It Took Me Years To Learn These Backpacking Secrets!, by MyLifeOutdoors on YouTube. 9 min 34 s.
- Video length
- 9 min 34 s
- Time to do it
- 20 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 7
What you need
Steps
Empty the pack and check the hip belt, shoulder straps and buckles. Lay all gear on a clean surface and sort it into sleep system, clothes, food, water and emergency items.
Put a waterproof liner inside the main compartment. Pack the heaviest items, like food and water, close to your spine and between your shoulder blades so the load feels stable.
Place bulky light gear, such as your sleeping bag and spare clothes, around the heavy items and at the bottom of the pack. Keep the load close to your back.
Store often-used items, like sunscreen, snacks and a map, in the lid pocket or side pockets. Put rain gear near the top so you can reach it without unpacking.
Strap your tent or sleeping pad to the outside only if it will not swing. Keep the total pack weight balanced left to right and tighten all compression straps.
Lift the pack by the haul loop, put it on, and fasten the hip belt first. Tighten shoulder straps, then the sternum strap, until the pack sits snug against your back.
Walk around for a few minutes and adjust any straps that rub. Check that the hip belt carries most of the weight and that you can see your feet.
Tips and common mistakes
Keep the heaviest gear high and close to your spine, not at the bottom of the pack.
Use a pack liner as well as a rain cover, because a cover alone can let water in around the edges.
Loosen the shoulder straps before you lift a heavy pack, then tighten them after the hip belt is fastened.
Questions
Where should the heaviest items go in a hiking backpack?
Close to your spine and around shoulder-blade height, so the pack stays balanced and the hip belt can carry the load.
Do I need a rain cover?
A pack liner or dry bags are more reliable than a rain cover alone, but a cover helps with light rain and mud.
How do I stop my backpack from hurting my shoulders?
Fasten and tighten the hip belt first, then adjust the shoulder straps and sternum strap so the weight sits on your hips, not your shoulders.
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.
