloves and a shell. Never put camp gear there.
Pack the day's food in an outside quick-access pocket. Refill from your main food bag at camp, not on the move.
Tips and common mistakes
If you open the main compartment during the day, your layout needs fixing.
Use dry bags and liners instead of zippers, stuff sacks and rain covers.
Put every item in the same place each trip so you stop hunting for gear.
Weigh your loaded pack before you leave and cut anything you did not use last time.
Questions
Why not use a rain cover?
A cover adds weight and clutter and leaves gaps where water gets in. A pack liner or dry bags keep gear dry with less fuss.
Where should the heaviest gear go?
Close to your spine and centered, so the load stays balanced. Food and water are the usual heavy items.
How do I reach snacks without unpacking?
Keep the day's food in an outside quick-access pocket. Refill it from the main food bag only at camp.
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.
